Jesus’ foremost mission was the salvation of sinners, not social justice. While the marginalized and oppressed tended to be the most receptive to Jesus’ message, his message was for all people because all people need to be saved.
What about Jesus’ healing ministry? While Jesus surely had compassion on the sick, His miracles had a bigger purpose than just helping the destitute and needy. They were intended to reveal His identity and confirm His message.
Jesus never raised money for the poor or went on a campaign to liberate the oppressed. If those things could be done, great, but that was not Jesus’ mission, and it’s not the church’s mission either. Our primary mission is to preach the gospel and call sinners to repentance. If we can help their lot in life along the way, all the better, but we must keep the Great Commission the central mission of the church.
Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason recently wrote an article related to this topic. He debunks the idea the myth that Jesus was a social justice warrior championing the cause of the poor and oppressed. Check it out.
Thinking to Believe 
November 23, 2021 at 1:32 am
What is with the hating on caring about other people’s well-being??
Isn’t this what Jesus taught about – what you do for others????
Yet you are degrading the very reality of Christ – because of some self-centered, self-righteous agenda of hate that is now the lock-stock of evangelicalism and the evangelical scene.
I encourage a stout reading of the prophets which was all about caring for the well-being of the oppressed…. and the condemnation of the powerful… it does not take interpretation – that is the flat out statements made over and over and over.
LikeLike
November 23, 2021 at 12:59 pm
Greg, there is a big difference between justice and social justice. The prophets advocated for the former, not the latter. Besides, I wasn’t talking about the Bible in general, but Jesus.
LikeLike
November 23, 2021 at 2:01 pm
TR,
You have me puzzled – who decided there was a big difference between justice and social justice – justice is inherently social. Social justice is simply justice.
Who decided the prophets were not talking about “social justice”?? In fact, the prophets were EXACTLY talking about social justice – justice for the oppressed – condemnation of the powerful – calling for fair and honest treatment – and providing for their well-being. That is all social justice is – nothing more nor less.
It sounds like you are trying to avoid engaging in the very call of God by some sort of slight of hand…. What is the deal with that???
Greg Logan
LikeLike
January 3, 2022 at 12:09 pm
Social justice has a very specific meaning, and its meaning is derived from within the context of critical theory (a Marxist philosophy). On this view, the greatest problem in society is inequity, which means that people don’t experience the same outcomes (particularly financially). According to the theory, inequity is caused by oppression. The rich aren’t rich because they earned their money through hard work, but because they are part of the ruling class that oppresses other people. They have what they have because they oppressed and cheated people out of their money.
Social justice is a way of fixing these inequities so that everyone has the same thing. You take from those who have (because they got it by oppression), and give it to those who don’t (because they were robbed of it by the oppressors).
This is wrong from top to bottom. Their economic philosophy doesn’t fit a capitalist society like our own. Their presupposition that, absent oppression, everyone would have equal outcomes is fundamentally flawed. Their solution is morally wrong as well. It’s wrong to take what rightfully belongs to someone else and give it to another person who did not earn it. Social justice is not justice, but injustice.
I believe in justice. People should get what they deserve. If you work hard, you should be rewarded for your work. If you did wrong, you should be punished. If you did good, you should be rewarded. That’s justice. That’s the kind of justice the Bible promotes.
LikeLike
January 3, 2022 at 12:46 pm
Where in God’s name are you getting all this stuff? This may not be the biggest load of anti-Christ, fascist propaganda, slander and deceit that I’ve ever heard in my whole life – but it is trending inthat direction especially in light of the subtle spirit manifested.
LikeLike
January 3, 2022 at 12:48 pm
Where in God’s name are you getting all this stuff? This may not be the biggest load of anti-Christ, fascist propaganda, slander and deceit that I’ve ever heard in my whole life – but it is trending in that direction especially in light of the subtile spirit manifested.
On Mon, Jan 3, 2022, 12:09 PM Thinking to Believe wrote:
> Theosophical Ruminator commented: “Social justice has a very specific > meaning, and its meaning is derived from within the context of critical > theory (a Marxist philosophy). On this view, the greatest problem in > society is inequity, which means that people don’t experience the same > outcomes” >
LikeLike
April 20, 2022 at 2:42 pm
Jason,
I find that the social justice warrior myth of Jesus lends to the all-too-common social gospel that U.S. people have about Jesus. This supports my proposal for our pastors having formal biblical education, so that they have the training to exegete the Scriptures accurately and pinpoint the gospel more-so.
LikeLike
April 20, 2022 at 3:59 pm
Jason,
So Jesus was all about special interest and propping up the powerful – nice gospel you have there…😖
LikeLike