Various Texts | Steve Bice | The Book Marked by Justice

We need wisdom and Spirit-endowed clarity from the Word of God, not our favorite blogger or political commentator. We need the Spirit and the Word of God. We are Spirit-people. It is the Spirit of God that will give us the understanding we need to be able to discern and distinguish the heart of God through all the shouting and to give us a plan to implement by the Spirit – not to just pick a side and either run with it or keep our heads down and hope nobody sees us sneaking out. But rather to follow God in his heart for people of all colors, all languages, all tribes and all nations. A heart that is primarily set on redeeming a people for himself to dwell with forever but to also have his people to walk humbly with him, specifically by loving neighbor and enemy through the proclamation of the gospel that has justice and mercy written all over it and living out of that same gospel by doing justice.

There are oodles of things we need to begin praying about regarding what it will look like for us as individuals and us as a church to move forward in wise action in the weeks, months, and years to come. But my sense is that the most important thing for us to do right now is to ask ourselves how much we understand the gospel of Jesus.  For growing in treating people equitably, working for systems and structures that are fair, and looking out for the weak and the vulnerable is a gospel issue.

When we look to the culture and the news cycles or our favorite podcasts for information and motivation to think and do one thing or the other we will certainly be informed but will be standing on a faulty foundation that will come crumbling down and prove to be incredibly inept. For the follower of Jesus, the way we think about justice in our day must be primarily informed by the gospel of grace. It is that gospel that gives us a graphic display of the justice of God on account of his great love and mercy towards us when Jesus became poor so that we could become rich. When he was oppressed so we could be freed. When he was bruised for our transgressions and spilled his own blood so we might be forgiven and freed and given eternal life. On account of that foundational truth, see that your love be genuine…not only for those in the household of faith but literally for all people.

Application:

• Meditate on Romans 12:9-21
• Meditate on 2 Corinthians 8
• Pray for insight and conviction