Have you ever sat down to consider the questions God asked at the beginning? He spends time creating all the we know: earth, sky, water, air, land, animals, etc. They were all statements. But did you ever stop to look at the questions God eventually asked? In preparation for this message, I started looking and found four of them. The first one was directed to Adam: “Where are you?” The second was directed at Adam and Eve: ” Who told you that you were naked?” The third was directed at Cain: “Why are you angry and your face has fallen?” The fourth was also directed at Cain and man, was it a doozy: “Where is Abel your brother?” God knew the answer to each one of them but He wanted to hear our ancestors answer. For this week’s message the latter one intrigues me. But actually, not so much His question but Cain’s answer: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Most of us know the story surrounding the question. Cain was jealous of his brother because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice-but according to Hebrews 11: 4 it wasn’t so much the type of sacrifice as it was the attitude accompanying the sacrifice. Long story short: Cain’s jealousy blew up into a full-blown rage, he killed his brother, then tried to hide him. That is when God asks His question and gets Cain’s cryptic answer.
That is still a good question to ask, you know? Richard Stearns, the author of The Hole in Our Gospel (an excellent book I believe everyone ought to read), says, “If your personal faith, and my personal faith, has no positive outward expression, then your faith-and mine-has a hole in it.” Last week I spoke about godliness. There are several things that can be true: 1) godliness should proceed an outward expression toward our brother since we need to be like Christ; 2) outward expression must accompany godliness but not supersede it. If it does then we have become like a Pharisee in Jesus’ day. I am not on the “social justice” bandwagon since I tend to feel that it is overblown these days (although I also believe it is necessary to practice) but I will mention Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” I am going to close with four expressions of how we can love our brother.
Do you have anything to add to my thoughts? I welcome any suggestions I can use on Sunday. What are your thoughts on the “social justice” message? I would certainly appreciate your prayers for me and the church I pastor.
Thanks, as always, to Dan for the banner. Wait till you see the upcoming ones! 
The term “social justice” has been used for many many years by politicians, economists, philosophers, etc. with many different meanings. Do you have a definition in mind for the “bandwagon” you refer to? Then I could be more specific in comment.
I think as Christians we are responsible for our brother… we are not responsible for his decisions, we are not responsible for his salvation, but we are responsible for sharing the Gospel in Love with him.
Hmm.. I am liking this post.
It goes along with thoughts that I was having at 3am this morning when I could not sleep because of this one thought concerning the Matthew verses that I sent you:
‘They didn’t know’. I can’t go any further into why those three words were keeping me up because I don’t want to color your response for your guest blog.
But, man, am I super excited to see how everyone responds… and I am a little bummed that I can’t share my thoughts from 3am this morning just yet. It is sooo coool. I love it when the bible comes alive like it did last night.
Hi Cycleguy,
the Bible emphasises good fruit coming from the believer. This fruit is how we can know or recognize those who are walking in truth. Faith is also a gift from God. The Bible says it comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God.
I went to a tent meeting yesterday afternoon. It was the groups’ prayer meeting. The group is mostly Natives peoples from the North West Territories of Canada. They have done the travelling tent meeting thing every year in the summer for over 10 years. i’ve only seen them in my area once before.
My belief is that in Christ there is no excuse for a lack of ‘social justice’. God has accepted and called every believer to him. As Peter said in the Acts ‘who are we to say that these gentiles should not be accepted in the beloved?’
The world separates and classes peoples. This is not to happen in Christ. We are not to take on the social prejudices of our societies. Jesus broke those society barriers in his day. We are to follow his example. Man’s ways are not God’s ways and we need to understand that clearly.
I’m not sure what social justice topics are considered ‘hot’ today in the world. Poverty, I think is one. For sure. Why is man letting thousands of people die every year because they do not have the basic necessities for life? I think that corruption and stealing from the common people is a huge problem in many poverty stricken nations. Also, poverty of the masses facilitates the corrupt governing leadership in
being able to maintain their power and authority over the people.
Man’s evil, wicked, and depraved nature is what we are seeing in these social situations of desperation in peoples of the world today.
As Christians we are to put forth a much different practice of how to accept and love and provide justice for all people. I’m not involved in worldly social justice movements, but I have finally come to the place in my own life of crossing some of the social boundaries that are in place in my part of the world. This has brought me more confidence, power and joy from Christ.
I’d never thought of it that way before. Those WERE some interesting questions. And I never considered that God actually knew the answers even when he was asking the questions.
Good thoughts. Interesting content.
Jeff: By bandwagon I should have clarified. Many pastors & churches are into social justice and that is good. But many of the same are also into compromising the truth of the Bible at the same time. “Don’t tell the person they are lost. Feed them and then let them go on their way.” I realize there is a time and a place for speaking about Christ but to meet a physical need and not be concerned about the spiritual need is missing the boat. Does that help any?
Dusty: good point and points. Thanks.
Tony: Since I am one of those guest bloggers you sure you can’t give me a hint?
Wish I could hear your thoughts since they always come with insight. Reckon I will have to wait.
Linda: glad to see your are growing in being more aware of others and crossing lines.
Duane: glad it made you think.
Bill,
I am so looking forward to read your take on that passage and I don’t want to color your thoughts with my meanderings.
I will be sure to add my 2 cents along the way.
It kinda helps. I am not tuned in to what “the flavor of the day” is for churches and pastors. I agree with no need for compromising the truth. I do think just feeding people because they are hungry is a good thing. If they ask to talk about Christ that is a good thing too. To design a program that requires them to talk about Christ in order to get fed or assistance is wrong, very wrong.
Tony: a lot of help you are!
Jeff: I agree that there should not be a condition on whether someone is given food or not. I hope I am never guilty of that. Many pastors and churches are getting into the “social justice” thing because everyone else is. If God has not called a church or a person to that type of ministry to do it is also wrong just to keep up with others.
I think God’s questions are meant to get us to take a good long look at our heart…He already knows the answer. We need to discover the “hole” in our Gospel…His questions do that for us.
Great thoughts everybody!
jay: absolutely agree with you. Great way to put it. thanks.
This is just my opinion but I believe the greatest thing we can do for our brother is give them an ear and a voice and to point them to the awesome love and grace of God. So many times the greatest thing I can do to help a hurting or fallen one is hear their heart. Jesus took the time to reach out ahand to sinners and befriend those who no one else would. I believe that Bill you exhibit by your blog a chance for readers to be heard and to have a voice. Thank you.
Julie: Couldn’t have said it better than you did: Love and grace of God. Nothing better to give them or show them. Thank you for your kind words. I am glad my blog serves in that way.
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We have been saved for the sake of God-exalting good works. We have been saved not merely to avoid evil, but to do good. Therefore the people of Christ should not be known primarily for what we don’t do, but what we do do.
Isaiah 58:1-12
“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. 3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. 4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. 5 Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? 6 “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? 8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. 11 And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.
Sure sounds like social justice…
Ike: I think I put it clear enough that I am not opposed to social justice. A bandwagon social justice yes, especially when it becomes popular to do and to compromise when doing it. Eph.2 is pretty clear that we have been created in Christ Jesus for good works.
I didn’t say you didn’t….maybe I’m taking your response wrong?? Goodbye “cycleguy”.
Hi Ike:
I think that these verses in Isaiah are speaking about much more than just social justice. I believe that as the Children of God we need to be aware and practice social justice in our own lives and in our church gatherings and practices.
Jesus quotes parts of this verse when he was in Nazareth teaching in the synagogue there. How he seems to use it is to say that God’s timing had come ‘in him’ to fullfill this verse of Isaiah’s prophecy. I believe that social justice is encompased in Christ but social justice was not the thrust of Jesus’ message to them. I believe that He was talking about God fulfilling or bring to fruition a great and magnificient plan.
Ike: didn’t mean to come off sounding as though i was angry or put out. I saw the last sentence of yours and thought you were saying I was wrong about social justice and jumping on the bandwagon. I was agreeing with you. Sorry for the confusion.