The Social Gospel

They also do no injustice; they walk in His ways. Psalm 119:3  NASB

Injustice – Are those who keep God’s torah social justice activists?  Well, that depends on how you translate ʿawlâ. Livingston comments: “ . . . in Hebrew the basic meaning of this root means to deviate from a right standard, to act contrary to what is right.”^[1]  He continues: “These unrighteous deeds include: partiality in judgment (Lev 19:15; Ps 82:2); dishonest trade dealings (Deut 25:16; Ezk 18:8)—more specifically robbing (Ezk 33:15), murder (II Sam 3:34), oppression (II Sam 7:10; I Chr 17:9; Ps 37:1; 39:1; 125:3; Prov 22:8; Hos 10:9; Mic 3:10; Hab 2:12);—more specifically vicious words (Job 6:30; 11:14; 13:7; 15:16; 27:4 Isa 59:3; Hos 10:13).  Thus the words have an important theological significance for they refer to behavior contrary to God’s character and against which he must respond.”^[2]

Now that we have some clarification it becomes obvious that our contemporary idea of “injustice” doesn’t fit the poet’s description.  What is biblical injustice?  Whatever stands against God’s orders.  Consider contemporary America’s idea of injustice.  Is it focused on God desires?  Perhaps there’s some overlap.  After all, discrimination on the basis of racial origin is as unrighteous as idolatry.  But what do you do about abortion?  About the refusal to prosecute violations of society’s laws?  About funding terrorist organizations?  About supporting governments that are radically opposed to the biblical God? The prophets make it very clear that God holds the leadership responsible for the lack of righteousness in a society.  Where does that leave us?  Can we really expect any modicum of happiness in a society that not only tolerates but encourages actions that are directly opposed to His precepts?  What would possibly make you think that God ignores such behavior or that He will not punish a civilization that engages in biblical injustice?  No, sir, a “social gospel” without devotion to torah and ʿawlâ is a tragic travesty.  It won’t last.

Of course, the second half of this verse is personally convicting.  Why?  Because it says that those who do find shalom are doing something about the lack of biblical justice.  They are standing up for biblical righteousness encapsulated in living according to the Torah.  They are “walking” in His ways; a nice metaphor for everyday life.  Take stock of your own daily actions.  Are they examples of biblical application?  I’m not referring to the rabbinic amplifications or explanations of the commands in the Tanakh.  I’m simply asking if the basics are part of your everyday life.  Like blessings after meals.  Like reciting the Shema.  Like honoring parents and upholding the Sabbath?  Like keeping the festivals.  You know, the usual expectations of someone who claims YHVH as the one true God.  Maybe it’s time for a checkup.

In addition, theology unhinged from biblical perspective often leads to social stupidity, and thus we have the modern view of reparations.  “We seem to be getting closer and closer to a situation where nobody is responsible for what they did but we are all responsible for what somebody else did.”[3]  Without a strong commitment to biblical justice, we arrive at the point of social absurdity.  As an example, Sowell writes: “Slavery is too serious for an apology and somebody else being a slaveowner is not something for you to apologize for.  When somebody who has never owned a slave apologizes for slavery to somebody who has never been a slave, then what began as mushy thinking has degenerated into theatrical absurdity—or, worse yet, politics.  Slavery has existed all over the planet for thousands of years, with black, white, yellow and other races being both slaves and enslavers.  Does that mean that everybody ought to apologize to everybody else for what their ancestors did?  Or are the only people who are supposed to feel guilty the ones who have money that others want to talk them out of?  The craze for aimless apologies is part of a general loss of a sense of personal responsibility in our time.”[4]

Abraham Heschel marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. in demonstrations against the injustice of racial discrimination. He didn’t do it because he was a social activist.  He did it because he was “praying with his feet.”  He was honoring the God who created all men and women.  The theology of justice starts there—with what matters to the Creator.  That’s the real motivation.

Topical Index: social justice, injustice, precepts, ʿawlâ, Psalm 119:3

^[1] Livingston, G. H. (1999). 1580 עוּל. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament(electronic ed., p. 652). Chicago: Moody Press.

^[2] Ibid.

[3] Thomas Sowell

[4] Thomas Sowell, Dismantling America and other controversial essays (RENA, 2010), p. 238.