Sep 12 2007
gospel of the kingdom
I may be borrowing several quotes over time from a stunning article by John Stackhouse that was published in the May/June Edition of Books and Culture. It is a wonderful article that challenges all Christians to have a “bigger and smaller” view of mission. Here is a provocative section from the middle:
Furthermore, we must beware of a second problem that lies nearby. And that is the idea that missions is all about getting people saved, and particularly about rescuing their souls from hell so that they can go to heaven. Multiple theological errors, in fact, attend this view of salvation.
God is not interested in saving merely human souls. He wants human beings, body and soul. Furthermore, he does not settle for saving human beings, but the whole earth. He made it in the first place, pronounced it “very good,” and he wants it all back. So he is saving us, the lords he put over creation, as part of his global agenda to rescue, indeed, the globe.
What God rescues us to[in contrast to what we are rescued “from” -ELM], furthermore, is the original agenda he set out for us in Genesis 1, namely, to “fill the earth and subdue it.” He planted a garden for us to tend (Gen. 2) and commanded our first parents to raise up generations of gardeners to fan out across the earth to till the rest of it. This is what it means to bear the image of God. We, too, are to improve the situation, to cultivate what we encounter, to make shalom in every sector of life. And such work is our ultimate destiny as well, as we are to “reign with him” over the new earth he promises (2 Tim. 2:12). Thus we are not going back to Eden, nor up to a (spiritual) heaven, but forward to the New Jerusalem, which comes down from heaven to earth as our proper home (Rev. 21).
The Christian gospel therefore is not a narrowly spiritual one, but literally embraces everything, everywhere, at every moment. Every action that brings shalom—that preserves or enhances the flourishing of things, people, and relationships—is the primary will of God for humanity. Christians ought therefore to recognize and affirm anything our neighbors do to make peace, whether those neighbors intend to honor God or not. Indeed, we can cooperate with them in those ventures, since we see in them the divine agenda of shalom.
I think that this is an important point. I have been in many conversations lately where I have found opportunity to mention, that Jesus did not come to save souls. He came to establish a kingdom. Forgiving sins and offering new life to people is part of this process but it is not the end of the process. The restored kingdom of God is the end. But don’t take my word for it.
But [Jesus] said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” Luke 4:43.
on the walk
-Ethan
Ps. For those of us who have accepted the call to disciples others, [small group leaders, teachers, children’s leaders, parents, pastors, etc.] this kingdom perspective has a huge impact. The finish line for which we strive is not “dunked and done” (or “prayed and saved” if you are from a non-immersing tradition) but rather full citizenship in a new kingdom. Paul uses this language of citizenship as another example of identity theology as discussed here.
