In this final article we will further contrast Biblical justice with the social justice narrative. We will also show how social justice presents a false gospel that endangers the souls of those who accept its discriminatory and even condemnatory worldview.
His Judgment has Come
Seventh-day Adventist have not been called to preach social justice but “…His judgment has come…” Our message highlights God’s justice…biblical justice!
God’s justice is based on behavior and makes no value judgments rooted in one’s physical characteristic or group identity. Biblical justice is impartial toward rich and poor and always aligns itself with God’s law. Because social justice discriminates based on one’s immutable characteristics, those who advocate for it are often “bearing false witness.” (Revelation 14:7, Romans 2:6, 11,12, 13:10, 5:5, 1 Peter 1:17, Exodus 20:16).
All who understand Biblical justice, realize that only the “everlasting gospel” has the power to elevate humanity and tear down every wall of hostility. Only the gospel can create one united people in Christ (Revelation 14:6, Ephesians 2:14-16).
The following quote by Ellen White is proof positive that what this world needs now more than ever is gospel workers not social justice warriors!
“The giving of the gospel to the world is the work that God has committed to those who bear His name. For earth's sin and misery, the gospel is the only antidote. To make known to all mankind the message of the grace of God is the first work of those who know its healing power…” (Ministry of Healing, p. 141).
Biblical Justice verse Social Justice
In his excellent and informative sermon on social justice, Dr. Conrad Vine makes the following twelve contrasts between the social justice and biblical justice worldviews. This is worth memorizing!
False Gospel
The truth is, “Social Justice, offers no salvation, no forgiveness, and no restoration to the “oppressors.” It unjustly places white men, women, boys and girls under guilt, condemnation and the never ending 'anti-racist' treadmill of righteousness by 'doing the work' or by being an 'ally.' (Bauchman, Fault Lines, pp. 67, 6).
Social Justice, like Pharisaism, puts white people on the legalistic treadmill of “antiracism.” Although they can never achieve righteous standing since they are “racist,” and always will be according to the dogma, they can indeed “virtue signal” by divesting themselves of all “privilege” and actively condemning their fellow whites for implicit or explicit racism.
Make no mistake, this is psychological manipulation and emotional abuse!
White Fragility
It’s also why white folks like Robin DiAngelo feel justified in lecturing white men and women to be “less white,” while claiming that “Anti-blackness is foundation to our identities as white people.” When white folks take issue with her “generalizations,” she conveniently claims that their “white fragility” is simply proof of their guilt. (Robin DiAngelo, White Fragility p.11, 91, 149-150).
Nicodemus challenged this Kafkaesque reasoning by reminding the religious leaders of his day that every human being deserves due process which includes the right to defend themselves before any judgements are made. “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” (John 7:51).
Ironically DiAngelo seems ignorant of the Interest-Convergence Hypothesis (see previous article), embraced by social justice warriors, otherwise she would have to confess that her own actions, including writing her book, are steeped in evil motives, and that she is secretly seeking to perpetuate “white supremacy.”
As discussed, in our previous article, whites according to the social justice narrative, are not capable of selfless acts or genuine compassion for minorities. Therefore, all whites are thoroughly condemned, even when they think they are succeeding in the legalistic work of “antiracism” (you might want to read that again).
No Condemnation
But the Bible provides wonderful hope for any placed under legalistic condemnation as well as a chilling warning to all who dare put them there.
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” and “even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to and different from that which we preached to you, let him be accursed” (meaning anathema, devoted to destruction, doomed to eternal punishment). (Romans 8:1, Galatians 1:8).
Interestingly, Paul was speaking here about the circumcision party that had also made skin an issue of being righteous or unrighteous. According to Paul, it’s not the cut or color of one’s skin that matters but whether we have been justified by faith in Christ and circumcised of heart by the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 2:3-4,16, Romans 2:29).
Watchmen, for the sake of the younger generation, wake up!
Those of any group who have been taught to harbor unforgiveness toward another for current, or historic injustices, should solemnly consider the words of Jesus: “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).
In the book of Colossians, the Apostle Paul says the following countercultural words. “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (3:13, emphasis mine).
Church leaders and parents would do well to ask themselves the following: “Is social justice endangering the young souls entrusted to our care, by teaching them to hate one another and cling to grievance and unforgiveness?
If the answer is yes, for God’s sake, lock the gates!
Slander Campaign
But be forewarned, this will take courage! Even non-whites who reject the CRT-driven analyses in social justice (and there are many), are identified with the “oppressors” and treated as sell-outs who have “internalized whiteness.”
Meanwhile, whites who speak out against this bigotry (as they must), are mocked and accused of “whitesplaining,” “white rage,” “white fragility,” “white tears,” “white supremacy,” and of course being "racist.”
Because of their “guilt,” whites are vilified, marginalized and talked down to by social justice advocates. This is why even Adventist articles, books, statements and presentations promoting social justice rarely give any consideration to the needs of the Anglo community.
Sidenote: When the early church realized that a certain group of Christians were being discriminated against, they quickly put together a “spirit-filled” team to investigate and fix the situation. The result led to massive growth in the church (Acts 6).
A Better Way
But even if these popular pejoratives were true (and they are not), the social justice response deviates from the teachings of scripture. Jesus said “…Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28).
In Ecclesiastes 4, the Bible[CV1] shockingly calls for sympathy for the oppressed and for the oppressor (verse 1, NKJV). Moreover, the bible teaches that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” This means that all have been oppressed, and all have been oppressors. Afterall, to sin is to oppress others and to be sinned against is to be oppressed.
Therefore, the true goal of every gospel worker, must be to lead all humanity “to repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:21, KJV).
Every Christian who claims to be a social justice warrior should solemnly consider the following.
None can stand before the blood soaked cross of Jesus and not see themselves as an oppressor. All who hope to be saved must take personal responsibility for the nails in our Savior’s hands! As Paul put it “…God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).
Love Indiscriminately
Social justice is leading many to see large white populations around the world as communities to be diversified rather than evangelized.
But God has not called our Church to diversify people groups, but to reach diverse people groups with the wonderful news of reconciliation and restoration through the shed blood of Jesus. God has not called the most diverse denomination in the world to discriminate, but to love indiscriminately (Revelation 14:6, Romans 1:16-17, John 13:35).
The Apostle Paul put it like this.
“To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 19:20-23).
The Real Target!
It should be clear after this five-part series, that social justice is not merely anti-white, or anti-west, or anti-capitalist or anti-patriarchy or anti-marriage, it is anti-Christian! Hiding within its wooden belly is Marxism, Catholicism and Spiritualism.
Social justice is indeed a Trojan Horse, and it is a travesty that some Adventists have now embraced it as Christianity 101.
Its target is “white, male, heterosexual, cisgender, able-bodied, native-born and Christian.” If you identify with any of these markers, like it or not, it has you in its scope!
We would all do well then to recall Mordecai’s words to Queen Esther. “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape” (Esther 4:13).
For now, dear reader, you might not be identified with this demonized group. You might even think you are safe in the “kings house,” but make no mistake about it, Christianity is ultimately in the crosshairs, and this satanic worldview threatens us all!
But like Esther we were called “for such a time as this” and “the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world” (Esther 4:14, 1 John 4:4).
So, let’s reject all discriminatory, condemnatory and destructive worldviews and courageously share the “whole counsel of God,” compassionately caring for “every nation, kindred, tongue and people.” (Acts 20:27, Revelation 14:6).
“Christ recognized no distinction of nationality, or rank or creed...but Christ came to break down every wall of partition...the life of Christ established a religion in which there is no caste, a religion in which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, are linked in a common brotherhood...Every neglect or insult show by men to their fellow men only made Him more conscious of their need of His divine-human sympathy” (Ellen White, Ministry of Healing p. 4).
Oppression is Real
We do not deny that oppression exists or write this to communicate that Christians should not stand up and speak out against real and proven acts of injustice or racism toward persons of any color, culture or community.
Christians should certainly do these things and when necessary, as the oppressed woman did in Luke 18, persistently appeal for impartial justice in both secular and ecclesiastical courts. But again, social justice attempts to overcome evil with more evil, injustice with more injustice. It is a discriminatory worldview that ultimately leads to toxic outcomes!
The Apostle Paul wrote “Do not be overcome with evil but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). Jesus warned in the last days that “lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” He then promised that all who “endure” in love “to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13-14).
Rather, it is the “everlasting gospel” shared and lived out by a heart filled with the Holy Spirit that can heal oppression in society. The “everlasting gospel” alone is effective in breaking down all hostility and creating one united people in Christ (Revelation 14:6, Ephesians 2:14-16).
“The giving of the gospel to the world is the work that God has committed to those who bear His name. For earth's sin and misery, the gospel is the only antidote. To make known to all mankind the message of the grace of God is the first work of those who know its healing power…” (Ministry of Healing, p. 141).
As we have said repeatedly, what the world needs more than ever today, is gospel workers not social justice warriors! Jesus said, “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:38).
We thank God for ministries like One Year in Mission, Mission Caleb, Voice of Youth, Adventist Frontier Missions and others, that give Adventists a chance to love others unconditionally while sharing the gospel, just like Jesus did (1 John 3:16).
Sidenote: To teach that Jesus was a social justice warrior who used worldly methods for healing societal ills, may be a fulfillment, if not partially so, of Christ’s warning of “false Christs” in the last days (Matthew 24:24).
Conclusion
Before the Trojan Horse entered the city of Troy, legend says that a priest named Laocoon discovered the plot and sounded the alarm. He said, “I fear Greeks, even those bearing gifts.” He was not alone. Others stepped forward to warn the Trojans of imminent danger. They all paid for it with their lives. More leaders like this are needed in the Church today. Nothing less will suit these times!
The Apostle John put it like “This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” (1 John 3:16).
God has need of men and women, young and old, rich and poor, black, and white, who love Him and this generation so much that they will courageously cast “down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
Moreover, God needs leaders who will wisely lead His people toward biblical methods of justice and altruism. God wants us to reflect the truly inclusive, unifying, diverse and compassionate life of Jesus!
My friend, Jesus is not a social justice warrior! He is and always will be a gospel worker! Today, He invites you and I to join him in caring for the physical and spiritual well-being of every man, woman and child who needs our help.
Some may be wondering, why an article was written on this issue? Isn’t it risky since social justice is so ensconced in many Adventist circles today?
The answer is simple. This is where the battle is raging for the hearts and minds of this generation. Sadly, many of our best and brightest are being led into this counterbiblical mission and message!
Five centuries ago, Martin Luther warned those called to be watchmen on the wall—a battle cry we dare not ignore:
If I profess, with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christianity. Where the battle rages the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace to him if he flinches at that one point.
Written by Gary Blanchard