5 Verses to Help You Face Injustice: Bible Study

We all deal with injustice and mistreatment at some time in our lives. These 5 truths can help.

Before doing this Bible study, read the 1-minute introduction Mistreated or Misunderstood?  It offers 5 important things to remember when we're dealing
 with anger, fear, resentment, or sorrow.

1. Remember that Jesus is our example. 
Nothing we experience can compare to what Jesus did for us. He humbled Himself, he didn't demand the glory and honor He deserved, and He died a criminal's death to save us.

Philippians 2:5-8: In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Reading the passage above can be an encouragement when we are in the midst of a difficulty, especially a relationship difficulty. Remembering Christ's humility should help us maintain our own humility. 


2. Remember that Jesus fully understands our pain. 
He's been in our shoes and knows how we feel. He can fully sympathize and fully comfort us. 

Hebrews 2:14-18Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

We can take our concerns, sorrows, anger, bitterness, and resentments to the Lord. He never sinned in the ways we sin, but He understands the challenges we face.


3. Move in the opposite spirit. 
It's extremely difficult to return good for evil, but it will mature our faith in a powerful way. 

Romans 12:21: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

I have successfully done this at times and it hasn't always changed the other person, but it's changed me, helping me forgive. 

See Didn't Want to Do It, But Did It Anyway

4. Transform your thinking
.

Dwelling on God's Word keeps us from dwelling on our hurt, pain, and injustice. Reading God's Word, having regular Christian fellowship and taking our concerns to God in prayer help us stay grounded during times of injustice.

Colossians 3:15-16Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 

I desperately need to focus on specific Scripture passages when I'm dealing with difficulties. God's Word has power to change our hearts and lives.


5. Believe God will use your sorrow for good. 
At the very least God can use our difficulties to help us mature in our faith, but He often does far more than we can imagine.

Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Sometimes I am absolutely amazed how God can and does use bad in my life for good.


I encourage you to check out the Wisdom for Life Devotional. It contains 100 one-minute devotions to challenge, encourage, instruct, and inspire your love for God's Word. Read the story behind Wisdom for Life HERE. And find out about the 
two free Bible studies with purchase HERE.
 

copyright, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com, updated in 2023

We all deal with injustice and mistreatment at some time in our lives. These 5 truths can help.



A Woman Who Said "Goodbye" to Her Christian Faith

This true story gives us insights into the reasons people walk away from their faith.

Before doing this study, I encourage you to read the one-minute Bible Love Note titled Can We Bear Watching a Loved One Reject the Lord? It is a fitting intro to this true story and Bible study. This situation did not involve one of my closest loved ones, but it still deeply troubled me. And I believe it offers some helpful insights. 

Note: Because this woman has cut off contact with me I doubt very much that she would read this study. But I have not used her real name nor have I added specifics which could identify her. 

Sold Out to God

“Susan” was a new Christian and a Bible Love Notes reader who got in touch with me several years ago. Because I was visiting her city, she arranged to meet me. Boy, was I impressed. 

She'd been living with her boyfriend and her family and friends fully accepted and approved of this. But when she became a Christian, she was convicted that sex before marriage wasn't pleasing to the Lord, so she moved to her own apartment. Furthermore, she wasn't comfortable in her previous relationship because her boyfriend didn't share her faith, and she knew that was biblically important. 
 
She was serious about living according to God's Word and she understood that His commands are loving.

No matter how long I’ve been a Christian, a new believer is always a delight for me. They remind me of the life-change Christ brought into my life... the joy, the commitment, and the comfort. 

Susan had lots of questions for me. She wanted to honor God and she was willing to sacrifice things in order to do it. We friended on Facebook and kept in touch. 

It was such a blessing to see her constantly “transforming” through the power of God’s Spirit, and I enjoyed meeting with her on my annual visits to her city. But the third year I visited, something about her was different. 

Halfhearted Devotion

When we met, she told me that she’d decided her former boyfriend was a Christian, so they were seeing each other again and probably would marry. I told her that they must be very careful not to get sexually involved again until they were married, and she seemed to agree.
 
She also told me that she was no longer attending her Bible study and prayer group at the college she attended because she felt they were too legalistic. I told her that it was important to have fellowship with Bible-believing Christians and I encouraged her to find a group where she was comfortable.

As you can imagine, things didn't feel the same, and my prayers for her changed direction. I was no longer dealing with a sold-out Christian. And I noticed that she was initiating contact with me less and less. 

The following year when we met, she brought her boyfriend, a nice young man, but the only mention of God in our conversations was on my part. 

Back to Her Former Life

The following year when my husband and I met with her and her boyfriend again, she told me they were living together, and they saw no problem with that since they were going to be married. She knew what the Bible taught, and on her own she'd been convicted that it was wrong, but she was becoming braver in her rejection of God's principles.

I gave her boyfriend a copy of Mere Christianity, and my prayers for her changed even more. She certainly didn’t resemble the woman whose faith inspired me a few years earlier.

After that meeting, I was the only one who initiated contact. Then Covid hit and my husband and I were unable to return to her city for several years.

Sold Out to Satan

One day when I messaged her on Facebook, I realized she’d unfriended me. It was apparent why. Her page was filled with pro-LGBTQ and pro-abortion information, and she still wasn’t married. 

I don't want to get into a Calvinist - Non-Calvinist debate. The Calvinist would say Susan was never saved. The non-Calvinist would say she lost her salvation. Either way, she was no longer serving the Lord, and she was fully aware that she was rejecting Him. That is the only reason she would cut me off. We hadn't had an argument or exchanged an unkind word.

We’d love it if all of our stories had happy endings, but as sin increases in our world, we're also going to see some of these sad stories. 

When we genuinely understand the love and redemption of Christ, we can’t imagine someone rejecting the gospel. 

So let’s look at what things contribute to people walking away from their faith:

1. They never were genuinely committed in the first place. 

This didn't appear to be true of Susan. Her new faith was pro-active and sacrificial and she stuck with it for several years. I believe she fully understood the gospel.
 
But some people only appear to become Christians. Their faith is all about words.

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." 1 Corinthians 4:20

2. They ignore the warnings. 
 
Susan moved away from God one step at a time. At any point she could have caught herself and gotten back on the narrow path.
 
Please read James 1.  It talks about the testing of our faith and clearly explains that people who know God's Word can still reject it. That's why this command is so important: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (verse 22).

3. Temptation wins.

This is the most obvious reason some people choose the wide highway instead of the narrow path. The decide something sinful is more important than their faith. And very often the sin which wins is a sexual one.

Please read 1 Corinthians 10. It's a chapter which tells us how blessed God's people were in Old Testament times, seeing so many miracles and experiencing deliverance from their enemies. But they turned away from God. Their stories are meant to help us "as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did" (verse 6). Their temptations included idolatry, sexual immorality, grumbling against God, and testing God. 

"So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (verses 12-13).

copyright 2024, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com

This true story gives us insights into the reasons people walk away from their faith.


This true story gives us insights into the reasons people walk away from their faith.

Why Psychology and Theology Don't Mix

This short Bible study distinguishes between worldly and biblical philosophies and warns us to discern the difference.

Before doing this study, please read Psychology, Boundaries, Marijuana, or Scripture?  It explains that in many areas, Christians have incorporated atheistic psychology into Bible teachings thus polluting and compromising true biblical principles. 

It offers examples of the way psychology has changed with culture, calling things healthy which they previously called unhealthy. It also offers examples such as the popular Boundaries teachings which add a few biblical principles to atheistic psychology and present their teachings as Christian when they are not.  

So let's look at some passages that warn us against such things:

1. Preparing our minds.

We'll never be able to identify these half-truth teachings unless we prepare our minds and hearts in God's Word, refusing to conform to culture.

1 Peter 1:13-16: “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

2. Remaining faithful to Scriptural principles.

We must choose truth even when it means personal sacrifice and repentance.

Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”  

3. Guarding our hearts and minds.

We should avoid any teacher who incorporates worldly principles into his/her teachings.

1 Timothy 6:20-21: “Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all.”

4. Understanding the source of false philosophies.

Any human philosophy which leads people away from biblical principles is Satanic propaganda.

1 John 5:19: “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”

2 Corinthians 4:4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 11:3: “I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

5. Accept our Christian responsibility.

We are called to identify and refute false teachings.

2 Corinthians 10:5: “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 

Additional Explanations of False Psychological Teachings

Please take time to look at the following list and familiarize yourself with false teachings which seek to combine psychology and Bible verses.

This article explains the basic premises of the boundaries teaching as highlighted in the first and last chapters of the book.
 
Overview and introduction: How Cloud judges traditional Christian answers, psychological answers, and his answers.

This article examines the three Scripture passages most often used by Boundaries books and online articles to explain the foundation of their teaching.

This article explains the benefit of using "guidelines" instead of boundaries. Boundaries promote protection from difficulties; guidelines promote reconciliation.

This review of Chapter 15 in the Boundaries book examines the Boundaries' claims about what they call "guilt messages."


If you follow popular teachings of the day, you can protect yourself from difficult relationships and prevent your own maturity.
 
The Boundaries teachings goes far beyond the books of Cloud and Townsend. This devotion offers another popular example.

Some Sobering Thoughts about Parenting

Our culture is strongly influenced by Philosophies that are destroying the family and causing disrespect for Parents.

Beware of Boundaries Spin-offs: Comparing Psychology to Scripture

Cloud and Townsend didn't invent the Boundaries beliefs, and they aren't the only Christians promoting it. 

Reviews of some of the articles from the Boundaries website:  

Hope or Sin: Are "Boundaries" feeding selfish hearts or strengthening hearts for the Lord?
 
 
Beware of teachings which blame-shift problems onto parents. It's popular but leads to big losses all around.


This devotion uses a teaching in the Boundaries book to explains two methods of false teachings. 
 
A review of the Boundaries article "Unsafe People Exist at Church Too." Is it fair? Is it Biblical?
 
It's hard to believe this is a "Christian" ministry making this recommendation. 
 
Christians understand that we are fallen human beings who need grace. So why do we choose "Boundaries" instead? 
 
This article reviews the Boundaries article "Wise, Foolish, or Evil" comparing it's teachings with Scripture.
 
John Townsend believes husbands are supposed to submit to wives just as wives are supposed to submit to husbands and all submission problems are the husband's fault. This article compares those views with Scripture and with the experiences of a wife married 50 years.

A pastor outlines the major errors in the Boundaries philosophy.
 
Other Pertinent Devotions:

It's becoming popular to call people "toxic" when they are simply annoying. This is one example of misusing language to disobey God's commands.  

Actions speak louder than words. And our attitude toward others reflects our belief or denial of Scripture. God calls us to deal graciously and persevere in difficult relationships. 

It's becoming increasingly popular to avoid difficult people. This 1-minute devotion explains why that can cause us to miss a big blessing! 

Narcissism is defined by a lack of empathy and a demand for favor. It used to be a rare clinical problem, but many people have taken on narcissistic personality traits making relationships difficult. 

Christians have the power to mend relationships by applying these 3 Biblical principles. A lack of these is a sign of weak faith 

Many boundaries are erected when one person corrects another, especially when parents correct an adult child. These type of boundaries are based on pride, not wisdom. If we can't take correct, how small is our faith!  This 1-minute devotion explains. 

It's very popular to set up "boundaries" in our relationships, but we gain so much more when we build bridges. This 1-minute devotion explains. 

Many Christians are erecting boundaries instead of obeying this command and they're losing great blessings in the process. 

It can be hard to deal biblically with annoying parents, but this devotions explains how to do so biblically. 

Many families are dealing with estrangement. These 4 biblical principles can help us restore family relationships. 

Jesus made a strong warning against those who find excuses not to honor their parents...Blessing or curse....the decision is ours. 

This 1-minute devotion offers 3 reasons people don't get along and 3 biblical solutions  

A helpful look at handling an important relationship which is often neglected or rejected by wives who don’t understand how important it is for the well-being of their marriage. 
 
The word "boundaries" has taken on a whole new meaning in relationships, and Christians are setting ungodly boundaries at the encouragement of poor counselors.  
 
Exaggeration is always deceptive, and it does great harm when we use it to avoid reconciliation and forgiveness.
 
There are some popular self-righteous excuses for avoiding calm, mutual discussion in troubled relationships. This 1-minute devotion gives the Biblical view of such problems. 

Family relationships can be messy at times, but genuine Christians will refuse to make any of these 6 damaging choices.

He told me he was "praying for revelation" but he was missing the enormous revelation at his fingertips. This 1-minute devotion explains.

It's a popular cultural idea, but it's not biblical to "Trust Your Heart." However, many of the Boundaries articles encourage us to do that very thing. This 1-minute devotion explains why trusting our hearts is an unbiblical idea.
 
The story of Joseph is especially pertinent to our discussion of the Boundaries teachings. It was Joseph's brothers who tried to set up boundaries, not Joseph. Of course, they were violent and ungodly, but that's one of the major flaws in the Boundaries teachings: it's often the immature or vengeful family member who sets up the boundaries, and it prevents them from growing up. Christians may be able to avoid their Genesis 50:19-20 situations but they won't be better people because of it.

Most adult children are “speck-finders” when it comes to their parents, but the blessings belong to “log-removers.” This 1-minute devotion explains.

See also: Unbiblical Boundaries of Self-Protection by Debbie Dewart

Copyright, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com, 2024


This short Bible study distinguishes between worldly and biblical philosophies and warns us to discern the difference.