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What does God's word say?

The abuse of one's identity and freedom is a justice issue. The Biblical mandate for justice is spread throughout scripture. The following passages are provided to assist you in your journey of understanding God's heart for justice. Select a text and prayerfully meditate on it; return at a later date and select another. An outline for a prayerful reading of scripture can be found here.  An exhaustive listing of scriptures as a resource for intensive individual Bible study, sermon or small group study preparation may be found at "digging deeper." 

• Psalm 10, note verses 11 & 17:  "The wicked say to themselves, 'God will never notice; he covers his face and never sees.' You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed..."

• Psalm 82:3-4: "Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

• Isaiah 58:6(MSG): "This is the kind of fast day I'm after: to break the chains of injustice, get rid of exploitation in the workplace, free the oppressed, cancel debts."

• Isaiah 1:10-17 (verse 17 TNIV): ". . .learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow."

• Micah 6:6-8 (verse 8 TNIV): "He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

• Luke 4:14-21 (verse 18 TNIV): "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free."

• Luke 11:37-44(verse 42 MSG): "I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but manage to find loopholes for getting around basic matters of justice and God's love. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required."