There are very few things that I enjoy talking about more than what I will be sharing today.
If you only heard ONE THING that I have to share, this is it. So, grab a big cup of tea and settle in. Today, just consider yourself digging deep into the Christian worldview of salvation. Ready? Let’s dig in…
In a Christian worldview, we are introduced to the story of mankind from creation to the fall to our present day. Sire sums up this story perfectly,
“Christians tell the story of creation, Fall, redemption, glorification–a story in which Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection are the centerpiece. Christians see their lives and the lives of others as tiny chapters in that story” (Sire 21).
Sire explains that mankind was created in the image of God (32). God’s intention for mankind was that in “each person reflects (as an image) the transcendence of God over His universe” (33). Scot McKnight presents one of the best explanations of sin, the fall, salvation, kingdom of God, and image bearing. He writes:
“Back up now to Genesis 1. Adam and Eve are eikons, God’s appointed ruling image bearers (Gen. 1:26-27) in God’s cosmic temple. What are image bearers to do? They are appointed to rule for God, or under God. The “fall” is from this task. That is, Adam and Eve decide the want to rule “like God’ instead of ruling “under God,” which means Adam and Eve are usurpers. The sin they commit is the sin of wanting more than the responsibility of governing on God’s behalf (McKnight 29).
Instead of choosing to represent God as His image bearers as they serve under Him, they fell for the temptation proposed by Satan to “be like God” (29). McKnight explains this:
“The story of sin the Bible is the story of God’s elect wanting to be God-like instead of god-ly, of ruling instead of sub-ruling and being ruled” (p. 29).
McKnight tracks this story as it develops,
“To end this mutiny of humans against God, and at the same time forgive and bond humans to God according to Plan A, God elects one solitary man and cuts a covenant of grace with him, calling him and his people to rule for God” (p. 29).
McKnight expounds upon the whole “kingdom story” by tracking it out. In this “kingdom story,” man messes things up the same way over and over.
McKnight carries the reader throughout the story as God’s people chose “Plan B,” allowing an earthly king to rule “like God” (30). Even as Jesus, God incarnate, comes on the scene to set things back in order where He “now rules again” (33), the context of much of His ministry and teaching revolves around His “retelling of the story” and reestablishing the story of the Kingdom of God (46).
The errors are in understanding, interpreting, and applying the story of the kingdom of God.
It began with Adam and Eve and continued throughout the story of mankind that is seen through the Old Testament account. McKnight sets this story as the backdrop and context for Jesus’ teaching and ministry as he brings to light the “five competing versions of Israel’s story in the world of Jesus” (47). These competing “stories” each divulge more errors in their understanding, interpretation and application of the kingdom story (47). McKnight helps to explain their errors and, in doing so, sets context behind the teaching and ministry of Jesus. Throughout His ministry and teaching, Jesus corrected their false stories of the King returning as a warrior Messiah, bringing holy warfare, proposing holy withdrawal, demanding strict observance of the Torah, or cooperating with the worldly political systems. Even with such a strong emphasis in Scripture upon these errors and the true story of the kingdom of God clearly taught, McKnight brings the reader to present day and shows that errors still abound. He confronts two camps in the church that are missing it.
One camp he calls the “Skinny Jeans.” They are characterized by their Western view that kingdom works are “good deeds done by good people in the public sector” (4). The most concerning ramification of this view is that much of these works are not connected to the church or the kingdom of God (5). Much effort is placed in good deeds and social justice apart from the church (5).
Another camp is the “Pleated Pants” crowd. This camp reduces the kingdom to “redemptive moments” (8). This view sounds “good” to many, yet its focus falls short of the true vision of the kingdom story (74).
McKnight shares that these stories are incomplete (223). He brings the reader back to the truth that the kingdom story transcends both of these views (223). This further helps the Christian and Christian leader today to understand more fully what is really meant by the kingdom of God so they can discern errors and embrace the true mission of the kingdom of God.
In all that McKnight shared, he confronted the errors by exposing them and countering those ruling stories ruling in the world (56-59). He also countered by showing what the kingdom of God is. This truth is central to the biblical worldview of sin and salvation.
What the Kingdom of God Is
Summed up in one word, McKnight say that the kingdom of God is a “story”. He expounds that Israelites “made sense of life through the story they learned to tell themselves” (21). This kingdom story creates kingdom mission. It is far beyond the mere “evangelism” of the Pleated Pants crowd or the “social justice” of the Skinny Jeans crowd (21).
Story is important.
McKnight contends that it is essential for the church to learn to proclaim the story “that makes sense of Jesus” (22). This is key to forming a genuinely biblical concept of the story.
McKnight systematically presents the full story of the kingdom of God. The story includes God as King, governing his people (66). His kingdom includes a King, a people, a rule, a land, and a law (76). Even more, Jesus life, death, and resurrection brings the good news of “Plan A revised” (33). McKnight explains the implications,
“The story is that in Jesus God now rules and God’s kind of ruling is saving, rescuing, atoning, justifying, and reconciling. The cross and the resurrection redefine kingdom in all directions” (35).
This is an expanded view of redemption from the limited view of the Pleated Pants crowd. McKnight gives a fuller picture:
“In relation to demonic oppression, conquest; in relation to misrepresentation of God’s rule, sharp rebuke; in relation to selfish complacency, warning; in relation to sin and failure, forgiveness and assurance of love; in relation to sickness, healing; in relation to material need, provision of daily bread; in relation to exclusion, welcoming inclusion; in relation to desire for power, an example of humble and loving service; in relation to death, life; in relation to false peace, painful division, but in relation to enmity, reconciliation” (144-145)
This is a story that makes sense of the life of Jesus and all of His teaching. This is a story that gives the kingdom of God its mission.
Throughout the text, McKnight also unveils kingdom mission. He defines kingdom mission as “forming the people of God” (123). He notes that kingdom mission consists of nine key essentials for the formation of the kingdom: the presence of God, the kingdom politic, the life under King Jesus, fellowship, freedom, ordered life, kingdom works, missional vocational, and love (100-122). As a result, the activities, pursuits, and even the lifestyle of the church should be centered around kingdom mission. McKnight contends that kingdom mission is church-centered (97) and holistic (98). This requires that the church counter all of the world’s stories (95) and stay faithful to the kingdom story by entering into that story (63). This means that there is no true kingdom mission or kingdom works outside of the church (81).
McKnight unveils what the kingdom is as he takes a look at the dynamic or divine dominion and rule of King Jesus (126). He magnifies that Jesus is King in “the here and now” (126).
Jesus is the “ideal king” Who represents God (126). Since in a kingdom the king determines the character of the kingdom and what their kingdom is like (126), This is what Jesus did through His life, ministry, and messages (p. 133).
He corrected the view of Messiah and kingdom (133). In turn, He set the culture and expectations of the kingdom of God (136). Instead of coming as they expected, to rule and reign, but He came to die “the death of others” (133). McKnight further makes it plain that Jesus cannot be embraced as the Messiah apart from embracing His story of life, death, burial, and resurrection (133). This is because Jesus is the “gospel shaped King” (133). This is the foundation of the gospel mission, which is evangelism revised and transformed (135). It requires a declaration of Jesus as King, telling His story, and “procuring his benefits” (136-137). His kingdom and his benefits are in the “here and now” (126). This means that eternal life begins at salvation and it also means that the kingdom of God, along with all of its benefits, also begins at salvation. In other words, it is not merely a “fire insurance policy” to get you out of hell after you die. Eternal life is here and now, it is also for all eternity.
The kingdom is also biblical kingdom theology (149).
Kingdom theology is based upon kingdom redemption (148). It is holistic as He heals all manner of physical disease and affliction (148), while He “restores the formerly excluded” to table fellowship (148).
It is through the cross and His “substitutionary death” as the suffering servant that he “unleashes the kingdom redemptive powers” (149). These powers remedy sin and unlock the powers of new life” (149). This establishes hope, love, true righteousness, and brings kingdom fellowship (p. 170-173).
With this as the foundation, Sire explains that one key proposition to the Christian worldview,
“Human beings were created good, but through the Fall the image of God became defaced, though not ruined as not to be capable of restoration through the work of Christ, God redeemed humanity and began the process of restoring people to goodness, though any given person may choose to reject that redemption” (Sire 38-39).
In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis shares that God provided this redemption because mankind was unable to meet “the demands of the law (Lewis 32)” so God met them on behalf of mankind (32). Of course, Sire makes it clear that this doesn’t mean that mankind has no role in this salvation process. Rather, he explains, “Adam and Eve were not forced to fall. We are not forced to return” (40). This means that while God is “the primary agent in salvation,” He is not the only agent (40).
This brings us to a key concept in the Christian Worldview—
“Our role is to respond by repentance for our wrong attitudes and acts, to accept God’s provisions and to follow Christ as Lord as well as Savior” (40-41).
I believe that this is the summation of salvation according to the Christian Worldview and is completely in harmony with the Bible. In fact, in Acts 16:31, the Bible sums up that salvation occurs with our very simple response of believing,
And they answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus [as your personal Savior and entrust yourself to Him] and you will be saved, you and your household [if they also believe] Acts 16:31 (Amplified Bible)
Application for the Christian and Church Today
While there are many applications for the Christian and the church today, three stick out.
First, there is a need to confront the world stories with the truth of the kingdom story. This is essential in a culture that has so many competing stories. It is first essential because the other stories are so invasive in churches and in the dialogue of the culture. As a result, many Christians and churches are completely ineffective in building the kingdom of God. These ideas distract from the kingdom mission. In addition, if the church or individual Christians do not know their own story, mission, theology, or purpose, they become like the culture. As McKnight unveils, this has resulted in Constantinianism and liberation theology. These are exposed and confronted as the Christian and church embrace the kingdom story (95). The Christian and Christian leaders today must make this a priority.
Secondly, as we return to the “radical mission of the local church” we find purpose and identity. It is through the kingdom that we become a “people.” Focusing here simplifies everything to what really matters. It creates fellowship. It accesses the gifts within the body. As there is a focus inside of the kingdom, there is a much more complimentary “picture” portrayed to the world. In addition, there is an overflow that pours into the world. Without this in place, the “missions” and “good works” have no where to point. They are ineffectual.
Thirdly, grasping on to the gospel story in its fullness is only possible through the kingdom story. Soaking in the story results in a deeper understanding of everything that was originally lost by usurping the rule of God as king and what was “bought back” by the redemption of Jesus Christ. It does encompass everything. McKnight says it best:
“In relation to demonic oppression, conquest; in relation to misrepresentation of God’s rule, sharp rebuke; in relation to selfish complacency, warning; in relation to sin and failure, forgiveness and assurance of love; in relation to sickness, healing; in relation to material need, provision of daily bread; in relation to exclusion, welcoming inclusion; in relation to desire for power, an example of humble and loving service; in relation to death, life; in relation to false peace, painful division, but in relation to enmity, reconciliation” (144-145).
This redemption enables the Christian to grasp on to victory and to have a story to share with the culture. It beckons all to kingdom mission.
Recommended Resources for More Learning:
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church by Scot McKnight
The Universe Next Door by James W. Sire
