The Essence of Justice

Greetings Dear Reader,

So many conversations around me deal with social justice and the nature of following Christ in that justice. I know I have written about this before but as I was listening to yesterday’s sermon again this morning I was reminded of a vein of this thinking. Am I doing enough to assure that others see Christ in my actions in the area of social justice? Do I reflect not just the kindness and generosity necessary to assure that others have their needs met, but also do I do so in a way that draws them to Christ?

The very best things that I do are valueless if they do not communicate Christ to others. The entire purpose of justice is to lead us to the grace and faith necessary for us to see our need for Christ. Whether it is my family, my students, or a stranger it is vital that my actions be for the singular purpose of others seeing Christ more clearly.

There is a long and eternal path that unfolds from those glimpses of Christ in others. Mine began with my Grandfather. After him there was a painful time where there were no glimpses of Christ that I can recall. Then there was David, Bob, and Ray. They all reflected Christ to me in different ways and the combination resulted in the beginning of my true faith journey.

I have wandered so far and so often away from what matters. I see others for whom I should be an example wandering too. The things I would change in my life would be those moments where I chose my own desires and fears over giving Christ my faith and loving obedience. Every time I have or do sin against another I hinder the redemptive social justice that God desires.

I cannot be someone who denies justice to anyone and hope to help them see Christ. Neither can I offer simple social justice without the end being others seeing Christ through it. The ultimate purpose for social justice is redemption. I do not mean heaven and harps, but rather a clear redemption of all creation to the state which God intended. We see justice worked out in the penalty for our sin. We also see grace, mercy, and love in Christ being the propitiation and atonement for that sin. Once we embrace this, our need to work it out in others by treating them well becomes a part of the redemption process.

None of this works without faith. Nothing moves us closer to a redeemed creation without acting in faith. No personal theologies or theories of my own thinking matter. I must act in faith to show Christ’s redemption process through all areas of social and practical matters. “In him we live and move and have our being.”

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."