THE AMOS PROJECT:

Seeking God's justice for children at risk

We must care about justice because that matters to God - a lot. But why?

God in His very character is just, and He calls His children to be about justice, making right that which is wrong, unjust, or evil. He cares for the poor and oppressed, and He expects His people to do the same. What other god has such a concern for the fatherless, the widow, the hungry, and the victims of oppression and violence? This shows the kind of God He is, what life in His Kingdom is like, and glorifies His Name! 

As we read through the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), we see two primary components of Jesus' ministry. He was constantly healing the sick, delivering from demonic oppression, and loving people, especially those who were in bondage and considered "the least." Secondly, and most importantly, we see Him teaching about and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.

In His Kingdom, there will be no need of anything, no sickness or pain, no death, and no evil. IMAGINE! That is what Jesus came to reveal, to foreshadow, and to inaugurate. Jesus showed little slices of what it will be like in God's Kingdom, and He called anyone who would hear and obey to enter that Kingdom.

Jesus announced the Kingdom verbally and He revealed the Kingdom visually, physically, and powerfully. He calls His followers to do the same. Most of us will not perform supernatural miracles, but we can show what our King is like by our acts of mercy and by working for justice, and we can invite people into an eternal relationship with Him in His Kingdom.

We need not feel a contradiction between justice ministry and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.

• The good news of Jesus - who He is, what He has done, and what His Kingdom will be like - must be shared verbally and shown by our works, communicated through word and deed.
• We are to serve people and tell them about Jesus Christ.
• We have good news to share that impacts the present and all of eternity, both the physical and spiritual realms.
• We are to care for the poor, sick, needy, and oppressed, and we are to make known the truth about God, humanity, sin, salvation, and eternity. God is glorified in both!

These two sets of concepts are complementary, not contradictory. Both are important aspects of the same message about the Kingdom of God, and both communicate about Him in a way that glorifies Him!

God's glory is at stake among the poor and oppressed. Will those living in extreme poverty believe that He is good and that He is great? Will victims of violent oppression know that God loves them and hates sin if they are not rescued and shown His love? And what about the oppressors - will they know that God is a just God and that He is to be feared above all gods?

Justice matters to God because He is just in His very nature, and He is glorified when justice is done in His Name and His Kingdom is revealed.