Salvation History. Chapter 1. A History of Salvation?

Chapter 1. A History of Salvation?
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A Life Without Meaning?


Many people think that history has no meaning, that what has happened has been all chance with no higher meaning or guiding pattern. This view derives from evolutionary theory. If the world has come about, as Evolutionists claim, by the random reactions of chemical and electrical components, then it is true - life and history must have no meaning. Hence the present can have no meaning, all is vanity.

This philosophy has taken hold of Western thought almost completely and is bearing its fruit in social decay and violence. For example, if life has no meaning then there is no reason why we should hold life to be of any value. Hence murder, euthanasia, abortion, etc. have no importance. The only meaning that can be assigned to life is the enjoyment of the here and now, and personal convenience. Hence anyone or anything that disturbs my convenience or enjoyment of life I can get rid of. The prevailing attitude to life is thus hedonistic and anarchic.

The acceptance of this philosophy that history has no meaning, that all is random chance, inevitably has to bear the fruit of personal selfishness and the loss of social mores and standards.

However Christians do not accept that this theory is true. There is no proof that evolution is correct. In fact after nearly 150 years it is still only a THEORY. Many Scientific facts contradict it. As a theory it is scientifically unsound, as it has no basis. Evolution is, in fact, an unproved assumption - a philosophy or, in real terms, a RELIGION.

When we see this, we see that it is a belief about ultimate meanings (or the lack of them) then we can see that evolution stands in opposition to Christianity as a philosophy of life. It is Anti-Christian.

The Meaning of Life.

On the other hand the Bible claims to be the revelation of God concerning his creation.

God created the heavens and the earth. He made man. Behind this creation there was a reason, a purpose. This purpose can be discovered, but only by revelation. However God has revealed his purpose to man and He wants every man to enter into the plan of God for history. In doing this we will find not only the meaning of history, but also the meaning to our own lives.

Personal meaning and fulfillment exist and can be found in God. This is the claim of the Bible.

The Bible reveals to us why and how God created the world, what went wrong with that creation, how God has provided a way for mankind to enter into the plan of God again, and how God will finally bring about his plan in history.

THE PLAN OF GOD.

The Aim of the Plan.

It was God's intention in creation to make a people who could share with him his Glory and power. From this intention God has never wavered. It is his desire that mankind intelligently and fully share in everything that God is.This sharing together was intended to be an eternal thing.

However because God's nature is one of purity and holiness it required that mankind also be pure and holy. The entry of sin into mankind, and through them to the whole universe, meant that man could not share in God's life.

Because of this God instituted a plan of Redemption, or Salvation, to bring man back into his plan.

We need to be clear that this is the aim of Salvation - to bring man back into God's plan, i.e. that he will share in God's glory.

The plan of salvation is not primarily to deal with sin, that is not its motive. The plan of salvation is to bring man into full relationship with God again, sharing in God's plan. To enable this to happen sin had to be dealt with, but this is simply a by-product of the plan, not the intention of the plan.


A Plan for All Time and Eternity.

The aim was, therefore, to bring man back into an eternal relationship with God. To do this God set aside a certain amount of time - as long as it will take - to bring man to a place of final choice - will they go with God or will they not? The decision each man makes in time determines his place in eternity - in or out of God's plan.

Hence history has meaning - it is the outworking of God's plan to bring man back to himself. It is a history of salvation, hence the title of this series, Salvation History.

SALVATION HISTORY.

Definition: Salvation History: The course of God's dealings with man in history.

(i) It encompasses every dealing of God with man right from the first moment in eternity that God conceived of man as an idea, right through until that time when the destiny of each man is fixed for all eternity.

(ii) The Aim of this plan is the salvation of man, in the broadest sense - including the fulfillment of God's original intention for man - to share in his glory.

(iii) It is a history - i.e. it is concerned with events that happened in history. These things actually happened in time and space. It is historical data, even if it cannot be proved by modern historical methods. Some of the data is known to us only by revelation.

DIAGRAM OF SALVATION HISTORY.

Diagram will be inserted shortly

Explanation of Diagram:

Main Points on the Line.

(1) The line begins in eternity with the decisions of God to share his glory and create a people to share it with.

(2) Creation itself, of the heavens and earth, then of man in the person of Adam. With Adam we find the first example in Creation of a being that CO-RULED with God. The angelic beings had not done this; they are simply appointed authorities with redefined tasks and powers. Man is something new in that he is given creative ability and is able to intelligently CO-RULE.

(3) The Fall changes the relationships.

(4) The Flood marks a new beginning.

(5) Abraham begins the line of Promise.

(6) Christ's death puts an end to it all and begins a new humanity.

(7) The Second Coming (parousia) is when God visibly demonstrates his plan for men.


PERIODS OF GOD'S DEALINGS WITH MAN.

This diagram shows that there were several main events that brought about changes in the manner of God's dealings with man. This gives rise to several periods of time, each one being distinct in that different factors govern God's dealings with men in that period. These periods are often called the "Dispensations of God's Grace". Most periods begin with a convent with a key person who acts as the representative for others who follow him.

Eight main periods are thus often mapped out:

(1) Creation to the Fall - the period of Innocence. Covenant of Adam.
(2) Fall to Flood - the Period of human freedom.
(3) Flood to Abraham - Period of Human Justice. Covenant of Noah.
(4) Abraham to Sinai - Period of Promise. Covenant of Abraham.
(5) Sinai to David - Period of Law. Covenant of Moses.
(6) David to the Cross - Period of Kings. Covenant of David.
(7) Cross to the Second Coming - Period of Church. Second / New Covenant.
(8) Second Coming to New Creation - Millennium.
After this follows Eternity.

In this series we will not have time to look in depth at all of these events, but will concentrate mainly on Creation, Fall, Redemption and Fulfillment.