Justice isn’t measured by how we treat the majority, but how we protect the smallest minority.
This is a longer post than usual. It was written as an objective overview of justice as revealed in the Bible and in the life of Jesus. The application is to any form of injustice against those who Jesus called, “the least of these,” and what the Church’s role and response should be.
Can followers of Jesus be neutral in a situation of injustice? There are important moments like now for the Church to stand in solidarity with “the least of these.”
A Just Society and Church
Scripture is clear: “Do not deny justice to the poor” (Ex. 23:6) and “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves” (Prov. 31:8).
When laws take away the rights of those with the least power, they stand in opposition to the God who “defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow” (Deut. 10:18).
A just society safeguards every person — especially the vulnerable.
One of the revealing tests of any society is how it treats those with the least power. Majorities can easily protect themselves.
But what about the smallest minority?
Is it unjust when a jurisdiction passes laws that take away the rights of such people?
According to Scripture, the answer is an unequivocal yes. 
Justice in Scripture Is Never About Power — It’s About Impartiality
The Bible consistently warns against governance and legal systems that tilt toward the strong or silence the vulnerable. Justice, in God’s eyes, is rooted in impartiality.
“Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.” — Exodus 23:6
Ancient Israel was commanded not to let the powerful, or the well-connected sway justice. The smallest and most vulnerable were to receive the same consideration as anyone else.
Unjust Laws Are Condemned — Explicitly
Few passages speak as directly to this issue as Isaiah 10:
“Woe to those who make unjust laws… to deprive the poor of their rights.” — Isaiah 10:1–2
Here, God doesn’t simply critique personal attitudes. He confronts systems — laws themselves — that strip rights from the least of these. Scripture names these laws as unjust and warns the leaders who create them.
God’s Heart Is Oriented Toward Those Without a Voice
Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly identifies Himself with those most at risk of being overlooked:
- the widow
- the orphan
- the foreigner
- the poor
- those at the margins
These were the “smallest minorities” of the ancient world. Yet God elevates them as the litmus test of true justice.
“Defend the weak… uphold the cause of the oppressed.” — Psalm 82:3–4
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” — Proverbs 31:8
Biblical justice is never passive. It requires advocacy.
Why Does This Matter Today?
Because every human being—regardless of size, influence, social position, or orientation—is created in the image of God.
“So God created mankind in his own image.” — Genesis 1:27
This means the rights of even the tiniest minority carry full moral weight before God. Laws that diminish, exclude, or devalue them do not simply create inequality; they violate the dignity God gives to every person.
A Just Society Protects Its Smallest Groups
When we measure justice only by how the majority feels or votes, we drift from the biblical vision. Scripture calls us to something higher: a community where the powerful use their influence to protect those without a voice.
This is the heartbeat of God’s justice — and the calling of God’s people.
- Justice must be impartial — not favouring the powerful or suppressing the weak.
Exodus 23:2–3, 6–7
- “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong… Do not deny justice to your poor people in their lawsuits.”
These laws explicitly protect those who can be easily marginalized. Justice is not determined by majority influence or minority weakness.
Leviticus 19:15
- “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairly.”
Taking rights from a tiny minority is a form of “favouritism to the great,” which God forbids.
-
God judges nations and leaders for exploiting vulnerable or unseen groups.
Isaiah 10:1–2
- “Woe to those who make unjust laws… to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed.”
This directly addresses the question: laws that remove rights from the smallest or most vulnerable are called unjust.
Psalm 82:3–4
- “Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy.”
God expects leaders to protect the smallest minority, not strip them of protection.
-
Justice reflects God’s character — and He shows special concern for those with the least voice.
Deuteronomy 10:17–18
- “For the LORD your God… defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the foreigner.”
The smallest minorities in ancient Israel were the widow, orphan, and foreigner. God’s justice is measured by how they are treated.
Proverbs 31:8–9
- “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves… defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Biblical justice requires advocating for those with the smallest platform — the exact opposite of passing laws that take away their rights.
-
Justice is rooted in the equal human value of every person.
Genesis 1:27
- “So God created mankind in his own image…”
Because every human bears God’s image, removing rights from even the smallest minority is a violation of that fundamental dignity.
Malachi 2:10
- “Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us?”
Shared creation undercuts any moral basis for disadvantaging a tiny minority.
What Did Jesus Model?
When we talk about justice, it’s easy to drift toward abstract debates, legal theory, or political ideology. But for Christians, the question is: What did Jesus teach about justice? And what does His teaching mean for how societies treat those with the least power — the smallest minority groups?
While Jesus didn’t lecture on modern law or political structures, His words and actions reveal a clear pattern: justice is always measured by how we treat the least, the small, the overlooked, and the powerless.
-
Jesus Tied Justice Directly to the “Least of These”
In one of His most sobering teachings, Jesus said:
“Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
In Jesus’ framework, justice is not defined by the experience of the majority. It is defined by how society treats those who are least seen, least powerful, and least protected.
The “least of these” were the smallest minorities in His world — the hungry, the sick, the stranger, the imprisoned. In identifying Himself with them, Jesus made an unmistakable moral claim: to harm the vulnerable is to harm Christ Himself.
So, when laws harm the smallest minority, the Church is not dealing with a political issue; it is dealing with Jesus Himself.
-
Jesus Confronted Systems That Crushed the Vulnerable
Jesus didn’t merely teach compassion; He confronted structures that produced injustice.
He condemned religious leaders who “tie up heavy burdens” (Matt. 23:4) on ordinary people while exempting themselves. He overturned tables in the temple because the economic system exploited the poor (Matt. 21:12–13). He rebuked those who used legal loopholes to deny care to their parents (Mark 7:9–13).
In each case, His concern was the same: powerful groups using rules to harm vulnerable ones.
Jesus repeatedly stood between unjust systems and the people harmed by them.
-
Jesus Elevated People Others Ignored
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently moved toward individuals and groups dismissed by the majority:
- children (Mark 10:13–16)
- the poor (Luke 6:20)
- women in male-dominated settings (John 4; Luke 7)
- Samaritans, a despised minority (Luke 10:25–37; John 4)
- people with disabilities (Mark 10:46–52; John 9)
- tax collectors and sinners (Luke 19:1–10)
In each situation, Jesus restored dignity, voice, and worth to those society pushed aside.
If Jesus consistently moved toward the smallest minorities, how could laws that take away their rights ever reflect His justice?
-
Jesus Taught That Justice Flows From Love of Neighbour
When Jesus summarized the law — love God and love your neighbour — He immediately expanded “neighbour” to include the one least like you (Luke 10:29–37). Justice cannot be selective. It cannot favour the many over the few. It cannot disappear when a group becomes too small to be politically useful.
Jesus’ Justice Protects the Smallest
If justice is measured by how we treat “the least of these,” then yes — it is unjust for any jurisdiction to pass laws that take away the rights of the tiniest minority group. Such actions violate the teaching, example, and heart of Jesus Himself.
A society shaped by Jesus’ vision protects the vulnerable, elevates the overlooked, and safeguards the dignity of even the smallest group — because that is the way of Christ.
Church Response
Every generation faces moments when moral clarity is tested — when laws are passed that diminish, restrict, or remove the rights of the smallest and most vulnerable groups. In these moments, the Church must ask not first, “What is politically strategic?” but instead, “What did Jesus teach us about justice?”
Jesus’ words and actions offer the Church a clear blueprint for responding when any jurisdiction harms its tiniest minority: stand with them, speak for them, and embody the justice of Christ.
- Jesus Confronted Unjust Systems — Not Just Unkind Individuals
Jesus’ ministry involved more than personal compassion; it included confronting structures that produced injustice.
He called out religious leaders who “devoured widows’ houses” (Mark 12:40).
He overturned temple tables because a system was exploiting poor worshippers (Matt. 21:12–13).
He rebuked those using religious loopholes to avoid caring for their parents (Mark 7:9–13).
Jesus never accepted injustice as “just the way things are.”
He named it, opposed it, and protected those harmed by it.
Therefore, the Church cannot remain silent when laws harm the smallest minority. Silence becomes complicity.
-
Jesus Gave Voice to the Voiceless
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently moves toward the people others ignored.
He restored dignity to those society had sidelined.
When the smallest minority loses rights, their voice becomes even quieter.
The Church must become that voice.
To advocate for the vulnerable is not “political activism.”
It is obedience to Jesus.
-
Jesus Called His Followers to Costly Compassion
The Good Samaritan story (Luke 10) is Jesus’ response to the question, “Who is my neighbour?” His answer: your neighbour is anyone in need — especially the one others avoid, the one you don’t have to care about.
The Samaritan crossed boundaries, took risks, and bore costs to protect someone wounded and discarded.
The Church must do the same:
cross lines, take risks, and bear costs to protect the smallest minority.
-
What Should the Church Do?
Following Jesus means:
- Speak clearly — name unjust laws as unjust.
2. Stand publicly — defend those harmed, even when unpopular.
3. Advocate persistently — use influence, relationships, and platforms to protect rights.
4. Care personally — provide presence, support, and practical help to the affected.
5. Pray faithfully — asking God to give courage, wisdom, and justice.
When a jurisdiction strips the rights of its tiniest minority, the Church must respond like Jesus:
standing with the least, speaking truth to power, and embodying justice rooted in love.
In those moments, the credibility of our witness is tested — and the heart of Christ is revealed.
What do you think? Are you involved in justice issues? Is your pastor or priest speaking about justice? Please join the conversation and post a comment below.
Hope grows here. We share stories that inspire people, build faith, and offer lasting purpose.
We’d love to have you Subscribe to REVwords. We’ll put helpful content into your inbox Mondays and Fridays.
Good Morning Pastor Bob. I loved the blog this morning. It is everything that I practice. “Practice what you preach. Walk the walk & talk the talk”. So, many people are hypocrites. I hear folks speak…& it is overwhelmingly intolerable. But, you cannot argue with them…& I don’t waste my time and energy on folks like that. “Birds of a feather, flock together”. All these quotes were written for a reason, right? It’s fine to have different opinions, but, I refuse to hang out with people that are hateful. I have no patience for it. It serves no purpose in “my world”.
Thank you for sharing this blog with us. Have a great week! ❤️ Keep on, keeping on.
Certainly Bob, this “essay” is a well thought out and scripturally targeted primer.
Are there particular laws, attitudes, overreach, or apathy either domestically or internationally that you may be alluding to?
Certainly Ukraine would be foremost I’m sure.
Injustice is prevalent worldwide it seems. As Canadians, or Albertans what do you have in mind?
Thank you for raising the banner!
Hi Wayne. I wrote the post to be applicable to international, provincial, and North American circumstances. Issues of immigration, identity, racism.
Thank you, Julie for joining the conversation. Yes, having an open mind is not being a pushover. It’s a way to be informed. Curiosity is so much healthier than being close-minded.
Thank you for this. Our provincial government has decided that freedom is not for everyone. It’s a dangerous step to take. They are making decisions which belong to sports organizations or in a doctor’s office. I know many who applaud the recent decisions but will they still agree when their freedom is taken away.
Your post has me wondering. What does the evangelical church in Alberta feel the most injustice is happening . 1. In Alberta and 2 in the world? The fact that I can not answer this question makes me ashamed of myself .
Retha, it’s an interesting time for the Church.It is estimated that 25% of Albertans are Evangelical Libertarians who support the present provincial government policies.
Rod, I can’t speak for the Evangelical Church in Alberta. A large majority of Albertan evangelicals are silent or supportive of actions against the smallest minority in the province. The Anglican Diocese of Edmonton has opposed Alberta’s recent use of the notwithstanding clause in a statement by Bishop Stephen London, expressing concerns that overriding the Charter’s protection of freedom of association could threaten religious and other fundamental freedoms.
I’ve known from day one that you both share my heart for the vulnerable. Many a time, I’ve commented only to have others misunderstand my heart for supporting people as being “soft on sin” rather than reading the actual words and acknowledging tone in which it was written – compassion for the marginalized.
All of us sin and, yet, we are made in God’s image. God made a way for us to experience His love in His presence – through Jesus- not just in heaven but here on earth through the Body of Christ.
While the phrase, “hate the sin, love the sinner” is a popular one among many inside the evangelical church, people do not live it out as it is intended. Put it this way: Hating the sin does not require our opinion of the sinner. Sin itself deserves hate because it is the reason we are separated from God. The type of sin to be hated is not relevant because God is no respecter of sin (i.e. there is no hierarchy).
Please, stick with me here. It will make sense.
The sinner sins, yes, but we don’t hate that they’ve sinned, we should feel compassion for their plight because believers are only spared their fate because Christ built a bridge between us and God. All we had to do is follow Him. Some haven’t acknowledged the bridge so they do not recognize all sin in the same way we have because they have not yet seen the righteousness of God. This all sounds so boastful but it is boastful in Jesus alone. I know, if I turned around to look in my own “backyard,” it would shame me. That’s why Christ asks us to move forward on the bridge with Him. Not to look back. He also has never asked us to look in to another’s backyards for our opinions on what He should do.
Let’s recognize the most devastating sin is not acted out in front of us but within us. By imparting unfair judgement and persecution of the lost, we abandon them to their sin.
So, hating the sin means to hate the sin of disgust, judgement and arrogance many Christians display towards those whose lifestyle does not reflect the Law. Those under the Law are condemned already. Those living in faith have been saved BY GRACE. Yet, if we have grace and extend judgment, aren’t we working directly opposed to Jesus?
His grace was extended to us without judgement, persecution or hatred. All of which would be perfectly justified from a God who is the epitome of righteousness.
How then do we justify our unwillingness to stand up for the “least of these” by our flawed standards for the hierarchy of sin?
If someone is living in obvious sin but is NOT a believer, can we, as followers of Jesus, measure them by God’s Law? No.
We are to demonstrate the light of Christ – not preach intolerance for the sinner. Yes, sin is not to be tolerated INSIDE the Church. Still? I’d caution against assuming we know the personal relationship each person has with God. Many “Christians” are either self professed only while many who present as sinners are already working through their salvation with the Spirit.
So, the church should definitely speak about sin as a fact – missing the mark of perfection (bullseye) – to indicate that all have sinned and fall short of God’s standards. Leave the list of sins out. Calling out individual sins, while publicly sharing the Gospel, is NOT Christlike. Well, to be clear, Jesus does call out a few sins publicly: the sin of hypocrisy, injustice for the marginalized and turning a blind eye to the least.
Even since Christ, sins were publicly acknowledged in letters to the church, which were not written to unbelievers, or to government officials – especially the Jewish religious leaders. Since Paul was writing to the church itself, the instructions within (on particular sins) were for those in the church – not to be universally applied to those outside the church as preemptive condemnation. Those who do not believe already, stand condemned. We are called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is focused on HIS sacrifice for ALL sin. He is the only path to God and through Him, we will experience resurrection and have eternal life.
I write all of that to continue with my intended point:
The vulnerable, marginalized, and poor of society should experience the love of Christ from believers in a measure that is far greater than we extend to those who exist in the powerful majority. In fact, and I’ll be blunt, the opposite is true: many self professed believers are standing alongside those who are persecuting the least.
“Loving” the neighbour who shares your beliefs, financial standing and privileged position in society is not difficult and barely feels like love – it is a camaraderie in both values and social standing. Sure, it is easy to “love” and support those most like us because it is a reflection of ourselves (i.e. humans are selfish and naturally gravitate toward those most like themselves in order to feel justified in their views or simply to belong and not have to stand apart or go against the flow).
True love requires us to love those whose lives are far from our own – those who demonstrate the greatest need for Christ.
Jesus makes it clearer than I in his own words. See Luke 14.
To love those who are least like us is the true measure of Christian love – those who are foreigners, widows, orphans, the fatherless, and disabled. In fact, I would add these to the list – those who feel they were born “incorrectly” and those who have been sexually, mentally, and physically abused. Then there are those experience homelessness, addiction, sexual deviancy, and many I have missed.
We are to protect, foster and support those who are most in need and demonstrate Christ’s love through grace. We cannot simply abandon them because of their sin. The hypocrisy of our arrogance is as blatant as an Elephant in the Room.
Christ described how easy it is to love those like us and to position ourselves above others.
See Luke 7
So does that mean we abandon our principles and accept sin as something to be brushed aside in sermons in order to bring as many to Christ as possible? No. We speak about sin (generically) and salvation (in detail) while the Holy Spirit convicts. No one comes to the Father by watering down the Gospel. Still? The focus is not to be on sin but on the grace and salvation Christ offers to have all sin forgiven. The Holy Spirit will not allow a believer to go unchanged once He has been welcomed inside. Trust that God knows His work and get out of the way, except to encourage and guide new believers to scripture.
Ok, this turned into a mini sermon rather than a reply.
My political reply (based on the values Christ has given me) is that we are to stand alongside the vulnerable and cry out against laws or actions that are meant to ostracize them further.
The poem written by Martin Niemöller is the best political response I could imagine. Niemoller wrote it after spending seven years in Nazi concentration camps for opposing the Nazi control over churches, and once he realized how much the Jewish had people endured at the hands of a destructive regime.
He writes:
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.
My political stance is a direct result of understanding Jesus’ response to those he considered most vulnerable. He didn’t see sin as a barrier, he saw it as a reason to reach out to those who society considered dirty and unacceptable.
Extremism – fascism, authoritarianism, communism – is not political. It is evil and destructive. I see Russia attempting to destroy Ukraine after making up reasons to do so, I see the US following suit by claiming anyone outside the Christian nationalist belief system is an opponent, and now I see my province becoming extreme towards our marginalized.
Sin is sin. God is Love. Christ is salvation. We are forgiven and must forgive. We have been given grace so we must be gracious. We have experienced mercy so we must be merciful.
Do not believe yourself Christlike if you will not stand next to someone when the world calls them a leper. Do not believe yourself Christlike if you would stone someone for infidelity without admitting your own sin.
Do not believe yourself Christlike when you avoid admitting that you stood beside a transsexual, a lesbian, a drug addict, a disabled war veteran, an indigenous ko’kum, a homeless man and a vilified teacher – all at once in a rally – to ensure human rights remain available to all of us.
Christ does not require us to rally but he does require us to serve the least by listening to them, interacting with them and sharing our testimony in Christ.
Make no mistake, I am not marginalized, I do not foresee me losing my rights nor am I in any sort of immediate danger, so why do I join the fight? Because I am clear about where my God stands on protecting and speaking up for those who are threatened and cannot defend themselves. The human rights of all must be valued or none are truly valued.
In Christ, it is even clearer:
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28 NIV
So who am I to say one set of rights should be valued more greatly than another? No one. And if I want the diversity and beauty of my family to reflect what Christ foresaw in his vision of heaven, then I will stand beside and witness to everyone at that rally. I hope they all join me in heaven because they rocked!
My apologies if I am stirring trouble, PB & J. I had to write this. My heart is on fire for those who are least and I cannot silently watch while governments destroy lives due to petty differences they deem unacceptable – differences in sexuality, gender, politics, religious beliefs, and so on – because I know nothing is too great for our God. Christ came for those who believe God hates them, believe they are not worthy of His time, and believe others are more spiritual than them. Those are the ones He saw. Those are the ones I have learned to love.
None more than Randy. A homeless man I met three days ago who told me the horrors he experienced as a child which led to addiction, then to the streets and to a position of vulnerability in which he has been denied AISH or other supports. He is reapplying this week and I pray he has resolved their concerns and they have their hearts softened to approve his application.
My heart is still weeping after hearing him say to me, “I can tell you’re an emotional soul who cares about others deeply.” To which I felt so stunned that I forgot to pray for him before I left, So I prayed and wept on my way home (of course) and resolved that Randy and others, who are easily ignored in the pursuit for our “God-given” rights, deserve those rights far more than I do. Now that I think about it, Jesus actually stronger about it than I do, so He died for them. How loving is our God??
There are many grammatical errors in my reply but this one is the only one that is of importance
**Jesus actually felt stronger than I do, so He died for them.
It’s clear Calay that you care about this issue.
And no, you are not “causing trouble for us.” We can find our own way into trouble. 🙂
What a wonderful conversation with Randy. When encounters like yours happen, we see beyond the surface of a person and understand their pain. I think that most people who have lived without abuse or hardship would struggle immensely if they were thrust into situations that other people face. I know I would.
Let your voice be heard, Calay. Silence is assumed compliance or agreement.