Apologetic for Biblical Justice | Against Critical Theory | Ephesians 4:1-1

Critical Theory in various forms has made its way into the dominant thought of western culture and sadly into much of the “evangelical church.” We live in a season in which “social justice” is esteemed over biblical justice and in which man’s feelings are valued over God’s commands. At the root of all of this is man’s rebellion against God (Romans 1:18ff).

Specifically, the atheistic theories of Marxism reformulated into social (rather than economic) terms have infused themselves into the culture. This system of thought propagated by Antonio Gramsci and the Frankfurt school seeks to overthrow the “hegemony” of Christendom. Its tool for destruction is Critical Theory which exists for the expressed purpose of causing division. It sees all relationships through the lens of oppressor/oppressed and attacks “systems” of injustice rather than individual sin. It denies objective truth and implements deconstruction (a la Jaques Derrida) as a means of denying that which is plainly true. It denies the Law of God and esteems the feelings of the “oppressed” as the authority on morality.

Critical Theory’s implementation of “intersectionality” sees the least respected as the most oppressed and most worthy of moral authority. Have you wondered why transgendered drag queens are celebrated as they expose themselves to children? Critical Theory is why. Have you wondered why Black Lives Matter lifts up criminals as martyrs while largely ignoring non-criminal victims? Critical Theory is why. Have you ever wondered why feminists have begun to acknowledge that infants in the womb are human lives that they feel “empowered” to kill? Critical theory is why. The cultural Marxists esteem even the worst of society as heroes in an attempt to “overthrow the hegemony.”

Sadly, many evangelicals have excepted Critical Theory and intersectionality as “useful tools” (see the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention’s Resolution 9). Many more have unwittingly adopted the principles of “social justice” without considering the fact that Scripture speaks to issues of racism and abuse with perfect sufficiency. The result is that Critical Theory in churches is doing exactly what it was designed to do: divide and destroy.

This sermon addresses the roots of “Social Justice” and counters it with biblical principles of Justice, ultimately leading to Ephesians 4 and the need to be built up in the faith, mature, and impervious to “every wind of doctrine.”