At the end of the last class for Biblical Theology II, the professor shared his thoughts about who we are as Christians. I was so touched that I had to fight back tears. I hope it blesses you, too!
"Who are we? We are a people fallen in Adam, preserved in Noah, given promises in Abraham, brought out of Egypt under Moses, settled temporarily in a visible, earthly kingdom through Joshua, ruled for a time by David and his sinful sons, driven out of that visible kingdom by Assyria and Babylon, restored under Ezra and Nehemiah, yet without glory, all the while longing for something greater, awaiting not just a better country on earth or a better political system here and now but a consummated life with God, a heavenly city. We are a people for whom the eternal Son became man, for whom he died and rose again and is exalted, having received every blessing in himself, inaugurated the age to come, opened up the heavenly tabernacle for priestly service, given us the power of the age to come in the Spirit dwelling within us. We are a people whose lives are now hidden in the heavenly places in Christ. We have died to this world and our lives will appear with him in glory when he returns. We are a people who, though we have possessions, live as if we did not; though we have earthly citizenships, live from one that is not at all of this world. We are a people whose ultimate destiny is detached from this world so that we can serve this world through sacrificial lives poured out like that of our Savior. We are freed from this world and from slavery to sin and death for a purpose, that is, so that we can be slaves to the Lord of hosts and vessels of his mercy in an evil age. We are a people who long for the ultimate, visible establishment of God's kingdom in glory and power, not by what we do, but by what He Himself will do when Christ reappears!"
- Marcus Mininger
May 6, 2010
May 6, 2010
