Does the World Need a Savior?

That question is the theme of the new Superman movie, Superman Returns. I grew up reading superman comic books and watching the Superman TV program and later the three Superman movies of the ‘70s. The Superman stories have always had many Messianic parallels, and though I had never recognized them so much before, in the new movie they really stand out: Superman is an only son sent from another, far away place in the heavens; he is fully human, but much more; he feels alone in this world because he is so different, but his father will always be with him; he is almost invincible; he is utterly good, never lies, and “fights for truth, justice and the American way” (that last part about American way might not be so Messianic); he hears all things going on at once; he is always around; and just when you think he is dead, he comes back. Whether purposeful or not, the new movie strongly emphasizes the Messianic theme. In it, Lois Lane and Superman even discuss the question of whether or not the world needs a savior. At one point in the movie, Superman tells Lois how he hears all the voices of the world at once, and those voices are crying out for a savior. I don’t want to make too much of all this, but I thought that was a profound statement and that the theme question (Does the world need a savior?) was quite profound as well. Does  the world need a savior?

How you answer that question depends on your presumptions. For example, if you believe that there is nothing beyond the material universe, no life after death, no heaven or hell, no God and no sin, then you probably see little need for a savior, at least not of the spiritual kind. You might think we could use a savior from ourselves; that is, from our own self-destructive tendencies. If so, perhaps it is science that will save us. Never mind that science, in spite of its countless benefits, has indirectly caused many of the problems from which we need saving. Usually when science solves a problem, it raises a number of new ones. Well then, if science cannot save us, perhaps the government will. Or education. Or a social programs. Or a strong economy. Or….

As long as the world continues to look to itself (science, government, etc.) for a savior, it will continue to be disappointed. Such saviors will only exist in comic books and movies. That’s because the problem is not so much that the world is looking to the wrong savior. That’s true, but before you can even find the right savior, you need to understand what it is you need to be saved from. That goes back to our presumptions. It is not such things as environmental pollution, war, crime and poverty from which we need to be saved. Those are only the symptoms. Of course, there’s a much greater symptom yet, and that’s our separation from God. But the cause of these symptoms is the sin that exists in our hearts. Because of our sinfulness and the guilt of our conscience, we need – we cry out for -- a Savior. And no make-believe Superman can save us. Only the very real Jesus Christ can do that. Until we recognize that, we will continue to cry out in vain.

                                                                                                                                                                                                             © 2006 Randy Hohf