In Acts 2:42–47, we get a picture of the day-to-day life of the early church, what their community was like, and how they used their resources. The early church found a way to live out justice in their daily lives. This passage describes very clearly that the early church was economically just since resources were used for the good of those who most needed them instead of out of greediness or hoarding.
Elsewhere in Acts and in Paul’s letters, we learn that the church was widely known for breaking social boundaries. Slaves and freemen, widows, Jews and Gentiles, men and women would all eat and commune together. God’s justice proclaims that every member of the community is considered equal in his sight.
We learn from Acts 2 that the early church was continually “praising God.” Where do you think they got the strength to trust and to surrender all of their earthly goods and security to others? Knowing that they could trust God for everything they needed gave the church members the strength to live such a radical and courageous life of trusting in God and in one another.
Nikki A. Toyama-Szeto is senior director of biblical justice integration and mobilization at International Justice Mission (IJM). She previously served as program director for InterVarsity’s Urbana Student Missions Conference. Abraham George is director of international church mobilization at IJM. Before joining IJM, Abraham was a pastor and a theology lecturer in India. They are the coauthors of God of Justice. Taken from God of Justice by Abraham George and Nikki A. Toyama-Szeto. Copyright © 2015 International Justice Mission. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press, P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA. www.ivpress.com.
