DWoG 7 God's commitment to mankind

Our world seems to be messy and chaotic place, full of danger, greed, hate, and envy. But it was not always the case. God made the world good and full of life, especially mankind, who was made in his own image.



However, mankind chose to pursue their own purposes instead of God's. They glorified themselves at God's expense, falling into sin and bringing chaos and death. This is the Great Fall described in Genesis 3. Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden of Eden, cut off from God and abundant life. This is why our world is so broken today.



The question is “What can we do to fix our world?” As sinful humans, we can't restore things to their original state. We need help, a miracle – God's salvation. When mankind got cut off from God, they first died spiritually and then physically. Dead things cannot come back to life on their own; they need God’s intervention – His recreational work. Our salvation lies in the One Triune True God. Remember Triune refers to God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy spirit.



Imagine a ship built for voyages. It's not meant to stay in the harbour but to reach its destination. If, during a journey, a storm damages the ship and leaves it taking on water, the situation is dire. You need a miracle. If a rescue boat arrives, attaches ropes, pumps out water, and provides food and blankets, you’re saved. The ship is restored to fulfill its purpose, not to stay safe in the harbour but to reach its destination.



This story illustrates how the Triune God rescues us from sin and brokenness, restoring us to His image and our original purpose. When mankind fell out of alignment with God, neither humans nor nature could fulfill their purpose. Mankind couldn't grow into participation in God while being bound by sin, guilt, and shame. But God, always wanting/willing the good of everything, stayed committed to mankind and creation.



The Bible teaches that despite mankind’s treachery, God did not intend His creation to be chaotic or lifeless (Isaiah 45:19). Romans 8:18 tells us that all creation looks to God for rescue from the chaos caused by sin. Thus, God put into motion a rescue mission, beginning with Abram. God made a covenant with Abram and his descendants, promising to use them to bring new life to the world and realign creation with Himself. This covenant was a way for mankind to re-orient towards God and bring creation back into harmony with Him.



However, the covenant was only the first step in God's salvation plan. True harmony required a total re-creation, an act of God the Creator. To bring a dead and broken creation back to life, the curse of sin, death itself, had to be dealt with. Only God, the source of life, could achieve this. This is where Jesus Christ comes in.



God did not abandon His creation after the Fall. He came down from heaven, clothed Himself in human nature, and became one of us in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus, fully God and fully human, united God and creation. God's presence enhances life and brings it to fullness. John 3:16 and 17 states, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”



By becoming human, God the Son,just enhanced humanity. In Jesus Christ, mankind is brought into a higher relationship with God, participating in the divine nature as God intended. Ephesians 1:10 teaches that God's plan is “to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head … Christ.” In Jesus, creation is recreated, and new life is given.



Jesus Christ died on the cross, conquering death because He is God. Christians confess that Jesus rose from the grave three days after His death. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven with His glorified human body to sit at the right hand of God the Father. This signifies that a part of our created world is now within the Community of the Triune God.



The goal of God’s salvation plan is for mankind to be partakers in His divine nature. It’s not just about the covenant or Jesus’ death and resurrection, nor just restoring creation to Eden's state. God’s plan is to take mankind and creation into a deeper relationship where mankind becomes more than good – perfect, sharing in God’s own divine nature.



Just as the ship was restored to fulfill its purpose by reaching its destination, mankind's goal is to become one with God, bringing creation into fuller communion with Him. Through His covenant and Jesus, God restores creation, allowing us to be co-workers in creation's salvation. We can work with God in restoring and bettering creation as kings and priests of God.



This is the miracle of God’s salvation.