The Glory of God in all things

I want to blog today on social justice issues. In the Wesleyan tradition a great emphasis is placed on social justice, and there is ample scripture to back this emphasis. Fathering the fatherless... taking care of widows... feeding the poor... visiting those in prison... giving someone a cold drink... etc. There are plenty of passages in scripture that call us to engage in social justice. Now in many fundamental reformed circles this notion of social justice is immediately labeled liberalism, and treated as though it is a plague... it gets labeled "the social Gospel".

There is a drastic imbalance in both the liberal view of social justice, and the fundamentalist's denial of its importance. Remember the reason for the existence of both the individual and the Church is the Glory of God, and to honor the Lord Jesus Christ. When the focus of social justice is IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, it brings great glory to the Godhead. When the Church goes to those whom no one else will go to for no other reason than the Glory of God it is a great and mighty thing. You must realize that the insistence on social justice is vital and biblical if indeed it is social justice in the name of Christ. When a fundamentalist denies the importance of social justice issues they deny too many scriptures to count.

Now for the flip side. Social justice for the sake of social justice is humanism, and it is wicked, very wicked. Often times the liberals who are all about social justice will unite with ungodly organizations and people to further their social cause. This is nothing more than trying again to build the tower of babel, doing a mighty work that gives God no glory. Why should we cure cancer? So that God's name may be great. How will His name be great, only if the curing is done in His name. What I mean is this, when we do a great social work outside of His name it actually steals honor and glory from Him and is out and out wrong. Liberal social justice does just that, it focuses on human needs and disregards God's glory in Jesus Christ. If you offer someone a drink in the name of Buddha you give honor to an idol, which is idolatry. If you join hands with those who serve other Gods in order to perform social justice you give glory to their idols. Do you see it. Even great events like 'Relay for Life' and such, if you are going to participate you ought to make it very clear that your primary reason for participation is the glory God in Christ Jesus.

We must examine ourselves... do we do social justice as humanists, or as Christians, there is a drastic difference. John Wesley is a good example of a Christian attempting biblical social justice.