1

2 CHRISTIAN AFFIRMATION OF THE

3 FRAMEWORK MANIFESTO:
4 MOVEMENT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
5 AND NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
6

8 Who We ArePURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT

9 The purpose of this document is to provide a Christian affirmation of the

10 Framework Manifesto to the Movement for Social Justice and National
11 Transformation. Any movement for social justice and national transformation
12 must be based on biblical principles.

13 We are a faith-based movement bearing witness to the Lordship of Christ over

14 this nation by working for justice and righteousness in governance and in all
15 institutions of our society.1

16 Formatted: Justified, Space Before: 12 pt

17

18 What We Stand For

19 CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE Formatted: Right: 2"
20 and NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
21

22

23 God owns the earth and the fullness thereof 2. There is no area of life
24 which is not subject to him. There is no divide between the secular and the
25 sacred. While we affirm that the church and the state are separate as
26 institutions, Christ rules over all.
27 Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords3. He is Lord of all life,
28 the Government will be on His shoulders4. And so we seek to see his rule
29 manifested in the life of his church and of the nation as a whole. Jesus is King,
30 not just over the church, but over nations and peoples5.
31 We are made in the image of God and in His Likeness6. The image
32 of God in us yearns for His character to be fully formed in us. For this reason
33 we commit ourselves as people of the Kingdom to advancing the rule of God
34 in both our personal and national life.
35 God requires justice, not sacrifice. “What does the Lord require of
36 you,” says the prophet Micah, but to do justice, to love kindness, and walk
37 humbly with your God?”7 Similarly, in Isaiah, God says: “Bring no more vain
38 offerings…Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates…even
39 though you make many prayers I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.8”
40 There is a great deal of religiosity in this country. We have a reputation
41 of being ‘the only Christian nation in Asia.’ But after five centuries, our
42 institutions are rife with corruption and our people have yet to be truly ruled
43 by God’s law. As in ancient Israel, the poor cry out, but there is no justice.
44 Power is on the side of the oppressor9.
45 In response to the injustice and inequality in our society, we pledge to
46 follow justice and justice alone, and commit ourselves to becoming a voice
47 to the voiceless, upholding the cause of the poor wherever their rights are
48 trampled10.
49

50 The rule of law is God’s design for his people. Even before Israel
51 acquired a territory and established a monarchy, the Law was given as a
52 code for them to follow.
53 At Mount Sinai, God called them out to live differently from the
54 surrounding nations. The Law was to distinguish them as God’s people, long
55 before they settled into the promised land and established structures of
56 leadership and governance. Israel was to be ruled, not by any one man, but
57 by the Law. The idea of the rule of law is more ancient than the liberal
58 tradition.
59 Through time, the Law was amplified in such a way that the technical
60 details of the law became more important than the substance of the law.
61 Jesus said to the lawyers and the legalists of his day: “you tithe mint and dill
62 and cummin,” things not even prescribed in the Law, and yet “have neglected
63 the weightier matters of the law, -- justice and mercy and faith.11”
64 In our time and democratic context, the Constitution serves as our
65 legal code and thus, the ruling authority under which every person must be
66 subject (Romans 13:1). However, its spirit is in danger of being circumvented
67 by legal technicalities that whittle down its very substance. We therefore
68 resist and fight the insidious erosion of the rule of law in the conduct of our
69 courts and other institutions.
 70 As the Body of Christ on earth, the Church is called to be “a holy
71 nation, a royal priesthood.” The churches in all the nations are to first of
72 all embody the holiness without which no one shall see the Lord. 12
73 We are bearers of the office of Christ as prophet, priest and king. As
74 prophets we are to speak the Word and hold accountable those in power. As
75 priests we pray and bring the need of the world to God and mediate his grace
76 and power to the world. As kings we do not lord it over but instead humbly
77 serve and manage creation as mere stewards.
78 As God’s people in this land, we work and pray for a church that is pure
79 and compassionate in her lifestyle and witness, conscious of the poor who
80 are ever before us. We shall work and find ways of redressing unjust
81 imbalances in the social order and empower our people towards their own
82 flourishing.
83

84

85 What We are Called to Do

86 For such a time as this, we call on our fellow believers and this
87 nation to:
88

89 Recognition of God
90 The beginning of all righteous activity under heaven is the recognition
91 that God is God13. Our failure to duly recognize that in all things God is
92 Sovereign and Supreme has led us to a kind of religiosity that does not honor
93 God for the Holy and Jealous God that He is14.

94 Our first and foremost call, therefore, must be a return to our first love,
95 to love the LORD, our God, with all our heart, soul, mind and strength 15. To
96 walk humbly before God requires our whole person to be fully yielded unto
97 Him in love.
98 Loving God inevitably brings us to recognize His righteous
99 requirements and convicts us of sin, individually and collectively.
100 In our Constitution, our nation has declared our need of God.
101 Collectively, we have implored the aid of Almighty God in building a just and
102 humane society.
103
104 Repentance & Healing
105 Israel was sent into exile for sins that can be summarized into two
106 things: idolatry and injustice. They were vomited out of the land for
107 worshiping other gods and oppressing their own people.
108 Hear the Word to us: “If my people, who are called by My Name, will
109 humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked
110 ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins, and will heal their
111 land.16”
112 God longs to bless and heal our nation. But His Justice requires our
113 repentance, our turning from wicked ways17. Only when we truly seek His
114 face, humbling ourselves before Him, in prayer and in repentance, will He
115 hear and forgive.
116

117 Reconciliation
118 True repentance brings healing and reconciliation. God forgives. He
119 restores; He desires our unity with His Son, and with each other18. He calls
120 us to love our neighbour as ourselves; to love them as Jesus loves us19.
121 The love of Christ compels us to be reconciled to God and to others.
122 We are His ambassadors, ministers of reconciliation – even to those who are
123 the least in the eyes of the world, for they also are made in the image of
124 God. Each life is priceless. For them also He died 20.
125

126 Renewal
127 Reconciliation with God renews us. We are new creations. We are no
128 longer of the world, even as we remain in the world. We are to cease
129 conforming to the pattern of this world, but are to be transformed by the
130 renewing of our minds.21
131 The renewing of our minds brings understanding of God’s will and His
132 Truth. As citizens of the Kingdom of Light, kingdom values and character
133 will need to increasingly become our lifestyle and culture, in ourselves, our
134 families, communities, churches, and nation. Renewal brings forth the fruit
135 of the Spirit22.
136 As a nation, kingdom values are contained in our Constitution. They
137 must be lived, not only written. There is need to continue building Kingdom
138 character and values in our people, now and the next generations.
139

140 Reformation
141 God through Moses had revealed his will for Israel.
142 In the same way, for decades now, this country has been experiencing
143 a kind of church renewal similar to the Reformation in Europe in the 16th
144 century, when the Bible was opened and made accessible to masses of
145 people.
146 However, unlike such revivals in history, we have yet to obey God’s
147 commands and follow in his ways so that society is renewed.
148 In Deuteronomy 28, Moses pronounced the famous blessing and curse
149 upon Israel, premised on whether they will live according to God’s ways:
150 “And if you obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all
151 his commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will
152 set you high above all the nations of the earth…Blessed shall you be in the
153 city, and blessed shall you be in the field….But if you will not obey the voice
154 of the Lord your God….then all these curses shall come upon you and
155 overtake you. Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the
156 field….”
157 It is God who transforms the heart. It is God who brings about the
158 renewal of things and reformation of our nation. Through prayer and
159 intercession, we declare our dependence on God who will do it for us.
160 But God also demands obedience. He demands action that
161 demonstrates our faith in what He says He will do. He calls us to be agents
162 of good.23 He also calls us to speak for those who cannot, to defend the poor
163 and the needy24. He warns against calling evil good and good evil. 25 He
164 seeks for one who would stand in the gap on behalf of a land who does evil.26
165 Reformation requires standing in the gap.
166

167 Resistance
168 When times are evil, God looks for those who would stand that He
169 might not have to destroy the land. Unrighteousness, injustice, lying invites
170 the judgement of God.
171 We live in a time of political and moral ambiguities. There is bloodshed
172 in the land, extortion, destruction of order, pride, false testimonies,
173 lawlessness.
174 As in the time of Isaiah, “Justice is turned back, and righteousness
175 stands afar off; for truth has fallen in the public squares…” (Isaiah 59.14)
176 There is need to discern, not just true and fake news, but where evil
177 comes up softly and seduces us into moral stupor and acquiescence.
178 More than ever, the people of the Kingdom need to deepen in the Word
179 and wield the Sword of the Spirit,
180 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers,
181 against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the
182 spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor
183 of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your
184 ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.27”
185 We must contend. We must resist efforts to undermine structures and
186 agents of good. We must shine our light, we must do the work prepared in
187 advance for us to do.
188 God’s people must stand, in righteousness, for justice and truth.
189
190

191 Rejoicing
192 In all things, we give thanks, for this is God’s will for us in Christ Jesus.
193 We rejoice always, praying and interceding without ceasing. 28
194 Let us rejoice in the Lord always, letting our gentleness to be evident
195 to all. As the LORD is near, we do not need to be anxious about anything.
196 Instead, in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we
197 present our requests to God. And God promises His peace, which transcends
198 all understanding, to guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. 29
199

200 May God find us standing in the gap, rebuilding the wall
201 of justice and righteousness in our nation.
202 (Scripture references are from NIV, unless otherwise indicated)

1
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
2
Psalm 24:1:
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;”
3 Revelation 17:14 ‘
They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of
lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
4
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
5
Hebrews 2:5-9
It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there
is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of
man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with
glory and honor and put everything under their feet.” In putting everything under them, God left
nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. But
we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and
honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Also, Revelations 12:5
She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”[a] And her
child was snatched up to God and to his throne.

6
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the
fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the
creatures that move along the ground.”
Also, Romans 8:29
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might
be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

7
Micah 6:8
8
Isaiah 1:12-15
9
Job 19:7
“Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.
Also, Ecclesiastes 4:1 (NASB)
Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold
I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their
oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them.

10
Deuteronomy 16:20 (NASB)
Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the LORD
your God is giving you.
Also, Proverbs 31:8-9:
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak
up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
11
Matthew 23:23
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—
mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy
and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”
12
1Peter 2:9-10 (NIV)
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you
may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you
were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now
you have received mercy.
Also, Hebrews 12:14
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the
Lord.
13
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning, God...”; also John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word... the Word
was God.”
14
Deuteronomy 5:6, 9-10
“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery… You shall not
bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the
children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but
showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
15 Matthew 22:35-40
One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest
commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all
your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is
like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments.”
Also: Mark 12:30-31: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is
no commandment greater than these.” Also, Luke 10:27, Deut 6:5, Lev 19:18

16
2 Chronicles 7:14
17 As for example, the things that the Lord abhors as in Proverbs 6:16-19:
There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush
into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
18 John 17:20-25
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,
that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us
so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave
me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought
to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you
have loved me.

19
John 13:34
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one
another.
Also, John 15:12-16
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than
this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no
longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have
called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You
did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit
that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my
command: Love each other. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
20
2 Corinthians 5:14-15
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all
died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who
died for them and was raised again.
So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ
in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:
The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through
Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in
Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of
reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no
sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
21 Romans 12:2
 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
22
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
23
Micah 6:8; Also, 1 Thessalonians 5:15-22
15See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good
for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give
thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise
prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
abstain from every form of evil.
24
For example: Proverbs 31:8-9
Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak
up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.
25
Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.
26
Ezekiel 22
2
“Son of man, will you judge her? Will you judge this city of bloodshed? ... ‘This is what the
Sovereign LORD says: You city that brings on herself doom by shedding blood in her midst and
defiles herself by making idols, 4you have become guilty because of the blood you have shed and
have become defiled by the idols you have made. ... Therefore I will make you an object of scorn
to the nations and a laughingstock to all the countries. ...
7
In you they have treated father and mother with contempt; in you they have oppressed the
foreigner and mistreated the fatherless and the widow... 12 In you are people who accept bribes
to shed blood; you take interest and make a profit from the poor. You extort unjust gain from
your neighbors. And you have forgotten me, declares the Sovereign LORD....
25There is a conspiracy of her princes within her like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they devour
people... 27Her officials within her are like wolves tearing their prey; they shed blood and kill
people to make unjust gain. 28Her prophets whitewash these deeds for them by false visions and
lying divinations. They say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says’—when the LORD has not
spoken. 29The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor
and needy and mistreat the foreigner, denying them justice.
30“I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap
on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. 31So I will pour out my
wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they
have done, declares the Sovereign LORD.”
27 Ephesians 6:12-13
28
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
29
Philippians 4:4-7