One of the hallmarks of the Reformation—in addition to the recovery of justification by faith—was the refashioning of the church’s liturgical life. For centuries, the Roman church’s extrabiblical liturgy had obscured the gospel. The reformers understood that retrieving core doctrine entailed a broader reformation and regulation of formative practices so the church’s worship would once again conform to Scripture and be acceptable to God.
This concern for true worship isn’t unique to the Reformed tradition. Nearly every Christian tradition insists certain basic conditions must be met for worship to be acceptable and true. As Nicholas Wolterstorff writes,
[Some would say] liturgy loses its authenticity when the words are not said with full conviction and attention. Others would say [this happens] when those who engage in it do not hold the right doctrines, or when the liturgy departs from the apostolic tradition, or when it is led by someone who is not validly ordained or who performs it in ways not authorized.
But what does the Bible say? What sort of worship is revealed as inauthentic according to the biblical writers? Wolterstorff argues that Scripture is clear on this: “Liturgy practiced in the absence of justice is so seriously malformed that God finds it disgusting.” This is a remarkable statement. A startling and rather unsettling conclusion. But a survey of Scripture bears out Wolterstorff’s conclusion.
Liturgy practiced in the absence of justice is so seriously malformed that God finds it disgusting.
Biblical Record
When we survey the Bible, we can see how idolatry and injustice are intertwined. In Isaiah 58, God tells Israel that their fasts are unacceptable because they’ve practiced oppression.
Will you call this a fast,
and a day acceptable to the LORD?
Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the thongs of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke? (Isa. 58:5b–6)
Similarly, in Amos 5:21–24, God rejects their feasts because they’ve acted unjustly. We see this theme time and again throughout the prophetic literature (Isa. 1:11–31; Jer. 7:1–11; Ezek. 8–9; Mic. 6:6–8; Mal. 2). Israel’s worship was rendered unacceptable when the people ignored the biblical demands of justice in their social, moral, and economic lives. In fact, the twin sins of idolatry and injustice are the consistent ways in which Israel strays from covenant obedience time and again.
Why So Connected?
Why are idolatry and injustice so intertwined? Idolatry violates the first table of God’s law, injustice the second. One breaks the first great commandment, the other the second (Matt. 22:35–40). In other words, if you mistreat God’s image-bearers, you show that you’re not worshiping the true God. Where we see the smoke of injustice, we’ll find the fire of idolatry.
Is this merely an Old Testament reality? Do injustice and idolatry remain interconnected when we follow the arc of redemptive history? Yes. Jesus himself picks up this thread in Matthew 9. When the Pharisees ask why Jesus eats with the ceremonially unclean, the Savior quotes Hosea: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’” (Matt 9:13; cf. Matt. 12:7). In Matthew 23, Jesus warns the religious leaders not to neglect the weightier matters of the law, “justice and mercy and faithfulness,” when they bring their tithes (v. 23). Like the prophets, Jesus sees injustice and idolatry as inseparable.
What Sort of Justice?
What kinds of actions do the prophets and Jesus have in mind when they condemn injustice? For Wolterstorff, justice is the moral obligation created by the intrinsic rights, claims, and dues that are inherent in the dignity of the image of God. It goes beyond rightly punishing those who have done wrong (retributive justice). And includes care for widows, orphans, aliens, and the poor:
Over and over when justice is spoken of it is these four groups that are brought to the fore. . . . [The just society is not] a certain kind of ‘law and order.’ . . . The just society is the society in which all the weak and voiceless ones have been brought into the community so as to enjoy its goods.
The kind of justice that will mark a life of authentic worship is a justice that draws near to the weak, the vulnerable, and the oppressed. As James writes, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” (James 2:15–16). Works of justice don’t save us, but they’re marks of a heart that has turned from idols to trust the living God.
Do Justice, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly
What does it look like to repent from idolatry and injustice in a local church? A good place to start is to pay attention to those in your community who tend to be pushed toward the margins. Prayer walks can be a powerful way to help your congregation see your neighborhood with new eyes. As you walk, ask, “Who are the ‘orphans, widows, and strangers’ in our midst?” In our society, we’re conditioned to give our attention to important, powerful, and attractive people. So we ask God to help us cultivate eyes to see those around us who are hidden.
Where we see the smoke of injustice, we’ll find the fire of idolatry.
As you begin to see people who you had missed, draw near to them. Offer hospitality. Break bread together. Leave your comfort and enter their world. Listen to their stories and share your own. Don’t just listen to learn their needs. Discover the gifts they have to offer you. When you do, you can seek justice with them and not just for them. You’ll find ways to stand in solidarity with work they’ve already begun. As their lives are weaved into the life of your church, your pursuit of justice will no longer be abstract. Rather, you’ll experience authentic love for your neighbor that reflects a heart of true worship before our just and merciful God.
Involved in Women’s Ministry? Add This to Your Discipleship Tool Kit.
We need one another. Yet we don’t always know how to develop deep relationships to help us grow in the Christian life. Younger believers benefit from the guidance and wisdom of more mature saints as their faith deepens. But too often, potential mentors lack clarity and training on how to engage in discipling those they can influence.
Whether you’re longing to find a spiritual mentor or hoping to serve as a guide for someone else, we have a FREE resource to encourage and equip you. In Growing Together: Taking Mentoring Beyond Small Talk and Prayer Requests, Melissa Kruger, TGC’s vice president of discipleship programming, offers encouraging lessons to guide conversations that promote spiritual growth in both the mentee and mentor.
