A Biblical Theology of Justice and Mercy Ministry8 min read

Rev. Jason Forbes

In the modern church, justice and mercy ministries are often separated from word-based ministries. However, when justice and mercy ministries become a natural extension of word-based ministry, ministries become even more effective. When we begin to understand this, justice and mercy ministries are no longer seen as an optional extra to ministry. Rather, justice and mercy are an integral part of word-based ministry. This becomes evident when a biblical theology of ministry is developed – that is to go right through the Bible and grab some snapshots that relate to the topic.

So, let’s start at the beginning and look at Genesis.

In Gen 1 we read how the earth was unformed and unfilled, so over a process of six days, God forms the earth so it is ordered, and then fills it with life. God then creates humanity and entrusts everything he has made to humanity:

“And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (1:28)

So, from the very beginning, humanity has a mandate from God to look after creation and to have authority over it. Then in chapter 2, we have a clear picture of what this authority looked like:

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” (2:15)

Just as God had brought the earth into order, humanity was to continue the work of ordering creation and bring it to a higher state of order. This was God’s intent for his creation and humanity even before the Fall (ch. 3).

So, God’s intent for humanity is to be involved in the work of creation, caring for it and protecting it. This intention for humanity can be seen to continue after the Fall in the life of God’s Old Testament people, Israel. After God gives them the Ten Commandments (Exo 20:3–17), some of the first laws to follow concern slaves (21:1–32), restitution (21:33–22:25); social justice (22:16–23:9), sabbath’s and festivals (vv. 10–19). The overall concern in these laws was justice and mercy.

Now, when we read the Old Testament law, we can get the idea that this is what people had to do to appease God – to make God happy so that he would bless them. But this is to get things all back-to-front! Israel had already experienced blessing. Remember the story of Exodus: God’s people are enslaved in Egypt, oppressed and forced into hard labour, mistreated, totally lacking and disempowered. So, God sends Moses to rescue his people from Egypt. Then, through a series of miraculous events, God reveals who he is to his people and brings them up out of Egypt into their own land. It is an incredible story of redemption. It was this blessing that Israel was to pass on to others, which is why ministries of justice and mercy were woven into their law. Remember what God promised Abraham: “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen 12:3). Granted, the fulfilment of that was Jesus, but the greater fulfilment that Jesus was to bring was anticipated by the nation of Israel as God’s blessing came through them.

This blessing would come not by merely going through the motions that the law required but involved something much deeper and more profound. For example, in Lev 19:14 we read:

You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.”

At one level, this law is self-evident. Obviously, we wouldn’t want to compromise the well-being of anyone who has a disability, or is disadvantaged in some way. But when you think about it, this law goes much deeper. If you did curse someone who was deaf, how would they know that it was you? They can’t hear you! If you did put a stumbling block in front of a person who was blind, how would they know that it was you? They can’t see you! These are laws you could easily break and get away with. So why are they there? At another level, they speak to having a genuine concern for those who are disadvantage. Being involved in justice and mercy ministry was not a matter of ticking boxes, but it was meant to be part of the fabric of their nation. Justice and mercy were to be part of their identity – something they did even when they didn’t have to!

Unfortunately, the purpose of the law did not penetrate their hearts, and they neglected the ministry of justice and mercy. This angered God, and this is what God says about their worship:

I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.” (Amos 5:21–23)

Isaiah says something similar.

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.” (Isa 1:11–15)

God rejects the worship of his people because they have not tended to the ministry of justice and mercy. You see, they wanted the worship without the works; the ritual without the righteousness; the celebration without having to serve. Not that I intend to preach works righteousness here. Don’t mishear me. But in Scripture, there is an integral link between the ministry of justice and mercy, and our worship of God. When we do justice and mercy, the richer, deeper, more meaningful and profound our worship of God will be. This is why God says to his people:

But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24)

Again, Isaiah says something similar.

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widows cause.” (Isaiah 1:17)

This link between worship of God and the ministry of justice and mercy is picked up by Jesus when he says:

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:34–46).

Every time I read these words of Jesus, they send chills down my spine. As Presbyterians, we’re really good on our theology. We’re really good on our polity. But how good are we on justice and mercy? Have we truly understood how much Jesus has fed us with his words and promises? How much he has quench out thirst with his Spirit? How much he has welcomed us into his holy presence despite our sin? How much Jesus has clothed us with his righteousness? How Jesus visited us by his Spirit when we were imprisoned by sin and confined to a life of death. Have we considered the cost Jesus bore for us through his torturous death on the cross, and his victorious resurrection? If we have grasped by just a tiny amount the justice and mercy that God has given to us through his Son, Jesus, then that justice and mercy must find its expression as we pass it on to others.

God intended for us to be involved in creation from the beginning, and his blessings to be poured out through his people, of which has been fulfilled and made known in Jesus. Justice and mercy is not an option in gospel ministry. Justice and mercy is gospel ministry.

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