The purpose of this lesson: To stress (a) that salvation from sin is universal and exceeds nationality, culture, language, education, poverty, etc., and (b) that our salvation from sin is linked to the restoration of God to His rightful position as the "all in all."
Even before Jesus was born, God intended the scope of all He determined to do in Jesus to be no less than all people, all nations (as an example, consider Isaiah 49:6). One objective of the resurrected Jesus was to defeat every enemy of God. That objective would conclude in this: the subjection of all things to God, including God's son, so that God may be the all in all (see 1 Corinthians 15:23-28). Jesus defeated the alienation of people from God when he surrendered his life on the cross (see 2 Corinthians 5:18-21). The final enemy the resurrected Jesus will defeat will be the death of people (see 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-58).
God's intention from at least Abraham was to provide a Savior that could redeem all people from their sin if they would place their trust in Jesus Christ (see Genesis 12:3b; Romans 4:1-5, 13, 16-25; Galatians 3:7-9, 14, 16, 28, 29). Jesus is reigning now and will continue to reign until he defeats all God's enemies.
The objective is to restore God to the position of "all in all"—the Absolute One who controls everything. Question: Was there ever a situation when God was the "all in all?" Answer: Yes! When was that? That was the circumstance when God through His son created. Interestingly, God's agent of creation is also God's agent of reconciliation. When God authorized creation, there was no human sin, death, or rebellion. Because of human rebellion, there was (is) sin in humanity. Because of sin in humanity, there is death in humanity. Unthinkably, God's own creation rebelled against Him. Because of human rebellion, that which God made was in opposition to Him (consider Romans 8:18-25).
God rightfully should be in the position of the "all in all." That is God's position, and God's only. God held that position in the time of creation and in the time between creation and human rebellion. God through Jesus Christ is both destroying human alienation from God and restoring Himself to His rightful place over all He made.
God created as the "all in all." God reigned as the "all in all" until sin occurred. Through the defeat of all that opposes God, God shall again be restored to His rightful position as the "all in all." There is much more involved in God's work in human redemption than the salvation of people! In a fundamental way, the salvation of people is merely a step in the restoration of God to His rightful place as the "all in all!" It could be correctly said that human salvation is as much about restoring God's holiness over creation as it is about sinful people. That has nothing to do with His great love for us and His willingness to forgive, redeem us! It has to do with the "why" of His incredible feelings for us that resulted in His incredible acts in our behalf!
It is through destroying sin (thus permanently ending the alienation between God and humans made by God in God's image) that God will be restored to the position of the "all in all" he held over all creation when He created. Salvation not only affects our relationship with God, but also restores God's place over creation by destroying the enmity that perverted His creation.
The problems in our human community (all nations) are beyond humanity (us) to correct. People in past ages have made numerous attempts in a conviction "we know how to fix human problems." We now laugh at past efforts, former people's optimism, and former people's woeful failure—as will future generations laugh at today's people in the arrogant confidence that they also can do better than we did. That cycle never ends as long as humanity thinks the solution to our perpetual problems lies in humanity itself.
"The cycle" is produced by people's conviction that humanity is the source, the entire answer, to the problems that plague the human condition. As long as people are certain that humanity is the solution to humanity's problems, the cycle will continue.
If you think there is nothing to understand in salvation issues, consider this. The key to salvation does not rest in people accepting American cultures, or Nigerian cultures, or Indian cultures, or British cultures. It does not rest in being from a European nation, or a South American nation, or a Far (or Near) East nation. Salvation has nothing to do with being from Australia, or Russia, or Canada. It was difficult almost 2,000 years ago to promote the correct understanding that salvation did not rest on the foundation of Judaism or a foundation of a particular form of idolatry. That understanding is still difficult to promote today—don't you think (deep down) an American has at least a little advantage in being loved and forgiven by God?
In salvation considerations, people tend to be quite self-focused. People tend to be concerned about the impact of sin on them, but rarely consider the impact sin (declared in human rebellion) had on God as human rebellion perverted God's creation. The holiness of God will be restored over a rebellious creation when people in Christ lovingly honor the Holy God who is gracious and merciful to us.
Neither is the salvation issue founded on human knowledge, or human power, or human prosperity, or human aggressiveness. While such things can serve a role if used properly, they—at best—can only serve a role. Salvation is not founded on any one of them or any collection of them. Consider, in context, 1 Corinthians 3:1-11. Even the finest and most sacrificial of men served roles, but all anyone could do was build on the foundation God—through His grace—made possible. What was that foundation? Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ is presented in scripture as God's foundation or as God's cornerstone (consider Ephesians 2:19-22 and 1 Peter 2:4-10).
Salvation is not about us and our desires. Salvation is about God and His purposes. His purposes are achieved in Jesus Christ. We, as people, are benefactors of what God did in Jesus Christ. Our salvation is not produced by human ingenuity and human resources. The foundation of our salvation is the result of God's plan, God's resources, and God's power. People of themselves were powerless to save themselves. Only God has the ability to save us. Nothing humans can produce will result in them saving themselves. It is what God produced in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that gives any person access to salvation and relationship with God.
The key to God's salvation (which includes our forgiveness and other elements of redemption) is having trust and confidence in what God did through Jesus Christ. In context, consider Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:19-23 and Peter's statement in Acts 10:34-43.
Only by understanding what God accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ do we understand our opportunity to be saved. Jesus Christ alone is the foundation of the opportunity for human salvation.
The issue is not a faith in American Christians, or Nigerian Christians, or Christians in India, or British and European Christians. The issue is what God did in Jesus Christ. It is not faith in Christians anywhere that saves from sin. It is faith in Jesus Christ that saves from sin. Christian focus is on an act of God. Christian focus is not on humanity. Salvation from sin transcends any nation, people, or culture. It rests on what God did in Jesus Christ. It is faith in what God accomplished through Jesus Christ that saves, not faith in a nationality or culture. Christians respond to God's Savior through obedience, not to humanity's accomplishments.
One of the problems that often occur in mission work in unevangelized nations: the expectation of new congregations or Christian individuals placing hopes and desires in a faith in the "mother" (supporting) church of the sending nation. If care is not taken, these new Christians turn to and place faith in the senders rather than the God who saved them.
Consider the statement made in 1 Peter 1:10-12. Just as in Jesus Christ first there was suffering then glory, so it is with those in Christ. We endure his sufferings with him that we might partake of his glory when all that opposes God is defeated.
Note suffering preceded glorification. Glorification occurred because suffering was endured. Note suffering was not artificially induced—it was the natural result of being committed to a life of holiness in a world characterized by evil.
FOR THOUGHT AND DISCUSSION
1. Before Jesus was born, God intended what?
God intended to offer all people salvation through Jesus Christ.
2. What was one objective of Jesus in resurrection? That objective included what?
One objective of Jesus Christ was to defeat every enemy of God. This objective included subjecting all things to God (that included God's son subjecting himself to God).
3. How did Jesus Christ defeat people's alienation from God? What will be the final enemy?
Jesus defeated people's alienation from God by his death. The final enemy to be defeated will be the death of people.
4. What is the "all in all?"
The "all in all" is God's absoluteness as the One in control.
5. When was God first the "all in all?"
The first time in our relationship with God was when God created.
6. God's son was the agent of creation and the agent of what?
Jesus was also God's agent of human redemption.
7. Because of human rebellion, what occurred?
Because of human rebellion, sin, human death, and the perversion of creation occurred.
8. Much more is involved in God's work of redemption than what?
Much more is involved than the redemption of people.
9. The problems in the universal human community are beyond what?
Those problems are beyond humanity's ability to fix.
10. What cycle never ends? Why?
The cycle of people thinking the resolution of all human problems lie in human potential never ends. People believe the "fix" to all people problems lies within people.
11. The key to salvation (from sin) does NOT rest in people accepting what?
The key does not rest in all people believing people problems can be solved by promoting a particular culture.
12. Neither is the salvation issue founded on what?
It is not founded on human knowledge, human power, human prosperity, or human aggressiveness.
13. What is the key to God's salvation? Discuss the focus of Ephesians 1:19-23 and that of Acts 10:34-43.
The key to God's salvation is placing trust and confidence in what God did through Jesus Christ. The focus of Ephesians l:19-23 is on understanding what God did through Jesus Christ. The focus of Acts 10:34-43 is on God working through Jesus Christ.
14. Just as Jesus suffered and was glorified, what is also true of us?
Our glorification will follow our suffering.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 9