John MacArthur on the issue of sin, history and taking responsibility

In his second sermon in a series on the issue of "social justice," John MacArthur made a very salient point concerning historical injustices, grievances and the need for personal responsibility, in that God is the God of history. The more we call people to nurture grievances due to inequality, which has been ordained by God, the more the person will run away from God. For God then becomes the perpetrator of injustice. MacArthur pointed out that life is unfair, and there is in a certain sense in which historical sins have consequences for the present (c.f. Ex. 20:5), YET "no one is a random victim of historical sins." Whatever social, racial inequality a person is born into, that is under the sovereignty of God. But regardless of what inequality may exist, all are sinners and are responsible to God for how they live their lives. Inequality does not vitiate personal responsibility. Life is unfair, but whatever God has given, we are to take personal responsibility for our actions and not play the blame game, for like Adam and Eve, "sinners will fight to the death to blame someone else" for their predicament.

Ultimately therefore, the problem with the issue of "social justice" when it runs in the church is a refusal to submit to God's sovereign working in history. By passing the buck, SJWs can stop taking responsibility for the ills they face, and blame anyone but themselves, and refuse to accept that life is unfair. The antidote is however unpleasant, for then we have to face up to the brokenness and sin in ourselves, and realize we are not as good as we think we are.