The Misleading Language of the Social Justice Gospel Movement
How is it that the Social Justice Gospel movement utilized misleading language that appears to be biblical as it relates to the "gospel" of Jesus Christ? Just think on that for a moment! Someone may be saying, "These are strong accusation that you are accusing the social justice gospel movement of "misleading" statements as it refer to the "gospel." For those who read this article that I am not making such blatant accusation, but, in reality the SJG itself "Statement of Faith" is somewhat questionable by which the movement's motive is unclear, but, concerning. Many advocates of the SJG movement have accuse the social justice movement (SJM) of its social activism on race and social justice by which many have abandon that of the "Gospel of Jesus Christ." In so many words in order to deal with many of the social issues that plagues that of our society is to offer the Gospel only minus nothing else. Even though I believe that the gospel of Christ have the ability to change the lives of people, but, I believe that we have a God-given responsibility to address many of the racial issue and social injustice that everyday people especially God's people of color deal with each and everyday. Each situation is different from others simply because of the fact that people of certain racial and ethnic groups (e.g. "Whites") do not have to deal with issue of discrimination in the workplace, economics, housing, and education. Even the poorest of whites in the rural areas in the Southern part of the United States do not have to encounter harsh discrimination and injustice like other minority groups even people of color. This is a real life situation by which many Whites are easily to be in denial about what is happening within our world today.
Throughout my article titled, "The Misleading Language of the Social Justice Gospel Movement" is a particular issue that has to be dealt with from a biblical, cultural, and social perspective (Col. 2:8). It is very concerning to me that those who are advocates of the social justice gospel movement (SJG) including some who are African American pastors and leaders are made to believe that the purpose and mission is "gospel-centered" by which the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be the focus. Many who spearheaded the social justice gospel movement (SJG) believe that the Church must preach the gospel and the gospel Only without being involved in social issues. I find this quite disparaging even to those within communities across this nation where there is poverty, poor education, high unemployment, police brutality, mass incarceration, economics and social disparities regarding minorities especially African Americans. There is the attempt on behalf of the SJG movement leadership to make excuses, to be in denial, rationalization, and "marginalize" people of different ethnic groups especially people of color. They live in what is called, "a glass stain house" by which they are remote to the needs and suffering of people outside their own culture. At worst they are unsympathetic and uncaring to those outside their own race of people.
The biblical language of the social justice gospel movement (SJG) is that it utilize such evangelical terminology that appear to be Christian. I have read and studied the "Statement of Faith" regarding the social justice gospel movement by which it start out on a "gospel" track, but, there are languages that appears to have a social agenda (2 Cor. 11:3). The biblical language of the social gospel movement (SJG) that it believe in the authority of the Bible by what we must believe and to govern our lives based upon God's Word (2 Tim. 3:15, 16). Once again it starts on a biblical track, but as prospective members begin to read that of its "Statement of Faith" (SJG) movement it becomes quite concerning so as to be "unclear" about what it is saying. It is true that people can utilize the Bible to appear that they are biblical, but, in order to scale back the language barrier is to insist that they define Christian biblical terminologies according to the standard definition of the Bible (Acts 17:11 with 1 Jn. 4:1). The problem is that those who sign on to the social justice gospel "Statement of Faith" are unaware of the underlining meaning of those biblical languages that are perpetuated by the advocates of the SJG movement. Words have meanings, but without defining those terms it can confuse, but, boggle the minds of the "inexperienced" and naïve of believers (2 Cor. 4:1-2, 3-4).
The cultural "identity" of the social justice gospel movement (SJG) is that it appeal to a certain group of people that are conservative evangelical Christians that seeks to conserve and protect the Bible from such outside forces by undermining the integrity of scripture and Christian morality. I truly believe that there are philosophical, theological, moral, and social forces that seek to infiltrate biblical Christianity to destroy the faith and life of the Church today (2 Tim. 2:17-18). There are times by which advocates of the social justice gospel movement (SJG) talk about preaching the gospel so as to preach the gospel "only" by not getting involved in social issues, but, yet they seek to preserve their own social "identity" and politics. In so many words the SJG advocates say one thing, but, do another. Perhaps many of its Christian leaders and pastors may not be aware of it, but, they have there own "narrative" as to how and what it should be when it comes to their own social identity. It also concerns me when certain individuals who appear on their platform are being use as a "doorkeeper" to say the very things to affirm their "identity" by which to carry out the mission of their social agenda. Everything has to be seen within the "construct" of the SJG movement and anything else that is outside its cultural identity is deemed the social justice gospel. The question is, "What is cultural identity? How does the SJG movement identify itself as a movement? Is the SJG movement on the far right of the Christian "Right?" Many of its proponents says they are preaching the gospel, but, do they have a political, but social agenda? These are questions that leaders of the SJG movement have to answer in order to clear the theological smokescreen.
The social apparatus of the SJG movement is that of its activism against what is called intersectionality, radical feminism, and critical race theory. Does such worldly ideas reflect that of the Christian message? Is it a way reflect the fact that there is an underlining motive of the SJG movement to denigrate social and ethnic group of people? What is the spirit behind the SJG advocates so as to conceal that of its true Christian identity as a movement in promoting conservative Christian views: that of populism, patriotism, and heritage? Is it also a way for the SGJ movement leadership to put the social justice movement in their own "narrative" so as to denigrate the cause of activist the Black Lives movement? These are questions that must be answered by the SJG movement so as to be transparent as to who they are, purpose, and mission of the SJG "Statement of Faith." As I said before, and say again that movements like the SJG movement can have a solid theological foundation, but, in reality can fall on either side of the social movement aisle by which it will shed more heat then light on the realities of racial issues and social injustice.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a theological world all by itself as well as the social justice gospel movement. They are both exclusive by which there is a necessity to address the theological as well as social issues that impact communities across this country and throughout the whole world. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the ability to change the lives of sinful humanity, but, the social justice movement as well as the SJG movement only provides such "temporary" fix. The Church cannot afford to shun its responsibility in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor can the Church abdicate its responsibility in addressing racial issues and social injustice. The problem with many far-right evangelicals is that life is not merely "black and white" thinking so as to fit within the cultural context of ultraconservatism because of its "faulty" moral vision. I believe that once people look deep down within their own hearts by realizing their own sinfulness and in need of a Savior by which to be saved then they can begin to see the "bigger" picture as to the need of addressing many of the racial issues that they once find themselves. Even though we have been saved by the grace of God through personal faith in Jesus Christ doesn't mean that we become completely absence from what is going on in the world. Even though the Church is not of the world even though we are in the world, but, that we must deal with the things that are in the world.
This is not my final analysis of the SJG movement, but, there will be other articles that will address the depth and height of this particular movement from both its historical, biblical, theological, social, and psychological perspective and studies (Acts 5:35, 37). Neither the SJG movement and the Woke church movement cannot afford to sit in judgment on each other, but, to realize that both its leaders play theological and social partisanship by which many of their followers on both sides are not able to know the difference (2 Cor. 11:3). The SJG movement side with White Europeans while the social justice of the "Woke" movement favor Afro-centrism based upon Black Liberation theology.
It is important that in order to understand a particular movement like that of the SJG movement and the "Woke" church movement is that of its history, peculiar beliefs, psychological makeup. It is also important to understand these groups in light of its culture, core beliefs, and values in regards to both the SJG and the "Woke" church movement.
Rev. Darryl Miller is the Founder of the Reformed Black Think Tank of America in Atlanta, Georgia. Darryl is the bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" He is also the Podcast Host, "ASK DARRYL" @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside of metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."
The biblical language of the social justice gospel movement (SJG) is that it utilize such evangelical terminology that appear to be Christian. I have read and studied the "Statement of Faith" regarding the social justice gospel movement by which it start out on a "gospel" track, but, there are languages that appears to have a social agenda (2 Cor. 11:3). The biblical language of the social gospel movement (SJG) that it believe in the authority of the Bible by what we must believe and to govern our lives based upon God's Word (2 Tim. 3:15, 16). Once again it starts on a biblical track, but as prospective members begin to read that of its "Statement of Faith" (SJG) movement it becomes quite concerning so as to be "unclear" about what it is saying. It is true that people can utilize the Bible to appear that they are biblical, but, in order to scale back the language barrier is to insist that they define Christian biblical terminologies according to the standard definition of the Bible (Acts 17:11 with 1 Jn. 4:1). The problem is that those who sign on to the social justice gospel "Statement of Faith" are unaware of the underlining meaning of those biblical languages that are perpetuated by the advocates of the SJG movement. Words have meanings, but without defining those terms it can confuse, but, boggle the minds of the "inexperienced" and naïve of believers (2 Cor. 4:1-2, 3-4).
The cultural "identity" of the social justice gospel movement (SJG) is that it appeal to a certain group of people that are conservative evangelical Christians that seeks to conserve and protect the Bible from such outside forces by undermining the integrity of scripture and Christian morality. I truly believe that there are philosophical, theological, moral, and social forces that seek to infiltrate biblical Christianity to destroy the faith and life of the Church today (2 Tim. 2:17-18). There are times by which advocates of the social justice gospel movement (SJG) talk about preaching the gospel so as to preach the gospel "only" by not getting involved in social issues, but, yet they seek to preserve their own social "identity" and politics. In so many words the SJG advocates say one thing, but, do another. Perhaps many of its Christian leaders and pastors may not be aware of it, but, they have there own "narrative" as to how and what it should be when it comes to their own social identity. It also concerns me when certain individuals who appear on their platform are being use as a "doorkeeper" to say the very things to affirm their "identity" by which to carry out the mission of their social agenda. Everything has to be seen within the "construct" of the SJG movement and anything else that is outside its cultural identity is deemed the social justice gospel. The question is, "What is cultural identity? How does the SJG movement identify itself as a movement? Is the SJG movement on the far right of the Christian "Right?" Many of its proponents says they are preaching the gospel, but, do they have a political, but social agenda? These are questions that leaders of the SJG movement have to answer in order to clear the theological smokescreen.
The social apparatus of the SJG movement is that of its activism against what is called intersectionality, radical feminism, and critical race theory. Does such worldly ideas reflect that of the Christian message? Is it a way reflect the fact that there is an underlining motive of the SJG movement to denigrate social and ethnic group of people? What is the spirit behind the SJG advocates so as to conceal that of its true Christian identity as a movement in promoting conservative Christian views: that of populism, patriotism, and heritage? Is it also a way for the SGJ movement leadership to put the social justice movement in their own "narrative" so as to denigrate the cause of activist the Black Lives movement? These are questions that must be answered by the SJG movement so as to be transparent as to who they are, purpose, and mission of the SJG "Statement of Faith." As I said before, and say again that movements like the SJG movement can have a solid theological foundation, but, in reality can fall on either side of the social movement aisle by which it will shed more heat then light on the realities of racial issues and social injustice.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a theological world all by itself as well as the social justice gospel movement. They are both exclusive by which there is a necessity to address the theological as well as social issues that impact communities across this country and throughout the whole world. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has the ability to change the lives of sinful humanity, but, the social justice movement as well as the SJG movement only provides such "temporary" fix. The Church cannot afford to shun its responsibility in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ nor can the Church abdicate its responsibility in addressing racial issues and social injustice. The problem with many far-right evangelicals is that life is not merely "black and white" thinking so as to fit within the cultural context of ultraconservatism because of its "faulty" moral vision. I believe that once people look deep down within their own hearts by realizing their own sinfulness and in need of a Savior by which to be saved then they can begin to see the "bigger" picture as to the need of addressing many of the racial issues that they once find themselves. Even though we have been saved by the grace of God through personal faith in Jesus Christ doesn't mean that we become completely absence from what is going on in the world. Even though the Church is not of the world even though we are in the world, but, that we must deal with the things that are in the world.
This is not my final analysis of the SJG movement, but, there will be other articles that will address the depth and height of this particular movement from both its historical, biblical, theological, social, and psychological perspective and studies (Acts 5:35, 37). Neither the SJG movement and the Woke church movement cannot afford to sit in judgment on each other, but, to realize that both its leaders play theological and social partisanship by which many of their followers on both sides are not able to know the difference (2 Cor. 11:3). The SJG movement side with White Europeans while the social justice of the "Woke" movement favor Afro-centrism based upon Black Liberation theology.
It is important that in order to understand a particular movement like that of the SJG movement and the "Woke" church movement is that of its history, peculiar beliefs, psychological makeup. It is also important to understand these groups in light of its culture, core beliefs, and values in regards to both the SJG and the "Woke" church movement.
Rev. Darryl Miller is the Founder of the Reformed Black Think Tank of America in Atlanta, Georgia. Darryl is the bestselling author of his book, "The Prosperity Gospel: Where Did It Come From? Gnostic Source? Or Spiritual Revelation?" He is also the Podcast Host, "ASK DARRYL" @ www.spreaker.com/user/bishopoflyons. Darryl lives with his wife Vivian outside of metro Atlanta with their puppy "Little Baby."
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