TRUE RELIGION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE

TRUE RELIGION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
1. INTRODUCTION: (a) First, we will look at the man “Amos.” Who he was, his background, etc. (b) Also, we will define some vital words in our topic.
AMOS:
(i) Amos was a prophet. At the time of his call, he was among a group of shepherds in Tekoa, a small town about ten miles south of Jerusalem.
(ii) He was not from a family of prophets; i.e., his parents were not prophets. Moreover, he didn’t consider himself as a prophet.
(iii) He was “a grower of sycamore figs”, as well as a shepherd (cp 7:14-15).
(iv) He prophesied during the reign of Uzziah king of Judah; and Jeroboam the son of Josiah, king of Israel.
(v) He could be considered as one who showed a heart for the oppressed, and the voice of the voiceless of his time.

2. DEFINITIONS:
A. TRUE RELIGION: (Amos 4:4-5; 5:4, 14-15, 23-25).
(i) True religion is to worship God in truth and in the Spirit.
(ii) True religion is not based on rules, or rituals. True religion is a relationship with God. (cp 5:4).
(iii) True religion seeks to solve the problem of human separation from God by drawing very close to Him.
(iv) True religion condemns going to church every Sunday and living bad life during the week.
(v) True religion is against ritualistic living, like being regular to church, giving tithes and offerings, fasting, regular prayer, etc, and yet being unjust to your fellow human being (cp 4:4).
(vi) True religion believes we should consider the welfare of one another while we seek to serve God.
((vii) True religion does not celebrate testimonies of ill-gotten wealth at the expense of the poor and down-trodden in the society (cp 4:5).
(viii) True religion is to hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; by so doing, the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious and have mercy.

B. SOCIAL JUSTICE:
(i) Social justice on the other hand maintains that all people deserve and should have access to the same rights, privileges and resources.
(ii) Social justice believes that all humans are born equal, and so, they should all have opportunity to access the basic things of life without hindrances.
(iii) Social justice seeks to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
(iv) Social justice preaches against the maginalization of the poor by the rich.
(v) Social justice believes that we all know what is good, and we should be civil enough to practice common goodness towards one another.
(vi) Social justice looks for equality in and out of the court system.

3. SOCIAL VICES DURING THE TIME OF AMOS: Amos 2:6-8; 4:1-2; 5:7-13.
A. They were selling the righteous for money, and the needy for a pair of shoes (cp 2:6).
B. They trample down the weak and helpless, and forcefully collect what should have been given to the poor (cp 2:7).
C. A man and his son sleep with the same slave girl/woman, thereby dishonouring the name of the Lord (cp 2:7).
D. They go to church with clothes, shoes, properties seized from those who owed them money, and drink the wine they got from placing fine the poor (cp 2:8).
E. They refused to do justice and righteousness, which they consider as an abomination (cp 5:7).
F. They hate and despise those who tell the truth in the society (cp 5:10).
G. Everything they claim to own is as a result of exertions made on the poor to increase their wealth (cp 5:11).
H. They are good at taking bribe and turning aside the rights of the needy (cp 5:12).
I. They are good at committing idolatry and offering sacrifices to other gods.

4. OPPOSITION OF AMOS BY AMAZIAH (A PRIEST): Amos 7:10-17.
A. Amaziah was a priest in-charge of the Chapel (Sanctuary) at Bethel where the king Jeroboam worshipped. He was a professional prophet/priest. He discharged his duties for the reward it offered, regardless of who is hurt. All he did was to please the king, regardless of what God commanded (cp 5:10).
B. The pills of Amos’ prophecies were too bitter for Amaziah to swallow; so he was all out to undo the prophets, anyhow. He sent secret words to the king that Amos was conspiring against him, and that his words were too grievous for the land to bear (cp 5:10).
C. He told the king that Amos had said that the king would die by the sword, and that all Israel must go into captivity from the land (7:11).
D. Amaziah called Amos “a seer”. A seer in Israel is someone who is paid to speak in the name of God. By that he meant that Amos was not a genuine man of God. So, he called Amos to leave the land of Israel and go to Judah and prophesy there. He advised him not to prophesy in Bethel anymore, for according to him, “it is the king’s Sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom” (7:12-13).
E. Amos replied Amaziah by telling him that “I am no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I am a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees, and the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ (7:14-15).
F. Amos then confronted Amaziah the priest and told him, for telling me not to prophesy against Israel, or preach against the house of Isaac, “Your wife shall be a harlot in this city, and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword”; moreover, his land would be divided in the land and given to others, and that Amaziah shall die in a land that is unclean, and Israel would go away into exile (5:16-17).

5. GOD’S JUDGEMENT ON EVIL DOERS: Amos 4:2-3, 6-10; 5:14-20; 6; 7:16-17; 8:9-10.
A. We cannot practice evil and expect that God will do nothing. There will always be judgement/repercussion against evil deeds. That was what happened during the time of Amos.

B. God promised to disperse Israel, send them into exile and take them to a land called Harmon (4:2-3).
C. The Lord told them that there will be famine, as a punishment for their disobedience (4:6).
D. Also they would experience be drought. There would be rain on one city and no rain on the other. He would withhold rain from them three months before harvest (4:7-8).
E. He sent blight and mildew on them; he allowed their gardens and vineyards to be devoured by locust; He sent them pestilence after the manner of Egypt; He made their young men to be destroyed by the sword (4:9-10).
F. The Lord said He would make them cry, in their streets and everywhere, even in the farm (5:16-17).
G. He promised to give them darkness in the place of light; they would not see “the day of the Lord” which they desired so badly; when they run from one evil, they would meet another (5:18-20).
H. The nation would be delivered into the hands of those that will devastate, ruin, waste and oppress her (6:13-14).
I. Amaziah’s wife was going to be reduced to a mere prostitute, while his sons and daughters would fall by the sword, and his properties taken over by other people.
J. Israel’s feasts would be turned to mourning, their songs to lamentation. They would experience all forms of evil.

6. RISKS FACED BY GOD’S MESSENGERS:
A. Intimidation, harassment, threats, uncertainties, and persecution.
B. Name-calling, abuse, criticism, and open attack.
C. Gossiping, backbiting, mockery, defamation of character, and rumour-mongering.
D. Homelessness, lack and want, and denial of rights and privileges.
E. Suffering, sickness, accidents, false accusation, and even death.

7. THE NEED TO REMAIN STEADFAST AS GOD’S MESSENGER:
A. Although Amos was from the southern kingdom of Judah, he delivered his prophecy against the northern kingdom of Israel and the surrounding nations, which led to some resistance from the prideful Israelites. Messengers of God should be willing to go to anywhere God sends them per time.
B. In the past, present, and in the future, messengers of God had faced challenges of doing the work of God. God has not promised that the job he has given them to do is going to be an easy one. In fact He told them to expect persecution as they did to their fathers.
C. No matter what the challenge is, no minister must run away from his duty post on account of persecution or inability to meet up with work materials.
D. Answering God’s call has never been easy, both before and now. So, no messenger should shirk away from answering the call of God because of what one is going to face.
E. Jesus told His disciples that the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head. Lacking the necessities of life will be there, but God has promised to supply our need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
F. If we decline from our called duties on account of challenges, God will still call some other persons. Don’t forget, if we refuse to praise Him, He would raise stones.
G. God is always fighting on the side of those He has chosen. So that should encourage us to not decline from answering God’s call.

8. SOCIAL VICES IN NIGERIA TODAY:
A. Vices are bad habits and immoral activities. Vices are common among young boys and girls.
B. Stealing, cheating, business fraud, money laundering, bad leadership.
C. Political Thuggery, Kidnapping, Drug Addiction.
D. Peer influence, smoking, alcoholism.
E. Money laundering, internet fraudster, ritual killing.
F. Truancy, hooliganism, gangsterism, killing, arson,
G. Prostitution, flirtation, adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, bestiality.
H. Examination malpractice, class evasion, buying results.

9. CONCLUSION:
A. Evil people will never go unpunished. God is always giving them time to repent of their sins.
B. God is always waiting for those who are willing to repent to come to him, confess their sins and they will be forgiving their sins.
C. God does not want us to continue to live in our sin, he wants us to repent and come to him.
D. We cannot hide under God to do evil. Worshiping Him requires that we live righteously.
E. We must desist from trampling on the downtrodden, God will always plead their cause.