Social Justice

      Social Justice

By Yadira Yvette

I am a student at Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, and a few days ago a professor assigned us the reading of "Letter from Birmingham Jail.”  In this letter, Rev. King does an exquisite job of examining and calling into question the topic we talked about on Sunday regarding the role the Church plays in Social Justice. Rev. King said the following:

In the midst of a mighty struggle to rid our nation of racial and economic injustice, I have heard so many ministers say, “Those are social issues which the gospel has nothing to do with,” and I have watched so many churches commit themselves to a completely otherworldly religion which made a strange distinction between bodies and souls, the sacred and the secular.  There was a time when the church was very powerful. It was during that period that 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 the thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Wherever the early Christians entered a town the power structure got disturbed and immediately sought to convict them for being “disturbers of the peace” and “outside agitators.” But they went on with the conviction that they were 'a colony of heaven" and had to obey God rather than man. They were small in number but big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be “astronomically intimidated.”

Rev. King goes on to say the most amazing words about the church at the time of the Civil Rights Movement, but it is also applicable to today's time; he says, "Things are different now. The contemporary church is so often a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. It is so often the arch supporter of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church's often vocal sanction of things as they are."

There are remnants of the appalling injustice of racism in our society today, but there are many other injustices that have spread a choking hand over this world; it is a hand seeking to take the life out of humanity as we know it.  The sad reality is that there is the great sense of complacency that has been too rampant throughout our society. We have let things go by without doing all we can to help those in need, which is exactly what God calls us to do: help those in need. We have been lukewarm in many respects, and Rev. King spoke to this saying, "Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."

I am happy to be a part of a church that knows when things have to change, and that we must bring the change. As a part of this, I also believe that it is most important that we show this through our actions and in our character. I remember the little morsel that Jackson gave us of this idea in the first class we ever had. He said that someone told him something along the lines of "preach always, and sometimes use words." It is through our actions that people will know who we are as a church, and getting out there is exactly what we must begin doing on a bigger scale!  We are the people of God, and as such we must go where we are needed, speak to whom we must, open our arms to those looking for an embrace, put food in the mouths of those with empty bellies and dry hearts, and above all we must walk where the Lord, our Abba, calls us to walk.

Thank you for bringing us this study, and I sure hope we get to tackle it more often! This is a great class, and I am thrilled to be a part of it!

What is a Reformer?

The word "reform" is defined as the following:

"To improve by alteration, correction of error, or removal of defects; put into a better form or condition."

Why I think of the purpose of the Young Reformers ministry in light of this definition, I realize that our task is not to create something new or even to tailor the gospel message to adapt to the culture in which we live. Rather, our purpose is to help remove the clutter that hides the Gospel message from people who are in need. The Gospel is in itself  pure, perfect, and needs no alteration or perfection. There are no defects in the Gospel message nor can it be redesigned to be in a better condition than what it already is. As Spurgeon said, "We read of "the gospel" as one; never of two or three gospels." Then the question must be asked, "What needs to be reformed?" If not the Gospel, than what? I submit that what needs to be reformed is our understanding of the Gospel and the accessibility of the Gospel. Religious traditionalism has hid the Gospel underneath the clutter of man's self-efforts while an Americanized version of the gospel has evolved into a therapeutic, self-help seminar that is no different that a motivational message wrapped in the name of Christ. No well-meaning Christian will admit that this has happened conciously or by some strategic conspiracy to alter the gospel message. Nevertheless, it has happened and the fruits of this alteration are evident by the shallow faith, misplaced faith, and ignorance of the true faith in Christ and the Word of God that we see in our nation today. 

A reformation is needed, but not a reforming of the Gospel, but a reforming of the church that is called to preach the Gospel, teach the Gospel, and live the Gospel. It is the church that must be altered back to the Gospel message, corrected of error, removed of defects, and put into a better form or condition. Although this seems like an impossible task, we are encouraged by the fact that God has already decreed the reformation of the church, guaranteeing her restoration and revival. 

"That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Ephesians 5:26-27

Why Young? Why a Reformer? Part 1

The Scriptural foundation for a ministry to young adults is plentiful. When called by God, Jeremiah responded that he was a child (Jeremiah 1:6). The term child speaks of inexperience and youth.[1]  And yet, on these grounds Jeremiah accepted the call of God. Likewise, King Solomon humbly recognized that he was “a little child” when appointed king of Israel (1 Kings 3:7). The Bible Knowledge Commentary estimates that Solomon was 20 years old when he took the throne.[2] The grace and responsibility that was on Solomon as a young man may be why he made the thesis of the book of Proverbs to “give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth” (Proverbs 1:4). Turning to the New Testament, there continues to be adequate motivation for ministry to those in the younger generation. Jesus’ presence in the temple at twelve years of age shows his desire to learn God’s Law and that his wisdom was on equal footing with the Jewish teachers. Multiple exhortations throughout the epistles are directed specifically at youth and young adults. Paul told Timothy, “Flee youthful lusts” (2 Timothy 2:22). 1 Timothy 4:12 reveals that the young can rise in the things of Lord not being hindered by their age. In this same context of the exhortations to the young man Timothy, Paul expects him to study to show himself approved, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). It is the opinion of the author that many churches have underestimated the young by merely attempting to entertain them instead of doctrinally instructing them. In contrast, the Young Reformers anticipates that there is a generation of young Christians who are intense and theologically curious. Many of them have not been raised in a Christian culture, therefore, they are longing for substance opposed to the diet of “pop-Christianity.” All of this translates into an extraordinary opportunity for this ministry to help young adults secure a firm foundation in their walk with the Lord, thus, preparing them for the challenges that await them throughout college, career, and the responsibilities of starting a family.

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[1] J.A. Thompson, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament – The Book of Jeremiah, (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 147.

[2] John Walvoord and Roy Zuck, ed., The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty, (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications, 1985), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 494.

No Blame, No Blemishes, No Barriers!

Ephesians 1:4
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

I don't know how many times I have read this verse of Scripture. Being that Ephesians is my favorite book of the Bible, its is definetly in the hundreds or maybe even thousands of times. And yet, something in this verse stood out to me that I never saw before. Christ chose us before the earth was ever created for us to be "holy and without blame before him in love." Here's what I never realized----this Scripture is telling us that we stand in God's presence with absolutely no blame, no blemishes, and no barriers between us and him!

The Greek word for blame is "amomos." It means blameless, faultless, and without blemish. The Greeks reserved the word to describe religious and moral perfection----a seemingly impossible position to attain. It became a technical term to “designate the absence of anything amiss in a sacrifice, of anything which would render it unworthy to be offered."

When I consider this statement, it is an astounding truth----something that is difficult to accept at face value, and yet, it is the truth. Think of it----we stand before God in a state of perfection! He sees us with no blemishes. The things that we see about ourselves that we don't like. He doesn't see them. The traits in us that bother the people close to us. He doesn't notice them. The physcological barriers that we erect through our low self-esteem and insecurities. To Him, they don't exist. God sees us perfect, worthy, and 100% acceptable.

This truth supercedes any artificial attempts to boost our egos. It hovers far beyond our silly mind games of trying to feel better about ourselves. It goes beyond healthy self-esteem and brings authenticity to man's feeble attempts to overcome guilt and build self-confidence. It is truth that will change our lives if we would just settle it in our minds forever. You and me..........we are on good terms with the Father! How did this happen? It didn't happen by mistake or because God decided to overlook all our faults. It happened because Christ decided to take all our sins, all our mess-ups, and give us all his perfection, all his righteousness, and all his beauty. We are without blemish because he removed the stain of sins from us-----once and for all, forever!

How will this truth change your life if you would just accept it, agree with it, allow it to change your thinking about yourself? Would your days of depression end? Would you cease to avoid the Father and instead draw near to Him? Would you dare to dream for better things in your life---now that you know how qualified you are before God? Would you view others in a more positive light because you are no longer looking down on yourself? Would you expect better things, greater things, and a more enjoyable future?

I say the answer is a resounding "Yes!" to all the above. Determine to live life with no blame, no blemishes, no barriers!!

Thought for the Day

The answer to low self-esteem is in seeing how God sees us

The Basis for Your Prosperity

Ephesians 1:7
In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.

As a Christian, what is the basis for your prosperity in the Kingdom of God? I'm not talking about merely the principles that all of society considers keys to prosperity----such as working hard, getting a good education, saving and investing, ect. I am talking specifically about your prosperity as a believer in God's "way of doing things."

I have found that most people believe that the key to their prosperity is in their giving. Whether it be their tithing, their offerings, or their charity to the poor----we have been taught that giving is the basis for our prosperity. But this is not correct.

Now I know I have you startled at this point. Let me make it clear that I believe in giving. And the Bible has much to say about giving, both in the Old and New Testaments. Giving is very important. Anybody who functions as God created them to be----will be a giver. We are made in the image of God, and God is this biggest Giver of all!

But our giving is not the basis for our prosperity. The basis for our prosperity, as New Covenant believers, is the Blood of Christ. Please catch that statement! The basis for our prosperity is the Blood of Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. We are blessed, not because we give, but because Jesus gave his life for us (Galatians 1:4). We give not to be blessed, but we give because we are blessed! To turn this around to say that we give to be blessed is to say that the blood of Christ was not enough. This was the same error some of the Jews made in the early church. In Acts 15 there were some teachers that said the new believers in Christ also needed to be circumcised in order to be saved. Simply, they were saying that the blood of Christ was not enough. Something more had to be done. Today, you won't here teaching in church telling people they need to be circumcised in order to be saved. But you will hear plenty of teaching telling people that they need to do more in order to be blessed. Isn't this the same faulty teaching wrapped in different garments----the blood of Christ is not enough.

Now the Scripture does make it clear that we are responsible to walk worthy of the calling we have received. Doctrine should always be followed by duty. But everything we do should be out of thankfulness of what He has already done! The truth is that the blood of Christ is enough! It is enough to purchase your salvation. It is enough to provide your healing. It is enough to forgive your sins. And the blood of Christ is enough to provide you with financial prosperity!

2 Corinthians 8:9
For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Does the Father take care of us because we give or because He loves us? Does he give us increase because we tithe or because Jesus gave His all for us?

Matthew 10:29-31
²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
³¹ Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

This message is not an "anti-tithing" message. This is not a call to cease from giving to the work of the Lord. But this is a word to put this subject of financial prosperity into proper perspective. Give because you are blessed! Give because of what Jesus has already done for you!

With this perspective, I believe we will find ourselves giving more. With this perspective, I believe we will have more to give! We will not be confined to a ten-percent obligation. This knowledge adjusts our thinking and awakens our faith in God's willingness to manifest every provision we have need of. Think of how freeing it is to know that God blesses you on the basis of what Christ has done---not on the basis of what you have or have not done.

Will their be times that God leads you to give as an act of faith, as you are trusting for your own miracle or blessing to manifest. Of course.

2 Corinthians 9:10
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness......

God gives seed to the sower. He provides bread to the sower. And he will multiply the seed that was sown. But all of this is dependent upon the giver being a "cheerful giver (verse 7)." We can be cheerful in releasing our gift when we know that God has already released his gift toward us in Christ. It is only because of what He gave (His life) that we have something to give. All further increase in our lives finds its source in Christ. The glory cannot go to us. Now if the basis for our increase is in our giving, then the glory goes to us. We made it happen. But if the increase finds its source in Christ, then the glory goes to Him. That's how we got saved. That's how we got blessed. And that's how we will experience increase. The blood of Christ is enough.

Thought for the Day:

"The blood of Christ is the basis for your prosperity"

How to Know If You Are Hearing the Gospel

Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Many messages and sermons are described as the "Gospel." We have heard of "Gospel churches," "full-Gospel meetings," and "Gospel preachers." It is thought that anybody that mentions Jesus and refers to the Bible must be "preaching the Gospel." But not everything that is called "Gospel" is really the "Gospel"! Some messages and speeches that are called the Gospel are not even close to accurately announcing the message of the Gospel.

So how can we tell if what we are hearing is the true Gospel? This is important for us to know because the Scripture tells us that when we hear the true Gospel, the power of God is being made available to us (Romans 1:16).

Here are several questions to ask in determining if what you are hearing taught or preached is really the Gospel:

1. Is the message declaring good news?
The very meaning of the Greek word for Gospel means "good news." The word was used to describe personal or political messages that would incite joy and relief. When a soldier came back from the battlefield with a triumphant message of victory, the message was called "the Gospel." When a herald was sent with a message of good news for the people, the message was called "the Gospel." The Gospel is the Good News that Christ has paid for the sins of the world and people are now reconciled to God through Christ's sacrifice. This is Good News! This understanding would eliminate over 50% of the preaching and teaching that is done behind pulpits from being defined as "the Gospel." Much of what we hear the church declaring today is bad news! The Gospel is always good and never condemns and oppresses people.

2. Is the message declaring that something good has happened or that something good will one day happen?
Again, the Gospel is good news. Does news announce what has happened or what what will one day happen? Of course, news declares what has already transpired. News is important information that happened in the past. We can define it like this: a current announcement about events that have already taken place. So when you hear the Gospel, it is not a message of what God will one day do; the Gospel is the good news of what God has already done! The Gospel is not a message that God will one day heal, one day bless, one day prosper, and one day forgive. The Gospel is the message that these things are already done! In other words, the Gospel is not a prophecy; it is a proclamation.

3. Is the message focusing of the person of Christ?
Notice that Paul said he is not ashamed of the "gospel of Christ." Romans 10:17 tells us that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ." A Gospel without Christ is no Gospel at all! The predominate theme of every message should be Christ. When we have a big vision of Christ we will not settle for the mediocrity of methods and the regiment of religion. The Gospel is the message of Christ.

4. Is the message focused on what the people should do or on what Christ has done?
So much of today's preaching and teaching puts the emphasis on telling people all that they should and should not do. While personal application is always necessary for an effective life, the message of the Gospel is not what people need to do, it is in what Christ has already done. Paul was very clear in the book of Galatians that their is no other Gospel but the Gospel of Grace. Legalism is never the Gospel. The Gospel of Grace is not a flashlight focusing on the blemishes and sins of an individual; the Gospel of Grace is a spotlight revealing the beauty and grace of Christ. When the Gospel is accurately presented, the reaction is not to look inward at your insufficeny but the reaction is to look outward at the sufficeny of Christ. If you go away from a teaching overly introspective and discouraged at your failures, you probably did not hear the Gospel. If you hear a message and it causes you to stand amazed at the sacrifice of Christ and the goodness of God, rest assured, you just heard the Gospel!

When You Feel "Under" Look to the One Who is Over

Hebrews 2:8-9
⁸ Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.


God created men and women to reign in life. We were created to be in authority over the elements, circumstances, and even the natural world in which we live. Created in the image of God, we are intended to rule and reign, free from any oppression, dictatorship, or suppression. This desire is in the DNA of who we are. Maybe this is why we spend all of our lives striving to reach the pinnacle of success. We strive for the top because we were meant to be on top!

Hebrews 2:5-8 tells us that God created mankind to reign supreme on earth. Only God is meant to be over us. And yet, this idea is now only a dream, an utopia. While we were meant to rule, the sad facts are that we are being ruled. Hebrews 2:9 tells us we were meant to have all things under our feet "but we see not yet all things under him." Sin has fractured the original plan of God for mankind's freedom and liberty. Now we see people not overcoming in life---but being overcome. The very things that we were supposed to rule over----are now ruling us. From addictions to substances to bearing the burdens of worry and cares---man is suppressed under the weights of worry and the chains of circumstances. These things ought not be. We were created to live a care-free live, easily issuing our God-given authority and reigning down here on this earth. So what is the solution to this dilemma? Will we just call it "the way things are" or will we retrieve our original position of freedom?

Hebrews 2:9 gives us the answer. After telling us that we do not see man ruling and reigning as he was created to, the writer tells us to "See Jesus." The answer to the things that weigh us down is to see the One who is over all, Jesus the Christ. We are to see Jesus "crowned with glory and honor." Interestingly, Jesus in his divinity is crowned with the same things man was crowned with. The results of Jesus' death are "glory and honor," the same crown which the Lord intended for mankind (Psalm 8:5).

When we see Jesus, we see the One who is over all. And when we see the One who is over all, we identify with His victory and supremacy. Jesus is over debt, sickness, disease, poverty, addiction, and every other oppression that seeks to rule man. Nothing that is weighing you down is over the Lord Jesus Christ. Don't put your focus on the burden, shift your attention to the risen Christ. What is towering over you is beneath his feet. Look to Him. Take your place with Him. As you do, you will rise above every defeating circumstance and situation.

Thought for the Day

When you see and identify with Jesus you will rise to a place of victory and success in life.