What are Righteousness and Justice?

"This was the primary message of the Biblical prophets; religiosity is not an acceptable alternative to doing the works of righteousness and justice." -- Dr. Marvin McMickle in "Let the Oppressed Go Free".

Righteousness and Justice are among the most important Biblical words in the Hebrew Scriptures (what Christian's term the Old Testament).  Mishpat, the Hebrew word for "justice" appears in the Hebrew Scriptures over 400 times and Tzedekah, the word for "righteousness" occurs over 300 times.  The words are often used together as they are closely related terms.

Tzedekah, or righteousness is far more expansive than how it is typically used in contemporary churches.  We often speak of righteousness in terms of our "rightness to a standard or set of rules".  Yet, the Hebrew word is a relational term.  In fact, there is no Hebrew word in the Scriptures for "individual".  The promotion of individuality is a relatively modern construct.   Cultural anthropological studies of ancient Palestine revealed that people understood what was "right" through its implications towards others and community. Tzekekah is better understood as "doing right by others".  It is essentially being in right-relationship, where there is equity, respect, and honor. 

Mishpat, or justice is the judgement to restore or reconcile relationships that promotes equity and harmony (Shalom).  It is the concept that on the community level, systems should promote fairness, equity, and flourishing.  We often think of justice in terms of retributive justice, where there is punishment for wrong.  That is an aspect of justice where there should be restoration and even reparations for loss due to individual and community wrongs.  However, the thrust of Mishpat is restoring and reconciling at a community level.  This means looking for systems that inappropriately treat others and correcting them.

In the book of Exodus, we read about the Egyptian Pharoah issuing a decree to kill Hebrew male babies. In an act of compassion, one of Pharoah's daughters sees a baby who is sentenced to drown in the Nile River and saves the baby and eventually adopts the child into the household of Pharoah himself, of course, without his knowledge or consent.  This act by Pharoah's daughter is an example of righteousness.  It was doing what was right for the baby.  It was risking disobedience to Pharoah.

However righteous it was, it was not an example of justice.  Justice seeks to identify and confront systems, laws, and practices that led to a baby being drown in the Nile River.  It compels Pharoah's daughter to use her resources and privileges to see to it that there is a day when babies are not killed for political gain.  That would be costly, but justice is always costly.

"Is it possible that we all love compassion and justice... until there's a personal cost to living compassionately, loving mercy, and seeking justice?" -- Eugene Cho in Overrated

Jesus came to provide righteousness (put us in a right relationship with God through his death) and justice (restore and reconcile us with God and one another).  God describes Godself as a God of righteousness and justice (Ps 33:5, Ps 89:14).  Jesus called us to love our neighbor because it is that love that demands us to act righteously toward others, and act justly in our communities.

Many churches have demonized "social justice" as a non-Biblical movement.  However, reading Scripture clearly demonstrate that God was developing a people whose living and daily practices would reflect God's heart for Tzekekah (righteousness) and Mishpat (justice).  That meant, as John Wesley would argue, that there is no holiness except social holiness.  Holiness is not a state of perfection, but a state of love that is always relationally defined.

Christian psychologist Richard Becker explains justice and righteousness in spiritual warfare terminology when he says, "spiritual warfare can be described as a battle between rival spiritual allegiances, allegiances that bring either peace or oppression to Earth.".  He understands that the basis of spiritual warfare is not based upon individuality but entire movements on the spiritual realm working to prevent or promote the Shalom of God.  

We are challenged by Richard Stearns words:

"God offers all of us the amazing opportunity to join in this sacred work.  We have the great privilege of being the hands and feet of Christ in a hostile and hurting world, and there are countless ways to participate.  We can work with joy in the face of difficulty, speak the truth in a place of deceit, choose integrity when corruption is the norm, offer comfort in a time of grief, challenge injustice to protect its victims, and offer forgiveness in the midst of brokenness." --Richard Stearns in Unfinished

It is my prayer that you do the courageous and risky actions to fulfill the great commandment and demonstrate righteousness and justice in your sphere of influence.