What’s the Difference Between Social Justice and Biblical Justice?

What's the difference between social justice and biblical justice is one of the questions will be answering on today's addition of core Christianity will hi this is Bill Meyer along with Pastor Israel Sanchez. This is the radio program where we answer your questions about the Bible and the Christian life every day.

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You can also watch a drill right now live in the studio on our YouTube channel and messages that way course you can always email us a question at questions at core, Christianity.com burst up today let's go to a question that came in from whatever listers named Justin hi my name is John and my question is do Christians still need to keep Old Testament laws such as eating kosher and keeping the Sabbath. I thank you for that question that the first passage of Scripture that goes to her comes to my mind is what the apostle Paul said in Colossians chapter 2 verse 16 he wrote therefore let no one pass judgment on you and questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. In other words, under the old covenant with with some of these festivals and and with the food laws. You had a shadowy picture if you will, of Christ, his gospel, God would be doing in the future under the new covenant, and to go back to those things would order to embrace those as laws for us today.

In one sense is a denial of what God has done in redemptive history. In fact, the entire book of Hebrews was written to address this issue because you had a group of people would come into the church that embraced Jesus Christ by faith than ever been tempted to go back to those various food laws, and the sacrificial system of the old covenant would been a really really bad thing bosses look what we have. The reality effect earlier there in Colossians chapter 2 in verse 11, he says in Jesus.

Also, you were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God and so we have the reality were not to go back to the old covenant types and shadows that the food laws that the laws related to the Sabbath and in worshiping on Saturday night. It doesn't mean that we don't want since have a Christian Sabbath. The Lord's day today were we gather together for worship with believers that we can't we can't take that the civil laws of Israel are the ceremonial laws of Israel and import them to our situation now under the new covenant. This is of course corroborated with what we see elsewhere in the New Testament. I think of the vision that Peter has in acts chapter 10 where he sees all of these unclean foods and EE has a vision. The Lord speaks to him and says rise, Peter kill and eat and then you have this this Gentile Cornelius is welcomed into the worshiping community, but it also is right in line with what Jesus himself taught and said actually it it in the Gospel of Mark in Mark chapter 7 verse 19 Jesus is talking about foods and how it's not what goes into the body that defiles you. But what comes out of the heart that that's what defiles us out of the heart comes all sorts of evil, wicked thoughts and deeds. And Jesus says in Mark chapter 7 in verse I'll begin LOL begin in verse 19 since it enters not his heart. Speaking of the food that we eat but his stomach, and is expelled. Thus, this is a comment that we get here.

Thus, he that is Jesus declared all foods clean. So we have the witness of the apostle Paul, we have the witness of Peter the apostle we have the witness of Jesus himself, and because of that we we don't put people under the bondage of the law that the ceremonial law. If you will the old covenant. So thank you for that question and God bless. And I'm curious Israel. How would you respond to someone. Let's say a evangelical Christian who really gets into the Passover Seder or to a messianic Jew that seems to be intent on following a lot of these Old Testament laws or traditions to get a good question, Bill, and I think an important one because you know there are whole movements where where this is happening for a lot of people it it it it can be harmless. You know it is just wanting to learn from these Old Testament traditions and it even to see the pictures of Christ that are there. So I think in so far as maybe there's some teaching going on that can be helpful, but if were going back to those things as a divine law you think of the people that were agitating the Galatians.

The New Testament book of Galatians Everett never told the Galatians are unique you to go back to at least these food laws, you need to get circumcised. Gentile men were joining in into the church it if you haven't been because that's a part of the law and and Paul says you guys are twisting the gospel your adding to the gospel and so if were doing those things as a means of our justification. If were set we have to do these things if that start observing the Passover, the way it was done in the Old Testament in order to be the children of God justifiable, then there's a huge problem.

In fact I would go as far to say that's that's that's heresy that's adding to the gospel, which is what Paul said in the book of Galatians great counsel. This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. If you have a question about the Bible, Christian life, theology, doctrine, or how your faith intersects with today's culture you can give us a call right now. Here's the phone number is 833 the core that's 1-833-843-2673 here's a call that came in from one of our listeners named Billy I am just calling social justice right. What's the difference between social justice and biblical justice I think terms are getting intertwined in religion biblical justice for social justice, gospel, and which then this replaces the gospel Jesus and guess what Paul will you do with her there any good resources out there that we can say listen, this is what the culture saying about social justice. The Bible teaches us about justice and the actual gospel according to Christ. That's all I got. Thank you for your ministry is often like it but really appreciate that question and this is definitely one that has been on a lot of people's minds, especially over the last couple of years. I think this is there's been a lot of conversation surrounding the question of biblical justice, social justice what our obligations are as Christians in society now.

First, you mentioned the social gospel, and I think it's important that we understand what that is that we define that well in defining our terms here is so important. Men get 80 in the history of the church. There were there was a period of time. People were beginning to reject. Essentially, the miracles of the Bible you think of the 19th and 20th-century and they were single. Christianity is not really about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, these miracles, I love the modern man can't believe those things we need to go back to the heart of the gospel. The Col. of the gospel was argued by German theologians like Adolph von Harnack, who I would not recommend you go read but it in their sing with the Col. that the essence of the gospel is love your neighbor be engaged in society and the social justice issues and that's what people can really get on board with that's what they can really get behind this is the way that working to save Christianity we do away with the miracles with justification by grace through faith. All of that stuff that the modern man can embrace anymore and and just talk about loving our neighbors now that is a false gospel, because it turns the gospel into something we do not something that God has done. The good news of Christianity is not that we love our neighbors. It's not that were engaged in social issues, it's that God loved his enemies and sent his son Jesus into the world to be the propitiation for our sins so that we might be justified in the sight of God. Even though were sinners and having said that though there something I think that we also miss a lot today and that's that. But, but I think part of the issue is because me and everything is so politicized and we hear these these sort of trigger words. You know, social justice and and and that we think about you and all the baggage that maybe is in our mind from some of the political discussion it and were not able to see or hear. I think the Bible's teaching on this clearly when we talk about biblical justice brothers and sisters and me to say the Bible is concerned with social justice biblical justice is inherently social. It has to do with how we relate to our neighbors, the people around us and God is concerned for the people around us far apart for our neighbors. You think it is the second table of the law in terms of loving the people around us loving our neighbor as ourselves, and how does Jesus define our neighbor was not just the people who look think and act like we do. The people who are Christians. It's it's the outsider even in this something God is always been concerned with II go back to the book of Isaiah.

In Isaiah chapter 1 God is rebuking his people because while they get warship right quote unquote you know they're doing the sacrifices and going through the motions of worship, they have failed with regard to justice, there's there's this huge issue soaked Isaiah chapter 1. Listen to what God says to his people there verse 12 when you come to appear before me who has required of you, this trampling of my courts bring no more vain offerings.

Incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations. I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates.

They have become a burden to me.

I am weary of bearing them when you spread out your hands. I will hide my eyes from you even though you make many prayers, I will not listen.

Your hands are full of blood washed yourselves, make yourselves clean. Remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes cease to do evil, learn to do good seek justice, correct oppression bring justice to the fatherless and plead the widows because he still God here is concerned with how his people treat their neighbors, in particular, the vulnerable in society, the widow, the orphan, these are issues of social justice and issues of the second table below. How we love our neighbors and so one of my concerns in this discussion is that we don't just sort of pick biblical justice against social justice, but that we realize that in one sense very clearly. Biblical justice is inherently social. Now that doesn't mean that we just embrace the broader society's definition of what is just and what isn't just there are many things in our culture that people in society think are perfectly just, which God says are not just I think of the way in which, as a society we treat the unborn, for example. But that with our ways.

Also, where the church is erred in in in this regard. You think of that the church's history with things like slavery injustices that the churches tried to are Christians have tried to at various points in in history tried to justify it so we really have to brothers and sisters go back to the Scriptures search them with humility and say, God, what does it look like for me to love my neighbors, the people who are around me.

That's a part of social justice and so I think that there are a couple of different ditches that we can reckon that we have to avoid we can reckon that in the ditch of of the social gospel were saying were justified by our good deeds and the way in which we love our neighbor. We can also reckon the ditch that that the people of God wrecked in their in Isaiah chapter 1, which is going through the motions of religion without truly loving justice. Our neighbors, and of course were not justified by that but the people of God who are shaped by formed by the gospel should be a people who love their neighbors were concerned with the needs around them. The needs of the poor that the needs of the marginalized, the needs of the unborn it in that just a part of loving God, as were called to an loving our neighbor as ourselves blessed great counsel. Thanks for that Andrew.

This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez and if you are a parent or grandparent. We want to tell you about a very special resource that we have today. It's a book from a friend of this ministry, author and theologian Nancy Guthrie yes Recently we had Nancy on the broadcast and it is always such a privilege to have her a shift is just wonderful insights about the Christian life family prayer. I so attribute you check out those those episodes of those broadcasts.

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If you have kids or grandchildren. Please get a hold of this resource. I know that it will bless you confined by going for website core, Christianity.com/offers just look for what every child should know about prayer.

And if you want to hear that special broadcast that interview we did with Nancy just got a core Christianity.com/radio. You can look at the recent episodes and you'll find that particular program and if you got a question for Israel. Feel free to give us a call right now 833. The core is the number let's go to Cody in Kansas. Cody what your question for Israel. Yeah, I was recently speaking with someone about their burial plot. They mentioned that the cemetery with a will be very down faces all the headstones to the east because that's the way that Jesus will return from Lucite Revelation chapter 7 verse two on this curious if that language speak literally or perhaps eternally or figuratively of that you store what your thoughts are on that site. Revelation chapter 7 verse two. Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun with the seal of the living God, and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who'd been given power to harm the earth and the sea, saying do not harm the earth of the sea in the trees and so on and so forth. I don't I don't I don't mean it sounds to me like this is maybe something more symbolic that that the cemetery is doing and is there anything wrong with that.

Not I don't know that there's anything wrong.

That is certainly not nothing that says that our gravestones need to be facing the East so that you know when Christ returns, will make Sheena will be seeing him when we when we rise again from the dead. So I guess it the way I would see it is not that the deal I think I would say you know that this is the language of the East and headed heading east is something that we do see actually throughout the Bible, in particular in the book of Genesis you think of the exile from the garden of Eden, and an end. Going back to Eden so that there is something even in church architecture there.

There is, essentially, this tradition of building church is facing a particular way and then you and also you you think about light under the old covenant with the temple in the way that it was built in in the people of God when they were far from Jerusalem facing the temple, but I think a lot of this is is more just sort of ritual and symbolic. I don't think that there's anything Cody that that that is necessarily it was certainly not something that were told in Scripture that we have to do, so I wouldn't I wouldn't make any rules about this.

Sounds like it's maybe just something that the cemetery is doing so, thank you for your question and God bless. They Cody thanks so much for listening to core Christianity.

It's Veterans Day, we want to say thank you to all of our veterans were listing today into their family members. For those who have served. We appreciate you so much actually have a question about Veterans Day coming from Joshua. He's one of our YouTube viewers he says is John 1513.

Taken out of context when referring to fallen veterans. I've seen this on many social media post today John chapter 15 verse 13. A certain verse 12 this is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone laid down his life for his friends.

Now is that verse being taken out of context when applied to veterans who have laid down their lives for this country well then, once and so I want to say yes. A minute in a general sense or this is just the general point that Jesus is making what is more loving me with is there an act of love that could be more clear than laying down your own life sacrificing your life for others is a in that sense I editing generally write it. It's applicable but specifically here in John chapter 15 Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure which is which is coming this is a part of the upper room discourse and at the heart of his his departure.

His Exodus. If you will, is his crucifixion what he is going to do laying down his life for his friends for you and for me as the full atonement for our sins so that we might be forgiven and have a relationship with God. And so that's that's the focused. That's the focus of John chapter 15, but generally. Again, as I said that that that that's that's true in terms of laying down our lives. That is, that is the ultimate picture of of love and so I think you know on and on and on a day like this is as many people reflecting on the ultimate sacrifice that many people have made in in service to this country that that that is a great act of of love, if you will, and we should we should honor those who have who have gone before us, but we also don't want to confuse that with what Jesus did what Jesus did is is different from any any sacrifice that we make any laying down of our lives in so far as it is not just dying. He's taking upon himself the curse for our sins so that we might be forgiven so that we might have eternal life. Think the question good? This is core Christianity with pastor Israel Sanchez. Let's go to Kenneth who is calling in from Kansas City, Missouri Kenneth what your question earlier that want to clarify the thing about food ritual altar ritual that that we should, we don't need to do that anymore, but for new song more than I will phone you and those who persecute on Sunday but God is Christ and Christ to God in Christ whole house.

We Christians be okay with those who work on what would be week we consider a holy Sabbath would be okay with that. Now I can honestly one thank you for following up. I love we get these follow-ups and in the middle of the broadcast. I just can I just ask you another clarify cushion are you are you saying hey doesn't matter if it's on Saturday or Sunday but you just got to make sure taking a day of rest to worship or you saying it has to be on Saturday led to the Sabbath. Want to know you want to do it all better to find that you want to follow your very gotcha that I would be good if you want to do all fund usually fundraisers that manager all through Sunday, bringing her one day or the other is for those who I don't want them to feel like they're assuming if they don't do it on a certain day so I'll call her Peter wrote about the work we have weaker brother. Don't make them soon. Keep up with what you are not the other deal started love. I love your follow up here and I and I appreciate that the distinctions that you're making and it is clear to us on the basis of Hebrews chapter 4 that there does remain a Sabbath rest for the people of God. The roots of the word and enter into an ink in Christ. Ultimately that's that's what we find that it's it's what the author the Hebrew says again there in Hebrews chapter chapter 40 goes on to say, if Joshua had given them rest, God would not spoken of another day. Later on so than there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God who understand that his is looked at. That's the the eschatological rest of the big regress, but it is referring to the full rest we receive and in the presence of the Lord which we get a taste of here on earth in Jesus Christ. And when we gather with other believers. That's that's it once it's a realization, a foretaste of the eternal Sabbath or that the everlasting Sabbath.

If I made that were going to experience with the Lord and that's why Christians historically have gathered together for worship and they gathered together on Sunday on the first day of the week. You see this and in the book of acts acts chapter 20 in first Corinthians chapter 16. Even John when he received his his Revelation Revelation chapter 1 talks about being caught up in this vision on the Lord's day that is Sunday, the day that Jesus rose as I think it is absolutely important, pastor of a local church. I think it's so important for believers to gather together on the Lord's day to worship him to honor him to follow him to grow, to grow together with with other Christians under the ministry of the word under that the sacraments of grace that Jesus and the ordinances. Jesus is given to the church. I would want to minimize that at all what I was referring to was the those those Sabbath law keeping rules associated with the old covenant in particular that are given there during the time of of Israel as his political body you think even of the civil laws that were associated with that keeping the Sabbath so that's what I was referring to, but we cannot have a high enough view of what takes place when we gather together with Christians to rest in the gospel to observe if you will, the Sabbath, worshiping the Lord and experiencing the rest of Christ gives thanks for listening to core Christianity request your copy of today's special offer.

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