In recent decades, the biblical word justice has undergone a dramatic reinterpretation—particularly within progressive Christian circles and the wider cultural Left. The prophets, we’re told, were concerned with justice—therefore, if Christians today do not “affirm” LGBTQ identities and other so-called marginalized groups, they are violating the very heart of God’s call.
The oft-quoted verses include:
- “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression…” —Isaiah 1:17
- “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” —Amos 5:24
- “Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.” —Micah 6:8
From these powerful texts, progressive theologians and activists claim a divine mandate—not only to love LGBTQ individuals (which is of course biblical), but to affirm their identities and celebrate their practices. According to this view, any failure to do so is a failure of “justice,” tantamount to oppression.
But is that what these verses actually mean?
Is justice, in the mouths of Isaiah, Amos, and Micah, the same thing as affirming modern identity politics?
Once again, we turn to hermeneutics to expose how the prophets have been hijacked.
Hermeneutics: Learning to Read the Prophets with Integrity
As always, we begin with the discipline of hermeneutics—the art and science of interpreting Scripture. When reading the prophets, we must pay special attention to:
- Historical context: To whom were they speaking? What was going on?
- Covenantal framework: What does justice mean under the Mosaic covenant?
- Theological meaning: How does justice relate to God’s character?
- Canonical development: How do later Scriptures clarify and fulfill earlier ones?
Progressive theology often skips over these steps. Instead, it extracts biblical phrases (like “seek justice”) and redefines them according to modern political categories—LGBTQ rights, gender identity, intersectionality, systemic oppression—then reads those definitions back into the text.
This isn’t exegesis. It’s eisegesis—reading into the Bible what isn’t there.
The Progressive Argument: Affirmation Equals Justice
Here’s how the argument typically unfolds:
- The prophets command us to “seek justice.”
- LGBTQ individuals are marginalized and harmed in society.
- Therefore, to seek justice, we must affirm and include LGBTQ identities.
- Any rejection of their lifestyle or denial of church leadership equals injustice.
This argument hinges on a redefinition of justice:
- No longer rooted in God’s moral law
- No longer concerned with covenantal faithfulness
- No longer defined by righteousness (tsedaqah) or right judgment
Instead, justice is equated with emotional affirmation, social inclusion, and cultural validation.
But let’s look more closely at what these prophets actually said.
What Did the Prophets Mean by “Justice”?
Isaiah 1: Oppression and Empty Religion
“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” —Isaiah 1:17
Context:
- Isaiah condemns religious hypocrisy: outward rituals with no heart obedience.
- The call to “seek justice” refers to caring for the vulnerable according to God’s law.
- It reflects concern for the covenant community’s failure to obey Torah—not modern identity struggles.
In Isaiah’s world, justice meant:
- Fair courts (Deut. 16:19–20)
- Protection of the weak (Ex. 22:22–24)
- Obedience to God’s commands, including sexual ethics (Isa. 3:9, 5:20)
Amos 5: Hypocrisy and Judgment
“I hate, I despise your feasts… Take away from me the noise of your songs… But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” —Amos 5:21–24
Context:
- Israel is prosperous but corrupt.
- They perform public worship while oppressing the poor and perverting justice (Amos 5:11–12).
- God’s call for justice is tied to righteous conduct and true worship.
Progressives cite this to claim God values justice over doctrine. But that’s a false dichotomy. Amos demands both true justice and true worship. He condemns Israel for abandoning both.
Micah 6:8: What Does the Lord Require?
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
Context:
- God brings a covenant lawsuit against Israel (Mic. 6:1–5).
- Justice here means obedience to the covenant, including both social and moral commands.
- Micah condemns idolatry, greed, bribery, sexual sin, and injustice in court.
These prophets call Israel back to the law of Moses—not forward to LGBTQ pride parades.
Redefining “Justice”: Old Testament vs. Neo-Marxism
What the prophets meant by justice was rooted in God’s character and His law. But what modern Progressive Christians mean by “justice” is rooted in the tenets of Neo-Marxist thought. This leads to a complete category error—using the same word but with a totally different meaning.
| Biblical Justice | Neo-Marxist “Justice” |
|---|---|
| Rooted in God’s law | Rooted in personal autonomy and identity |
| Upholds moral absolutes | Sees morality as culturally constructed |
| Treats all impartially | Emphasizes group identity and victim status |
| Concerned with righteousness before God | Concerned with “equity” and material outcomes |
| Demands repentance and holiness | Demands affirmation and inclusion |
Neo-Marxist “justice” is about restructuring society to remove all hierarchies and moral constraints. This is why it demands affirmation of LGBTQ lifestyles—not merely tolerance or compassion, but approval.
Yet biblical justice is deeply covenantal and moral. It cannot affirm what God calls sin.
Jesus, Justice, and the Cross
Some progressives argue: “Jesus always sided with the marginalized! So shouldn’t we?”
Yes and no.
Yes—Jesus did minister to lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, and the demon-possessed.
But He never affirmed their sin. He called them to repentance:
“Go and sin no more.” —John 8:11
“Those who are well have no need of a physician… I came to call sinners to repentance.” —Luke 5:31–32
Jesus did not show mercy by redefining sin—He showed mercy by forgiving it and delivering people from it.
The greatest act of justice and love in human history was the Cross:
- God upheld His law by punishing sin.
- God upheld His mercy by providing a substitute.
Justice and love meet not in affirmation, but in atonement.
To say that justice demands affirmation of LGBTQ identities is to trample the Cross and the very meaning of mercy.
Born Again: Justice and Transformation
True justice does not affirm people in their fallen identities. It calls them to be born again.
“Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” —John 3:3
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” —2 Cor. 5:17
Progressive Christians often appeal to compassion but deny the need for conversion.
They want inclusion without transformation, love without lordship, welcome without repentance.
But the Bible teaches:
- We are not merely broken—we are sinful.
- Our desires are not neutral—they are corrupted (Romans 1:21–27).
- Our identities are not self-defined—they must be crucified and remade in Christ.
That is the justice of the gospel: God saves us from our sins—not by affirming them, but by forgiving, cleansing, and transforming us through Christ.
Justice and Sexual Ethics: What the Prophets Upheld
While Isaiah, Amos, and Micah do not directly address sexual ethics, the law they call Israel back to most certainly does.
Consider:
- Leviticus 18 and 20: prohibit same-sex acts, bestiality, adultery.
- Deuteronomy 22: enforces sexual morality and modesty.
- Proverbs and Ecclesiastes: praise chastity and condemn lust.
To interpret “justice” in a way that violates the moral law of God is to pervert justice.
The same prophets who denounce greed and bribery also rebuke moral corruption and licentiousness.
Progressive Christianity selectively cites prophetic texts on economics or hospitality but ignores their moral gravity.
Summary Rebuttal
| Progressive Claim | Biblical Response |
|---|---|
| Prophets say to “seek justice,” so we must affirm LGBTQ. | Prophets call for righteous obedience, not identity affirmation. |
| Jesus sided with the marginalized. | Yes, but He called them to repentance, not redefinition. |
| Justice means protecting vulnerable identities. | True justice flows from God’s law, not from emotional affirmation. |
| Micah 6:8 means inclusion. | Micah 6:8 means humble, holy living in covenant with God. |
| Denying LGBTQ identities is injustice. | Affirming sin is not justice—it is spiritual harm (toxic empathy) disguised as compassion. |
Conclusion: Let Justice Roll—God’s Justice
Let us indeed seek justice.
But let it be God’s justice—not man’s.
- Let it roll down like waters, not the sewage of leftist propaganda.
- Let it be rooted in righteousness, not relativism.
- Let it call sinners to repentance, not comfort them in rebellion.
The God of Isaiah, Amos, and Micah still speaks today. His justice is not vague emotion. It is a blazing holiness that upholds the poor and crushes pride—not by celebrating sin, but by redeeming sinners through the Cross of Christ.
Let justice roll—but let it roll through the rails of truth.
S.D.G.,
Robert Sparkman
MMXXV
christiannewsjunkie@gmail.com
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“Progressive” in this sense is actually corruptive and harmful to mankind. “Progressive Christianity” is an anti-Christian movement that reflects apostasy.
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