OPENING UP TO THE CALL OF JUSTICE

Can I live out my faith in Christ fully without being concerned about the poor in society?

-Justice means a concern for peace and genuine respect for people.

--Jesus gives sight to the blind, healing the sick.

--He instructed his follower to love God and love our neighbors.

-justice is at the heart of the good news.

What is the difference b

WHY IS THERE INJUSTICE IN THE WORLD?

-First, while we naturally demand to be treated fairly in all situations, we ourselves may not be
necessarily be as consistent in treating others fairly as we think we are. (the me-first attitude)

--getting the assistance for you first but not giving others

-Second, is the attitude of indifference toward injustice on the societal level.

-we fail to see how helping the poor, respecting the property of others, and caring for the environment
are essential dimension of Christian moral living.

OLD TESTAMENT SIGNIFICANCE

Seventh commandment “you shall not steal” (Ex 20:15; Dt 5:19)

Tenth commandment “you shall not covet your neighbor’s house… nor anything else that belongs to
him” (Ex 20:17; Dt. 5:21)

--greed, inordinence to money

--money is not the root of all evil

--the love of money is the root of all evil

-The seventh commandment also forbids, “the many…

NEW TESTAMENT SIGNIFICANCE

-Christ constantly wans us through His teachings against acts of stealing and unjust cravings for material
possessions. We see this in His teachings on the following:

-His encounter with the rich young man

-Parable of the Rich Fool

-in the Sermon of the Mount—you cannot serve both God and money

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Lk. 19: 1-10)

-Jesus said that it was the tax collector who went home justified before God. He concluded, “Everyone
who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

--we should humble ourselves