Above is a picture taken during class
In class last Friday, our professor asked us to argue whether human rights concepts were consistent with Biblical concepts of justice.
I thoroughly agree. You can highlight instances of God's judgment, His hatred for the unjust, and His passion to restore those who are trampled upon. Within this fallen world, however, the quest for upholding justice will always be marred by sin - whether by the powers of this world or by the individual advocating.
My friend Joe wrote the following excerpt in response to a question I raised in something I wrote:
What is the horror of Cain's sin in Genesis? Is it first and foremost that he took away Abel's right to life? Or is it that he killed a human being made in the image of God and thus defamed the Creator? This may seem like hair splitting but I do not think it is. In my opinion the greatest evil in taking away the rights of others is not first and primarily that we took freedoms away from others or withheld what they deserve. Rather, it is that we dishonor and disdain God by our action. In murder we destroy those created in His image and thus reveal our hatred for God. By closing our hearts to those in need we fail to reflect the glory of our compassionate and merciful God who made us in his image. In this way our sin is ultimately against God. I think one of the dangers in human rights could be that we see the horror of sin on primarily a horizontal axis rather than on the vertical axis with God. This is not to deny the reality and importance of the horizontal.
I return again and again to the passage in Isaiah 59:12-16 -
I thoroughly agree. You can highlight instances of God's judgment, His hatred for the unjust, and His passion to restore those who are trampled upon. Within this fallen world, however, the quest for upholding justice will always be marred by sin - whether by the powers of this world or by the individual advocating.
My friend Joe wrote the following excerpt in response to a question I raised in something I wrote:
What is the horror of Cain's sin in Genesis? Is it first and foremost that he took away Abel's right to life? Or is it that he killed a human being made in the image of God and thus defamed the Creator? This may seem like hair splitting but I do not think it is. In my opinion the greatest evil in taking away the rights of others is not first and primarily that we took freedoms away from others or withheld what they deserve. Rather, it is that we dishonor and disdain God by our action. In murder we destroy those created in His image and thus reveal our hatred for God. By closing our hearts to those in need we fail to reflect the glory of our compassionate and merciful God who made us in his image. In this way our sin is ultimately against God. I think one of the dangers in human rights could be that we see the horror of sin on primarily a horizontal axis rather than on the vertical axis with God. This is not to deny the reality and importance of the horizontal.
I return again and again to the passage in Isaiah 59:12-16 -
For our offenses are many in your sight, and our sins testify against us.
Our offenses are ever with us, and we acknowledge our iniquities: rebellion and
treachery against the Lord, turning our backs on our God, fomenting oppression
and revolt, uttering lies our hearts have conceived. So justice is driven
back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth is nowhere to be found, and
whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.
The Lord looked and was displeased
that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled
that there was no one to intervene; so His own arm worked salvation for Him, and
His own righteousness sustained Him.
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