Back to the basics
The gospel of Jesus Christ has never been more relevant than it is today. Nor has it ever been less relevant throughout all time.
The incarnation of the eternal and uncreated Son of God and his life, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension tell us not simply about some events which occurred to him. They reveal to us the cosmic reality of who he is and what he has done for us. They show us the true nature of our current need and life situation. And all this is good news indeed.
In times of stress and strain, tension and anxiety, fear and fragmentation, we are often driven to return to the “basics,” the “foundations,” the “sources.” That is what the gospel of Jesus Christ provides us. Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, shows us the heart, mind, character and purpose of the Triune God—the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. The self-revelation of God in Jesus Christ demonstrates to us and all that our Triune God is a Redeeming God.
By that revelation, we also come to recognize what all we need to be rescued and saved from—namely our fallen sin nature, an eternal death, and from the power of evil. The gospel of Jesus Christ makes it plain that we have no ability whatsoever to free ourselves from any of these. Our Triune God has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. All these enemies of humankind have been overcome in Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior.
He is the one and only Prophet, Priest and King over all creation, over all time and space. His rule and reign alone will prevail over all the cosmos on behalf of the Father and through the Holy Spirit. Sin, death, and the powers of evil will be no more.
We can begin to share in his victory over them all. We can do so by putting our trust, our faith, in his continuing ministry extended to us by the Person and work of the Holy Spirit. Trusting in him, we can begin to receive the down payment of the benefits of his victory. Even though we live now in this “present evil age,” we can begin to live in hope of “the age to come,” the establishment of the new heaven and earth consummated upon his personal return. We can begin to pass on to others the agape love we have received by the grace of our Triune God. Amen.
Gary Deddo, GCS News, Summer 2021