God’s standard is his law. It reflects the beauty of his moral holiness, and by that standard God will judge us all. “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,” wrote the great apostle, “that everyone may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10). On that Day, God’s law, expressing his holiness, will be the “measuring line” by which divine, eternal justice will be measured out to everyone—no exceptions. In that courtroom we would all stand condemned, were it not for the grace of our righteous Judge.

We are in a time of significant social instability. Large segments of our society have demonstrated, even rioted, for the cause of “Social Justice”—an enigmatic phrase meaning different things to different people. In general, those demonstrating for Social Justice are working to free the oppressed. Most are sincere; they want a better future more just society for all. Every true evangelical should share these ultimate goals.

But are the major currents of today’s Social Justice really just? Is their view of justice compatible with Christianity? The answer to these questions begins with a definition of justice.

Defining Justice

The Standard?

Justice is the distribution of punishment and reward based upon an ethical standard. Yet except for our mutual abhorrence of racism, the standards used by Christians and organizations such as Black Lives Matters are miles apart. Alongside ending racism, Black Lives Matter lists among their “guiding principles” the termination of the nuclear family (i.e. a father and mother raising children) and the fostering of a “queer-affirming network.” The organization’s founders also affirm that they are “trained Marxists,” while local chapters such as Black Lives Matter DC include the ending of capitalism as one of their key objectives.

Needless to say, the abolition of the family does not conform to God’s standard, nor even the abolition of capitalism. Material inequality in itself is not a sin; God has gifted each of us with different abilities and opportunities for wealth generation. True, there are times in a capitalist society when wealth inequality is the result of oppression and injustice, but this is far from the rule. Some will always be wealthier than others, and as long as that wealth is not gained or used sinfully, it is not a biblical problem.

But this is not how many proponents of Social Justice understand economics. They assume that wealth inequality is inherently oppressive and always wrong. If you have more, you are, by definition, an Oppressor. You deserve to have your wealth taken and given to others.

God’s standard is his law. It reflects the beauty of his moral holiness, and by that standard God will judge us all. “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,” wrote the great apostle, “that everyone may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10). On that Day, God’s law, expressing his holiness, will be the “measuring line” by which divine, eternal justice will be measured out to everyone—no exceptions. In that courtroom we would all stand condemned, were it not for the grace of our righteous Judge.

Moreover, God’s standards are immutable; they cannot be changed, but are transcendent and eternal. This matters because without an unchanging, transcendent standard, justice is a moving target. Apart from God, the standards of right and wrong will vary depending on the time and place. Ultimately, this means the collapse of the concept of justice itself.

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