Recap: Last week I posted a short excerpt from my upcoming book, God's Elect - The Chosen Generation. The book will present a non-contradictory, biblical perspective of New Testament election. The book is due out in the fall. More excerpts to come.
Church-Building
As an architect, I really enjoy the sections of Scripture that depict various building projects in the Bible. Whether it's the construction of the tabernacle in Exodus, the rebuilding of the city wall in Nehemiah, or the description of the proposed future temple in Ezekiel, it's impossible not to be impressed by the tremendous detail and specificity of these passages. They reveal a God who wants to be sure that nothing is left to chance and to ensure that his plan will be constructed exactly per his design intent.
In the last post we were reminded that God's ultimate goal is the salvation of the world. I called it "the big picture." Jesus confirms this focus when he says, "I did not come to judge the world but to save the world" (John 12:47 ESV). The entire New Testament can be described as the revelation of God's plan to establish and "construct" the Christian Church. The Church - a "mystery hidden for ages" - is the mechanism God has chosen to achieve his goal of the salvation of the world. In other words, much of the New Testament is really the outworking of God's Church-building strategy and reveals a series of unique, first-century events and circumstances, supernaturally orchestrated by the Almighty, to ensure the successful launching of the Church.
God's Church-building plan can be described as a project with four distinct phases:
Phase 1: Jesus - The first phase of God's creative strategy is revealed in the four Gospels. God began his Church-building project by setting the "foundation" and "cornerstone" for the structure. He sent Jesus into the world and arranged for the selection, training and preparation of twelve Jewish men to initiate the work.
... the household of God, (is) built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. (Ephesians 2:19-21 ESV)
Some might argue that the entire Old Testament was the first phase of God's plan. Perhaps - but there is a sense in which the Old Testament was a different project altogether, one that was destined to fail because it was dependent upon the weak and flawed framework of human frailty. The old structure was scrapped to make way for the new construction, a better structure, using refined materials and gifted workmen.
Phase 2: the apostles - This phase, depicted primarily in the book of Acts (aka, The Acts of the Apostles), involved the sending of the apostles into the world to gather and disciple a specific group of individuals who were divinely enabled by Jesus (through the Holy Spirit), to receive the gospel message as truth.
And when the Gentiles heard this (inclusion of the Gentiles in God's saving grace), they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed. And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region. (Acts 13:48-49 ESV)
Phase 3: the early church - Those who received the gospel message and responded to the apostles' appeal to be reconciled with God, were supernaturally glorified with the gifts and abilities needed to carry on the work begun by the apostles. Ultimately, they were to grow the Church and ensure that the framework for the Church would be erected on the firm foundation set by the apostles and in accordance with the specifications of God's blueprint.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, (Ephesians 4:11-13 ESV)
Phase 4: the Church - The final phase of God's church-building plan was the open door of inclusion for believers from every tribe, tongue, people and nation (aka, the world) who, through the power of the gospel and the grace of God, "call on the name of the Lord," believing that Jesus is the Son of God, and choosing to live their lives abiding in Christ and glorifying God by displaying a genuine concern and love for others.
Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. (Revelation 14:6 ESV)
Grammar . . . Unfortunately
We are embarking on a study of the doctrine of election in the Gospel of John. Before we undertake to examine some specific passages, I must "warn" you that it will be necessary to include some discussion of grammar, syntax, and lexicology when interpreting these passages. Since God decided to convey his message to us using language, it is important to understand that language is an imperfect medium. While affirming the veracity of the Bible as the word of God, we must also acknowledge the interpretive nature of language. Language not only provides for a lot of "wiggle room" in the various translations, it can also be manipulated, either intentionally or subliminally, to reflect certain biases.
The goal of all Bible interpretation should be the accurate representation of the original intent of the writer. Having said that, it is important that we let the passages of the Bible speak for themselves, unmanipulated, informed by their contexts and other basic principals of sound Bible interpretation.
Final Thought
Here's a suggestion; as we explore the critical passages relative to this controversial topic in John's Gospel account, please ignore your Bible commentaries. Although many commentaries are helpful to discern difficult linguistic constructions, historical references, and social customs of the first century, when it come to controversial passages, they often reveal the bias of the commentator. I challenge you to investigate the passages free of predispositions. We want to approach these passages with meditation, prayer, and an appeal to the Counselor for insight. I believe that, for those who seek understanding with sincerity and diligence, God will reveal all that is needed to illumine his word.
Next Post: We'll begin with some introductory insight into the doctrine of election in the Gospel of John. Here's a link: https://www.bibleinsights.net/post/post-29-overview-election-in-the-gospel-of-john-part-2
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