11.12.2004
Salvation Is Restoring All Things
by John Brimacombe
Have you ever thought about the fact that In Christ all things are being restored. The Scriptures tell us that God through Christ was pleased "to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Col 1:20).
Think with me what this means. It means that anything in our world that was trampled by the fall has been restored for God's glory and to be used for his glory. Sex, music, dance, art, business, and many other venues that once was thought to be the world of the devil has actually been redeemed for God's glory.
Albert M. Wolters has a nice little book out that talks about this called "Creation Regained." It tells the story of how God has provided our salvation through Jesus' death on the cross for our sins. This salvation covers not just our sins, which enables us to have a relationship with God, but redeems back those things which were once only used for our own selfish gratification. He goes on to say that what actually happens is a "re-creation" of sorts. God doesn't, as Wolters says, scrap his original creation "but rather to suggest that he hangs on to his fallen original creation and salvages it. He refuses to abandon the work of his hands--in fact he sacrifices is own Son to save his original project. Humankind, which has botched its original mandate and the whole creation along with it, is given another chance in Christ; we are reinstated as God''s managers on earth. The original creation is to be restored" (Wolters, 58).
What this means is that all those old things that we once struggled with can now be used to glorify God. All things have been reconciled to himself and God desires that we live our lives, not in some slavish attitude towards him, but in creativity and in various activities.
Many, when they think of serving God, immediately think of becoming a professional minister." They think of going to Africa and being a missionary. God may call you to a full-time ministry or mission status, but not all are called to this specific situation. If the fact were known, God calls the majority of us to an everyday, normal, hodge-podge type of existence. I'm not knocking that. I'm saying that very few of us will be called to be a Billy Graham, or live the life of a contemporary Christian rock artist. This is not bad...it is the life that God has called us to and we must find our own way to serve God.
What does this have to do with God's redeeming all things? Much! God has redeemed all things. Every avenue of life can be used for his glory. Are you a dancer? Dance for God! Are you a singer? Sing for God. Do you own your own business? Then conduct business in light of your relationship with God. And I'm not talking about becoming a contemporary Christian artist. Nothing wrong with Christian music...if that is what God has called you too. What I'm talking about is realizing that God can use you, in your everyday life, as a witness for him.
Saying that, I think God can use people's talents and abilities in the church too. To many churches have got stuck in the traditional rut of an opening prayer, hymn, message, and invitation mode. Churches today need to explore different ways of expressing their love for God through drama, dance and art. Multi-media is a medium through which God can use a person. Some churches today are hiring communication pastors that help in the multi-media presentations for the different ministries of the church. They provide skills that are much needed in our 21st century world.
What I am ultimately saying is break out of the normal mode of viewing things and realize that God can use you and areas most often thought of as embracing the so-called secular world. God has redeemed all things to be used for his glory. Let's not waste the gifts that God has given us.
Have you ever thought about the fact that In Christ all things are being restored. The Scriptures tell us that God through Christ was pleased "to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross" (Col 1:20).
Think with me what this means. It means that anything in our world that was trampled by the fall has been restored for God's glory and to be used for his glory. Sex, music, dance, art, business, and many other venues that once was thought to be the world of the devil has actually been redeemed for God's glory.
Albert M. Wolters has a nice little book out that talks about this called "Creation Regained." It tells the story of how God has provided our salvation through Jesus' death on the cross for our sins. This salvation covers not just our sins, which enables us to have a relationship with God, but redeems back those things which were once only used for our own selfish gratification. He goes on to say that what actually happens is a "re-creation" of sorts. God doesn't, as Wolters says, scrap his original creation "but rather to suggest that he hangs on to his fallen original creation and salvages it. He refuses to abandon the work of his hands--in fact he sacrifices is own Son to save his original project. Humankind, which has botched its original mandate and the whole creation along with it, is given another chance in Christ; we are reinstated as God''s managers on earth. The original creation is to be restored" (Wolters, 58).
What this means is that all those old things that we once struggled with can now be used to glorify God. All things have been reconciled to himself and God desires that we live our lives, not in some slavish attitude towards him, but in creativity and in various activities.
Many, when they think of serving God, immediately think of becoming a professional minister." They think of going to Africa and being a missionary. God may call you to a full-time ministry or mission status, but not all are called to this specific situation. If the fact were known, God calls the majority of us to an everyday, normal, hodge-podge type of existence. I'm not knocking that. I'm saying that very few of us will be called to be a Billy Graham, or live the life of a contemporary Christian rock artist. This is not bad...it is the life that God has called us to and we must find our own way to serve God.
What does this have to do with God's redeeming all things? Much! God has redeemed all things. Every avenue of life can be used for his glory. Are you a dancer? Dance for God! Are you a singer? Sing for God. Do you own your own business? Then conduct business in light of your relationship with God. And I'm not talking about becoming a contemporary Christian artist. Nothing wrong with Christian music...if that is what God has called you too. What I'm talking about is realizing that God can use you, in your everyday life, as a witness for him.
Saying that, I think God can use people's talents and abilities in the church too. To many churches have got stuck in the traditional rut of an opening prayer, hymn, message, and invitation mode. Churches today need to explore different ways of expressing their love for God through drama, dance and art. Multi-media is a medium through which God can use a person. Some churches today are hiring communication pastors that help in the multi-media presentations for the different ministries of the church. They provide skills that are much needed in our 21st century world.
What I am ultimately saying is break out of the normal mode of viewing things and realize that God can use you and areas most often thought of as embracing the so-called secular world. God has redeemed all things to be used for his glory. Let's not waste the gifts that God has given us.
