Christian social responsibility
Christian social responsibility
Christian
(Theology meaning)
A person who believes in and follows Jesus Christ
What is a Christian?
What is a Christian? The Perception
The answer to the question “What is a Christian?” will vary greatly depending on whom you ask. To some, it means you were born in a “Christian” nation or you come from a “Christian” family. To others, it means you believe in Jesus or the religion that is based on Jesus’ teachings. Yet others use the word “Christian” to speak of a deep personal relationship between Jesus Christ and an individual
What is social responsibility
Social responsibility is an ethical framework and suggests that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystems. source
Christian social responsibility
Christian love requires not only fulfilling all specific responsibilities toward others, but understanding and approaching the whole area of social responsibilities in a specifically Christian way. The true objective must be kept in view: not to establish the kingdom on earth, but to do what can be done within an integrated Christian life to promote the kingdom, which is not of this world. In so doing, one also will make the most authentic possible contribution to overcoming injustice or at least mitigating it, and building a better world.
How much social assistance should Christians participate in?
- Individual Christians can participate through financial support and volunteer work at social agencies.
- establishing Charity Fund to help the needy: first for church members and then for persons outside
- allowing fund raising of Christian social agencies (such as World Vision) in church
- encouraging participation of individual church members
It is clear from the Bible that Christians have social responsibility.
Old Testament teachings:
- God cares about the poor and the oppressed (Dt 15:7-11; Ps 146:7-9), particularly widows and orphans (Isa 1:16-17; Ex 22:22-24)
God acts by devising programs to reduce increasing inequality between the rich and the poor, such as Jubilee year when everyone could return to their original land which might have been lost (Lev 25:10-17).God denounces the rich and the powerful for oppressing the poor (Isa 3:14-15; Jer 5:26-29; Eze 16:49; Am 2:6-7; 5:11-12). Oppressing a poor man insults God (Pr 14:31; 17:5).
o God encourages action by associating righteousness to one who promotes justice and acts fairly in society (Eze 18:5-9).
New Testament teachings:
- The ministry of Jesus is a demonstration of evangelism and social assistance hand-in-hand. In Jesus’ public ministry, He went about teaching as well as helping the poor (Lk 18:22) and healing.
- The social ministry of Jesus was followed by his disciples (Ac 3; 5).
Social assistance to fellow Christians is a priority (1Jn 3:17), but also to non-believers (Gal 6:10).