03 - Chapter 3_Anchored in Truth

8/12/2019 03 - Chapter 3_Anchored in Truth

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3

Anchored in Truth:

Proclaiming the Biblical Gospel

One morning as I paced back and forth in the prayer room at the InternationalHouse of Prayer !ansas "ity the story of the #amaritan $oman $as on mymind% The Holy #pirit dropped a phrase into my heart: &I'm thirsty%( As )esus hadgone to the #amaritan $oman and asked her for a drink no$ he $as thirsty formore lost human beings to gi*e him a drink of their li*es% I felt a slight impression

that later that day I should go to do$nto$n !ansas "ity%That afternoon I dro*e to 3+thstreet in a $eak attempt to obey $hat I $as

interpreting as an assignment from the ,ord% I $ent into a medical clinic but bythe time I arri*ed it $as about to close% #o I decided to dri*e some more beforeheading home% As I dro*e past !ansas -ni*ersity Hospital I felt a small nudge togo into the hospital% I parked the car $alked into the hospital and sat do$n inthe lobby not sure ho$ long I should $ait or $hy I $as there% I felt *ery a$k$ard%#hortly after I sat do$n t$o young ladies $ho $ere ob*iously friends $alked upto each other in front of me and began to talk $ithin my hearing% One of theyoung $omen told her friend that she $as *isiting the hospital because herbrother had been hit o*er the head $ith the butt of a gun in a gang.related fight%

Though he had been unconscious he $as no$ a$ake but still in great pain%Their mother and her boyfriend $ere up in the room and she $as getting readyto /oin them%

0hen I heard this I mustered up the courage to interrupt% I told the young$oman &I'm a follo$er of )esus% )esus lo*ed to heal the sick and he told hisfollo$ers to pray for the sick% 1o you mind if I go up to your brother's room $ithyou to pray for him2(

#he seemed accepting% &es follo$ me%(I had forgotten my dri*er's license in the car and therefore should not

ha*e been able to get through security% Ho$e*er because I $as $ith a familymember I $as permitted entry%

0hen $e got to the room the young $oman simply told her mom that I$as there to pray for her brother% After introductions I e4plained the gospel tothem% I then laid hands on the brother5$ho $as moaning as he lay on the bed5and began to pray for him in )esus' name%

After I prayed I asked him &Ho$ do you feel2(&It doesn't hurt as much( he said looking surprised%His sister spoke up% &I'*e been ha*ing some shoulder pain( she said% &It

completely disappeared $hen you prayed%(


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I hadn't been a$are she had been in pain% I $ent o*er to her and 6uietlyspoke a fe$ $ords about God's lo*e that I felt she needed to hear% Tears beganto flo$ do$n her face as the Holy #pirit ministered to her%

7o$ the mother chimed in% #he told us that some back pain she had beene4periencing 8of $hich I had been una$are9 had suddenly disappeared% The

boyfriend /ust sat there trying to take e*erything in%I took the opportunity to elaborate on the gospel further and then e4tendedan in*itation for them to respond% All four of them ga*e their li*es to )esus on thespot% )esus in turn took a deep drink%

At the end of the age )esus $ill return to resurrect his people bodily5realflesh blood bones heart lungs fingers and toes5from the dead and toestablish the kingdom of God on the earth for the purpose of restoring thecreation he lo*es% As a sign and confirmation of that promise on that day in thehospital )esus touched real human bodies5a head a shoulder and a back5ofpeople $ho had heard the $itness to the bodily resurrection to come%

0hat Is the Gospel2

0hat is the gospel2 Once God has connected us to unbelie*ers personsof peace or e*en potential apostles $hat is the message that he hascommissioned us to communicate to them2 -nfortunately this fundamental6uestion often goes unasked in the Body of essiah today because of presumedfamiliarity% Those $ho ha*e gro$n up in churches influenced by 0estern cultureare especially prone to o*erlook this basic 6uestion% 0ith so many sermons

$orship "1s and Bibles floating around surely$e kno$ $hat the gospel is5don't $e2 Ho$e*er $hen pressed to gi*e an ans$er many 8if not most9 in the

"hurch find themsel*es scrambling to fit the many fragments of truth andcatchphrases they ha*e accumulated o*er the years into a coherentpresentation% The &mishmash( message that often does emerge is often distortedby unbiblical influences from the Hellenistic $orld*ie$ of the ancient Greeks%uch of $hat $e call &the gospel( today $ould be hardly recogni;able to thebiblical authors all of $hom understood and articulated the content of theirmessage $ithin the matri4 of a Hebraic or )e$ish $orld*ie$%

In this chapter I ha*e se*eral purposes%


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1eto4ifying the essage

All human societies and cultures operate from a set of unconsciousassumptions that together constitute $hat anthropologists call a &$orld*ie$%(

"hristian anthropologist and missiologist "harles !raft defines $orld*ie$ as &theculturally structured assumptions *alues and commitments=allegiancesunderlying a people>s perception of reality and their responses to thoseperceptions%(?Included in these deep.le*el assumptions are ideals about the $aylife is supposedto $ork as $ell e4planations for $hy it does not actually$orkout that $ay% In other $ords one of the functions of $orld*ie$ is to make senseof the discrepancy $e obser*e and feel bet$een the good $e kno$ ought to bein the $orld and the horrendous mess $e actually see there%

ost cultures moreo*er pro*ide their constituents $ith some type of*ision solution or plan of &sal*ation( to reco*er that lost ideal and restorehumanity to $holeness% A simple $ay of saying it is that most cultures ha*e

some kind of $orld*ie$ categories forproblem solution (salvation) and benefitsof the solution% 0hate*er one's culture the human heart remembers a time $henthings $ere right bemoans the fact that they are no longer right and longs forthe day $hen things might be made right once again% A $orld*ie$ helps toorgani;e this heart dynamic into a coherent picture that pro*ides people $ith a

$ay to cope $ith the difficulties they encounter in their daily e4istence% 0epercei*e reality through the spectacles of the $orld*ie$ $e inherit from ourcultures% ost of our li*es are spent looking through our $orld*ie$% @are are themoments that $e stop to consciously look at our o$n $orld*ie$%

Of all cultural $orld*ie$s in human history the Hellenistic $orld*ie$ orthe $orld*ie$ of the ancient Greeks has e4erted the greatest influence on

0estern societies% The philosopher Alfred 7orth 0hitehead once stated that &thesafest general characteri;ation of the uropean philosophical tradition is that itconsists of a series of footnotes to Plato%(


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&allegorical approach( to biblical interpretation5$hereby the #criptures $ere tobe mined for &deeper( and hidden &spiritual truths( beyond their straightfor$ardliteral sense5$as born here%


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bet$een t$o different &realms(:


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death is the $ay $e achie*e sal*ation5the means by $hich our &souls( mo*efrom the &corrupt( material $orld into the &perfect( &ideal realm(5death isunderstood as the friend of human beings% The benefit in this schema ofsal*ation is that the human soul is no longer encumbered by the constraints andcorruptions of the material realm%

In the &churchy( language $ith $hich this kind of thinking e*entuallybecame clothed $e $ould say that sal*ation means $e &escape( the &toils of thislife( to the &bliss( of an abstract fu;;y spiritual realm called &hea*en( $here $espend eternity floating on an ethereal cloud playing a harp fore*er% 1eathmoreo*er is the means by $hich $e achie*e sal*ation% As $e $ill see $hile it istrue that $e are $ith the ,ord in a disembodied state before )esus returns theprocess of the soul's &hea*eni;ation( is not the focus of sal*ation in the biblical

$orld*ie$% In many instances this kind of thinking often degenerated into theearly heresy of Gnosticism% In the $ords of Tim 0arner

The idea of a hea*enly destiny $as common in the first century

among pagans schooled in Greek philosophy% It entered"hristianity gradually after the deaths of the Apostles through theincorporation of elements of Gnosticism% The Gnostics taught thatmatter $as e*il and the creation $as a mistake made by a lessergod $ho sought to imprison mankind in physical bodies anddemand their $orship% "hristian Gnosticism held that )esus camefrom the supreme God to free mankind from this e*il physicalrealm in $hich he had been trapped by the lesser god $hom the)e$s $orshipped% )esus' mission $as to sho$ mankind the $ay toa higher hea*enly reality 8not atone for sins9% #al*ation $asattained through le*els of Jgnosis' 8the Greek $ord for Jkno$ledge'9%Through the attainment of supernatural kno$ledge of *ariousmysteries con*erts $ere supposed to ad*ance through stages8helped along the $ay by certain spirit guides9 until one reached theJpleroma' the Gnostics' *ersion of Jhea*en%' #ince the material

$orld $as e*il Gnostics denied the resurrection of the body as$ell% Being freed from the bonds of earth and the material cosmosso they could soar into the hea*ens $as the hope of the Gnostics%

0hen the Greek $orld*ie$ penetrated the "hurch the meaning of sal*ationshifted to the soul's escape to the &ideal( or &intelligible( realm% It $as a Platonicconcept dressed up in biblical language% #al*ation became &going to hea*en(escape from a material $orld that God does not really like any$ay and deathbecame the friend by means of $hich $e get to hea*en% Augustine played aninfluential role in the "hurch's assimilation of this shift:

Though generally a follo$er of Origen's allegorical interpretation 8cf%On Christian Doctrine Preface9 Augustine toned do$n the systemto make it less ob/ectionable to orthodo4 "hristians 8see Phillip#chaff &Preface to Augustine's The "ity of God( inThe Post


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Nicene Fathers Kol% p%C9% On many points Augustine seemsorthodo4 and though gi*ing lip.ser*ice to the resurrection of thebody 8cf% City of od D%.?L %C.?L On Christian Doctrine ?:?+.?9 he sees hea*en as the ultimate end of sal*ation 8cf% City ofod ??%?L ?%FL ?+%?D.??L D%?.9 and thus assumes a

heavenly resurrection8cf% City of od ?3%.3L %3.9% Hea*enas the ultimate destiny of the saints is the staple of the amillennial*ie$ that gre$ out of Augustine's allegorical approach to #cripture%

As $e $ill see this is in contrast to the biblical $orld*ie$ for $hich sal*ation isnot a heaven!ard movementof the soul that glorifies and immortali;es deathbut an earth!ard movement of restorationthat condemns death and glorifies lifeon a rene$ed and regenerated earth under the leadership a righteous !ing%F

The Biblical 0orld*ie$: One Household 0orth #a*ing

In contrast to the Greek $orld*ie$ the Bible does not picture reality assplit into t$o different realms but as a singular house go*erned by one so*ereign@uler part of $hich is *isible to the human eye in this age 8the earth9 and part of

$hich is in*isible 8the hea*ens9% -nlike the Greek $orld*ie$ in $hich there islittle if no interaction bet$een the material realm and the ideal realm the biblical

$orld*ie$ allo$s dynamic interaction bet$een the hea*ens and the earth%Although the hea*ens are in*isible both are still part of the same house beinggo*erned by the same ruler God himself% As Genesis ?:? states &In thebeginning God created the hea*ens and the earth%( It is like a big li*ing roomdi*ided only by a light curtain% Though people on both sides cannot see each

other they can still interact dynamically 8chart+

9:

According to the biblical $orld*ie$ there is not an impassible high$ay bet$eenhea*en and earth% 7or is the earth a corrupt realm that God $ants either us orhimself to escape from% On the contrary God's goal in sal*ation is to repair theearth% He once d$elled here $ithout hindrance and longs to d$ell here$ithhuman beings in lo*ing fello$ship again:

Biblical 0orld*ie$

Heaven

Heaven

Heaven

Earth

Invisible

Visible


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I sa$ the Holy "ity the ne$ )erusalem coming do!n out ofheaven8earth$ard mo*ement9 from od8to the earthM9 preparedas a bride beautifully dressed for her husband% And I heard a loud*oice from the throne saying &No! the d!elling of od is !ith men8on the earth9 and he !ill live !ith them8on the earthM9% They $ill

be his people and God himself $ill be $ith them and be their God%(8@e*% ?:E3 emphasis and parenthetical comments added9

0hen human beings rebelled against God in the Garden the presence of sin inthem meant that they could no longer endure God's direct holy manifestpresence $ithout being obliterated% In his mercy he temporarily $ithdre$ hisimmediate presence to the other side of the curtain 8the hea*ens9 of his &onehouse( or &li*ing room( $here he could still interact redempti*ely $ith humanbeings $ithout them being destroyed through direct e4posure to his holiness%Ho$e*er $hen he mo*ed to the other side of the &li*ing room( it $as $ith thepromise that he $ould come back to fi4 the other side so that he could d$ell

there $ith human beings fore*er%The biblical *ie$ therefore is not of a material $orld corrupt in itself andthus irreparable and $orthy of complete abandonmentL rather it is of a brokensinful creation that God still lo*es refuses to abandon and is deeply committedto fi4ing once and for all% In the meantime he still interacts $ith us dynamicallythrough the other side of the curtain pleading for us to repent and belie*e in)esus $hile there is time so that $e can still li*e in the house $hen he comes torepair it%


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Dualism) or Construct)

"onstruct of@eality

T$o houses5&perceptiblerealm( and abstract &idealrealm(5separated by animpassible interstate no

interaction bet$een thehouses% The material realm that$e see $ith our eyes iscorrupt# contemptible# andimperfect% The ideal realm to

$hich the soul goes afterdeath is perfect and incorrupt%

One singular room ormetaphysical construct $ith the*isible and in*isible dynamicallyinteracting% God li*es in the

house and $ill ultimately d$ellon a rene$ed earth $ith man%God lo*es his creation and callsit &good%( God is determined to fi4the creation rather than toabandon it%

Problem

The imperfection andcorruption of the material $orlditself%

#inful e4ercise of the human $ill8pride and rebellion9 for self.indulgence and manipulation ofthe creation at the e4pense of

others 8la$lessness9% 1eath isthe tragic conse6uence of sin%

#olution

1eath unto the immortal soul's&release( into the &ideal( or&intelligible realm%( In commonchurch parlance the soul goesto an abstract abode calledhea*en $hile God destroys theearth% 1eath is the means ofaccessing the solutiontherefore death is a friend%

The blood atonement of )esusfor the forgi*eness of sins% #ino*erturned through )esus'sacrifice% 1eath o*erturnedthrough the resurrection of thedead at essiah's coming untoinclusion in essiah's kingdomon the earth% 1eath is the enemyo*erthro$n by )esus $hen he

resurrects those $ho are in himat his coming% @epentance andperse*erant faith in )esus as,ord is are the means ofaccessing the solution%

Benefits

ofsolution

Absence from the corruptphysical realm% Immortal soulli*ing in the ideal realm%

Inclusion in a real go*ernmentcalled the kingdom of God on arestored earth% @esurrection ofthe body that li*es fore*erthrough restored access to thetree of life% @estored position of

ruling $ith God o*er the earthgo*ernmentally% A*oidance ofresurrection of the $icked andbeing cast into the lake of fire inthe second death%

Any *ersion of the gospel that does not ha*e the resurrection of the human body


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unto inclusion in the kingdom of odon a restored earthunder the leadership ofa real governmentled by )esus the essiah is an aberrant distortion of thegospel and must be discarded by the Body of essiah if $e are to realignoursel*es $holeheartedly $ith the biblical $orld*ie$%

The Biblical Hope: "ontinuity from Old to 7e$Testament

-n6uestionably the message that )esus )ohn the Baptist Paul the otherapostles and the early "hurch preached and taught $as the good ne$s of the&kingdom of God( 8see t% 3:L k% ?:?CL Ac% F:? F:3? etc9% Ho$e*er in the7e$ Testament $e ne*er find an e4plicit definition of the kingdom of God% 0hy isthis2 The ans$er is that )esus the apostles and all of their )e$ish listenersalready hada solid grasp $hat this term meant due to their kno$ledge of theHebre$ #criptures or Old Testament% The 7e$ Testament in other $ords

presupposes and assumes the same gospel as that of the Old Testament%


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and real la$s5on the earth% This go*ernment $ould bebased in Israel and)erusalem and $ould be the means by $hich the entire earth $ould be restoredto its original glory%

It is in the conte4t of this message of a coming earthly kingdom moreo*erthat the essianic mission as outlined in the Old Testament $as also

understood% Beginning in Genesis the essiah is identified and promised asGod's di*inely.ordained instrument for issuing the fatal blo$ that $ould &crush thehead( of #atan and purge his $icked influence from the created order fore*er8Gen% 3:?.?C9% This essianic eed( $ould first suffer a minor $ound at thehands of the serpent but as God's con6ueror and champion this #eed $ouldultimately ha*e the final *ictory con6uering the e*il one and s6uelchingmankind's rebellion and reinstating the glory of the Garden5the kingdom of God5on the earth no$ cursed because of man's disobedience 8Gen% 3:?.?CL cf% themilitary language of ic% :?9%?3The rest of the Old Testament simply paints thepicture of this essianic thesis of Genesis 3:?C5commonly called the&protoe*angelium( or &first gospel(?5in more detail% 0ithout going into an

e4hausti*e analysis of the essianic concept in the Hebre$ #criptures

?C

before$e e*er reach the 7e$ Testament $e learn that as part of his mission theessiah $ould function as:

As the essianic #eed of #hem the means through $hich God $ould

d$ell in the tents of #hem 8Gen% +:CE9%?

As the essianic #eed of Abraham 8cf% Gal% 3:?9 $ho $ould restore

the earth through the agency of God's di*inelyEappointed nation Israel8Gen% ?E9% -nder essiah the righteous descendents of Abrahamfashioned back into the image of God through an age of testing andtrial?$ould inherit the land of Israel fore*er 8Gen% ?:?E?F9 $ould

be included in the resurrection of the righteous 8Gen% ?C cf% Heb% 9?F

and $ould lead many nations and peoples in righteousness 8Gn% ?L cf%@om% 9% -nder essiah the nation of Israel $ould become a blessingor a ser*ant nation 8the root for bless in Hebre$ means &to kneel(9 that

$ould function as the go*ernmental instrument through $hich God$ould bless the Gentile nations and fi4 our broken planet 8Genesis?:?E3L cf% #er*ant #ongs of Is% ?ff9% Israel $ould function as thego*ernmental locus of God's kingdom on the earth from $hich the la$and commands of essiah $ould go forth unto the transformation ofthe nations 8see e%g% Is% :EC + ??9%

As the essianic #eed of 1a*id and #on of God God's anointed king%

He $ould be the ultimate go*ernmental authority o*er the nations ofthe earth $hose go*ernance $ould &branch out( or e4tend from ionto the entire earth 8see ? #am% :?DL #am% L Ps% F+ ??D ?3L Is% ??L )er% 3L ;% ? etc%9% As the ,ion of )udah he $ould recei*ethe go*ernmental scepter of authority that $ould cause the nations ofthe earth $ould submit to God in full obedience 8Gen% +:F.?9% Thego*ernment of God $ould rest on this king's shoulders fore*er 8Is% +:E9%


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The &star( and &scepter( that God $ould use to militarily crush and

con6uer Israel's Gentile enemies in an eschatological cataclysmicdeli*erance of Israel 8see 7u% :?E?+L cf% Is% ?DE+L )oel 3L ;% 3FE3+L Hab% ?E3L ech% ?E? etc%9%

&The Prophet( $ho $ould come for the purpose of a mighty

deli*erance on Israel's behalf% In a $ay e*en greater than oses thisProphet $ould ha*e the *ery $ords and commands of God in hismouth and any in Israel $ho $ould not heed this Prophet's $ords

$ould be cut off from Israel 81eut% ?F:?CE?+L cf% )n% ?:CL Ac% 3:E39%

A mediator $ho $ould remo*e God's rod of $rath from the back of

humanity 8)ob +:3E3C9%

An intercessor friend and ad*ocate to $hom God's people could

plead and pour out their hearts 8)ob ?:?+E?9%

A redeemer $ho $ould ultimately stand triumphant on the earth and

restore the bodies of the righteous through the resurrection of the dead8)ob ?+:CE9%

An &interpreter( and ransom.pro*ider% As one superior to the angels he

$ould bring right perspecti*e and righteous interpretation to thetragedies of suffering in this age and $ould pro*ide a ransom that

$ould make the resurrection from the dead possible 8)ob 33:EF9%

The Banner $ho $ould upon Israel's repentance gather the e4iles of

Israel back to the land cleanse and purify Israel from her sin andestablish an e*erlasting co*enant $ith Israel that enables her tolegitimately inherit the land fore*er as a righteous nation 8see 1t% 3DLIs% ?? CC ?L )er% 3?E33 CDL ;ek% ? 3L ech% ?E?L al% 3Eetc%9%

A &faithful priest( $ho $ould carry out all the desires of God's heart

$ho $ould minister before God al$ays and $hose house $ould beestablished by God 8see ? #am% :3CL Ps% ??D9%

The suffering ser*ant of God *indicated by God after suffering 8see

Ps% Is% C39%

God's appointed )udge the e4ecuter of his $rath against the $icked

8see Ps% ??D )oel 3 Is% 39%

The re/ected 8by men9 and tested capstone or cornerstone on $hich

God $ould build his house 8Ps% ??F:E3L Is% F:?9%

The belo*ed ser*ant of God on $hom the #pirit of God $ould restL

$hose body $ould ne*er see decayL through $hom that same #pirit

$ould be poured out on the descendants of IsraelL and through $hose$ord the order of death on the earth $ould be o*erturned 8see Ps% ?FL )oel L Is% +:+?+ ? etc%9%

Therefore $hen )ohn the Baptist )esus and the apostles came preaching thekingdom of God their first.century )e$ish hearers $ould ha*e understoodsomething roughly appro4imate to the follo$ing: Through his appointed essiahGod $as getting ready to cleanse Israel of her $ickedness and sinL pour out his


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Holy #pirit on the nationL deli*er )erusalem and Israel from their Gentile enemiesand idol.$orshipping oppressors through a cataclysmic scenarioL resurrect therighteous unto inclusion in his kingdomL /udge and punish all $icked inhabitantsgo*ernments and rulers from the face of the earthL and establish the righteousgo*ernmental.apparatus5based in Israel $ith )erusalem as the capital5by

$hich means he $ould enforce God's la$s throughout the earth and therebyrestore the planet to its original glory% In this $ay Israel $ould become the &lightof the $orld( under the essiah's leadership%

-nfortunately a large number of belie*ers today because of the influenceof the Platonic dualism of the Greek $orld*ie$ belie*e that )esus came tocorrect the &silly )e$s( and the &silly apostles( for belie*ing that God $as going toestablish a &physical kingdom( instead of a &spiritual kingdom%( The te4t mostcommonly cited in this argument is Acts ?:EF:

#o $hen they met together they asked him &,ord are you at thistime going to restore the kingdom to "srael8assuming that the

kingdom $ill be restored to Israel as promised in OT92( He said tothem: &"t is not for you to kno! the times or dates the Father hasset by his o!n authority8the times are set by the


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be proclaimed to the $orld in )esus' name as an offer of mercy before theessiah's secondappearing $herein he $ould complete the essianicmission and e4ecute /udgment on the $icked%

3% essianic 0indication: This dimension of the kerygmafocuses on )esus'

resurrection and its manifold significance%


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belie*ing hearts recei*e the Holy #pirit as a seal guaranteeing theirinclusion in the resurrection of the righteous and the essianic kingdom atessiah's second coming% The initiatory rite of $ater baptism is alsoperformed sacramentally as an out$ard sign of one's inclusion inessiah's kingdom through the forgi*eness of sins and the deposit of

grace thereby recei*ed 8@om% 9%


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Here $e see that signs $onders and miracles by their *ery nature andessence are clearly designed to point beyond themsel*es to the day $hen theessiah comes to establish the kingdom of God on the earth% 0hen truck dri*erscome to a sign on the interstate that says &"hicago in iles( they areencouraged by the sign $hich tells them that they are on the right path%

Ho$e*er they do not consider themsel*es to ha*e yet arri*ed in "hicago% #o it is$ith signs and miracles that accompany the gospel message% They are not endsin and of themsel*es but are intended to testify to the day $hen essiah )esus

$ill return to resurrect the righteous purge sickness and death once and for alland establish his kingdom%

Tongues testify to the day $hen human beings from all nations $ill onceagain unite $ith common understanding this time for the purposes ofrighteousness 8Is% :L @e*% 9 as opposed to Babel $here the people used theircommon language for $ickedness 8Gn% ??9% Healing and raising the dead areintended to point beyond themsel*es to the day $hen God $ill permanently fi4our bodies by means of resurrection 8? Th% :?3E?F9% "asting out demons

testifies to the day $hen the essiah $ill bind and lock #atan in the Abyss andultimately thro$ him into the lake of fire 8@e*% D:?E3 ?D9% Gifts of prophesy pointbeyond themsel*es to the day $hen &God $ill /udge men's secrets through )esus"hrist as my gospel declares( 8@om% :?L cf% ? "or% ?:EC9% )esus' sign ofchanging the $ater into $ine 8)n% :??9 functioned to accredit )esus 8Ac% :9 asthe essiah $ho $ould ser*e a ban6uet of &the best meats and the finest of

$ines( in the essianic kingdom after the &shroud( of death that &co*ers allnations( $ill ha*e been destroyed in the resurrection 8Is% C:EF9% The sign of,a;arus being raised from the dead pointed ahead to &the day of sal*ation( $henthe essiah $ould speak the $ord and the saints $ould recei*e bodies that

$ould neverdie 8)n% ??:3L Is% +:FE+L cf% )n% C:CL ? Th% :?3E?F9% )esus'transfiguration on the mountain $as a typological sign that did not fulfill the $ordsof the Hebre$ prophets but made their promises concerning the glory ofessianic kingdom on the earth &more certain( 8 Pt% :?E?+9% The e4amplescould go on and on%

#igns are intended moreo*er to heighten the persuasi*eness of themessage in order that unbelie*ers might take it all the more seriously:

Therefore many of the )e$s $ho had come to *isit ary and hadseen !hat 'esus did8$hen he raised ,a;arus from the dead **%3E9put their faith in him8became con*inced and persuadedthat he $as the essiah9 8)n% ??:C emphasis and parentheticalcomments added9%

Those $ho had been scatteredpreached the !ord8proclamation ofthe message9 $here*er they $ent% Philip $ent do$n to a city in#amaria andproclaimed the Christthere% -hen the cro!ds heardPhilip and sa! the miraculous signs he did they allpaid closeattention to !hat he said 8the signs ha*ing added $eight andincreased persuasi*eness to the message9% 8Ac% F:E emphasis


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and parenthetical comments added9

7o$ ,ord consider their threats and enable your servants tospeak your !ord !ith great boldness8proclamation of themessage9% #tretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous

signs and !onders through the name of your holy servant 'esus8as a testimony to the truth of the message9% 8Ac% :+E3Demphasis and parenthetical comments added9

#o Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there speakingboldly for the ,ord !ho confirmed the message of his gracebyenabling them to do miraculous signs and !onders8confirmation ofthe message the purpose of the signs and $onder9% 8Ac% ?:3emphasis and parenthetical comment added9

This salvation# !hich !as first announced by the 1ord8the

message first proclaimed by )esus9 $as confirmed to us by those!ho heard him8the apostles9%od also testified to it by signs#!onders and various miracles# and gifts of the 2oly +piritdistributed according to his $ill 8God added to the $eight of thetestimony through signs $onders and miracles9% 8Heb% :3Eemphasis and parenthetical comments added9

Truly the Holy #pirit is more eager than $e are for the sal*ation of the multitudesof lost sheep $andering the face of the earth% He lo*es to back up the gospel

$ith po$er%0ithin the conte4t of the Body of essiah signs are intended to

encourage and spur the saints on to $holehearted lo*e obediencerighteousness and perse*erance until the day to $hich the sign points finallyarri*es and they recei*e their inheritance at their essiah's appearing:

I $ill not *enture to speak of anything e4cept $hat "hrist hasaccomplished through me in leading the Gentilesto obey od by

$hat I ha*e said and done5by the po$er of signs and miraclesthrough the po$er of the #pirit 8i%e% signs and $onders functioningto spur saints on to obedience gi*ing them assurance of thecertainty of their hope9% 8@om% ?C:?FE?+ emphasis andparenthetical comment added9

In other $ords spiritual gifts are &distributed according to God's $ill( 8Heb% :9$ithin the Body of essiah for the purpose of strengthening and edifying thepeople $ho make up that Body 8? "or% ?9 unto belie*ers becoming more andmore mature stable in their faith perse*erant unified and grounded in thekno$ledge of the #on of God until the day $hen their hope is finally reali;ed atessiah's return 8ph% 9%

That $e regain a biblical perspecti*e on signs and $onders today is


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crucial if $e are to $alk in the fullness of the 7e$ Testament $itness% The Bodyof essiah today fre6uently errs in either one of t$o directions on this issue% Onthe one hand there are parts of the Body $ho for *arious reasons5ranging fromfear and bad teaching to abuses of the gifts and disappointments5ha*e little tono e4pectancy and in some cases e*en no desire for God to back up his $ord

$ith real po$er% Though some on this side of the spectrum usually possess*aluable insights and at times ha*e understandable complaints 6uite ob*iously$e cannot go do$n this road if $e $ant to see the full reco*ery of a $itness of7e$ Testament.6uality%

On the other side of the spectrum are those in the Body $ho acti*elyculti*ate faith for signs and $onders and promote gro$th in the spiritual gifts but

$ithout much consideration of their purpose as biblically defined% #igns and&re*i*al( become ends in themsel*es rather than pointers to our eschatologicalhope as they $ere for )esus the apostles and the early church% On a practicalle*el in some cases this often results in disillusionment and condemnation: fore4ample $hen $e do not get healed but the person ne4t to us does% In other

cases it can result in self.e4altation an elitist spirit and the unconsciousde*elopment of a messianic comple4% 0e start thinking that !e are the onescalled to establish the essiah's kingdom%

It is not $ith condemnation that I state these things% Personally I ha*efound myself considering all points of the spectrum at different times in my lifeand ha*e fallen into all of these traps 8and many more9 at one time or another% Allof us are on a /ourney and thankfully )esus' ability to keep us on the narro$ pathis greater than our capacity to $ander off from it%

0hen $e reali;e that the purpose of a sign and $onder is not the signitself then $e are spared from many of these pitfalls% 7o doubt ,a;arus and hisfamily $ere encouraged $hen )esus raised him from the dead% 7o doubt they feltGod's lo*e for them% But ,a;arus still died% The crippled man healed at the gatecalled Beautiful 8Ac% 39 still died% The man born blind $ho $ashed his eyes inthe Pool of #iloam and $as healed 8)n% +9 still died% 3very single person$hoe4perienced a miracle in the 7e$ Testament still died% The signs $ere ne*er theprimary point but $ere designed to encourage the saints to li*e li*es of holiness

$holehearted lo*e and righteousness before God $ho $ould re$ard them in theresurrection of the righteous $ith bodies that $ould neverdie or e4periencedisease sickness or infirmity again% Through the miracles God is saying to thelost &Take this message *ery seriously because I don't $ant you in a lake of firefore*er( and to the sa*ed &1on't gi*e up stay faithful because I lo*e you somuch that I $ill not abandon you to the gra*e%(

At the end of the day I could raise hundreds of people from the dead butunless they are still ali*e $hen )esus returns 8? Th% :?9 they $ill still die% Onlyone man has the po$er to gi*e out resurrected imperishable bodies and I amnot him% Only one man has the po$er authority discernment and competenceto establish the kingdom of God and I am not him% God has appointed one manas his appointed essiah% His name is )esus% 0e $ill not establish thatessiah's kingdomL he $ill establish his o$n kingdom at his coming%

This is not a statement about &God doing it all( $ithout our partnership%


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God certainly does re6uire us to play our part in the game% Ho$e*er it /ustmeans that our part of the partnership before )esus returns is not theestablishment of the kingdom% Our part in this age is to pray fer*ently $aitpatiently perse*ere in righteousness pursue $holehearted obedience andtestify to the coming go*ernment that $ill literally supplant all other human

go*ernments% 0hile it is true that )esus does delegate some measure ofauthority to his people in this age 8k% 3:?C :L ,k% +:? ?D:?9 this authority isambassadorial in natureL it is thus gi*en for the purpose of offering mercy on)esus' behalf and calling people to repentance 8,k% :EFL Ac% ?:FL "or%C:DL ph% :DL Php% 3:DL Pt% 3:+9% The Bible is clear moreo*er that God'sdominion and kingdom $ill be established on the earth by the essiah only at theend of the age and through di*inely.empo$ered military means 8Ps% ??DL Is%3:?EL ech% ?L @e*% ??:?C ?:?D ?+:??E?9% ,ike$ise as Adam $as onlycommissioned to rule the earth $hile in a sinless state 8Gen% ?:F9 so only after

$e ha*e been raised from the dead at essiah's appearing $ill $e be completelyfree of our sinful inclination to manipulate po$er to the detriment of others%

Therefore only then $ill $e again be entrusted $ith any kind of dominionisticauthority as literal kings and 6ueens 8Ps% ?+L 1an% L t% ?+:FL ,k% :3DL ?"or% :39%

-ntil then our corporate life together no$ as the "hurch is defined by thecross 8see "h% C9 and by staying faithful to )esus through persecutions until thetime )esus *indicates us 81an% :?E CE9% oreo*er our mandate to carefor the poor $ido$s orphans and lo*ing one another self.sacrificially 8t% 3:3L,k% ??:L )am% ?: etc%9 is to function as a corporate sign pointing to thecoming kingdom in $hich there $ill be no morepoor people $ido$s orphans orself.indulgence at the e4pense of others% As the $orld looks upon the sign of thiscommunity presently made up of strangers and pilgrims $ho like Abrahamha*e not yet recei*ed their inheritance 8Heb% ??:+ ?3 3+EDL ? Pt% ?:? ? :??9God's desire is that as many people as possible $ill be pro*oked to repentancelest they be e4cluded eternally from the coming kingdom% As $e testify to thatday through both $ord and deed God $ill confirm the truth of the gospel $ithsigns and $onders in honor of his #on%

"onclusion

In the beginning God created the hea*ens and the earth as part of onesingle household o*er $hich he is ruler% He is ,ord !ing and Possessor of allcreation and he deeply lo*es all the $orks of his hands% #ince Adam and *e

human beings from all nations ha*e defiled God's good creation through sin andrebellion against Him% Through sin death entered the $orld% God hates sin anddeath and is ;ealously committed to purging them from the earth and restoringthe creation he lo*es to its original glory% His chosen instrument foraccomplishing this task is the essianic #eed first promised to Adam and *e% Inthe first century God sent )esus the first time and accredited him as the OldTestament essiah through a life full of compassion lo*e mercy signsmiracles and $onders% In his mercy this essiah took our curse upon him and


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$ent to the cross $here he died as a sacrifice of atonement for the forgi*enessof sins% God *indicated his chosen essiah on third day by resurrecting him fromthe dead as a firstfruits of the resurrection of the righteous% At the end of the agethis essiah is coming back a second time to resurrect the righteous cleansethe earth of all $ickedness and establish the kingdom of God on the earth%

Those $ho repent of their sin and rebellion and ackno$ledge )esus' lordship byfaith recei*e the forgi*eness of sins unto inclusion in that kingdom and in theresurrection of the righteous% Those $ho persist in their pride and rebellion $ill bepurged from the earth in /udgment and e*entually included in the resurrection ofthe $icked and thro$n into the lake of fire fore*er% In this $ay God's householdof the hea*ens and the earth $ill be restored% Once again $e $ill $alk $ith Godin a Garden in the cool of the day% The d$elling of God $ill be $ith man fore*er%

ndnotes

?"harles !raft/nthropology for Christian -itness8aryknoll 7: Orbis ?++9

C%

Alfred 7orth 0hitehead Process and 4eality5 /n 3ssay in Cosmology8?++9Lcorrected edition ed% 1a*id @% Griffin and 1onald 0% #herburne 8


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Theology of ission%

+Harrigan &


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arguments are in*ol*ed%%% -nhappy AristotleM $ho in*ented for these mendialectics the art of building up and pulling do$nL an art so e*asi*e in itspropositions so far.fetched in its con/ectures so harsh in its arguments soproducti*e of contentions..embarrassing e*en to itself retracting e*erything andreally treating of nothingM %%% 0hat indeed has Athens to do $ith )erusalem2 0hat

concord is there bet$een the Academy and the "hurch2 0hat bet$een hereticsand "hristians2 Our instruction comes from Jthe porch of #olomon' $ho hadhimself taught that Jthe ,ord should be sought in simplicity of heart%' A$ay $ith allattempts to produce a mottled "hristianity of #toic Platonic and dialecticcompositionM 0e $ant no curious disputation after possessing "hrist )esus noin6uisition after en/oying the gospelM 0ith our faith $e desire no further belief%


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that he himself $ill inherit the land by confirming His co*enantal promise by fire8*% ?E?%9% Therefore the fire ser*es as God's unilateral guarantee that those

$ith the faith of Abraham $ill like him be righteous in God's sight and therebyincluded in the resurrection of the righteous unto inheriting the actual land ofIsrael 8cf% Heb% :?3ff9% )esus taught that Abraham belie*ed in the resurrection of

the dead 8t% :3D.39%?+"ompare the phraseology of Is% +:+ $ith )esus' $ords to ,a;arus in )ohn??:3L cf% also )ohn C:CE%

DIn Augustine's *ie$ the &hea*enly( kingdom 8i%e% the Greek &spiritual realm(cloaked in biblical parlance9 finds metaphysical substantiation and manifestationin the church and therefore the church 8not the essiah at the end of the age asthe Bible teaches9 establishes the dominion of God on the earth no$ ultimatelyto no a*ail since God e*entually scraps and annihilates the earth in the endany$ay 8thus reflecting the Greek assumption of the material $orld's inherent

corruption9M The practical effect of this *ie$ is that it tends to breed arroganceand a messianic comple4 in the people of God% If $e are not careful $e begin tothink that $e are the ones called to establish the kingdom% This is in contrast tothe 7e$ Testament $hich emphatically teaches that God has appointed oneman )esus the essiah to establish the kingdom at the end of the age 8Ac%?:3?9% The &dominionism( pre*alent in much of the church today is rooted in theAugustinian *ie$% V


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embedded in an eschatological frame$ork and in that it ackno$ledges that $eare situated in the last days 8Heb% ?:9L it ultimately errs by articulating the t$o.fold e4ecution of the essianic mission in terms of the gradual &manifestation( ofthe kingdom instead of in terms of the mystery of essiah as )esus and theapostles did 8see "h% C9% By confusing the signs of the kingdom 8postulated as

the &already( or the &inauguration( of the kingdom9 $ith the eschatologicalkingdom 8postulated as the &not yet( or &consummation( of the kingdom9 to $hichthose signs point 8for more on this point see the end of this chapter9 it is thoughtthat the kingdom of God progressi*ely ad*ances on the earth through the agencyof the church until )esus comes to consummate the kingdom at the end of theage% At the end of the day therefore the already=not yet *ie$ is in essence littlemore than a t$o.tiered *ersion of the Augustinian *ie$ 8see endnote D9 $ith thee4ception that ,add lea*es room for the earthly rule of )esus on the earth in themillennium% -ltimately this *ie$ has the practical effect of keeping the saintsfrom &setting their hope fullyon the grace to be gi*en you $hen )esus "hrist isre*ealed( 8? Pt% ?:?3 emphasis added9% If $e are able to put our hope in a

kingdom established no$ 8e*en if only to a limited degree9 ho$ can $e set ourhope fully on the grace to be gi*en us then2

3#ee e%g% "harles "% @yrie Dispensationalism Today8oody ?+C9% Thestrength of classical dispensationalism is its insistence on a non.allegorical andmore literal hermeneutical approach to the interpretation of the Hebre$#criptures% Israel means IsraelL )erusalem means )erusalemL and so forth% Themain problems $ith dispensational pre.millennialism are: 8?9 the biblicallyunsubstantiated $ay it alters God's mode of interaction $ith human beings indifferent epochs of timeL and 89 its postulate that God has t$o peoples destinedfor t$o separate kingdoms% Israel is God's &earthly( people destined to inherit thekingdom of God on the earthL $hile the church is God's &hea*enly( peopledestined to inherit the &spiritual( kingdom of hea*en% any people turn to thedispensational paradigm as a means of refuting replacement theology $hereby itis claimed5usually by @eformed theologians5that God no longer has a placefor ethnic Israel in His plan and has replaced ethnic Israel $ith the 7e$Testament church composed primarily of Gentiles% 0hile the errors ofreplacement theology absolutely do need to be confronted5the #criptures areclear that God still has important plans for ethnic Israel5dispensational theologyin my opinion is not the most helpful ally unto this end% This is because 8?9 thedispensational *ie$ simply cannot be substantiated by a close and consistentreading of #criptureL and 89 it still e4udes residues of the Hellenistic $orld*ie$ inits postulation of a &hea*enly kingdom( and an &earthly kingdom%( @eformedtheologians $rongly frame the con*ersation in terms of the church orethnicIsrael% 1ispensationalists reacting to this faulty frame$ork retort by claiming that

$e must talk about both the church andethnic Israel% As $e $ill see in "hapter Cthe 7e$ Testament position is that the church or assembly of essiah is the fruitofthe remnant of ethnic essianic Israel% As such both essianic )e$s andessianic Gentiles together share in one co*enant5still authentically Israel's5and in that co*enant form a single multinational Bride of essianic Israelites $ho


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$ill inherit the one and only kingdom of God on the earth at essiah's return%

03 - Chapter 3_Anchored in Truth

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