what the bible has to say about justice

8/8/2019 What the Bible Has to Say About Justice

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P AG E 1 O F 3

The Bible has much to say about justice. It is our job to convert biblical principles into realistic

advice or today, but it is difcult to read the Bible without seeing what the late Bishop David

Sheppard called “a bias to the poor.”

Genesis 1:26–30, 2:4–15

The frst human, in both creation stories, is given the task o subduing the earth (see 1:28) and

looking ater the Garden o Eden (see 2:15).

Leviticus, chapter 25

The Year o Jubilee is a program to alleviate poverty and to allow land to rest. It also describes a

air system or selling land based on the number o years until the Jubilee.

proverbs, chapters 11–22

Many o the central proverbs point to the need to:

» care or the poor (see 13:23; 14:31; 19:4,7; 21:13; 22:9,16)

» act honestly in everyday lie (see 11:1; 13:11; 16:8,11; 17:23; 20:10,23)

» be generous (see 11:24,25; 19:17)» work and trade (see 11:26; 12:11,24; 13:4; 14:23; 22:29)

amos 2:6, 8:5–6

One o the Old Testament’s livelier prophetic oracles has much to say against dishonesty toward

the poor, particularly in the marketplace.

matthew, chapt er 6

This central chapter o the Sermon o the Mount points us all away rom seeing any earthly

What the Bible Has

to Say About Justice



P AG E 2 O F

achievements as “treasure.” Instead we are encouraged to work out what it means to give to the

poor and needy and to store up treasure in heaven. Exploitation is hatred toward God.

Luke 6:37,38Using the illustration o air trade in the marketplace (allowing the goods to settle in the container

beore declaring it ull), Jesus describes God’s justice. With the same measure we will be judged.

Luke 11:37–54

Jesus reserves his condemnation or those who observe the letter o the law but not its spirit: “You

give a tenth o your . . . garden herbs . . . but neglect justice and the love o God.”

hebrews 11:33

The “heroes” o the aith are commended as much or their administration o justice as or their

bravery in battle.

reveLation 19:11We can all expect to be judged with justice by the one who is to come.

Scripture text taken rom the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright

©1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission o Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2008 by World Vision Resources, Mail Stop 321, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716

253-815-3320, [email protected] . All rights reserved.



P AG E 3 O F 3

About World VisionworLd vision is a Christian relie, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to helping

children and their amilies break ree rom poverty. Our work is motivated by our aith in Jesus Christ. We

see a world where each child experiences “ullness o lie” as described in John 10:10. And we know this can

be achieved only by addressing the problems o poverty and injustice in a holistic way. That’s how World

Vision is unique: We bring nearly sixty years o experience in three key areas needed to help children and

amilies thrive: emergency relie, long-term development, and advocacy. And we bring all o our skills across

many areas o expertise to each community we work in, enabling us to care or children’s physical, social,

emotional, and spiritual well-being.

worLd vision resources educates Christians about global poverty, inspires them to social justice,

and equips them with innovative resources to make a dierence in the world. By developing biblically-based

materials or educators and ministry leaders on the causes and consequences o global poverty, World Vision

Resources supports the organizational mandate to move the church in the United States to more ully embraceits biblical responsibility to serve the poor.

For more inormation about

our resources, contact:

World Vision Resources

www.worldvision.org

[email protected]

what the bible has to say about justice

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