Social Justice

Charity is, according to Google is "the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need." What is not part of this definition is "love"!  As Christians we equate "charity" and "love", but they are not the same! No where does the Bible define them as the same. Here's the best reason why Christians have charity:

2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV) "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

The Bible definition matches the dictionary, but tells why: "God loves a cheerful giver"! On the other hand it can be implied that "God loves you, but his desire is that you be a cheerful giver" because "God so loved the world" (John 3:16).  What God "loves" is a charitable heart. Therefore, "charity" is not "love", but is a demonstration of love, both of God and others.

The previous passage says "each one must give as he has decided in his heart" corresponds with the dictionary definition word "voluntary". The "love" part of it is giving without coercion because a person is empathetic to the needs of others. That person loves his fellow man enough to "feel for him" in his poverty.

Pope Francis speaks on "social justice" quite often. I'll show again what Jesus said about poverty:

Matthew 26:11 "For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always."

Jesus said this to those critical when the woman washed him with expensive ointment. It was declared a waste because the money could be more wisely used for the poor. Jesus recognized that the poor will always be and could have ended poverty with one more miracle. He chose not to do that! Why?

Genesis 3:17 "And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

Poverty is man's punishment for disobedience! Once Adam and Eve had their heart's desire, but that wasn't enough. They wanted more! They wanted "food for the gods" from the forbidden tree and they wanted it now! They sought the temporal without regard for the eternal, and as a result they became poor. They sweated for their sustenance when it could have been a gift of God!  Poverty is of men. It's our own fault!

Those churches which teach "social justice" emphasize it even more than being born-again; or what I call "spiritual justice" because a just God gives us another chance! The modern church worries more about the "dust" of the body than the "spirit" of the soul.  Social justice without the love of God is called "humanism". It's the secular religion of progressives and is the ideology of Karl Marx. Yes, social justice IS Marxism!

Social justice is "justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society" (New Oxford American Dictionary).

The church has adopted Marxism through deception. It is  called "liberation theology" and  is the teaching in Christianity which focuses on Christ's teachings in terms of a liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions. What this means is that progressive churches and Catholicism teach socialism. For this Pope Francis is rightly criticized because he looks toward the government to do by policy (force) what the church should do voluntarily (charity).

"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.(Karl Marx, The Criticism of the Gotha Program)

The millennial generation may not like it, but socialism is atheism! It's the dependence on government to do by force what God delivers through charitable acts!  To Marx religion (Christianity) stands in the way of socialism because rather than depending on the government, the Christian depends on a non-existent God!

On the other hand here are the words of Pope Francis:

"People in every nation enhance the social dimension of their lives by acting as committed and responsible citizens." -Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel, 2013, Ch.4, #220
"The measure of the greatness of a society is found in the way it treats those most in need, those who have nothing apart from their poverty!" -Pope Francis, Text from 7/25/2013 in Rio, Brazil"

You see here, under the guise of Christianity, that the Pope looks to civil authority for sustenance. It's conveyed by the terms "social dimension" and "responsible citizens". He says that rather than as "good Christians" or "the charitable who love God"!

Then in the latter quote he says "the measure of the greatness of society". Society is not great. God is! Society is not good. Only God is good. Where does this civil "giving" come from? The force of government by income redistribution; socialism as taught by Marx!

We are to help as potential citizens of the kingdom of God. We are instructed to not serve "mammon" (wealth or money). If it interferes with our Christian walk we're to give all we have because love of God is more important than all the wealth. Christian disciples voluntarily, because of love, provided for fellow Christians in Jerusalem. We're told as Christians to support the orphans and widows, providing the widows are unable to provide for themselves! There is one keyword which separates the Christian concept of "charity" from socialism; that's "voluntary", or "charity" itself.

God commands us to love others. As a result of that love, we're to be charitable. The government demands that we be taxed to help others, even those who are capable! The government wants to "level the playing field"; to take from those who have and give to those who have not, regardless of motivation. That's legalized theft! The Bible has many examples where it condemns the "slothful". It's those who're unwilling to even nourish themselves through work!

"Charity" and "force" are the dichotomy in why we are to help others. Being forced to give is not charity. Indeed, love cannot be legislated by civil authorities. Only God can do that! Love is not a product of coercion.

Helping others who are in NEED voluntarily is a demonstration of love, both of others and of God. However, charity does not take precedence over reverence. We are to submit to God, not Marx, and we are to love God, not socialism. It's where the heart is!