The Forgotten Lesson from Sodom
Are there enough righteous people today who follow the ways of love, justice, and compassion?
Are there enough righteous people today who follow the ways of love, justice, and compassion?
The Searcher of hearts asks us, “Do you wish to be made well?”
We talk about coming to faith in Jesus and individually becoming a new creation, but we rarely take this “whole creation” commission seriously by becoming activists for God’s new creation.
Some have suggested that the woman caught in adultery in John 8 was the prostitute Mary Magdalene, who had been sexually exploited and abused by Simon, her uncle. What if this abused and embittered woman had become pregnant? How would Jesus have treated Mary and the men who accused and abused her?
Given the traditions of my Jewish and Hindu friends and the sensitivity of my vegan friends who demand compassion for all creatures, they would be highly offended if I consumed factory-farmed pigs and cows while advocating and otherwise adhering to Biblical principles of love, mercy, and compassion.
God’s justice is like a mighty stream. To defy it is to block God’s almighty surge.
I long for a theology of divine compassion and love in this world. God cares for us deeply, but His compassion isn’t for us alone.
Why would God approve of animal sacrifice? If He’s so compassionate as to notice even the smallest sparrow fall, why does He sanction the wholesale slaughter of innocent cows, sheep, and goats?
Jesus’ parables are more than just nice stories. Everyone should engage with and learn from them, as they are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. They even speak to the struggles of modern times, especially to the divides we face today.
During these troublous times, we should take a long hard look at what it means to engage in justice. Christians like to emphasize that Jesus stated startling truths that shook His day. They champion their corner of truth without making clear what Jesus really stands for.