An Anxiety Observed: My thoughts during a pandemic

C.S. Lewis first published A Grief Observed under a pseudonym, perhaps self-conscious about letting others read about his anger and doubt, and eventual reconciliation, following the death of his wife. It’s one of the most open and honest confessions we have, made powerful because C.S. Lewis has been such a successful apologist and spiritual mentor to so many of us. We can see that even this colossus of reasoned faith is a human who struggles like us after all. To me, that makes the written testimony he left behind more precious and encouraging, not less.

That’s why I decided to write about my anxiety going through this COVID-19 pandemic. I want to be open about how I’m handling this. It’s time for what I’ve taught others to live up to the test in me. Usually, I am not an anxious person and so have been shocked to see the miasma that has descended on me over the past few weeks. It’s a strange experience: prolonged listlessness, fraying patience, sleepless nights, and more than anything a feeling of helplessness. 

Writing on March 28, it’s clear that the United States will see hundreds of thousands of confirmed cases of the coronavirus and that a number of these people will suffer immensely and even die alone in a hospital bed apart from their loved ones. This will be the terrible result of our best efforts to distance ourselves socially, and even so immensely better than the alternative of letting the virus run rampant throughout our entire population. Despite our wealth and technology, there is no way to dodge this. We simply must bear it as best we can until it’s over.

How does my faith help me in this time? More than ever, I understand that faith is not an intellectual exercise, “God is sovereign and good,” but trust in a person, “I trust that God sees and will aid us.” The Bible tells us to lift up our cares and concerns to God, and my bundle of cares seems so heavy. I worry about people in our church family, about the economy, about the government, about how people in nations without robust healthcare infrastructure will fare. I’m so anxious because there’s so little I can do—except to pray to the person that I believe can do something. Throughout the day, every day, I stop and pray to God, asking Him to protect my family and friends, strengthen and protect our healthcare workers, and give our leaders wisdom. 

Recently, I read Silence by Shūsaku Endō, a novel about persecution of Japanese Christians in the 17th century. The theme of the novel is the apparent silence of God as His followers are persecuted. It’s not a comfortable book to read as a believer, but it is a good reminder of the relative ease and safety we still enjoy in 21st century America, coronavirus notwithstanding. Throughout history, Christians have called upon their God to help them in the midst of tribulation. “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you,” writes Peter to believers in the first century. These words hadn’t really meant anything to us before.

I see this period of anxious helplessness as a trial or test. Trials come to prove the genuineness of our faith, writes Peter. What will my response be? Will it show that my faith all along has been just an intellectual exercise, or do I really trust my proclaimed Savior? I don’t know how long this will last—perhaps throughout the year if the virus spreads and peaks in yet unreached areas, and then comes back seasonally. We may be in the very early stages and need to prepare ourselves for the long haul. This is going to be a real trial. I pray that I emerge with a better understanding of myself and who my God is.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains—

    where does my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

~ Psalm 121:1-2

When you lose peace because someone invaded your home

Someone broke into our house while we were sleeping last Saturday night.

I don't get to enjoy the outdoors as much as I'd like to, so sometimes compensate by sleeping on my deck in the summertime. On Saturday night, something woke me up. I was groggy and remember seeing a distinct human shadow projected onto the wall of my house. The light source was my neighbor's backyard floodlight and the figure was close based on the size. It took a couple seconds, but I realized that someone was opening the gate at the top of the stairs and entering the deck. This guy was just a few feet away! Immediately, I sprang up and loudly cursed, watching him beat a hasty retreat down the stairs and back out my side gate.

I went inside, locked the door, and called 911. My wife was awake by now. "Oh yeah, putting on some pants might not be a bad idea"—the thought struck me as I spoke to the operator. I went outside to wait for the police. As the two officers arrived and went around to my backyard, the guy sprang from the other side of the house and raced across the street. All this happened very quickly, but I was very surprised that he hung around the backyard. I had assumed he would have hightailed it out of their knowing that I was on the phone with 911. More police officers arrived and began to comb through the neighborhood. It turned out that this fellow was also responsible for two earlier calls, one involving arson. One of the police officers showed me some video footage caught by one of those motion-sensor home cameras. Based on his clothing, I could say it was the same guy. He was a young, dopey-looking white guy with a black t-shirt with "MAYHEM" emblazoned in white letters.

After the police left, the worst part came: As I went back inside to check the house, I found that the the door leading into the house from the garage was open as well as the door from the backyard into the garage. This man had been inside the house at some point. My children were still sleeping upstairs ... what if ...?!

That night and for the several nights since, neither my wife or I have slept well. I am doing better now, having installed better locks and learning that the man has been arrested. The detective in charge of the case called me this afternoon, apparently looking to bolster the link to the arson. I learned the man was 26 years old and not from the area, but had been dropped off near the neighborhood that night. He was likely high on some type of substance.

Being an introspective person, I have been surprised at how this event could change my psyche so dramatically: When we come home from an outing, I need to check every room. I hear things at night and need to investigate. Some of this is probably healthy, leading me to install floodlights in the backyard and put sticks in my girls' bedroom windows. But some of this anxiety is definitely not healthy and enables me to empathize just a little bit with other people who have been violated in worse ways. With my peace gone, I realize how precious it is to have peace.

Peace is the English word we use to translate shalom (שָׁלוֹם), a Hebrew word that Jesus used to greet people in the Gospels: "Peace be unto you." Today, both Jews and Muslims still use this word as a salutation. I now value shalom more than before because I need it more than before. I need to know that my family is safe; that no one is intent on harming them.

Honestly, I am in a much better state than a couple days ago. But this was a wake-up call for me. So many people live without shalom, not just because of present physical danger but because a past trauma has robbed them of their peace. To these people, I want to say that I caught just a brief and shallow glimpse into what real psychological trauma might be like. I can empathize a little bit. But I also want to encourage you that peace is something you can reclaim. It is something that God promised to the Jewish people as they escaped slavery in Egypt, and that Jesus promised to those in need: "Shalom I leave you, My shalom I give to you; but not as the world gives! Do not let your heart be troubled or afraid." Read through the Gospels. They were recorded for you and me both.

A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.

Was Paul tempted sexually? 2 Corinthians 11:29 says so

Paul preaching in the Areopagus in Athens, by Raphael.

We all love Paul the Apostle. He's so earnest, so hardworking, so amazingly effective in planting churches! But did he also suffer the temptation to sin sexually? It's hard to imagine, but I believe he did based on 2 Corinthians 11:29:

Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? (NIV)

The New International Version provides a more literal translation for the Greek word puroomai, which literally means to burn. In the New Testament, this word is used only two times to refer to emotions: by Paul to refer to sexual temptation in 1 Corinthians 7:9 and by Paul again in 2 Corinthians 11:29 where he speaks of a burning feeling.

Most other English translations of the Bible follow the lead of the King James Version in translating puroomai to refer to indignation. In these translations, Paul is saying that he burns with indignation when others are led into sin.

"Yes, I feel weak, just like all of you, but I haven't given in"

But does this jive with the rest of chapter 11 and 12? Also, if Paul is the only New Testament writer to use puroomai to refer to emotions, shouldn't we at least consider that he would use the word in the same manner to refer to sexual temptation here?

This is a much more natural reading of 2 Corinthians 11 leading up to verse 29: "I've already made a fool of myself boasting about myself, since you all are impressed by such boasting. The physical hardships that I've had to deal with are far beyond the pale of what anyone else can claim to have endured. Likewise, the emotional hardship I endure is equally great. Not only do I constantly worry about all the churches under my care, but I face daily the same types of weaknesses and temptations that you all do, but I never give in to those things."

To me, this is a much more characteristic and natural reading of Paul's message here. You can imagine Paul pacing the room, dictating the letter to his amanuensis, becoming more and more enthused as he recounts all the hardships that he has undergone. But beyond the physical suffering that he has experienced, he wants them to know that he's just an ordinary guy. He also feels weak at times, and yes, he also is tempted sexually.

Astute readers in Corinth would have remembered that Paul used the word puroomai to refer to sexual temptation in a previous letter. Without elaboration, it would have been natural for them to understand Paul's meaning here as referring to his own private temptations that no one else could have known about had he not revealed it to them. But that's the mood he's in now.

In exasperation, Paul says in verse 30: "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." Yes, Paul says, I feel weak. I also burn with temptation. But I choose not to give in to those things for the sake of Jesus, because I don't want to disqualify myself for ministry.

Paul was not without normal sexual feeling. He considered it his right to take a believing wife with him as he ministered, as the other apostles did. But he gave up that right so that he might serve without concern for her wellbeing.

The take-away: Paul's not superhuman, and that's OK

So, what's the take-away for us believers today? Personally, I take heart knowing that Paul was just a regular guy in terms of the temptations that he faced. Sure, he was exceptional in that he disciplined himself ("beat his body to make it his slave," in his terms) beyond what most of us could imagine, but he was not immune. And if he could do it, then there's hope for you and I.

A message for those with low self-esteem

This is a sermon that I wrote this past year, based on Jeremiah 1:4-10. In it, God declares that He has known Jeremiah and accepts Him, faults and all. God tells Jeremiah that He created him for a specific purpose, and that He will support Jeremiah and empower him to fulfill everything that He's called him to. Overcoming Low Self-Esteem - Jeremiah 1:4-10 (Sermon)

How God works in a sick and broken world

Matthew 5:13-16

    13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

   14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

We all see symptoms of a sick and broken world around us. Eighteen people pass by a toddler bleeding in the middle of the street. Evil people enslave young girls to make money and gratify the lusts of perverse men. And, just like in ancient Israel, the richand powerful “grind the faces of the poor” and “covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them” from the weak and vulnerable.

It’s no wonder that Paul says that all creation is groaning as though in the pains of childbirth. What is the solution? Why doesn’t God do anything?

Read what Jesus said to His followers in His Sermon on the Mount. “You are the salt of the earth,” He said. “You are the light of the world.” Jesus called his followers to preserve, flavor, and give light to a dark and decaying world.

The name Christian means “little Christ.” When we follow our Master, our 師父, we become part of His solution. Definitely, there is a heaven and hell where God will balance the scales. But we still have a job to do while we are here on earth. We are to be salt and light.

What good is it if salt loses its saltiness? What good his a lamp kept under a bowl? How can we be a solution for the world if we think and act the same as everyone else does? “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?”

No, we are to love our enemies and bless those who persecute us. If someone who has power over you abuses that power, willingly submit to them. God makes the rain fall on the righteous and unrighteous both because He cares for them. He wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

Why is it that so many who are not believers reject God? Isn’t it because His followers are no better—in some cases, worse—than these unbelievers? If salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again?

God wants us to be perfect, just as He is perfect. In this way, His light will shine through us before men, just as a lamp gives light to everyone in a house. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Social justice in Old Testament rules for gleaning

[This is an exerpt from a book I'm writing on social justice in the Old Testament.]

Up until very recent times, the economy in the land of Israel was primarily agricultural. This was especially true in biblical times. The Bible is replete with references to sowing, reaping, threshing, and milling; and to vineyards and  olive groves. The annual harvests of grain, olives, and grapes represented a significant portion, if not the majority, of national economic production. In Deuteronomy 8:8, Moses describes the land of Israel as “a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey.”

In addition to comprising a major part of the national economy, grain was an essential dietary staple that played an important role in people’s everyday lives. Each morning, women ground grain by hand for that day’s bread.[1] When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Give us each day our daily bread,” He used the bread baked each morning to symbolize God’s provision for His people. He emphasized the daily aspect of bread making, recalling the bread called manna that God provided for the Israelites after they escaped from Egypt into the wilderness. The Book of Exodus says manna fell with the dew each morning like thin flakes of frost, and was colored white like coriander seed, and tasted like wafers made with honey. Each morning, the Israelites gathered a daily supply of manna, which they would prepare by baking or boiling it. Any manna stored overnight would rot by morning.

The Israelites who listened to Moses relay God’s instructions at the foot of Mount Sinai well understood the daily necessity of manna, the bread from heaven—they had likely gathered and baked cakes of manna that very morning and had eaten them that day. But now, looking forward to the time when the Israelites had established themselves in the Promise Land, God instructed the Israelites to provide grain and other staple crops for poor and vulnerable groups in society.

When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God.[2]

Forty years later, in Deuteronomy, Moses characteristically expands on the command given in Leviticus.

When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless, and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless, and the widow. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.[3]

Moses told the Israelites not to harvest to the extreme edges of their fields, nor to go over their fields a second time to pick up what was left over after the harvesters had bundled the sheaves of grain. In the same way, Moses prohibited the Israelites from beating their olive trees a second time or returning to recover what fruit remained after picking their grapes from the vine.

Moses gave several reasons for this instruction. First, the remaining grain, olives, and grapes would provide sustenance and gainful employment for people who lived on society’s margins: poor immigrants, orphans, and widows. The Book of Ruth provides an imperfect but instructive example of how this worked. One of the book’s major protagonists, Ruth, is both a widow and an immigrant who lived in Israel during the time of the judges, before any monarchy was established. As the author of the Book of Judges repeatedly notes, “In those days, Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” A cursory reading of Judges depicts a brutish, lawless, and predatory society. Fortunately for Ruth, she immigrated to Bethlehem in Judah, where some people followed the instruction that God had given to the Israelites, including a noble landowner named Boaz. She arrived just as the barley harvest was beginning and travelled out of the town and into the fields to see if she could glean from an amiable landowner. As it happened, Ruth found herself gleaning behind the harvesters in the field of Boaz. It is worthwhile to note what Boaz tells Ruth when they first meet.

So Boaz said to Ruth, “My daughter, listen to me. Don’t go and glean in another field and don’t go away from here. Stay here with my servant girls. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the girls. I have told the men not to touch you.”[4]

Boaz implies that Ruth would not be welcome in some fields, or worse, that evil men would mistreat or kidnap a lone woman found in the countryside. This was wise advice given the social degradation in Israel at the time. Ruth’s mother-in-law reinforces Boaz’s warning, saying, “It will be good for you, my daughter, to go with his girls, because in someone else’s field you might be harmed.”[5] In the midst of lawlessness, Boaz faithfully followed the Mosaic Law, allowing Ruth to gather food for herself and her mother-in-law. And, because of Boaz’s obedience, Ruth had a respectable way of earning a living. The Bible says that after working from morning till evening and threshing the barely she had gathered, it measured approximately 20 quarts or 22 liters—a substantial amount that would feed her small family for some time. In addition, Ruth and her mother-in-law could use the barley to barter for necessary goods, as was common in the ancient world without an easily accessible standard of currency.[6]

According to Moses, the second reason for God’s instruction was to ensure God’s blessing. Leave something behind, Moses told the Israelite landowners, “so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” By purposefully refusing to take maximum profits during the harvest, the owner of the field, grove, or vineyard would realize even greater profitability from their enterprise. God’s message here is counterintuitive unless put into the context of God’s covenant with His people Israel. God called the Israelites out of Egypt so that He could make them a nation that reflected His just, loving, and holy character. If Israelite society functioned according to God’s moral precepts, they would receive His blessing.

You have decreed this day that the LORD is your God and that you will walk in his ways, that you will keep his decrees, commands and laws, and that you will obey him. And the LORD has declared this day that you are his people, his treasured possession as he promised, and that you are to keep all his commands. He has declared that he will set you in praise, fame and honor high above all the nations he has made and that you will be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.[7]

So, although the gleaning provision was wasteful from an individual point of view, it was very efficient in terms of accomplishing God’s purposes for Israelite society, specifically His desire for justice which includes salvation for the weak and oppressed. Moreover, God promised supernatural fruitfulness for the individual landowner so that he would receive more than he gave up. As Proverbs 11:24-25 reads, “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Today, Christians can make similar economic choices that may seem somewhat inefficient from an individualistic point of view, but are efficient from the standpoint of seeing justice done in society. When purchasing a product or service, we should not seek the best price and value, but also take into consideration the business practices of the companies that we buy from. We should be aware of the effects of our purchases on others, especially the poor and vulnerable. Is your laptop assembled in factories that treat their workers poorly for the sake of profit? Does the disposable electronic toy you bought for your nephew contain raw metals mined from strip mines that destroy forests and pollute rivers?

In today’s hyper-efficient market economy, Christian consumers need to conscientiously leave some margin for the sustenance and gainful employment of vulnerable people by purchasing products and services from companies that operate in a responsible manner. Companies exist to make a profit, not to follow ethical rules. Left to themselves, companies will maximize profits any way possible. It is the responsibility of consumers to give companies a profit incentive in operating responsibly, even compassionately.

The third reason Moses gave for leaving a portion of the crop for those who needed it was because the Israelites had themselves been in a helpless, hopeless situation. Many of the Israelites camped at the foot of Mount Sinai listening to Moses likely bore scars laid on them by their Egyptian taskmasters. Because the God of justice “heard their cry” and saved them from oppression, they now enjoyed freedom unknown to generations before them. God also called them out into the desert where he fed them with manna each morning and quail each evening, teaching them to trust in the God of mercy and grace for everything in life.

Moses reminded the Israelites of the justice and mercy they received from God: “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt. That is why I command you to do this.” Likewise, the Israelites should act with justice and mercy toward weak, vulnerable, and oppressed people in their midst. In the same way that God saved them from cruel slavery, the Israelites could help save poor immigrants, widows, and orphans from danger and wicked people, just as Boaz saved Ruth. In the same way God provided manna for the Israelites in the desert, the Israelites could provide sustenance and gainful employment for those who needed it by following God’s harvesting instructions.

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[1] This is the reason why God prohibited the Israelites from taking millstones as debt collateral in Deuteronomy 24:6, “Do not take a pair of millstones—not even the upper one—as security for a debt, because that would be taking a man’s livelihood as security.”

[2] Leviticus 19:9-10, see also 23:22

[3] Deuteronomy 24:19-22

[4] Ruth 2:8

[5] Ruth 2:22

[6] Israel did not use a currency until after the Exile.

[7] Deuteronomy 26:17-19

[This post is an excerpt of my work-in-progress book on social justice in the Old Testament. Feedback is welcome! More on Learning to Do Right.] 

God’s justice includes salvation for the weak and oppressed

[This is an exerpt from a book I'm writing on social justice in the Old Testament.]

In the same way that Christians can find biblical principles in the Old Testament to answer the specific question of abortion, they can find the principles of justice and righteousness that help clarify biblical teaching on social justice. Following the pattern shown in the preceding section, the place to start is in the law given to Moses. What the Old Testament is to the Bible, the Mosaic Law is to the Old Testament. The instruction that God gave to the Israelites in the Torah is the background necessary to understand Old Testament history and prophesy. In it, God lays out the terms of His covenant with the Israelites and the teaching to which they must adhere as a society.

The law is the touchstone for understanding social morality and is replete with provisions meant to ensure an equitable society. If asked about these provisions, many Christians today would think of the commands that ensure fairness and impartiality. For example, the law not only prohibits stealing outright but even includes details such as the prohibition against moving a boundary marker between properties. In the judicial process, the law forbids both perjury and partiality. The law also includes sundry other stipulations for fair conduct between husbands and wives, and masters and slaves. Perhaps no other command sums up the fairness prescribed in the law as the phrase “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” recorded in Leviticus 24:17-22:

“If anyone takes the life of a human being, he must be put to death. Anyone who takes the life of someone’s animal must make restitution—life for life. If anyone injures his neighbor, whatever he has done must be done to him: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured. Whoever kills an animal must make restitution, but whoever kills a man must be put to death. You are to have the same law for the alien and the native-born. I am the Lord your God.”

All the provisions aforementioned describe a strict standard of justice in a purely legal sense, and for this reason the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments are displayed in courthouses throughout the United States. However, God’s standard of justice is not only characterized by fairness, but also by generous mercy and grace.[1] The social justice provisions in the Mosaic law go beyond fairness and impartiality—they teach the character of God as one who protects the weak and vulnerable from oppression and fills the hungry with good things. As Moses explained to the Israelites:

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the case of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.[2]

Truly, God is fair and impartial in His judgments, but thankfully He is more than that. He is merciful and gracious, with a special eye for those who are desperate to receive His salvation and peace. If God was only concerned with strict justice in a legal sense, He never would have sent His Son Jesus to die as an atoning sacrifice for people’s sin. It is because of His loving kindness that He sent His Son to save needy people from their deserved punishment. Jesus Himself taught that God’s special favor was consummated in the incarnation of His Son, but that this favor was for the poor and needy, the weak and oppressed, and all who desperately hoped in Him.

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
      “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
                  Because he has anointed me                  to preach good news to the poor.      He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners                  and recovery of sight for the blind,      To release the oppressed,                  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”[3] 

“The year of the Lord’s favor” in the passage refers to the Year of Jubilee, an important social justice provision in the Law of Moses that provided an economic salvation for poverty-stricken Israelites, but Jesus referenced it to describe his own ministry to the weak and marginalized. He later expanded this merciful characterization of His ministry, saying, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous [or, rather, those who consider themselves righteous], but sinners [who acknowledge themselves as such and admit their need of a Savior] to repentance.”[4] By examining the social justice provisions in the Mosaic Law, Christians can understand God’s standard of justice and righteousness as more than legal fairness or religious purity.

Unfortunately, many Christians miss the message of mercy and grace portrayed in the Law of Moses and instead focus on what it teaches about God’s holiness and wrath against sin. In the worst cases, Christians see the God as exhibiting different natures in the Old and New Testaments—punishing sin in the Old and extending mercy in the New.[5] But, more commonly, Christians simply do not understand the full extent to which God reveals His grace and mercy in the Old Testament, especially through the commands He gives in the Mosaic Law. As a result, they see sins of commission such as stealing, sexual deviance, or idolatry as clear breaches of God’s command in the Old Testament, but not the equally condemned sins of omission, such as the neglect of those in need or failure to protect the weak.

Christians living in representative democracies today must consider the totality of what the Old Testament teaches about the character of God if they are to advocate for policies that adhere to His standard of justice and righteousness—not just fairness and impartiality in a legal sense, but also protection for the weak and provision for those in need. They cannot fulfill their unique role as salt and light to society if they advocate a lop-sided view of God’s justice that zealously protects private property while paying only lip-service to social equity. They must balance the view that “God helps those who help themselves” with the realization that God delights in helping those who are unable to help themselves. Notice, again, how Moses describes God at the outset of his reiteration of the Law:

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. He defends the case of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.[6]

Here, Moses holds God up as the ultimate arbiter—and, indeed, source—of true justice. There is no higher authority to which one could appeal, nor any need for appeal. God is, in His nature, the final and inflexible standard of justice and righteousness. Yet, in the same breath, Moses declares God’s intervention on behalf of a special segment of society—a bias for the disadvantaged and marginalized. This brief statement by Moses encapsulates the essential truth about God’s justice: that His mercy is not contrasted against His absolute justice, but instead is an integral part of that justice.

Christians who seek to advocate for the biblical standard of justice and righteousness need to understand how God’s justice includes salvation for the weak and oppressed. To do so, we must look back to what the Old Testament reveals of God’s character, starting with the Law of Moses.

[This post is an excerpt of my work-in-progress book on social justice in the Old Testament. Feedback is welcome! More on Learning to Do Right.] 

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[1] As James put it in James 2:13, “Mercy triumphs over judgment!”

[2] Deuteronomy 10:17-18

[3] Luke 4:16-21, referencing Isaiah 61:1-2

[4] Luke 5:31, with amplification from the author.

[5] The Second Century heretic Marcion, for example, rejected the Old Testament and Jewish elements in the New Testament because he saw them as contradictory to a message of grace. Today, some Christian “grace” preachers make the same mistake.

[6] Deuteronomy 10:17-18

Social justice in instruction for the Sabbath and debt cancellation

[This is an exerpt from a book I'm writing on social justice in the Old Testament.]

God established His pattern of Sabbath rest when, after six days of creation, He rested from His work. Speaking through Moses on Mt. Sinai, God instructed the Israelites to follow His example by observing a day of rest on the Sabbath. God linked observance of the Sabbath with His rescue of the Israelites from slavery. Expounding on the Ten Commandments forty years after first delivering them, Moses said this about the fourth commandment:

Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the LORD your God has commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.[1] 

Moses asked all members of Israelite society, from the highest to the lowest, and even including the foreigners who lived among them, to cease from work for one day out of seven. While an irreligious, wealthy Israelite landowner may have chafed at the cessation of work on his property, the Sabbath was a welcome respite for the slave of his household and for his hired workers—not to mention his oxen, horses, and donkeys! A believing landowner, however, would welcome the rest as a reminder of God’s pledge to provide for those who trusted in Him, rich and poor alike. As they rested from work on the Sabbath, Moses asked the Israelites to remember God’s care and attention to them in their misery. The Sabbath served to regularly remind the Israelites had time to reflect on how much God had provided for them, rescuing them from slavery and establishing them as an independent nation in a “land of milk and honey.” In addition, the Sabbath was a time to look forward to the ultimate rest that the Messiah would bring.[2]

The Sabbath occurred every seven days, but every seventh year was also a Sabbath in an analogous sense. Teaching the same lessons of trust and salvation that marked the weekly Sabbath, the seventh-year Sabbath required Israelites to let their land lie fallow and allow it to replenish nutrients and regain fertility. Israelites that owned land and storehouses would not need to cultivate, sow, or reap during the Sabbath year because God promised to provide a super-abundant harvest on the sixth year. Poor inhabitants of Israel without land or storehouses were allowed to freely pick olives, grapes, and other produce that grew unaided during this time.

Observation of this seventh-year Sabbath required special trust in God. All humankind experiences and understands the need to ceaselessly work, whether out of greed for more wealth or simply to provide sustenance for ourselves and our families. This toilsome need stems from the curse that befell our ancestor Adam: “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food.” Paul put it in more simple terms: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” For this reason, it feels unnatural to cease from our efforts to provide for ourselves. But God wants His people to acknowledge the salvation that comes from Him alone. When the Assyrian army threatened Judah, King Ahaz sought help from the other great regional power, Egypt, instead of turning to God. This lack of trust displeased God, who spoke through the prophet Isaiah, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” God wanted the Israelites to learn to rest in Him, to cease from their labor and trust God to provide what they needed. When Ahaz’s faith-filled son, King Hezekiah, faced the same Assyrian threat, he trusted in God’s salvation instead of seeking alliances or other help outside of God’s will. As a result, God sent a destroying angel into the Assyrian camp and annihilated the Assyrian army. The prophesies of Isaiah record God’s view of both King Ahaz and King Hezekiah, and instructs us as the readers to trust God and not our own efforts. Both the weekly Sabbath and the seventh year in the Sabbatical cycle taught and tested the Israelites in their trust in God.

The seventh-year Sabbath taught another aspect of God’s merciful salvation: debt forgiveness. While their land enjoyed a Sabbath rest, Moses required the Israelites to forgive the debts owed them by fellow Israelites.

At the end of every seven years you must cancel debts. This is how it is to be done: Every creditor shall cancel the loan he has made to his fellow Israelite. He shall not require payment from his fellow Israelite or brother, because the LORD’s time for canceling debts has been proclaimed. You may require payment from a foreigner, but you must cancel any debt your brother owes you.[3]

Because they were prohibited from charging interest on loans made to their countrymen, the Israelites already had a disincentive to lend money to those who needed it. But, the Sabbath year demanded even more, requiring the Israelites to not only offer interest-free loans, but to completely cancel the debts at the end of the Sabbatical cycle of years. From a natural, individualistic perspective, this command seems grossly unfair. Interest-free loans seem indulgent by most standards, but interest-free loans with a high likelihood of default are nonsensical in any time and place. However, as recipients of God’s abundant grace, the Israelites were obligated to extend extraordinary grace to weak and vulnerable groups in their own society.

Moses continued, warning the Israelites from feigning an inability to lend.

If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: “The seventh year, the year for cancelling debts, is near,” so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin. Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land.[4] 

As with the commands concerning day laborers, gleaning, and the tithe, Moses put the command to lend freely in the context of the Israelites’ relationship with God. They were debtors to God, and must likewise forgive debts owed them. Rich and poor alike, all Israelites understood they were indebted to God. Not only had He rescued them from their Egyptian slavery, but He had also provided a covering for the sin that separated them from Himself. Because of this provision, the Israelites alone among all people on earth could claim to have a God that dwelt in their midst in the form of the tabernacle, and later, in the temple in Jerusalem. God also prescribed elaborate sacrifices meant to illustrate the atonement of people’s sin. Blood was the required payment for sin in most cases. However, God made an exception for poor people who could not afford the more customary goat, lamb, or pair of doves: “If, however, he cannot afford two doves or two pigeons, he is to bring as an offering for his sin a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering.”[5]

All this ritual was designed to demonstrate the indebtedness of the Israelites and their rescue from that debt by God. This debtor-savior relationship required the Israelites to relate to one another accordingly, including rescuing their brother or sister who fell into poverty. More than a thousand years later, Jesus repeatedly drew the same lesson, teaching, “Freely you have received, freely give,” “Give and it will be given to you,” and “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Jesus most fully illustrated this principle in His parable of the unmerciful servant: A servant owed his master an exceedingly large amount of money. Graciously, the master forgave the debt entirely, saving the servant from ruin. However, the servant went on to meet one of his fellows who owed him a small sum and demanded a prompt payment. On hearing of this injustice, the master of the first servant grew incredibly angry and threw the first servant into prison until he should pay back every penny of his original debt.

In light of their covenant relationship to God, the Israelites cancelled loans on the seventh year out of obligation, not charity. Charity implies giving when otherwise not required and only God is in the position to extend that type of free grace. As debtors themselves, Israelites who skirted the command to provide for those in need practiced injustice. Failing to provide for the poor was a positive offense against God and a breach of the covenant.

[This post is an excerpt of my work-in-progress book on social justice in the Old Testament. Feedback is welcome! More on Learning to Do Right.] 

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[1] Deuteronomy 5:12-15

[2] See Psalm 72 for an example of Israel’s Messianic hope, and Hebrews 4:1-3 and Colossians 2:16-17 for the fulfillment of the Sabbath in Jesus Christ.

[3] Deuteronomy 15:1-3

[4] Deuteronomy 15:7-11

[5] A tenth of an ephah is about one-tenth of the amount of grain that Ruth gathered in her first day at Boaz’s field.

"Standing in the gap" through democratic means

[This is an exerpt from a book I'm writing on social justice in the Old Testament.]

Throughout history, Christians have been at the forefront of social issues, advocating on behalf of the weak and oppressed, and doing what they could to right wrongs through peaceful means. More often than not, these Christians worked for good against established authorities and powers, just as the Old Testament prophets often stood against the rich and powerful on behalf of the poor and weak. In the New Testament, James provides one of the earliest examples of Christian advocacy of social justice. Citing the Law of Moses, James launches into a prophetic condemnation, typical of Old Testament prophets, of entrenched interests who exploit the working poor:

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.[1]

This type of strident advocacy was sure to upset comfortable people who probably otherwise would have given little thought to their unjust business practices. Several centuries later, John Chrysostom, the famous preacher and bishop of Constantinople, used his pulpit to warn against the excesses of the rich and powerful in that capital city. Speaking on Jesus’ parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25:31-46, Chrysostom delivered a lyrically beautiful, but terrible message to the elite of the empire:

You eat in excess; Christ eats not even what he needs. You eat a variety of cakes; he eats not even a piece of dried bread. You drink fine Thracian wine; but on him you have not bestowed so much as a cup of cold water. You lie on a soft and embroidered bed; but he is perishing in the cold … You live in luxury on things that properly belong to him … At the moment, you have taken possession of the resources that belong to Christ and you consume them aimlessly. Don't you realize that you are going to be held accountable?[2]

John Chrysostom confronting Empress Aelia Eudoxia, a painting by Jean-Paul Laurens (1880s).

In speaking up for people who lived on the margins of society, Chrysostom earned the wrath of Empress Eudoxia. Unwilling to blunt his message, Chrysostom was soon banished to the Caucasus where he died from the rigors of travel and climate. Christians who disrupt the norm by speaking out against injustice can expect the same type of critical response today. While leading non-violent protests against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was publically denounced by several Christian ministers who characterized his actions as too radical and disruptive.[3] In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Dr. King responded, explaining the need for strident but peaceful advocacy on the part of Christians.

There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period when the early Christians rejoiced when they were deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. … They brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial combat.[4]

Writing from his jail cell, Dr. King argued that Christians must not stand by idly as witnesses to injustice. Besides civil disobedience, Dr. King relied on democratic means to effect change. Quoting Micah 6:8 in a later speech, he urged civil rights protesters to vote for God-fearing government representatives for the overall good of society.

Let us march on ballot boxes until we send to our city councils, state legislatures, and the United States Congress men who will not fear to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God. Let us march on ballot boxes until all over Alabama God’s children will be able to walk the earth in decency and honor.[5]

Dr. King’s sentiment is the same as the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy and the church at Ephesus:

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.[6]

Although Paul wrote at a time when Christians did not have the right to vote for their leaders, Christians living in democracies today can apply this advice to themselves first by praying for their elected government officials, but then also by praying for God to help the electorate decide who to vote into office and what policies to support or oppose. The renowned New Testament scholar C.E.B. Cranfield writes that Christians today can find guidance for their democratic responsibilities in verses such as 1 Timothy 2:1-4 quoted above, even though the historical context is much different than the situation for many believers today. Commenting on Romans 13:1-5, Cranfield writes:

The proper exposition of Paul’s words involves for the Christian living in a democracy the translation of them into the terms of a different political order. Such a Christian can, and therefore must, do much more for the maintenance of the state as a just state. His “subjection” will include voting in parliamentary elections responsibly, in the fear of Christ and in love to his neighbor, and, since such responsible voting is only possible on the basis of adequate knowledge, making sure that he is as fully and reliably informed as possible about political issues, and striving tirelessly in the ways constitutionally open to him to support just policies and to oppose unjust.[7]

Expounding on 1 Timothy 2:1-4, Cranfield notes that “the purpose of civil government and of the state in God’s intention is a purpose of mercy toward men,” specifically individual men, women, and children for whom Jesus died. [8] This scope of this mercy is not limited to a single country, but extends throughout the entire world. In each person in need of assistance, Jesus is present to be either honored or neglected. The realization that the government exists for the sake of precious people should cause the Christian to soberly consider his or her democratic responsibility. Measuring policies and legislation against God’s merciful purposes in government, Christians will remember that “persons are infinitely more precious than property.” In practical terms, this means the Christian voter will not limit his or her concerns to the local sphere, but will side with generous and unselfish policies that look to alleviate global hunger or ensure the personal liberty and dignity of those without a voice—“the underprivileged, the misfits, and the lame dogs of society,” as Cranfield puts it. And, while not a pacifist, in times of war the Christian will never forget that even the lives of the enemy are precious to God.

Social justice advocacy is not a replacement for the gospel of Christ. Certainly, Christians must transform society by promulgating the gospel of Jesus Christ, which leads to an inner change in people that is incomparably more effective than outward coercion. Yet, once the inward change takes place, spiritually reborn people will then become God’s representatives in society, speaking and working on His behalf. They have the same anointing, or divine authority, of Jesus, who came to preach good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, proclaim freedom for the captives, release from darkness for the prisoners, and proclaim a day of vengeance for God against both spiritual and physical oppression.[9] Christians’ reborn nature compels them to take action for a more just society, the Bible guides them, and the Holy Spirit empowers them to do so.

[This post is an excerpt of my work-in-progress book on social justice in the Old Testament. Feedback is welcome! More on Learning to Do Right.] 

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[1] James 5:1-6, where James echoes the law in Deuteronomy 24:14-15, “Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it. Otherwise he may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin.”

[2] On Matthew, Homily 48:8

[3] The U.S. Civil Rights movement led by Christians such as Dr. King may provide an example where the advocacy against injustice may have averted divine retribution. Although it is true that the movement stirred violence resulting in deaths, including that of Dr. King himself, it could be argued that the success of the civil rights movement avoided greater bloodshed and societal disruption. Had the Civil Rights Bill, Voting Rights Bill, and Fair Housing Act never passed into legislation, can anyone doubt the severe societal repercussions that would have followed?

[4] Martin Luther King Jr., April 1963, Letter From a Birmingham Jail

[5] Martin Luther King, Jr., March 1965, Our God Is Marching On!

[6] 1 Timothy 2:1-4

[7] C.E.B. Cranfield, Romans: A Shorter Commentary, p. 321

[8] This paragraph and the following quote drawn from Cranfield’s essay, “The Christian’s Political Responsibility According to the New Testament,” first published in Scottish Journal of Theology 15, (1962), pp. 176-192.

[9] Luke 4:16-21