"Neglect the Poor, You're Going to Hell" -Jesus

It has been said that Jesus talked more about Hell, than Heaven. Scholars have pointed out that Jesus taught more on the subject of Hell, than all of the authors of the Bible combined. Some people believe that by today's standards, Jesus was a "Hell Fire and Brimstone Preacher". I would have to agree. After all, if Hell is real, and if the majority of people are headed that direction, for Jesus to NOT place a major emphasis on Hell would be cuel and unloving. But the two times that Jesus got really graphic about Hell, He was describing it as a consequence for neglecting the poor. Let's take a look at Jesus' description of the final judgment.

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’  Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

                             -Matthew 25:41-47

Jesus speaks of, "the least of these". Those who have been marginalized or those less fortunate. He goes on to say that the way we treat the "least of these" is a direct reflection of how we treat Jesus. While I agree that faith in the savior is necessary for eternal life, notice how being "born again", saved, etc are not mentioned in Christ's description of the last judgment. He sends people to "eternal punishment" for neglecting the poor. Jesus describes Hell as a consequence for neglecting the poor in another familiar passage.

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—for I have five brothers —so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

                             -Luke 16:19-31

Here Christ speaks of two men... A rich man, and a poor man named Lazarus. Notice how the poor man is named and the rich man is not. This rich was condemned to an eternal hell because of his neglecting of the poor man Lazarus. Although it makes me cringe to admit, it would appear the Jesus is implying in this story that Lazarus goes to paradise as a form of justice for his suffering on earth NOT because of his goodness or his faith.

These two teachings on Hell are most compelling. Why does Christ connect eternal punishment with the poor? It goes back to the goal of the Gospel: Restoration. From creation, our reason for existence has been to represent God, and govern on His behalf. We lost that leadership ability at the fall. As a result of our failed leadership, we have war, poverty, and suffering.

The broad goal of the Gospel is to restore us back to the position of rulers and priests so that we may in turn bring God's reign of peace, equality, and justice to earth. So, when we neglect our responsibility to bring restoration and justice to the poor, it is an abandonment of the divine mandate given to us from creation. That's why Christ connects our neglect of the poor with Hell. He came to restore humanity. Those who contribute to the degeneration of humanity by ignoring the poor and marginalized, have no share in the kingdom.

What REAL Social Justice Looks Like

    While social justice may be the evidence and purpose of our salvation, we must be careful with how we live out this particular aspect of our faith. Understandably, many Christians are turned off by social justice because it implies giving people a hand out. With the original intent of humanity in mind we must realize that true social justice is not just meeting the needs of the poor, but engaging the community and fixing the systems that create an environment where people can become poor.

    Throughout the course of our lives we will encounter people that are in immediate need. We see the unemployment numbers. There is some hope as this number has dropped slightly but we wonder if that is simply because of people pulling out of unemployment. We see hunger growing in our cities. The homeless are increasing in number. Human trafficking has become a problem in this country especially in major cities. Our natural Christian reaction is to help these people and immediately meet their needs, and rightfully we should. If we are not careful however, we will merely be be treating a cough when the REAL problem is the virus creating this symptom. There is a system that is creating this environment that we must address.

    These "systems" lie in the different spheres of influence in the community. There indeed are many systems that need to be addressed in order to create an environment where people flourish and prosper instead of live in destitution. Two that are of significance are the education system and the family. We have allowed these systems to essentially break down. When the education system is built on the principle of how can being educated makes me look better, or gives me a higher status in society, there is no practical relevant skills acquired and the community suffers. When the priorities of schools is extra curricular activities and "national ranking", students lack the resources to be sufficiently prepared. Whatever happened to ensuring that students are on the appropriate reading level, computer literate, or possessing essential life skills in order be productive in society? I guess standardized testing to ensure that the school and its teachers scores go up took it's place.

    The family is such an essential sphere of influence in the community. In fact, the family is a community, society, and civilization in its most simplest basic form. This has huge implications. Whatever the health and stability of the average family in the community, so will be the health and stability of the community as a whole. The family will be a microcosm of what the community looks like.

    If the family is divided, so will the community. If the family is a place of favoritism of one and the shunning of the other, the community will be that way too. If the family is a haven for abuse, violence, and neglect, the community will certainly not be a safe place. If the average family in the community doesn't know how to responsibly handle their finances.... get the picture yet?

    We must engage these two systems and fix them. Its our job! God has entrusted us with the responsibility of governing this planet and bringing His dominion of peace, equality, and justice to earth. We lost that leadership ability at the fall, granted. But Jesus restored us back to that position by His death and resurrection. We are entrusted with building a society on God's behalf. What are we doing to engage and restore the education system in our community? How are we healing and restoring families that are broken?

    Lets build up homeless shelters for those with no roof, set up food pantries for those with no food, and establish a safe house for those trapped in human trafficking, but we absolutely can not stop there. We must engage the community and fix the systems that created an environment that allowed these atrocities to occur in the first place. That is REAL Social Justice.