Dr. Borg makes this observation: “The language
of ‘wholeness’ suggests movement beyond fragmentation, and the language of ‘healing’
suggests being healed of the wounds of existence.”
In other words, the problem is multi-dimensional
so the solution must be, too. That’s why Scripture uses many different
metaphors to describe the experience of salvation. The point of salvation is to
bring resolution to the correlative problems of the human condition. Salvation
is the remedy for those deep human needs.
In the Bible, salvation is: light in our
darkness, sight to the blind, enlightenment to the ignorant, liberation for the
captives, return from exile, healing for infirmities, food and drink for the
hungry and thirsty, resurrection for the dead, new birth from an old life,
reconciliation for the estranged, and forgiveness for the guilty. That’s quite
a list!
All these metaphors are used in Scripture to
describe the word “salvation.” And when you look at the comprehensive nature of
these descriptions and metaphors for the human condition, no wonder the Bible
stories are called the stories of Salvation history, multiple ways God
intervenes in the midst of human brokenness, fragmentation and self-absorption
in order to bring wholeness, peace and harmony again.
Salvation, put simply, means to be saved from
our predicament. And let’s face it, our human predicament involves far more
than simply being guilty of doing wrong deeds, of “sinning.” Our lives have
multiple layers and nuances to them. We need transformation on multiple levels
and in multiple ways. Salvation is a hugely rich and diverse experience. And
what’s more, it’s not just personal, it’s also social.
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