I want to talk briefly today about a debate that is currently making its way through the western Christian church. It’s not something that can easily be ignored, and it’s a subject that I think everyone should be aware of, if not passionate about.
It what has been labeled the social gospel.
Approaching the topic of social responsibility and justice in the church is like wading into a pool filled with sharks. Already the battle lines have been drawn by church leaders everywhere. Like so many other times throughout church history, each side hurls accusations of heresy and godlessness at the other.
I’m going to stand in a very unpopular place- the middle. I’m going to toss around a couple of accusations of arrogance and pride, and hope somebody proves me wrong someday soon.
Okay, accusation number one. If you think the good news of Jesus Christ is primarily that the hungry will be fed, the poor clothed, and the oppressed will receive justice and that it’s our job to do all this, you simply haven’t got it right.
The apostle Paul said that “of first importance” was that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. He said this because he was fully aware that the only obstacle between us and God is our rebelliousness and sin. If you give a selfish, hungry, oppressed person some food and an education, you don’t make him a saint- you make him North American!
Now for accusation number two. This is directed at all of those fundamentalist evangelicals who are cheering right now. Get your heads out of the sand. Paul said that Jesus’ death and resurrection was far and away the first and most important part of the gospel, but he didn’t say it was the whole gospel. Jesus himself described the good news as the coming of the kingdom of God.
If we’re the future bride of Christ, I believe many of us are sitting on the sacred sofa watching reality TV, while our fiance is trying to tell us he’d like to go help out down at the local soup kitchen. With one hand we reach for the chip dip, and with the other we throw him the keys and wish him luck.
We need to stop picking and choosing which parts of the bible are convenient for us. It’s simple to believe the right things. And guess what- Jesus knew that. That’s why he made it clear that anyone can claim allegiance to him, but what we do (or don’t do) for others in His name has eternal consequences as well.
Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Some versions describe this as a parable, but I think it holds more weight than that. The parables around it started with “the kingdom of God is like…” This starts more as a matter of fact.
When Jesus started his ministry He quoted this scripture one Sabbath:
The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
If you have all your basic needs met, I’ll bet you think he was talking figuratively. Fine, but I think anyone who is literally poor, brokenhearted, locked up or oppressed hopes Jesus simply meant what he said.
So regardless of where we stand on this issue, what do we do now?
That is not for me to say. If you claim to know God, ask him. Then turn off the TV, open your eyes, and listen.
