Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: Compassion Ministries, Student Workbook, SW16

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D O I N G J U S T I C E A N D L O V I N G M E R C Y : C O M P A S S I O N M I N I S T R I E S

The motivation behind our impulse to demonstrate God’s justice and mercy to others is our own experience of the grace of God through the Gospel of Christ. We in fact demonstrate to others the same grace and mercy we have received as members of the body of Christ, and do so in the power of the Holy Spirit. The effect of the grace of God on the believing community is to produce unconditional surrender to the lordship of Christ, and an aggressive commitment to show generosity and hospitality to the underserved and vulnerable among us. In the Old Testament, God’s covenant people Israel were called to live as a sign of his rulership and Kingdom. As such, God demanded that they demonstrate justice and mercy within their ranks, that they denounce the oppression of the poor, and treat the vulnerable and hurting with great grace and care. Today, the Church of Jesus Christ is God’s kingdom community, called to reveal God’s justice and mercy through its good works and advocacy of the poor and the oppressed. The Church demonstrates the justice and mercy of God to two interrelated objects of his care: the members of his own covenant community, and those who are outsiders. This includes those in our own marriages and families, as well as those counted as neighbors, strangers, foreigners, and even our enemies. Through individuals and families, local congregations, care communities and organizations, and governmental institutions and agencies God reveals his love and justice to the world. The local church plays a unique role in communicating God’s mercy and love to others. God empowers his people, the Church, to represent the values of his reign (i.e., justice, love, and mercy) and has called them to demonstrate good works for his glory.

Restatement of the Lesson’s Thesis

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If you are interested in pursuing some of the ideas of Doing Justice and Loving Mercy: The Urban Congregation , you might want to give these books a try:

Resources and Bibliographies

Perkins, John, ed. Restoring At-Risk Communities . Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1995.

Phillips, Keith. Out of Ashes . Los Angeles: World Impact Press, 1996.

Sider, Ronald J. Cry Justice: The Bible Speaks on Hunger and Poverty . Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980. Wallis, Jim. Faith Works: Lessons From an Activist Preacher . New York: Random House, 2000.