What makes someone cling to hope when everything in life points to despair? We know that a significant part of our faith involves believing in what God has said, even when our life circumstances appear to contradict what we’re hoping for. We live in the tension of the already and not yet. We have Jesus already, yet we await his return. We have his salvation, yet we also wait for complete sanctification. The tension of delayed deliverance marks the Christian life.
We also see examples of delayed deliverance in the world around us, which serve as signposts for Christians to remember our already-but-not-yet reality. One example is Juneteenth (short for June nineteenth)—a federal holiday in the United States that celebrates the emancipation of enslaved Black people in America. Specifically, Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery for those in Galveston, Texas who learned of their freedom two years after President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.
The late emancipation of the men and women in Galveston is a picture of delayed justice. Dreams and prayers for freedom had finally been made a reality—the already—but despite the joy of finally being liberated, other obstacles became more prevalent—the not yet. Black people were free, but the fight for survival remained. The Black community still sits in this tension today, as we look back with joy at the progress we've made while we continue fighting for criminal justice reform, seeking equal access to educational resources, and addressing racial discrimination.
The Black church uniquely experienced the already-but-not-yet tension that carried on after Juneteenth because of their faith. Black Christians saw that Scripture didn’t erase the frustration of delayed justice, but it did give them language to endure it faithfully. They recognized that concepts such as freedom, liberation, dignity, and justice were not merely biblical ideas, but at the heart of the gospel. The Black church’s methods, mobilization, and fight against injustice have always been a response fueled by faith. Here are three truths the Black church has faithfully believed and practiced while enduring delayed justice:
Freedom has always been part of God’s plan for his people—both spiritually and physically. We see God constantly delivering his people from both spiritual and literal bondage throughout Scripture, and the Black Church sought to demonstrate God’s heart for freedom by helping their community overcome discriminatory and oppressive laws. One way this happened was through the formation of the Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA). The MIA was an organization founded in 1955, led by E.D. Nixon, Jo Ann Robinson, and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to coordinate the Montgomery bus boycott—a thirteen–month protest against the segregation of public transportation. The Black church played a pivotal role, serving as the primary gathering place for official meetings. Even though the MIA and the Montgomery bus boycott were for the betterment of the entire community, the church and religious leaders were deeply involved in the pursuit of justice and freedom for the Black community because of their faith.
Black Christians knew it was possible to live free, even if they weren’t fully free, which is why the Black church helped its community fight for basic human rights. This looked like being involved in voter registration drives due to rampant voter suppression. During the fifties and sixties, many widely known efforts to suppress Black voters existed, such as poll taxes, intimidation and violence, and enforcing literacy tests for Black voters as a prerequisite, even though the community had limited educational opportunities after slavery. Black churches provided a safe place for voter registration and acted as a shelter. Fannie Lou Hamer, a Christian and member of the civil rights movement, laid the groundwork for the 1965 Voting Rights Act through her relentless fight to expand voting rights for Black people. The Black church was also involved in the Poor People’s Campaign of 1968, which was organized by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) to advocate for economic justice and combat poverty in the United States. The Poor People’s Campaign was a prime example of the call for Christians to use their freedom in Christ to help the poor, needy, and oppressed.
The Black church has always been a place of refuge where the sorrow of having a constant fight could live alongside the joy that God gives us to keep moving forward. Whether it was remaining steadfast during slavery, hopeful during the Jim Crow era, or loving toward enemies when racism still exists, the Black church has continued to stand in the tension that comes with delayed justice while being a beacon. Outside of the church doors, sorrow, frustration, fear of violence, and more persist. But within their doors, the Black church reminded the Black community that our faith in God gives us the resilience to remain hopeful during heartache, joyful during sad news, and expectant when faced with dead ends.
That’s why Juneteenth isn’t just a day to mark emancipation, but a time to reflect on a group of people who knew how to live in the tension of “already but not yet.” So this year, as we celebrate Juneteenth, we can thank God that he is a God of justice who desires his creation to be free. Juneteenth can serve as a reminder that delay is not denial, and we can hold joy and sorrow in our hearts simultaneously. We can use this holiday to remember that we can live free, even when we don’t feel free.
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