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The Solution to the Curse
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Liberation theology, embraced by the late Pope Francis, is based on the philosophy of Marxism. This view of reality asserts the basic goodness of mankind but recognizes an inclination toward the sin of greed. Marxism’s answer to human greed presumes that government’s role is to eliminate the temptation of greed and, therefore, facilitate the basic goodness of mankind. The mechanism is for civil leaders to restrict private property and treat everyone, except themselves, equally. This means there is no recognition of human distinctives—their version of egalitarianism. A sinless utopia controlled by a central government is the end game for Marxists.
Orthodox Christianity denies the Marxist version of egalitarianism. Scripture teaches that each person is created distinctly unique to specifically serve God’s purpose (Psalm 139). Furthermore, humans are fallen beings. This means that we are not born innately good but in bondage to sin (Ephesians 2:1–3). And humans are impotent to remedy this condition (Romans 3:10–23). Part of the divine judgment for the original sin of Adam and Eve is that human work is cursed, though prior to the fall work was created by God and declared to be good. Work was a means of communion between humans and our Creator. From the beginning, work was not a curse; work was subsequently cursed when Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden of Eden.
In the fallen condition of the universe, work was cursed in that it became more difficult.
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And to Adam [God] said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." . . . therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. (Genesis 3:17–19, 23–24 ESV)
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This divine judgment is extended to all humans because Adam served as a proxy for humanity (1 Corinthians 15:22). Consequently, every person is born in bondage to sin and, therefore, each person’s work is cursed. The impact of the curse is manifested in various ways, such as,
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poverty: because his fallen state blocks access to the resources of the garden; removal from the garden of Eden: access to the garden (where work was easy) is blocked;
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mental impairment (noetic effects): the sin of Adam and Eve was rooted in deranged thinking and the divine response was to turn them over to their sin;
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blindness: associated with mental consequences, the ability to see truth and reality well is deficient due to sin; and
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difficulty of work: the imagery of thorns and thistles (literally and figuratively) as impediments to work.
The curse on humanity cannot be remedied by fallen mankind’s self-saving efforts; rather, the curse can only be remedied through a divine solution—a Savior. This is a unique aspect of Christianity. In every other worldview, mankind must self-remedy, which is impossible. Only Christianity offers an efficacious solution to the curse of sin based on a real Savior, Jesus.
In speaking of Jesus’ work to redeem fallen mankind, Luke spoke of Jesus’ divine empowerment by the Holy Spirit to fulfill his appointed work as Savior:
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And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness . . . And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. . . . "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. (Luke 4:1, 14, 18 ESV)
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Jesus was
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full of the Holy Spirit,
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led by the Spirit,
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empowered by the Spirit, and
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anointed by the Spirit.
His work assignment focused on remedying the fallen condition of mankind that was characterized using terms poor, captive, blind, and oppressed.
The poor are those who are lacking, that is, destitute, reduced to beggary, and hiding in fear.
The captives are like prisoners of war. The Greek word in the original text is a derivative of the word for spear. The imagery suggests a person who is pinned to the ground and unable to get free.
The blind intimates the inability to see reality correctly. The Greek word is a derivative of the word for proud, that is, someone with an unrealistically high view of self. This can refer to both physical and metaphysical sight. For example:
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Physical blindness: And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them (Luke 7:22 ESV).
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Metaphysical blindness: For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17 ESV).
Whether physically or metaphysically, being blind eliminates one’s ability to truly help others. He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39 ESV)
The oppressed are those who are shattered, broken, smitten, thrown down, or crushed. This communicates the debilitating consequences of sin.
Liberation theology is a form of humanism known as Marxism. It does not offer a viable solution to sin’s curse. Marxism presumes that humans are good and can self-remedy their fallen condition. Orthodox Christianity denies this erroneous idea of self-saving.
Among the common worldviews of today, only Christianity offers an efficacious solution. Jesus alone provides the remedy to sin’s curse for all humanity—the poor, captive, blind, and oppressed. No one can self-save and there is only one Savior: Jesus. The divinely ordained path to deliverance from sin is unique and unequivocal. God’s love is expressed to humans by providing the way to life. May those who have been granted grace to call on the name of the Lord be profoundly grateful for the inexpressible divine gift that is the unique and only solution to sin’s curse.
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