God's Justice

I've just finished this awesome Bible Study that went through the Bible's views on justice. I found it fascinating, comforting and confronting.

As many of you know I was very politically active before my mental illness. Now I feel well enough to do it again but I want to make sure I do it God's way.

The study covered the fact that God cares passionately about injustice, whether it be at a personal level or a national/cultural level. It started with Habakkuk crying out for justice within his culture which I really related to. When I have been very ill I have felt God was unjust bringing such a burden upon me.

Chapter 2 was a challlenge to see protesting against social injustices as part of our worship of God. We can not just attend church and feel 'saved' - we are commanded to care for the poor and the oppressed.

Further chapters deal with racism and sexism. The sexism one used the Mary and Martha example - saying that while housework may be important service listening to the words of Jesus is our most important duty as women. Everything must flow from that, even housework.

Chapter 9 dealt with challenging cultural identity. For instance I love being Australian and I am very much a lover of our country, its laws and traditions. But yesterday I went to the Tasmanian Aboriginal exhibit at the museum. That brought home the fact that although I, as the descendant of free settlers, may feel 'at home' here Aboriginal people feel differently and we should be aware of their feelings.

Chapters 11 and 12 dealt with materialism. The rich nation described in Revelation chapter 18 sounds very like modern, Western societies. Wealth and trade and property rights are protected and loved above people and this is un-Biblical. We are commanded to put people before profits, to minister to the poor and oppressed, to be generous and charitable and to bend the law a bit so that mercy is achieved.

Koorong is selling this study and I have a couple of people already who want to lend it. If this includes you let me know.

God Bless You All

Amber