It’s Not Optional to Care About the Poor and Oppressed

In the first session of the 2018 Theology Conference, Dr. Jarvis Williams, associate professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, explored the stains that racism has left on the American church.

Preaching from Romans 3, Dr. Williams’s lecture, “Biblical and Theological Foundations and a Gospel Frame for Understanding Compassion and Justice: The Cross and Racial Reconciliation,” unpacked the gospel imperative for the poor and oppressed in the kingdom of God.

“Justification by faith and sanctification are different, but they’re both soteriological realities. The God who justifies is the God who gives you the Spirit and empowers you to live in reconciled harmony. In other words, it’s not optional for you to care about justice. It’s not optional for you to care about the poor and the oppressed. It is a gospel imperative.” — Dr. Jarvis Williams

Listen to the full lecture in the EFCA Theology Podcast episode, and stay tuned for additional podcasts from the conference.