Picturing Theology, Revised Edition

Picturing Theology, Revised Edition | 313

Salvation as Joining the People of God Terry Cornett

I. The most significant way to define salvation in the biblical context is to describe it as being joined to the people of God. A. Old Testament 1. The prototype Old Testament image of salvation is the Exodus where God “saved” his people from bondage and slavery in Egypt. a. To be saved meant to be joined to the people of God who were being delivered together out of bondage and placed directly under God’s lordship, laws, protection, provision, and presence. b. Exodus 6:7 (ESV) – I will take you as my own people , and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians (cf. Leviticus 26:12; Deuteronomy 4:20; Hosea 13:4). 2. God’s selection of Israel as “his people” gave them a unique position among all the peoples of the earth. a. Deuteronomy 7:6 (ESV) – For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession (cf. Deuteronomy 14:2; 26:18; 33:29). b. Deuteronomy 27:9 (ESV) – Then Moses and the priests, who are Levites, said to all Israel, “Be silent, O Israel, and listen! Y ou have now become the people of the LORD your God. ” 3. The means of salvation for anyone outside of Israel was to join themselves to the people of God. a. Exodus 12:37-38, 48a (ESV) – The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. Many other people went up with them , as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. . . . “ An alien living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD’S Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land .”