A True Liberation
By
Pastor Joe Browne
Faith in Christ Ministries
Suffering and isolation raises serious questions about how traditions were and are still used to justify oppression. There are outcast and disenfranchised members of society who still have a sense of awareness that there is something more beyond their present circumstances and refuse to believe that their current state is indicative of what the future should be. They have faith and willingness to move from an oppressive condition. This characterizes true liberation.
Salvation is the transformation of an individual into a state of wholeness and completion in the fullness of Christ. Transformation is a never-ending process, which leads to growth and healing on a personal and social level. To this end, the FAITH IN CHRIST MINISTRIES is committed for it reflects true liberation, spiritual and physical and it is constantly evolving.
The theological spiral calls all people as a community of faith to partner in the struggle for liberation through action or reflection. Though this partnership requires various degrees and stages of participation, we are all useful members and parts of the process.
I Corinthians 12: 12 states, “Although the body has many members, all are members of one body, as we are with Christ.”
As the African saying, it takes a whole village to raise a child, similarly, it takes willing, helping hands desiring to be do the will and work of the Jesus Christ in the struggle for liberation. Our commitment and dedication to the struggle, no matter how small, enables each of us to experience a greater degree of fulfillment.
The goal of salvation is freedom from bondage:
Isa. 61:1‑4 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and freedom to prisoners; To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn, To grant those who mourn {in} Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
As a servant of Christ, I am learning that it is important to share the gift of salvation with others. To some, this may lead to national and global prominence or it may cause some to sacrifice their lives as we know it to live in the trenches on a grassroots level to help Third World or oppressed people or communities. For me, it is exploring the pain and suffering of others and find meaningful ways to comfort the faint hearted, to echo the pain, and provide insight to those who dare to reach out to comfort and be a voice of good news: to the people out on the streets, the homeless, the single parent families, and even our senior citizens. A voice that stimulates discussion and self examination of our personal prejudices and shame; while it may not provide food or shelter for the hungry, it hopefully will provide steps or tools for mental emancipation.
That is freedom from personal garbage, i.e. guilt, shame, fear and low esteem that causes us to doubt our self-worth and contributions. Although the Bible is filled with stories of liberation and struggle, it is also a road map to truth. Though Christ has said, “I come so that you might have life and to have it more abundantly”, many including myself have not yet learned the full impact of liberation. In essence, we represent the captives and poor that Christ came to free. But because of our inability to move beyond our shame and humiliation, we have not yet experienced complete salvation.
The story of all the people with issues beyond their ability to cure themselves and find their way to Jesus is important because they represents the type of freedom that we seek to acquire. By stepping forward even under the risk of being stoned to death, they have become a symbol of hope.
Imagine if you will the turmoil that confronted those making the decision to risk it all for spiritual and physical liberation - the blind beggar, the woman with the issue of blood, the cripple at the pool, all those, and even today that are living in degrading conditions in this vast society. Imagine the psychological barriers that had held them captive for years, causing them to exhaust all, only to have their condition grow worst.
We cannot begin to measure depth of pain and shame and the ostracizing for being unclean. Nor can we adequately describe the suffering and pain of the forgotten. The community in which they relied on for support and comfort were in fact their oppressors. The disadvantaged are oppressed in two ways: first by physical illness and second by the rejection of the community in which they lived.
Since Christ has said, "follow me", I can only surmise that the gift of salvation is to be shared with others. This means that we are to become servants for Christ's sake. Truly when we analyze his ministry it is a message of hope and a call to look beyond our current circumstances in order to acquire the gift of shalom. "that salvation is the communion of people with God and the communion of the people among themselves, is something which embraces all human reality, transforms it, and leads it to its fullness in Christ". This process involves not only deliverance from sin and death in the traditional sense but the complete transformation of the individual into a state of wholeness and well being with ones self and others. True liberation is Christ in us, the Hope of glory.