Date Published: 03/18/2010
As a pastor I make a point of not publicly identifying my personal political persuasions. My job is not to tell people how to vote. To presume to do that would disrespect people’s ability to think and pray and make their own decisions, not that anyone would listen to me anyway. Rather, my job as a pastor is to push people to probe deeply into the Bible and bring what they learn to bear on their decision making.
As an extension of this, I don’t usually comment on political pundits of left or right. However, since Glen Beck specifically aimed his March 2, 2010 radio broadcast at churches, I think that I do have to bring his comments up against scripture, not as either an attack or endorsement of a particular political philosophy but to encourage digging into Scripture. I know there has been a lot of heated conversation about his comments, and I certainly don’t intend this to just be more of the same. But I do believe that my faith must inform my politics, and that for serious disciples of Jesus to modify their theology because of political presuppositions is tantamount to idolatry.
During his March 2, 2010 radio broadcast, Beck said this: “I beg you, look for the words ‘social justice’ or ‘economic justice’ on your church Web site. If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. Now, am I advising people to leave their church? Yes! Leave your church.”
I am not suggesting that the passages I have listed here tell us everything, only that they have to be taken seriously. I hope they will prompt some real digging and wrestling with Scripture. However, I’m not too interested in arguments of more heat than light.
Micah 6:8
He has told you, O mortal, 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?
Deuteronomy 15:7-11
If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, “The seventh year, the year of remission, is near,” and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the LORD against you, and you would incur guilt. Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.”
Isaiah 58:6-7
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? 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 them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?
Amos 5:24
But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an everflowing stream.
Matthew 19:21
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.”
Matthew 23:23
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith.”
Matthew 25:34-40
Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’
Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Galatians 2:10
They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do.
James 5:1-6
Come now, you rich people, weep and wail for the miseries that are coming to you. Your riches have rotted, and your clothes are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be evidence against you, and it will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure for the last days. Listen! The wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. You have lived on the earth in luxury and in pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the righteous one, who does not resist you.
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