Social Action

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (Matthew 5:6).

I have been giving a lot of thought lately to the social implications of biblical faith. In a book I have been reading the author referred to these words of Yeshua in a way that never occurred to me.

Up until now I thought Yeshua was only speaking of personal righteousness – the desire to be right with God, but this author's view is that this has to do with righteousness in society – that Yeshua is speaking of those who grieve over societal wrongs.

I have been also reading Jeremiah. He might agree with this perspective. According to Jeremiah, It appears God's understanding of godliness includes our relationship to the broader society. Here is but one example:

If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. (Jeremiah 7:5-8)

I don’t why I have been slow to fully accept the social implications of following Yeshua, but I look forward to learning more about his heart for the world around us.