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Articles

How to be a justice seeker

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April 6, 2018

Injustice fills today’s headlines. Christians are hunted and killed in Somalia. Men are auctioned off as slaves in Libya. Imperfect babies are murdered in Iceland. Gang violence claims the lives of young men in America. Daughters are discarded in India for not being sons. Orphans are transported across borders and forced into prostitution in Nepal.

I’m heartbroken for the vulnerable people who endure injustice. The Lord opened my eyes to injustice and oppression a few years ago. In his mercy, he rescued me from my bubble of indifference, safety, and comfort. I was aware of oppression, but not personally affected by it. Knowing my four sons slept comfortably in their warm beds led to my own peaceful sleep. Injustice was easy to ignore with my egocentric worldview. But God.

With the Holy Spirit’s prompting, I began to wonder about the many mothers worldwide who are denied peaceful sleep because their children have been trafficked. I began to feel burdened for families without access to the gospel, clean water, food, and security. I repented of my indifference toward the plight of the vulnerable. He changed me and redirected my priorities. I wanted to be a seeker of justice and corrector of oppression (Isa. 1:17).

There are many ways to obey God’s good command to seek justice. Here are a few suggestions:

Justice seekers pray. We are abiders; we can do nothing on our own (John 15:5). We don’t seek justice in our own strength. We do the Lord’s work in his power. We humbly ask him for it. We are not the true givers of justice; our Father is. We are needy for him, and so we pray. We fight on our knees. Here are a few prayer guides to get you started—Operation World, IJM, and I Commit to Pray.

Justice seekers love. We strive to love like God loves. We love by giving ourselves. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John 3:16). We get involved in the lives of the vulnerable, just as Christ involved himself in our lives when we were vulnerable in our sin. We love as we give our time, talents, and treasures. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19).

Justice seekers speak. We use our voices for the voiceless (Prov. 31:8). We leverage our networks to raise awareness. We challenge people who are content to live in their bubbles. We educate ourselves and others on ways to help. We tell stories of heroes who are making a difference. We show how these stories merge into God’s greater redemptive story. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “silence in the face of evil is evil itself.” So, we are not silent.

Justice seekers imitate. If we are in Christ, then we are God’s children. Our heavenly Father loves justice (Isa. 61:8) and therefore, so do we. We do what our Father does. We care. We feed. We clothe. We teach. We empower. We show compassion because our Father shows us compassion.

Justice seekers fight. We fight leaders who abuse their power. We stand between sexual predators and their prey. We protect the elderly from those who exploit them. We battle for justice in the courts and government. We fight through law enforcement. We fight with our votes. We fight with the sword of the Spirit (Eph. 6:17).

Justice seekers advance. We shine the light into the darkness (John 1:5). We advance the kingdom for the glory of Christ. We seek his kingdom on earth and reflect it through our lives. We make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19). We advance the gospel that has the power to save those in darkness (Rom. 1:16). We do not retreat. We press on.

Justice seekers collaborate. This mission is communal. So, we wisely partner with other like-minded people as we fight for the weak. We work together as members of one body teeming with different gifts (Rom. 12:4-8), because strategic networking for the glory of God is critical to justice seeking.

Justice seekers worship. “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness” (Ps. 29:2). Our God is alive. He reigns on the throne. His glory fills the earth, and he is worthy of our praise. We worship the God who works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed (Ps. 103:6). He deserves our praise.

Justice seekers engage. We don’t ignore oppression; we engage it. We don’t look away in the face of injustice. We see it and let exposure lead us to action. We avoid pornography, knowing, among other things, that it fuels modern-day slavery. We welcome the fatherless into our homes. We welcome refugees into our communities. We welcome people who look different than us into our social circles. Oppression flourishes in the darkness, so we make every effort to combat it.

Justice seekers wait. While we work, we wait in anticipation. We wait for restoration. We wait for God to make all things new (Rev. 21:5). “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev. 21:4). We long for justice and for the God of justice (Isa. 30:18). Come, Lord Jesus.

This list is not exhaustive but serves as a starting place. We aren’t capable of doing everything, but we are commanded to do something. When we feel helpless, we can rejoice; our insufficiency displays the sufficiency of Christ. Our weakness magnifies his strength (2 Cor. 12:10).

When we are overwhelmed, we can rest. God is sovereign over all the earth, and his purposes will not be thwarted (Job 42:2). He will reconcile people to himself (2 Cor. 5:18-19).

When we think that evil will prevail, we can trust. The battle is already won. Christ has overcome the world (John 16:33), and victory is ours in him.

When our unjust actions taint us, we can repent. He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Above all, justice seekers remember that the gospel is at the heart of justice seeking. Justice is ultimately fulfilled in Christ. When we seek justice, we find Christ. We don’t just desire people to be rescued from physical oppression—we want God to free them from the chief oppressor. “We fight like Jesus fights,” Gloria Furman said in her book Alive in Him, “loving righteousness at the cost of our lives, insisting on God’s truth, spreading the good news of his kingdom, and rescuing lost people out of darkness.”

That bubble we live in can be attractive and feel safe. It keeps our vision narrow and shields us from the outside world. But bubbles can be popped so that we no longer hide from or ignore oppression but, in Jesus name, seek justice.

Christy Britton

Christy Britton is married to Stephen and is a homeschool mom to 4 fantastic boys. Her family worships and serves as covenant members of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, NC. She is a justice seeker and orphan advocate at 127 Worldwide. In her minuscule free time, she loves reading, writing, hospitality, gospel conversations, good … Read More

Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24