Oppression

Deliverance from Oppression

God is a God of justice. Therefore He takes notice when people are oppressed and abused by governments, bosses, and others in power. As the ultimate Judge, He can be counted on to right the world's wrongs, if not in this life, then in the life to come. Exodus is the story of what God did when He heard His chosen people Israel crying out for justice and deliverance (Ex. 3:7–10).

The theme of deliverance is developed through hundreds of biblical passages about the poor and oppressed. Many of those passages remind us that such people ought to receive justice and reform, not just mercy or relief. The biblical teaching suggests several models of deliverance:

• Geographical deliverance. Seen in deliverance of the Jews from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 5:1; 7:16; 8:1; 9:1).
• Social and political deliverance. Seen through Queen Esther working within the structures of pagan society to save an oppressed minority from genocide (Esth. 1–10).
• Deliverance by pagan political leaders. The result of a sovereign God appointing Cyrus of Persia to accomplish his purposes (Is. 45:13).

God still takes notice of the poor and oppressed. What are we doing to help people find freedom—both spiritually and practically?

Equality vs. Slavery

Some people have criticized Paul and the early church, claiming that they did not call for an end to slavery. But Paul wrote the believers in Colosse, “There is neither… slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all” (Col. 3:11). Similarly, Galatians 3:28 reads, “There is neither slave nor free… you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

In Christ, societal divisions and distinctions become immaterial, and practices that degrade and devalue people are condemned. It is true that first-century believers didn't actively campaign for an end to slavery, as far as we know. They never petitioned the government or urged slaves to rebel.

Yet in Philemon we have a clear case of a believing slave owner being asked to put into practice the Christian ideals cited above. Philemon and Onesimus had an opportunity to demonstrate the gospel's power over slavery.

This was one of a number of cultural divisions that early believers broke down, such as:

• Hellenists and Hebrews (Acts 6:1–7).
• Samaritans and Jews (Acts 8:5–8).
• Gentiles and Jews (Acts 8:26–40; 10:1–48).
• Women and men (Acts 16:14–15; 18:1–4, 24–28).

Our society has formally done away with slavery. But there are systems still in place that abuse or oppress people. From the standpoint of the gospel, the issue is not whether they are legal, but whether they treat people as God would want them treated. If Paul were writing today, what would he challenge us as believers to do? What does “one in Christ” mean for the systems we participate in from day to day?