Ultimate Fellowship
The Bible opens with two chapters laying the foundation for how God created man for fellowship, and then “it” happened. Humanity chose to define good and evil for themselves, and they introduced the twisted new reality of sin into God’s glorious world. And it was this sin that separated man from his Creator-God, and as a result instituted a new authority over man–the Serpent–Satan. Thus, civilization remains under the Serpent’s influence and reign, and as a result has progressed technologically, but has yet to restore or redeem humanity back to fellowship with God. And it was into this fray that God promised to provide a way to bring this rebellious humanity back to His fellowship. This promise is what defines the entire Message of the Bible–that is to say, the Bible’s message is: God redemption of humanity.
The unfolding of the Message of the Bible–man’s redemption–began with a promise that one day the Seed of Woman would crush the Serpent’s head…followed by a promise that the Seed of Abraham would bless the nations…followed by a promise that the eternal King would come from the tribe of Judah…followed by a temporary institution of God’s Law–mediated by Moses–that would be the shadow and tutor of the One who would fulfill the Law…followed by the promise that the Anointed One would come from the house of David…followed by the fullness of time being reached, and the arrival of the long awaited Seed of Woman, Seed of Abraham, king from the tribe of Judah, Messiah from the house of David, the one true God-man, Jesus Christ, who fulfilled all of the promises of God, and therefore offers to all humanity the free gift of salvation and redemption with God through faith in Him…followed by the vehicle through which God is now redeeming man–the Church–that is comprised of any who look to Christ in faith. This new humanity–the Church–is a spiritual family for which Christ sacrificed His life, and is made up of those who also look with hope to the day when their sinful bodies will be united with their circumcised hearts in their glorified bodies given to them by God. It is only those who have faith in God’s revelation and Word–His Son, Jesus Christ–that have the promise of entering into the long anticipated ultimate fellowship with God.
This ultimate fellowship is what the last two chapters of the Bible discloses. This is the New Heavens and New Earth, which is the place of hope and anticipation for all those who have transferred their trust in being made right with God from themselves to the Revelation of God–the person and work of Jesus Christ–on their behalf. This ultimate fellowship is where God will recompense humanity for their walking, living, and employing faithfulness to how He uniquely gifted them in the building up of His Church. It is in this ultimate fellowship where they will be with God forever with new hearts restored to their new–glorified–bodies, and they will listen and love God completely for all of eternity. The Bible’s message ends where it begins–fellowship with God–and it is wrought out of God’s love, grace, and mercy in offering redemption to man through the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ.
Glory to our God–glory to the King! Humanity has purpose–humanity has hope–we have this Anchor of the soul! Amen & Amen…
The message of the Bible: God’s redemption of humanity!
Click HERE for all the articles related to this series--HEARTS ON FIRE.— July 21, 2017