Heritage,ancestry, do we really know where we have come from?
But, I am not talking about our family tree.
I am talking about the spiritual or religion tree.(I use the term religion loosely) It has escaped the majority of us to really understand from where our protestant background started from. And this is a shame! We have taken for granted that the theology of our belief is sound.
I am torn by what the average christian should spend some time on our “heritage” of christian beliefs.Some are more than others. Our duty should not be as to be assuming anything. Our timeline of understanding the bible has almost been totally been given us through the protestant reformation back in the 16th century. We have given this time as a religious monument to our beliefs. It has boxed us in to understanding of God.
I fear that we have been shielded or been in a bubble by the circumstances that we been in because of the church scene. I believe that our lackadaisical effort on our part has led us to this point.
I see that we have missed something that is very relevant to God. It is that we as His people,His Bride,His Church,has got to begin with us individually. I don’t think that we are sold out to Him. The issue with this is very scary to us, and we don’t want to take the first step to do it. We as humans think in human ways and terms. There lies the problem. I feel that we don’t really see God in the form that He is. Until we as individuals claim Him and actually see God for who “He” is we will never see the corporate deity of His people,church or bride.
The Garden of Eden was full of life, in alot of different ways. Sure, it had life in plants,mountains,seas,animals of the sea and land, but their was another life that Adam didn’t see that was in right in front of him. It was God’s “life”.It represented “Him”. It was not all about the “things” that He created, it was about what it represented!We as christians still see the things that God created and not Him. God was “Life“. It was and is His very Being. It is the only descriptive word that He wants from us. This message is seen throughout the bible.
This is where I believe that there is beginning to be change of the paradigm in the christian realm. Let me be bold with this next statement, but let me emphasize here that this is not me but the winds of change in God’s world that I see.
We as Christians have put the total emphasis on being Evangelical.
God’s Eternal Purpose before even time began was not to have sin in his realm or to have His son die on a cross to bring life to His Bride, but it was to Have Life with His people(Bride)!
Re-look at the passages of Genesis 1-2, then at Revelation 21-22. These passages are like a before and after picture that we so often see on tv or print. God’s plan is in progress but it already has the end written. God’s purpose will be completed in a eternal way. God will build His Church!
The Eternal Purpose 
While I agree that the “after” picture is trying to get to the “before” picture, and perhaps, maybe not in the same way as I don’t believe the Earth has to be exactly as before for the end times. I disagree with NT Wright’s position that this was the plan from the beginning. This view is inconsistent with the portrayal of God and the thematic elements of the old testament.
It’s an interesting theory, but there just is not any evidence to back the claim up and even more pointing to the contrary.
What is the reference of Wright’s that you are referring to?
My reference is to NT Wright saying that from the outset God had intended Israel to be a light of Nations. Also, the idea that from the time of the Fall God had a singular plan for defeating evil.
Which has changed a multitude of times in the Bible, and if God had intended Israel to be a light of the world from the outset (which the idea first popped up in second Isaiah) then it ignores all of the promises that was made prior to this.
NT Wright’s ideas seem to hang on the idea of an old testament God that is a portrait of Jesus. The thematic elements of the OT seem to disprove this.
Israel(church,people,bride)is the representation of fellowship of the corporate man(adam). If adam had chosen
the tree of life(God) this is exactly what he would of gotten,but he didn’t. This is not in the reality of a jewish nation or world, that he was talking about. Evil, is the “sinful nature” that God died for and is now vanquished, we now have a free will, which before we didn’t because of the “sinful nature” it was slighted to evil. God/Jesus died and arose showing that he conquered death,which represents sin/sinful nature.
From Peter on the followers of “I know who you are,God” were separated from the jewish community,they,some disciples and Paul/John were the ones that figured it out. The jewish group does not know who God is yet.
I have lately believed that the old testament was all about showing the jewish people in their own ways and language trying to speak to the jews in stories,parables to get the message across to them that God/Jesus was/is who He said He was. They just couldn’t figure it out,they were thinking humanly ways, just like I am afraid alot of christianity is now. But I really see alot of signs that that is changing.
Hey, I was thinking maybe come from a different angle on some things, would you be interested in being in a book club, we could pick a book then discuss it whenever so often.
The starting point, as you state, is that God had a purpose in eternity past. Ephesians 3:10-11: “In order that now to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenlies the multifarious wisdom of God might be made known through the church, according to the eternal purpose which He made in Christ Jesus our Lord.” What He is doing now is according to His purpose from eternity. He has moved through many different people over the ages but His purpose holds firm.
Sure, assuming, of course I get my car fixed.
I’m hoping it’ll be fixed by Wednesday.