Jesus was the most radical social revolutionary in human history. But he did not arrive—as the Jews expected—to the sound of hoof beats and swords clashing; rather, he came as a helpless babe born in a manger.
His was a revolution not of principalities, but of the human heart. Jesus to this day confounds the wisdom of man. He is not the white Anglo-Saxon we see in portraits, but was olive-skinned; He was accompanied by twelve common workmen; and He announced his ministry in his inaugural sermon to bring freedom to the captives, restore sight to the blind, and minister to the poor. Though He was executed as a common criminal between two thieves, He was resurrected by God and lives today at His right hand. The revolution of the heart continues.
In Latin America, where the Pope is visiting, many were attracted to liberation theology precisely because it is a kind of worldly revolution, relying on government to provide justice for the poor. Most, however, have since spurned liberation theology as they discovered governments are at worst, corrupt, and at best, impotent.
The poor have turned instead to the Pentecostal church and other exploding expressions of evangelical Christianity where the gospel changed people’s lives. Wives got their families back as husbands stayed home from the bars. Street children found shelter and hope as Christians lived out their duty to care for the helpless in their midst. Jesus’ revolution delivered the goods—saving homes, marriages, and communities.
That is why Christ’s revolution continues today, particularly throughout the Global South, and will continue until the time of His return.
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