Juneteenth and the Gospel

The news of Republican, or National Union, Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation reached Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865 “the year of our Lord” and has been annually celebrated since. Juneteenth stands as a beacon to equality and freedom in the United States and has recently been designated a federal holiday. Juneteenth is inherently conservative, Christian, and uniquely marked by prayer, singing of hymns, feasting, and dancing. It is a celebration of God’s goodness to humanity through the progression of God’s kingdom on earth–His peace and justice for all people equally like the founding fathers of the United States envisioned (cf. Declaration of Independence; US Constitution; Emancipation Proclamation) and signified by the biblical rainbow described in Genesis 9.

The liberal agenda of the nation’s Democrats failed and slavery was abolished. We now commemorate such freedom with celebration. Juneteenth differs from other national holidays and celebrations in that it celebrates the liberation of a group from oppression rather than a raising up of one group over others. It is not a celebration of pride but humility and thankfulness to God, explicitly according to Lincoln, in the year of our Lord–AD (which represents the postmillennial belief that the kingdom of heaven came with Jesus during His incarnation and overtakes the world bringing peace and justice for all). What irony that the whole world has forgotten about its pride right in the middle of “pride month,” and, all of the sudden, turned to celebrate something that is exactly opposed to their pride month celebrations without even noticing. One is inherently liberal, prideful, and oppressive. The other is conservative, humbling, and liberating. One is based on the pursuit of equity and oppresses people based on society’s defined equitous outcome. The other embraces biblical equality. Today, we witness all the liberals entirely forsake their ideologies to become conservatives who worship God–even if unwittingly. This is evidence that people really love cultural causes without thinking about their coherence or correspondence in the world–all the while flip-flopping worldviews because it is convenient or beneficial for them.

Juneteenth is a shining beacon of the Messianic vision being fulfilled in our time, such that even God’s enemies are celebrating the work He has accomplished. In Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy), God revealed the depravity and wretchedness of the human heart–its pride. In the Writings and Prophets, The Father foretold the coming of the one who would save the whole world beginning with national Israel. In the Gospels, Jesus claimed that the kingdom of Heaven was at hand (Matthew 4:17) and to have been sent to save the world rather than destroy or condemn it (John 3:17). When He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, Jesus signified that He was fulfilling the Messianic promise in Zechariah 9–bringing peace and justice to the earth by means of meekness. In Matthew 13, Jesus told two parables about the kingdom of Heaven–how it would overtake the world bringing peace and justice (true peace and justice rather than the world’s version of peace and justice). The kingdom would start out small and slowly become the greatest kingdom on the earth. Juneteenth is the fruit of Christ’s expanding kingdom, the fulfillment of the Messianic vision–a fulfillment we read about in John’s Revelation.

In His great commission, Jesus declared that all authority had been given to Him. His kingdom was established. Therefore, His disciples are to go make disciples of all nations by teaching everything He commanded. Such gospel proclamation is the mechanism by which Christ is overtaking the world. He is not doing so through means of war, violence, activism, human pride, force, or any human philosophy. He is doing so by the same means by which He convicted certain men that slavery was wrong, meek and humble Gospel proclamation and the movement of the Holy Spirit.

This is what we are working toward as Christians. The Great commission is more than merely inviting people into some ethereal heaven. The kingdom of Heaven is here, and by the Great Commission, the peace and justice of God are overtaking the world. This is why I invest so much in Gospel proclamation. It is why I invite everyone to support Gospel proclamation through The Church at Sunsites and CM. The world tries and tries to accomplish peace and justice through its means. Its means only ever seem to create more conflict and injustice. Look at how CRT has perpetuated and expanded racism that was not present before. See how intersectionality has caused a greater degree of discrimination in schools, churches, and workplaces because people are forced into the consequentialism of equity. Then, where Gospel proclamation is proclaimed and the Gospel is accepted, there is liberation only opposed by the ungodly. Even the Southern Baptist Convention, which was founded on the basis of defending slavery, changed when there was conservative reform and a renewed dedication to Scripture Alone as its authority. Juneteenth humbly speaks, and those opposed to its ideals hear. Today, not many are left in the US who believe slavery morally right. The Gospel won and will continue to win.

That’s why I do what I do. That is the goal we work toward as we preach the Gospel and live in Christian community. It’s not ethereal. I pray we renew our focus on the Gospel. No political party will win the day or save America or the world. Only christ will.

Thank you for reading. Please prayerfully consider becoming a monthly contributor for the purpose of our Gospel missions and the fulfillment of the messianic vision–eternal life for the people God has chosen, peace and justice for the whole world. Thank you for your prayer and consideration.

Andrew