EARLY CHRISTIAN SOCIAL THOUGHT
Christian social thought is the direct outgrowth of Hebrew social
concepts. Amos and Hosea and Isaiah paved the way for the social
teachings of Jesus. The social commandments of the Old Testament
were the progenitors of the modified social injunctions of the New
Testament. Job, the social citizen, was not an unworthy precursor of
Jesus, the lover of humanity. Out of the love and tender care for
children which thrived in Hebrew homes there arose the concept of
the brotherhood of man and the Fatherhood of God--the two cardinal
principles of Christianity.
Jesus gave expression to no system of social thought, but uttered
social principles and concepts which, when put together, constituted
the basis of a new social order. He dealt with personalities rather
than with institutions. He looked to the individual rather than to the
mass. He emphasized functions rather than structures. He proclaimed
the need for socio-religious personalities. If he could get these,
he was sure of the ultimate societal results. He foresaw a perfect
society--the Kingdom of God.
Unlike Plato and Aristotle, Jesus was a continual student of everyday
life. Like Socrates, Jesus was fond of people. He was a student of
individual and social affairs. He mixed with all types of human beings.
Like Socrates, he wrote practically nothing. Unlike Socrates, Jesus had
a dynamic element in his nature which forbade him to remain content
to argue with people (after the Socratic manner), but which drove him
to help and to heal. He went about doing good. The Gospel records are
replete with instance after instance of his work in healing the sick of
their infirmities. He was not, however, a physician but a teacher and a
savior from sin and evil.
Behind all the teachings of Jesus, there is the concept of a perfect
human order. This Kingdom begins in the hearts of individuals.[VIII-1]
It is a spirit or an attitude of mind which leads the individual toward
co-operative living. The Kingdom may come on earth as well as in
heaven. Consider the picture of a harmonious community life which Jesus
gave when lamenting over Jerusalem: “How often would I have gathered
thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood together under
her wings, and ye would not!”[VIII-2]
Jesus extended the concept of brotherhood. Whoever shall do the will of
God is a brother to me.[VIII-3] The world, under God, is one family.
The Kingdom, therefore, is to include all human beings, who worship God
in spirit and in truth and who at the same time love their fellowmen
in justice and co-operative living.
The ideal society is organic. It grows from good examples. Live so that
other persons, seeing the helpfulness of your life, may live likewise.
The Kingdom grows like a grain of mustard seed, which finally becomes
a tree in whose branches the birds find homes.[VIII-4] Love grows, and
like leaven, permeates and transforms the whole mass,--the result is
the perfect Kingdom.
God is the spiritual leader of the new society, to whom Jesus prayed in
the social term, Our Father. God is the personification of love. God
loved the sinful world so much that he gave his only son to the task
of saving not simply the Jews or modern Europeans, but the whole world
from all sins. The Star which guided the Magi was God’s service Star,
announcing that he had given his only son in the war against sin.
Love is the new note that is to re-form the world. Love is the
scientific principle from which all other true sociological concepts
are derived. Love received the most perfect human expression in the
personality and life of Jesus, who came not for self glory but to save
people from hate and sin; who sought not the sheep to oppress and slay
them for his own gratification, but to direct them, when lost, back
to safe living; who sought not to weigh down the burdened with unjust
taxes and harsh living conditions, but to relieve and give rest to the
heavy-laden: who cared less for the upper Four Hundred than for the
lower Four Hundred Million.
The principle of love compels the members of the Kingdom to show mercy.
God is full of mercy, therefore, let his followers show mercy. Love
forgives. The Christian citizen is instructed to become reconciled with
his brother citizen before worshipping at the altar of God.[VIII-6] If
the individual would be forgiven of his sins, he must acquire the habit
of forgiving other persons. He must be careful not to judge harshly,
lest other persons judge him harshly. He should forgive others seventy
times seven times, that is, without stint or measure.
St. Luke, the physician, recites the story of a loving father. The
prodigal son impetuously demanded his share of the inheritance, and
going into a far country, wasted his substance in riotous living. But
upon showing true remorse for these exceedingly grave offenses, his
father received him back with a loving, forgiving heart, a feast, the
best robes, and music and dancing. One of the malefactors who was
crucified with Christ, showed a penitent heart at the last moment and
received forgiveness from the loving, dying Christ. Since no one is
without sin, no one has a right to be unforgiving. Even the woman taken
in adultery came within the law of forgiving love.
The societary principle of love is the major chord of Christianity.
It is Christianity’s unscientific but greatest gift to sociology. It
has become the fundamental concept of sociology. To the Old Testament
type of love which urged the individual to love his neighbor and to
love the alien and stranger, Jesus repeatedly insisted upon a love
that is still greater, namely, a love which will include enemies. Love
your enemies.[VIII-7] Jesus himself exemplified this form of love. He
made no idle interpretation of an impossible love, but demonstrated
and lived a love which forgave his enemies, even those who mockingly,
shamelessly nailed him to a cross. So great is the drawing power of
this almost superhuman love which Jesus expressed in deeds that he
himself predicted that if he were lifted up he would draw all people
unto him.
Love fills people with compassion. The Gospels are replete with
references to the fact that wherever Jesus saw sickness, poverty, sin,
he was moved with compassion. The illustrations range from the blind
men by the wayside to the bread-hungry multitudes, from the unclean
leper in Galilee to murderous Jerusalem.
Love is cosmopolitan. All peoples are entitled to know the meaning of
Christian love.[VIII-8] Both Jew and Gentile shall feel its warming
glow. The Samaritan lives it. Loving neighborliness includes more than
priestly and Levitical acts; it involves Samaritan kindness. The love
in the heart of Jesus reached first to a few close friends, then to
sinners and outcasts, then to the Samaritans and the Gentiles, and
finally to the whole world. It led ultimately to that most unselfish
of all human enterprises--the missionary movement.
Love leads to humility and self-sacrifice. Alms-giving is done in
private, not for social plaudits. The individual prays, not to be seen
of men and thereby to be accounted good.[VIII-9] He who seeks to save
his life shall lose it; whoever loses his life for the sake of the
Kingdom shall save it. He who stores up for himself the wealth of the
world shall lose himself. Salutations in the market places and chief
seats in the synagogues in themselves are unworthy. The poor in spirit
are blessed.
Love shuns positions of worldly power, lest they be secured at the
loss of one’s soul.[VIII-10] The best positions in life are not to
be seized; they are obtained through the exercise of love; they are
bestowed in recognition of merit and worth. He who exalts himself will
be abased; the humble will be exalted.
Love creates true greatness. The members of the society of perfect
love are characterized by the sincerity, purity, humility of little
children.[VIII-11] He who serves most is greatest. The Kingdom of God
is an aristocracy, not of Might but of Service. The Son of God came to
serve, not to be served. For the sake of those outside the Kingdom,
Jesus sanctified himself, sacrificing even his life in that cause.
Love makes the Golden Rule the best sociological proposition in Hebrew
and Jewish literature. “Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them.” In reply to a lawyer of the Pharisees, Jesus
enunciated a two-fold commandment, the first part of which invoked
complete love to God; and the second part, to man. The love of the
individual for his fellow man as shown in both attitude and deeds is
the test of the love of the individual for God. Love means service.
Love does not connote lip-service; neither does it mean divided
service. No one can serve two masters, God and mammon.
Christian love implies definite and continued public service. Social
service is the test of entrance to the Kingdom, and of the sincerity
of the individual’s religious profession.[VIII-12] On the judgment day
those on the right hand will be blessed and given life eternal, and to
them the king of the judgment will say:
I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat;
I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink;
I was a stranger, and ye took me in;
Naked and ye clothed me;
I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then the righteous, with surprise, will inquire of the Lord of the
judgment: When did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty, and give
you drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in? Then the
Lord of the judgment will answer them that when they had served the
weak and poor and the heavy-laden on earth, they had been serving him
and thereby had proved their loyalty to God and earned the rewards
of everlasting life. And those who fail to measure up to the social
service test, whether professing Christians or not, will be turned away.
The importance and nature of religio-social service is indicated by
Jesus when he symbolizes the giving of a cup of cold water in his name
as a test for receiving eternal life.[VIII-13] He who has two coats
should give one to him who has none. The sharing of food with those who
have no food is commanded. Give liberally; give all thou hast.[VIII-14]
It is blessed to give under all circumstances. Material riches are
insignificant in value when compared with spiritual wealth. To give the
things of this world is to receive the greater things of the spirit. He
is richest who gives most, both of material and spiritual goods. As an
expression of his love for God, Jesus lived a life of social and human
service.
Whenever Jesus mentioned the ten commandments--all three synoptic
writers agree on this point--he omitted the four commandments of
individual import and repeated only the social rules, or principles:
(1) Thou shalt do no murder,
(2) Thou shalt not commit adultery,
(3) Thou shalt not steal,
(4) Thou shalt not bear false witness,
(5) Honor thy father and mother,
(6) Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
After the fashion of the major social prophets, Jesus cried out
vehemently against social injustice. He denounced the persons who
devour widows’ houses, or who lay unnecessary economic burdens upon
their fellowmen.
Anti-social religion, above all things else, angered Jesus. He wanted
no followers who were practicing social or political injustice. Cursed
are those persons who appear righteous, who make long prayers, or who
go about in long robes, but who inwardly are hypocrites, are full of
dead men’s bones, of uncleanness, of extortion and excess.[VIII-15] The
shedding of innocent blood is condemned. The paying of money in order
to expiate sin will avail nothing. Such money is tainted; it is blood
money.[VIII-16]
Anti-social and commercialized religion so angered Jesus that, contrary
to his customary attitudes toward sinners, he committed violence on
one occasion against offenders. He overthrew the tables of the money
changers in the temple, and, making a scourge of small cords, he drove
out the money changers. In so doing, he declared that the worship of
God should not be commercialized.[VIII-17] He would not have the house
of worship turned into a cultured den of thieves.
So furious were the scribes and the chief priests because of the attack
of Jesus upon anti-social religious practices that they planned how
they might kill him.[VIII-18] It appears that as a direct result of the
antagonism of Jesus to the anti-social practices of the religious, or
temple, authorities and of the other religious leaders the conspiracy
against Jesus finally brought about his death. Jesus went about
stirring up the common people in a democratic movement against the
autocratic, hypocritical, anti-social religious leaders among the Jews.
He met his death while championing the needs of the masses who were
being exploited in the name of religion.
Jesus was the highest type of social democrat. The perfected social
order which he foresaw is a democracy, ruled by the principles of love
and service in the name of God. Furthermore, no one shall be compelled
to come into the Kingdom. The good tidings shall be presented to all
individuals, but the liberty of the individual shall not be violated.
The principle of voluntary assent, not compulsion or conscription,
rules in recruiting for the Kingdom. Moreover, within the Kingdom,
compulsion is unknown. Love sufficeth.
Jesus hated sin. To him, sin was anything which overcomes love and
which causes the individual or society to disintegrate. Sin is that
which defeats or hinders the coming of the Kingdom of Love. Sin breaks
up or holds back the social process. Sin, like love, is organic. Sin
grows. An evil tree brings forth evil fruit; grapes and figs are not
gathered from thorns or thistle-bearing plants.
Jesus forgave sinners; even social sinners. By means of his
imagination, he put himself in the place of the sinner and sought
to understand the causes of the sinning. As his mind filled with an
understanding of sin, his heart overflowed with pity and forgiveness
for the sinner. He sought primarily to reclaim; he thought secondarily
of punishment. Even in the case of the adulterous woman, he sought to
save what was left of the broken spirit rather than to punish. His
cardinal penological principle was reformation.
It is significant that the social institution which Jesus supported
above all others, even above the church and the state, was the family.
Jesus spoke frequently for the family. He commanded that children
should unwaveringly act loyally toward parents; he used not only the
clear-cut terms of the writer of Exodus but added a curse of death upon
those who abuse their parents.[VIII-19]
An even stronger command was given by Jesus concerning loyalty to
the marriage relation. A man’s genuine loyalty to his parents,
undiminished in intensity, must be subordinated to faithfulness to his
wife.[VIII-20] This social theory is opposite in character to that of
Confucius concerning attitudes toward parents and wives. The conception
which Jesus urged leads to social progress, while the teaching of
Confucius leads to social stagnation.
A man and woman who have been spiritually joined together in wedlock
are one flesh, above and beyond separation by civil authorities. Jesus
uttered the stern and awe-inspiring sanction: What therefore God hath
joined together, let not man put asunder. The family as an institution
is accorded a sacredly fundamental place in the social order.
Jesus recognized woman as equal with man spiritually. His attitude
toward his mother and the other women of his day was one of respect,
chivalry, and gentleness. He laid the foundations of a social process
in which women function on terms of equality with men.
Honor to parents and honor to wife must be supplanted by honor to
children. Jesus worshiped little children. In them he saw the innocence
and purity of God. When he wished to describe the attributes of the
Kingdom, he selected a little child and held him up as typifying the
simple, natural spirit of perfect living. Although without children
himself, Jesus loved little children, choosing them for special honors,
and declaring that of such is the Kingdom of God. It is not God’s will
that one of these little ones should perish; it is the stupidity of man
and the lack of social conscience that causes a high mortality rate of
little children. He who harms the trustful child shall be cursed. It
were better for such a miscreant that a millstone were tied about his
neck and that he were thrown into the sea.[VIII-21]
In regard to the influence of private property Jesus was fearful.
His zeal for and whole-hearted loyalty to spiritual values made him
suspicious of vested interests. He repeatedly warned in vigorous
language against the lure of gold and the baneful influences of
material wealth upon the attitudes and acts of the individual. He
himself showed no interest in owning property. He lived without a home
of his own and without private means. If he had possessed these, his
life-work probably would have failed. He urged his disciples to remain
free from the desire for money; he even commanded them to rely for the
means of material subsistence upon the people with whom they labored.
Jesus believed that private property hindered the realization of the
principle of brotherhood of man. He made a sharp distinction between
the interests of God and mammon. He believed that these two sets of
interests are diametrically opposed to each other. To the extent that
the individual relies upon property, he separates himself from God and
the things of the Spirit. The disciples were instructed to scorn, not
only the earning of wealth, but if they possessed earthly goods, they
were to sell these and give the proceeds to the poor.[VIII-22] The
disciple of the spiritual life must divorce himself from the love of
monetary gain.
Toward the poor, Jesus was sympathetic. The Gospel shall be preached
chiefly to the poor, not because the poor, _per se_, need it more than
the rich and not because the poor should be specially favored, but
because they recognize their needs. They are in a receptive attitude
whereas the attitude of the rich has been calloused by their wealth.
The response to the Gospel is not likely to be whole-hearted by persons
who possess an extensive interest in riches.
Jesus taught a spiritual socialism. He thought in terms of spiritual
love for all persons, not of material well-being for the proletariat.
But he seemed to prefer the company of the poor. Blessed are the poor,
was his attitude; for they are in a frame of mind which makes them fit
subjects for the perfect Kingdom. The possession of property gives
the individual a feeling of self-exaltation; poverty gives rise to
humility--a cardinal virtue of the Kingdom.
Jesus did not attack poverty with preventive measures. Poverty will
continue to exist.[VIII-23] Perhaps it is well that it should continue,
for a nation of economically satisfied people might not be religiously
minded. It is harder for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for
a rich man to get into the swing of an untrammeled social process. Woe
unto the rich, because they are self-centered, materially inclined, and
pleasure-loving. The man who pulled down his barns in order to build
larger barns, saying to himself, “Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be
merry,” is scathingly condemned by Jesus.[VIII-24] He is ostracized
from the ideal society. In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, the
former is carried to Abraham’s bosom, but the latter, in torments, begs
for a cup of water and the company of Lazarus. He wanted Lazarus sent
to him; he longed for the company of him whom he once ignored. The
attention of Jesus was continually centered on the dangers of wealth,
but rarely on the need of preventing poverty.
Zaccheus, a rich man, was called as a disciple of Jesus. But before
the discipleship began, the superintendent not only had to come down
from the mulberry tree and declare his allegiance to God, but he had to
become socially converted as well. He promised to give one-half of his
wealth to the poor and to restore falsely acquired possessions fourfold.
Then there was the rich young man who came to Jesus, asking how he
might obtain admittance to the Kingdom, declaring that he observed the
commandments. One more thing, however, was required of him, namely,
that he sell all his possessions and give the returns to the poor. Only
by so giving might he have treasure in the social Kingdom.
The teaching of Jesus concerning the Sabbath throws light on the
exceedingly human element in his thought. The Sabbath is a special
day for doing good deeds.[VIII-25] The Sabbath is to be treated not
primarily from the standpoint of religious rites but from the viewpoint
of human welfare. Works of necessity, and deeds of mercy and kindness
to man and beast are proper to the Sabbath.[VIII-26] Man was not made
for the Sabbath, but the day of rest and good deeds was designed for
the benefit of man.
The attitude of Jesus toward the problem of peace versus war has
aroused considerable controversy. There are certain of his sayings
which seem to contradict each other. But an analysis of all his
teachings demonstrates that his emphasis was on peace. The exceptions
to the rule will be stated first.[VIII-27] On one occasion he said: I
came not to send peace, but a sword. The context shows that Jesus was
speaking in an individual and not a national way. He had in mind the
conflicts which arise between the individuals who are converted to
the ideals of the Kingdom and those who are not. Jesus explained that
those who love him must do so even at the expense of forsaking father
and mother.[VIII-28] Loyalty to the Kingdom may mean that the son will
oppose the practices of his father in business, the daughter will
object to the time wasted in the unChristian practices of her mother,
the parents will protest the sowing of “wild oats” by son or daughter.
In the temple, on one occasion, Jesus displayed anger and used
violence. He was dealing, however, with a group of criminals, cultured
criminals, who apparently would respond to no treatment except
violence. They would not cease their nefarious practices except through
compulsion.
On the other hand, the illustrations are many where Jesus used love
in order to change the ways of people. He never used force in his own
behalf, even to save his life. He rebuked Simon Peter for drawing his
sword and cutting off the right ear of the servant of the high priest
who in company with others were seeking Jesus in order to bind him and
kill him.[VIII-29] At another time Jesus specifically enjoined: Resist
not evil; and instructed his followers when smitten upon the right
cheek to turn the left also. Those who take the sword shall perish
by the sword; the nation that builds itself up by the sword shall be
destroyed by it.[VIII-30]
The birth of Jesus was accompanied by glad tidings and song,
proclaiming peace on earth and good will toward men.[VIII-31] Blessed
are the peacemakers. In the perfect society, good will by all to all
will be shown, perfect love will reign, and permanent peace will
prevail.
Jesus may or may not have expressed himself on several important issues
of his day. The incomplete records do not indicate his attitude upon
many vital social problems. It appears that Jesus usually spoke in
remedial rather than preventive social terms. However, beneath this
remedial terminology there are fundamental social principles, which,
if put into common practice, would solve all social problems. Jesus
proposed to build an ideal society by re-making and regenerating
individuals. He dared to promulgate the radical program of re-making
human nature itself. He commanded that all selfish impulses and
instincts be completely subordinated to the altruistic and socializing
desires.
Jesus insisted throughout his life-work upon the principle that
material factors must be subjected to spiritual values. In order to
make this principle clear he often took particular pains to treat
material goods with the utmost insignificance. He perceived that
individuals are made slaves by the worship of wealth, either on the
part of themselves, of the privileged classes, or of society itself. He
inaugurated a program of spiritualization which would free the world
from the slavery which may come from economic forces.
Although a religious teacher above all things else, Jesus insisted upon
the necessity of the existence of something more than saving faith
alone. He required a social attitude of mind, a heart of social love,
and a spirit of service. Give freely to others. Serve others. By giving
himself for others, the individual will function in the Kingdom of
perfect love, and win other individuals to that Kingdom.
Jesus required that love be substituted for hate. Unkind deeds must
be supplanted by kind deeds. According to this principle, employers
and employees must learn to love one another; and business must be
put upon the basis of love and service. Government must be a series
of mutual services. Religion must harbor no selfishness. In all human
relationships, Jesus reiterated the principle: Love, love, love. This
is the spiritualizing and socializing principle by which Jesus proposed
to make over the social process.
Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, by virtue of unique experiences
and many travels, possessed a cosmopolitan attitude of mind. He gave
a practical application of the teaching of Jesus concerning the
brotherhood of man. He urged the equal treatment of Jews and Gentiles,
bond and free.[VIII-32] He preached the essential unity of mankind. God
is no respecter of persons; his Kingdom is a spiritual democracy. We
are all--Jew and Gentile--children of the same Father, who gave his son
in service for all.[VIII-33] To the call to come over into Macedonia
for the purpose of rendering aid, Paul responded immediately and
favorably. By so doing he believed that he was carrying out the true
implications of the love of God.
The greatest tribute that has ever been paid to love as a social force
was given by Paul.[VIII-34] Although possessing the highest educational
qualifications and being able to speak with the greatest eloquence,
any individual leads a practically useless life unless that life is
motivated by love. Giving one’s possessions to the poor and sacrificing
one’s body counts little if one does these things in any other spirit
than that of love. Love protects the individual from envying his
neighbors, from becoming proud and haughty and boastful. Love is the
greatest principle of life.
The members of the Kingdom of God should love one another under
all circumstances.[VIII-35] They should bear one another’s
burdens.[VIII-36] They should do good to all men, even to those who
persecute. Above all, they should not recompense any man with evil
for evil, or fail to feed their enemies if the latter hunger. Love is
the law of God. Perfect love is more powerful than principalities and
powers and even death.[VIII-37] Love conquers all evil. Love is more
powerful than might. A practical, cosmopolitan brotherhood of man is
one of the fundamental concepts of Paul’s teachings.
Paul taught the organic unity of mankind. In the perfect Christian
order each individual has a specific function to perform which is a
part of the whole process. Paul compares this situation to the human
body in which there are many organs, each performing its individual but
correlated function.[VIII-38] No one liveth to himself, no one dieth
to himself.[VIII-39] Every individual, even in dying, influences the
social equilibrium and affects group progress. All individuals in the
perfect Kingdom are co-laborers and co-operators. Whatever weakens
one individual weakens society; whatever strengthens the individual
strengthens society, providing that strength is used societarily.
Another fundamental element in the social thought of Paul was his
concept of sin. Sin is socially and individually destructive. The wages
of sin--a generic term--is death. Paul made a long list of social
sins, namely: covetousness, maliciousness, drunkenness, wantonness,
dishonesty, fraud, stealing, fornication, murder. In nearly all his
letters, Paul warned his followers against the evils which beset
mankind. He urged people to beware of the appearance of doing evil.
Paul’s rule of conduct was the Aristotelian mean: Be temperate in all
things.
On the other hand, Paul cited long lists of virtues. Love is
continually urged. Temperance, meekness, gentleness, honesty, purity,
and justice are repeatedly stressed. Paul’s description of a good man
and bishop is the delineation of the character of a social citizen, who
is temperate, a good husband, who is not mercenary nor covetous, and
who ruleth well his household, with good reputation and character.
In all Paul’s thought, righteous living was uppermost. Cheerful giving
was commended. The strong should bear the infirmities of the weak, not
only for the sake of the weak, but in order that the strong may not
become self-centered.
Paul taught a gospel of peace. He deprecated strife between
individuals. He trusted in the operation of the law of love. Love will
bring order out of confusion, and peace out of discord. The social
Kingdom of God, motivated by love, moves orderly, harmoniously, and
constructively.
Paul firmly supported the family as an essential institution of
society. He admonished children to obey their parents, to honor their
fathers and mothers. He commanded wives to obey their husbands, and
husbands to love their wives even as Christ loved the church and as
men love themselves.[VIII-40] He commanded men to remain true in the
marriage relation, and to keep the single standard of morals inviolate.
The dangers of wealth were frequently pointed out by Paul. We brought
no riches into this life: we can not take any riches out. Riches
continually subject us to temptations, snares, and lusts. The love of
money is the root of all evil.[VIII-41] The greatest wealth which any
person can acquire is the wealth of good deeds done to other persons.
The thought of Paul concerning law is exceedingly modern. Law is not
for the righteous; law is for the lawless and disobedient. The honest
and righteous and just are above the law in the sense that a well-mated
husband and wife are above the law of divorce. If there were none
other than happily-mated husbands and wives, there would be no need of
divorce laws. In a similar way, if perfect love prevailed among all
people, law could be entirely discarded. The teachings of Paul run the
gamut of brotherly love. Paul thought in terms of concepts such as
these: being well-grounded in love; abounding in love; let brotherly
love continue; the love of Christ constraineth. Paul carried a message
of love to all men, and established the church as a home for all who
would accept Christ’s message of love.
The apostle James spoke in no uncertain terms of the democracy of
God, the need of helping the weak, the dangers of riches, the evils
of strife, and the social commandments. James made social service a
fundamental test of religion.[VIII-42]
Peter attacked the same social sins that Jesus and Paul had flayed,
argued in behalf of the justice of God, and proclaimed with new vigor
the law of love.
John is the chief exponent of the principle of love. God is love. The
reign of God is a reign of love; the Kingdom of God is a Kingdom of
perfect love. In the Book of Revelation, John describes two cities;
one wicked; and the other, perfect. The first is elegantly clothed
in purple and gold, bedecked with precious stones. But her heart
is rotten. Lust and vice have ruined her. Her dominating sins are
sex immorality and luxury. The perfect city is the new Jerusalem, a
community of happy people, motivated in all things by love. Nothing
that defileth is permitted in the New Jerusalem, nor anything that
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.[VIII-43]
The fundamentals of early Christian social thought may now be
summarized. The New Testament authorities offered no system of
sociology; they did not submit a scientific program for the social
reorganization of the world, but made, however, substantial
contributions.
(1) Early Christian social thought represented a system of changing
the attitudes of individuals. By making over individuals the world
can be improved. The individual is exalted. The individual must be
re-educated. The right sort of men will produce the right sort of
social structure and the proper type of social process and society.
Christianity indicated socialized principles of conduct which the
disciples of Christianity must accept.
(2) The Fatherhood of God is made a cardinal principle of the Kingdom.
When all persons recognize the Fatherhood of God, they will have a
strong tie binding them together and impelling them to regenerated
living.
(3) The universal brotherhood of man is a natural corollary of the
principle of the Fatherhood of God. When everyone recognizes the
underlying brotherhood of all individuals, the prejudices of race which
now so bitterly divide mankind will begin to dissolve.
(4) Marriage is a divine right, and husbands and wives shall work
together in behalf of their children. The family is the chief social
institution which the New Testament writers supported.
(5) Little children set examples of simple faith and trust. They call
for sacrifice and transform parents into altruistic beings.
(6) Early Christian thought was missionary. It was not self-centered.
It said: Go. It drove out its adherents unto all forms of unselfish
living. It required that its followers help the sick, preach the
gospel, travel into foreign lands. It was an activity religion. It
defined in living terms the dynamic and driving principle of love.