Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Appendix 3: His Seamless Plan

Creation: God existed in Triune community. Man was created in his image. Fall: God’s authority is challenged and the people join the revolt, and are enslaved to the enemy. Plan : God’ s rescue plan is announced (The seed of the woman will crush the serpent’s head, Gen. 3.16). People: Abraham and Israel are promised a multi-ethnic family (Gen. 12.1-3). A Jewish nation provides a heritage out of which the Church is later formed. Person : The Jewish deliverer invades, robs the enemy’s house (Matt. 12.29), and disarms the powers of evil (Col. 2.15, Heb. 2.14). Nations: At Pentecost, a multi-national community is established to carry on his work (John 14.12). Christ’s redemptive work has no geographical bounds . Mystery Revealed: Christ establishes the Church as the continuation of his effort to destroy the devil’s work. A temple is being built until the end when all cultures enter in (Matt. 24.14, Eph. 2.20-22). With the entry of Gentiles, Christ’s redemptive work now has no cultural bounds . If the devil had known God’s plan, he would not have crucified Christ (1 Cor. 2.7-8). This is the mystery of God’s plan (Rom. 16.25, Eph. 1.9-10, 3.2-11, 5.32, 6.19, Col. 1.24-27, 2.2-3, Col. 4.3, 1 Tim. 3.16, Rev. 10.7). Unfolding Story : The history of the Church fills in the missing part of the Bible’s Story. In the Church Age, we continue Jesus’ work of destroying the devil’s work (1 John 3.8), winning back what was lost (Luke 19.10), under the headship of Christ. Fulfillment : The King returns to finish what he started. All things are restored “under his feet.” All the objectives of the Kingdom plan are complete, to the praise of his glory. Everything is going according to plan, meeting all his Kingdom objectives, even though it looks chaotic at times, and much work and suffering must be endured until it is over.

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