Social justice is proving a popular phrase these days and is even creeping into Evangelical circles.

What exactly is social justice? Is it really justice or is it speaking of something different?

In this brief video, Dennis Prager provides a short but insightful look into what “social justice” is all about.

Dennis Prager is based in Los Angeles. He has his own syndicated radio show. He is a conservative both politically and socially. He is a popular speaker and as well a columnist for townhall.org.

According to Prager, the real issue should be justice and in-justice. In fact, social justice distorts true justice. It wants to rid the world of the inequality between the rich and poor.

Prager says “Social justice means left-wing equality.”

“Justice has no problem with there being rich and poor. Social justice has a problem with there being rich and poor,” says Prager.

Social justice tries to imply that wealth in itself is wrong.

Is wealth wrong?

As long as a person received their wealth justly, there is nothing wrong with it.  Throughout scripture, we see many people who God blessed with wealth such as Abraham, Jacob and even King David.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 reads:

Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.

We need to understand that wealth comes from God. When we begin to believe that wealth belongs to us, that we own it or deserve it, this is when it becomes a problem.

The Bible is clear that wealth can be a stumbling block to our walk with God (Matthew 19:23), so we need to control it, not have it control us. Giving is one way to show you are in charge of your wealth.

I believe it was Zig Ziglar who said, “Money won’t make you happy, but everyone wants to find out for themselves.”

True justice does not favour the poor or the rich

When it comes to justice, the Bible says we are not to show partiality to either the rich or the poor.

2 You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; 3 nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute. (Exodus 23:2-3 NASV)

14 You shall not curse a deaf man, nor place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall revere your God; I am the Lord. 15 ‘You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. (Leviticus 19:14-15 NASV)

It is very easy to favour the rich, because of the influence they wield. Deferring to the rich is wrong.

But it is equally easy to feel sorry for the poor and distort justice in their favour. This defines social justice — distorting justice to favour the poor.