Thinking about the gospel:
In some North American evangelical contexts - soteriology - theology of salvation, or the implications that follow for individuals who believe in Jesus (concerning their personal salvation) - makes up 99.9% of what is recognized as "gospel preaching"... such as:
explaining the gospel = explaining the doctrine of justification.
But if justification is a primary implicate of the gospel - who Jesus is and what he has done - does this kind of "gospel preaching" give the false impression that one may have the personal, individual results of the gospel apart from Jesus?
Do I need to believe certain things about Jesus? Certainly. Is it necessary to entrust myself to him? Just as certainly!
So who is he? This raises again the question of Christology which is a question the Bible answers primarily with a narrative (sequesnce of narratives / redemptive drama).
My persoanl tradition stresses that by faith one has actual union with Jesus Christ and that in this union with him in his death and resurrection all the benefits of redemption are ours in him
I die to sin, guilt and death itself in him and am raised to life, justification and a living hope in him. His death accomplishes my forgiveness, pardon, reconciliation with God, etc. His vindication - for he was the obedient Son - results in my vindication, qualifies me to share in his inheritance. His death was the death I deserve. His vindication is the vindication that otherwise would escape me.
I agree with this stress on the necessity of our union with Christ. Especially if we remember that "Christ" means Messiah and that the Messiah of Israel has been exalted as the Lord of the nations and above every power. That is, the Christ with whom we have union - in whom we have salvation - is also our Lord, our Head, our King.
He is engaged as God's focal point of the reconciliation of all things. [In him - the agent through whom God made all things - all things are being reconciled to God their Creator.] Do I have union with him only in regards to benefits for me? Or am I to be engaged in the reconciliation of all things?
We can not choose which Christ to follow, trust, hear or obey.
posted by robby @ 8:41 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Ok good explanation of soteriology, did I spell that right. And discussion of being saved. An Orthodox brother of mine posted about that on his blog: More on being saved.
I wonder what you think about this. And also, have you ever read this article:
Richard J. Clifford, S.J. Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, Mass. THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES AND THE THEOLOGY OF CREATION * Theological Studies 46 (1985) 507-523
I tried to read it several months ago and stumbled over the word soteriology on the first page!
Well now that I belong to the biblical studies group and read your blog, I think I am ready to read it.
I will come back and check for a response.
I just embarked on my own studies of the ancient goddess religion of israel on my blog.
Robby:
Good thought there about our participation in the reconciliation of all things. We participate in both proclamation and life in the Spirit (which is also living out implication - participating in the power of the new life to come which is already ours). We especially participate in community - we cannot really participate without it.
Let's not forget the dialectic form of God's truth as well. Paul could say, Jesus died for me. The community is made up of individuals, each personally confronting the Messiah. But, as I read it, the reason for the individual salvation is for the corporate salvation; the Bride.
The message is thus primarily a proclamation meant to create pilgrim communities.
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