THE NATURE OF HUMANNESS AND THE PURPOSE OF SALVATION

Essay 1

Submitted to Steve Blakemore, Ph. D.

Associate Professor of Christian Thought
Wesley Biblical Seminary

In Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements for the Course
Systematic Theology
ST 505A

David Garca
M.B.L. UNITEC, 2008

February 16, 2015

THE NATURE OF HUMANNESS AND THE PURPOSE OF SALVATION

The gospel of the kingdom protects us from an unbiblical, individualistic spiritualism
that reduces salvation just to the forgiveness of the individual soul.1
Ronald J. Sider

All of us as Christians have a hope; in fact, we came to Jesus hoping

that an unsatisfied need could be filled, we can call it: peace, forgiven, life
purpose, etc. When we have received the response to fill this primary need
we develop expectations throughout our Christian life, it includes not only
the present but the future time also. Mostly of these expectations frequently
are focused to obtain a better life than the one we already have in the
present world. Usually these hopes are found on Bible promises but some of
them, in a distorted way could also came from our culture, or are the result
of syncretism, rituals or teachings that in a subtle way have been introduced
in the Christendom causing misinterpretations.
This distortion is increased when inner theological movements support
these beliefs, selling salvation message and the eschatological events as
actions designed to put the humankind welfare as the end, and not only as
the receiver of the redemption plan. For instance, The Cape Town
Commitment referring to the Theology of the Prosperity express, they
commonly replace genuine evangelism with miracle-seeking, and replace the
call to repentance with the call to give money to the preachers
organization.2 This kind of movements looks for the establishment of the
1 Sider, Ronald J. (1999-03-01). Good News and Good Works: A Theology for the Whole Gospel
(p. 76). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
2 The Lausanne Movement (2011). The Cape Town Commitment. [ONLINE] Available at:
http://www.lausanne.org/content/ctc/ctcommitment#p2-5. [Last Accessed 16 February 2015].

GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1

Gods kingdom here and now but only with the purpose to live in this world
as Kings sons/daughters and their eschatological interest is not that God
rules, but having a master role in the kingdom. Sadly this kind of doctrines is
highly attractive within Protestantism that easily open door that let building
new ways of syncretism; is for this reason that we should in an intentional
way, to review through the light of Scriptures these and other topics in order
that help us to grow and mature on the faith.

Christian Hope according to Wright.

Wright explains that Christian hope is an issue that is indivisible
linked with other topics like salvation, resurrection, the second coming of
Jesus, and eternal life3. An interesting aspect that he explains is that this
hope is not only a future event but a present experience that have
consequences here and now for Christians. It is an important approach
because the present implications or benefits of having a Christian hope are
forwarded to aspects more relevant and transcendent than have only
individual rewards in in this world. Wright proposes an Eschatology that have
implications not only for future but for present time also; it means that the
Christian

hope

should

have

something

to

say

to

generate

transformational impact for our world today, and not only be an expectation
to escape from the pain and suffering of the present world. Wright said,
Many Christians grow up assuming that whenever the New Testament

3 Wright, N. T. (2009-04-24). Surprised by Hope (p. 107). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

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GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1

speaks of heaven it refers to the place to which the saved will go after
death But the language of heaven in the New Testament doesnt work that
way. Gods kingdom in the preaching of Jesus refers not to postmortem
destiny, not to our escape from this world into another one, but to Gods
sovereign rule coming on earth as it is in heaven. 4 He explains that these
escapist ideas have been the result of the infiltration of doctrines as
Platonism, Gnosticism or Universalism inter alia.
Other interesting aspect in the Wright thesis is that Christian hope is
not something that is exclusive from the New Testament, it have his roots at
Old Testament. It is so important because denotes the continuity of the
message of salvation, the redemptive hope demonstrating that God has
been interested in the restoration of the humanity from the Eden and have
his culmination event at the cross but it will conclude with the renewal of the
entire creation when Jesus will bring judgment and justice to the world.5

Important issues to recovering a proper understanding of Christian

hope will bring to our faith journeys and to our understanding of
salvation.
Wright invites us to reexamine our beliefs regarding salvation,
resurrection, and eternal life. He proposes us to see them not in an
individualistic way but in a collective perspective also; but it doesnt refer
only to persons, it involves the entire creation; for instance, he explains that
4 Wright, N. T. (2009-04-24). Surprised by Hope (p. 18). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
5 Wright, N. T. (2009-04-24). Surprised by Hope (p. 138). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.
4 GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1

the salvation doesnt affect humans but have a direct implication to the
worlds restoration, stated that salvation initiate here and not at heaven as
some could sustain.
Wright invests a plenty of space explaining the importance of
understanding the resurrection concept; he argues that from the Western
perspective, we sometimes misunderstand or even worst, we distort the
significance or implication of the resurrection. For him, The New Testament
image of the future hope of the whole cosmos, grounded in the resurrection
of Jesus, gives as coherent picture as we need or could have of the future
that is promised to the whole world 6; it is a key element where he proposes
that sometimes we have the tendency to focus the Christian hope only to
doctrines of future events as the Second coming or the Millennial Kingdom,
but is not usual to relate our hope to events that have already been fulfilled
as Jesus resurrection; of course it doesnt deny the relevance or implications
of the coming events in our hope; Wright clarifies that eschatology doesnt
just refer to death, judgment, heaven, and hell it also refers to the strongly
held belief that history was going somewhere under the guidance of God
and that where it was going was toward Gods new world of justice, healing,
and hope.7
Wright also introduces an interesting and antique teaching that divide
the

church

in

three

parts,

the

church

triumphant,

6 Idem, (p. 107)

7 Idem, (p. 122).
5

GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1

the church militant, and the church expectant.8 From this point he develops
some reflections about purgatory, paradise, and hell concluding that at the
end, the Christian hope is not a matter of responding how humanity could
reach heaven and avoid hell, but the key issue that we found in both Old
Testament and New Testament, is regarding to the Gods purpose of rescue
and re-create the whole world, the entire cosmos. 9 So, we could conclude
that at the end, Christian hope is about redemption and renovation, not
about escapism or ethereal life.

8 Idem, (p. 165-166)

9 Idem, (p. 184)
6 GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1

Subject evaluations.
Considering the above exposed and based in Scriptures, I would like to
offer some reflections about the topic.

1. Not all the Christian that desire the Jesus coming or to

participate of the Gods kingdom in future are driven by
an escapist motivation.
And now the prize awaits methe crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of
his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly
look forward to his appearing.10 The Spirit and the bride say,
Come. Let anyone who hears this say, Come. 11 Not all the
people want that Jesus come in order to escape of this world,
many of them crave for staying before Gods presence to
sincerely worship him, honor him and glorify him; not as selfcentered action, but focused in God. I believe that we should
teach and motivate within believers that they must desire the
total establishment of Gods kingdom; of course, I understand
that Wright is not saying that it is wrong or is appealing that it
should be forbidden within them, but his proposal seems suggest
in some paragraphs that all people is wanting to getaway from
this world.
10 2 Timothy 4:8 New Living Translation (NLT)
11 Revelation 22:17 (NLT)
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GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1

2. We should review and teach our Eschatological doctrines

in

connection

with

the

establishment

of

the

Gods

kingdom here and now.

Reflecting in my own context, in Central America; historically we
have faced a lack of deep theological education, especially in
topics as Ancient and Jew culture, or the study of the original
languages

used

to

write

Scriptures;

mostly

our

Ecclesial

leadership has received a basic theological education, and the

people that have been educated in overseas seminaries at high
level are the exception, and not all of them are involved in a
pedagogical ministry at churches, or their impact is limited in
relation to the field needs. For this reason I strongly believe that
our churches have been an easy prey of the misinterpretations of
these doctrines; on the other hand, in a context characterized by
poverty or extreme poverty, violence, community gangs control,
physical and emotional abuse, injustice, and lack of opportunities
in general; constitute the perfect scenario in order that people
desire vehemently to escape from it.

3. Preaching a holistic Christian hope.

8 GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1

I completely agree with the Wright statement, The same

worldview shift that is demanded by the resurrection of Jesus is
the shift that will enable us to transform the world. 12 Our
individual salvation is the first step, but is not the end; neither
we should be focused in Heaven as the ultimate goal; we are
called to live Christian life as a continuum, starting with our own
salvation but participating in the expansion of the Gods kingdom
every day understanding that our salvation needs to have
implications beyond our life and should impact our impact zone
and this implies our relation with individuals as relatives, friends,
or coworkers but it also involves our environment as community,
nature, and resources. As church, we are called to transform the
world; unfortunately we have left that evil take the initiative in
transforming or better said deforming the world through
politics, economy, arts, science, education, etc. Im not appealing
for a Constantine strategy where church becomes one with
state, but Im referring to bring the Heaven kingdom to earth
living as citizen of this kingdom.

In conclusion, I believe that Wright is proposing an interpretation of the

Christian hope that invites us to reflect about this topic considering some
elements that in our Western culture could have been ignored, or distorted

12 Wright, N. T. (2009-04-24). Surprised by Hope (p. 75). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.

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GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1

along the time. In spite of, he stated several important topics, it is worth
noting the fact to make Jesus the center of the Christian hope, considering
the salvation and redemption given, as the inauguration of the Gods
kingdom that is real and has coming to the world, beginning in our life and
extending their transformation power to the entire people that let Jesus gives
them life and hope.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us,
because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. 13
Apostle Paul

13 Romans 5:5 (NLT)

10 GARCIA,D.- ST 505A - ESSAY 1