Interview with Jon Noyes (Part 1)
Gen Z is oriented toward social justice. As part of our Know About Jesus series, Jon Noyes from Stand to Reason joins us to discuss what Jesus said about justice. In Part 1 of a two-part interview, Jon, a former atheist, explains differences between the cultural and biblical definitions of justice. He also shares how he went from thinking “Christians were stupid” to now defending the Christian faith.
From Atheist to Christian
When Jon discovered his girlfriend was a Christian, it almost broke their relationship. Ultimately, however, she led him to Christianity—and she’s now his wife. “I thought Christians were stupid, to be honest,” he told Know Why. But then, “I started bumping into reality, and my naturalism couldn’t explain the way the world really was.”
Defining Justice
In order to effectively discuss matters of justice, it’s critical to have a coherent definition. Jon pointed out that today’s culture often views justice through the lens of equity rather than equality. While that seems good, it can inadvertently lead to more injustice.
Acting justly requires asking an important question: “By what standard are we saying something is just or unjust?” If we define right and wrong against what’s accepted in the culture, that’s dangerous, because cultural standards change rapidly.
Listen to the full episode to hear Jon’s take on why the biblical definition of justice is the correct definition—and check back next week for Part 2.