So often in Christian circles salvation is seen as deliverance from the wrath of God, from hell. Or it is deliverance from the world, an escape route to heaven.
Jesus said "The kingdom is near." The kingdom IS salvation-- we are not to be saved from something but to something. Salvation is a world that is changed into God's order. Jesus' kingdom is a world that is without oppression, a world without death, a word without fear. It is also a world that ends poverty, that gives justice to everyone and all know and receive all they need from the one God. It is a world that is lead by a community of the poor who know how to practice merciful and compassion to all. It is a world in which we see each other as one family under one Father, God.
We will not see this complete salvation until Jesus returns. But we need to practice. We need to figure out how to accomplish this in our churches, now. Salvation isn't something to wait for, it is something that we create through the Holy Spirit and the word and power of Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment