There are two realities on which the gospel exists and operates in all of human life.
1. The Reality of Decay. People and planet alike are decaying.
2. The Reality of Redemption. People and planet alike will one day be redeemed; people through the resurrection, and the planet through re-creation.
Consider the first, the Reality of Decay. People and planet alike are dying, decaying, and fading away. John foretold it in 1 John 2:17. The world and its lusts are dying away, but the one who does God's will will live forever, a promise carrying one past the decay of both body and planet.
Then there's Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 4:16. There's this outward wasting away of the body as we grow older, suffering the punches life throws.
And how about Romans 8:20-24? There is this constant frustration of bondage to decay and groaning through all of it.
But consider second, the Reality of Redemption. Christians praise God for the eager expectation of this promise (see v. 19) glorious freedom (v. 21) and adoption (v. 23) as sons and daughters of the King (v. 23), through the redemption of our decaying and dying bodies (v. 23). "In THIS hope we were saved" (v. 24).
And THERE IT IS!!! It is in the hope of redemption, the eager expectation of freedom, that we were saved. The confident expectation of resurrection and re-creation is our promise.
The doctrines of redemption and resurrection are promises that make for certainty, which in turn makes for good news! (See Acts 24:15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 6:18-19).
We were saved in the certainty that we WILL be adopted as sons and have our bodies redeemed. I believe too many Christians underemphasize the significance of the resurrection of our bodies as a foundation of the gospel, for salvation.
Our salvation is rooted in the certainty that we WILL ultimately be redeemed, both body and soul. Therefore, salvation MUST of necessity consummate with resurrection and redemption, or else it is a half-way salvation, which is really no salvation at all.
Praise God for His promise that He WILL, one day soon, complete His work of redemption by giving you a new body which will never experience pain, suffering, sorrow or sickness...of any kind. The resurrection body that Jesus Christ has now will one day be yours too!
Hangeth Thou In There!
1. The Reality of Decay. People and planet alike are decaying.
2. The Reality of Redemption. People and planet alike will one day be redeemed; people through the resurrection, and the planet through re-creation.
Consider the first, the Reality of Decay. People and planet alike are dying, decaying, and fading away. John foretold it in 1 John 2:17. The world and its lusts are dying away, but the one who does God's will will live forever, a promise carrying one past the decay of both body and planet.
Then there's Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 4:16. There's this outward wasting away of the body as we grow older, suffering the punches life throws.
And how about Romans 8:20-24? There is this constant frustration of bondage to decay and groaning through all of it.
But consider second, the Reality of Redemption. Christians praise God for the eager expectation of this promise (see v. 19) glorious freedom (v. 21) and adoption (v. 23) as sons and daughters of the King (v. 23), through the redemption of our decaying and dying bodies (v. 23). "In THIS hope we were saved" (v. 24).
And THERE IT IS!!! It is in the hope of redemption, the eager expectation of freedom, that we were saved. The confident expectation of resurrection and re-creation is our promise.
The doctrines of redemption and resurrection are promises that make for certainty, which in turn makes for good news! (See Acts 24:15; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 6:18-19).
We were saved in the certainty that we WILL be adopted as sons and have our bodies redeemed. I believe too many Christians underemphasize the significance of the resurrection of our bodies as a foundation of the gospel, for salvation.
Our salvation is rooted in the certainty that we WILL ultimately be redeemed, both body and soul. Therefore, salvation MUST of necessity consummate with resurrection and redemption, or else it is a half-way salvation, which is really no salvation at all.
Praise God for His promise that He WILL, one day soon, complete His work of redemption by giving you a new body which will never experience pain, suffering, sorrow or sickness...of any kind. The resurrection body that Jesus Christ has now will one day be yours too!
Hangeth Thou In There!
