Defining "Social Justice" for the Confused

When you search the words "social justice" on Google, you will see it defined this way:
"justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society."

I think much of the problem that people have when discussing "social justice" is that people are bringing their own connotation of what that means to the words (rather than realizing the dictionary definition).

The people who have argued against The Statement on Social Justice & The Gospel wrongfully think that it means that people who wrote and signed it don't care about those in need or about loving neighbors or about justice in general.  

It doesn't mean that individuals don't plead for the innocent or ignore real sin.

"Social justice" isn't about justice as seen in Scripture.

God never promised us equal wealth, opportunities, and privileges in the world's idea of what those things are.

A lack of having worldly goods and privileges can be the very things God uses to cause His children to grow spiritually and to keep them humble and dependent on Him.

Are we complaining about the situation that God has for us?

In some cases people even demand equality for sinful behaviors (even in churches) that are in disobedience to God (women disobeying Scripture wanting to be elders/pastors/teaching men in the church or people wanting acceptance for sexually immoral behaviors and/or desires).

In other cases, some people watch/read/listen to news and assume people are guilty instead of innocent based on a video or a report/accusation.

Sometimes people take their victim mentality or their personal background to the news story or even to the evidence.  

That kind of thinking can sometimes lead to a mob mentality of "justice" that could destroy someone wrongfully.

A person isn't more likely to be guilty of a crime or abuse being white or black or male or female...in uniform or out of uniform.

Yet some people demand what they think is justice without its necessarily being justice (since there may be facts and evidence not seen or known).

I believe I've addressed that in the past on other posts.

Some people think that the church needs to mirror the world's "affirmative action" methods which actually aren't about equality anyway.  

"Affirmative action" was about giving people positions or privileges regardless of who was most qualified (as in a job or a school). 
It was based on choosing people based on color as well..not white.
It also was an insult to people who aren't white in my opinion (as though people can't qualify on their own). 

Now, everyone in Christ is one in Christ, and elders should be qualified Biblically as elders and also be those God wants in that position (I remember how the replacement for Judas was decided by God in the end). 

That means someone shouldn't be decided to be an elder in the church due to more or less pigmentation at all. 

We also shouldn't judge a church due to what shade of skin the majority of people in it are unless they are proven to be intentionally excluding people due to ethnicity.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28 NASB

All of those who are in Christ have spiritual blessings and privileges that surpass anything this world has to offer.  

We don't have to have equal incomes or opportunities in this world.

That doesn't mean that Christians are not to be generous to those who are in need (because that is what love to brothers and sisters and neighbors does and should do when there is the ability).

There are Christians who are imprisoned wrongfully or even killed for having done nothing wrong, and God doesn't always keep that from happening to them.

What others mean for evil, God uses for His purposes...like Joseph's brothers meant him evil and God meant it for good.

As Christians, we are to focus on honoring God and our own obedience and relationship to Him first.

The sufferings in this world - no matter what they are  - can cause us to look to God and to look forward more to Heaven which is eternal.