Justice, Peace, and the Gospel

            Scripture has a lot to say about God’s desire for justice and righteousness.  In the OT, the two words – justice and righteousness --  are often paired together and used somewhat interchangeably.  To be righteous requires that one lives justly, and to be just requires that one live righteously (in the best sense of that word, not in a warped, self-righteous sense). 

God’s concern for justice continues through the NT where we read of a God who cares about those who are poor.  In that context (and in our context too?), people were poor because those with more power and wealth took advantage of them, treated them unjustly.  Sort of like sharecroppers in the South years ago.  If a share cropper didn’t have a mule, the landlord would rent him a mule to plow with, but then the sharecropper would owe the landlord more of the crop.  Some sharecroppers maybe gradually got ahead.  But many went gradually deeper and deeper into debt so that they were essentially slaves again.  The “Haves” controlled the “Have Nots.”  That is not just.

            Christians are called to pursue God’s justice, to confront injustice both near and far, perpetrated by ourselves and perpetrated by others.  I see this as a crucial expression of the gospel.  Our words and actions should reveal the loving character of the God we serve.  Our words and deeds should proclaim the Good News.  This Good News is holistic and bridges time.  God cares about both our physical and non-physical well-being.  God cares about us here and now and in the age to come.  In fact, the age to come, the Kingdom of God, backs up into the present and begins now.  As Jesus said, “My kingdom is at hand.”

            Scripture also has some pretty specific things to say about making peace.  “Blessed are the peacemakers” for example. 

            These gospel themes of justice and peacemaking are why I’m here in the West Bank with a Christian Peacemaker Team delegation, seeking to work for God’s peace and God’s justice.  In other postings I’ve shared some stories about what we’re seeing, learning, and doing here; in this post I wanted to share some of the theological grounding that surrounds this endeavor.