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• Death is not natural (Gen. 2:17; Rev. 21:4). Just because it happens to all of us does not mean that we should accept it as a natural part of life. It is not. It is an unwelcome intruder. It is a distortion of the way things are supposed to be. It was not part of God’s original creation, and it will not be part of His renewed creation.

• Death entered the world through sin (Rom. 5:12). God warned Adam that if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would surely die. But Adam disobeyed God anyways and, as a result, death entered the world. As our representative, his rebellion meant death for all of mankind.

• Death comes to everyone (Eccl. 7:2; Ps. 89:48; Heb. 9:27). This is common knowledge and has already been stated. But it bears repeating. Every person who lives will face death. We are all going to die at some point. It is common to our human experience.

• Death is the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23). Death proves that we are sinners in need of grace. Just as we work and earn money, so we sin and earn death. At birth, we all inherit a sinful human nature that is wholly corrupt and bent toward sin. Therefore, we are sinners and death is what our sin deserves.

• Death is an enemy (1 Cor. 15:26). We should not speak kindly of death, or shrug it off as normal, or worse, joke about it. Death is our enemy. It’s an adversary that stands in the way of God’s original intentions for human life and his blessing. Satan tries to use death to scare us, but the reality is that, in Christ, it is a disarmed enemy and has no power over us. This is true to the point that Paul can say that “to die is gain” because through death he goes to be with Christ forever.

• God is sovereign over death (1 Sam. 2:6; Matt. 10:29; Eph. 1:11). Nothing happens apart from the perfect will of God, even death. This includes heart attacks, car accidents, medical malpractice, natural disasters, etc. Death cannot defeat his purposes or frustrate his plans. We may not understand how this is so, but it is so nonetheless.

• The day of our death has already been determined (Ps. 139:16). We will all die on the exact day that God has determined for us, not a minute sooner and not a minute later. It is true that God does sometimes grant us more time (see King Hezekiah), but even this is ultimately part of his plan. His will is always done.

• God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezek. 18:32). It is God’s expressly revealed will that all would acknowledge their sin, repent, and turn to him and be saved. While his justice is served in the death of his enemies, his pleasure is found only in the salvation of his saints.

• Death is sad (John 11:35; 1 Thess. 4:13). It separates us from our loved ones. It’s a reminder of our sinful condition. Death is a time to grieve. We shouldn’t pretend that it’s no big deal just because we’re Christians. We don’t grieve as those who have no hope, but we do still grieve.

• Jesus did not want to experience death (Matt. 26:39). Even our Savior, being fully human as well as fully God, thought the prospect of dying on a cross, albeit for the sins of the world, was something he would rather avoid, if it were possible. Aversion to death is normal to the human experience.

• Jesus’ death paid for our sins and reconciles us to God (Rom. 5:10; 6:10). His death satisfied the wrath of God against our sins forever. He suffered in our place. He died our death and gives us his righteousness in order to reconcile us to God. The fear of death has to do with facing God in our sin, but in Jesus, we no longer stand condemned.

• Jesus has conquered death (2 Tim. 1:10; 1 Cor. 15:56-57; Rev. 1:8). The grave could not hold him. He has risen and he reigns and he lives to intercede for his people. Therefore, he is able to save us to the uttermost. Death is our enemy and we must face it, but it is a defeated enemy. In Christ, it’s like a bee without a stinger. If we know Jesus and belong to him, we know the one who has authority over death.

• Death cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ (Rom. 8:38). God’s love for us is not tied to this physical reality. It transcends it, and nothing can sever us from it, not even death. In Christ, we have eternal fellowship with God. Death cannot break that relationship because death is not the most powerful force in the universe, God is.

• Believers who die go directly into the presence of Jesus (Phil 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:8). Though our bodies may die, our souls (or spirits) continue in a conscious existence. And the testimony of Scripture is that, for believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Wherever Jesus is, that’s where we will be.

• Death is sleep for the Christian’s body (1 Thess. 4:13). Paul speaks of believers who have died as those who have fallen asleep. Their bodies rest in the grave while their souls (or spirits) are present with Jesus. The Greek word for “cemetery” literally means “sleeping place.” The implication is that one day our bodies will “wake up.”

• Jesus will raise our bodies from the dead (1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thess. 4:16). One day, when Jesus returns, he will cause our bodies to rise from the dead and our souls (or spirits) will be reunited with our bodies. But these bodies will be transformed into new glorified bodies that will never die again, nor will they be able to. They will be uniquely fitted for the new heavens and the new earth. And we will forever live with Christ there.

• Death should motivate us to live for Christ (2 Cor. 5:10). Every person who ever lives will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For believers, saved by Christ, that judgment will consist only of rewards for work accomplished. For unbelievers, it will also be a judgment of works, but only of sinful deeds deserving of wrath and punishment. Both realities should motivate us as believers to be about the work of sharing the good news that God has provided a Savior in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

• Fear of death reveals a lack of faith in God and his promises (Matt. 10:28; 2 Tim. 1:7). When we fear death, it usually signals that something is amiss in our relationship with God. For the unbeliever, it’s simple; he must be reconciled to God through faith in Christ. But for the believer, it usually means that we’re not thinking rightly about God or his promises or his gospel. Either way, we need to cry out like the man in Mark 9:24, “I believe, help my unbelief!” Weak faith is enough to save as long as it clings to Christ.

• Death will not exist in the renewed creation (Rev. 21:8). When God makes all things new, heaven and earth will be joined and we will live there with God forever in new glorified bodies. It will be something like a return to the Garden of Eden, but better. Death will be no more. Life will finally be enjoyed in fellowship with God and man in the way in which it was originally intended.

• Death is the path to life (John 12:24-25). This world is passing away. It is not our home. Those who choose to cling to this world will lose their life forever, but those who give their lives to Christ, trust him, and are willing to die with him will gain their lives forever. By faith, we walk through the door of death and gain Christ on the other side.

The bottom line is this: Jesus is the answer to the death problem. He says, in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” What an encouragement to know that the one who said these words is the one who died on a cross for our sins, rose three days, and now lives forever as our Savior and Lord. He has conquered death and cancelled our condemnation and he is coming back soon. Amen. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Acts 11 is a great place to go to answer these questions. In Acts we learn that the church begins in Jerusalem following Christ’s commission in Acts 1 (specifically Acts 1:8) and the Holy Spirit’s empowering in Acts 2. The rest of the book of Acts explains how the church went from Jerusalem to where you are today. In Acts 11:19-26 we see participants in one of the first new churches started beyond Jerusalem, and these participants all come from one of four scenarios. In starting a church, God will use…

1. Christians being providentially steered (11:19-20).

Providential circumstances led the Christians in the Jerusalem church to move beyond Jerusalem. They went out from the church they came to faith in, and wherever they went they continued sharing the gospel with the new people they met. These were everyday Christians, not preachers as we know them. And yet the Bible says they “were preaching the Lord Jesus.”

Most Christians could never imagine leaving “their” church for any reason. But God uses changes in the circumstances of our lives to lead us in expanding His Kingdom and keeping the church on the move with the gospel. Life is an adventure. It is likely, as God is providentially working in our lives, that He will use various Christians influentially participating in the start of a new church. Their circumstances and church origins might differ, but these Christians are needed in planting churches.

2. New Christian being saved (11:21).

Luke tells us that “the hand of the Lord was with them.” Being forced out of your city because of persecution is not usually a sought after experience. However, God uses changes in life and the difficulties of His people for amazing purposes. This was an unsettling and uncomfortable time for many Christians, and yet, “a large number who believed turned to the Lord.”

Many times church planting is the most productive way of reaching new people with the gospel. Some church plants will see new converts immediately, and some will labor years and new converts will be hard to come by. In some parts of the world, missionaries labor years with the gospel before they ever see their first convert. Nevertheless, it takes new people believing the gospel and turning to the Lord for church planting to happen.

3. Leaders being sent (11:22-24).

Thankfully, the leaders and Christians in Jerusalem where not concerned by so many leaving their membership as a part of the mission of God. Instead, “The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch.” The church in Jerusalem wanted to be intricately part of this church planting movement. They sent one of their best leaders, Barnabas. Shockingly, Jerusalem did not send Mark, who was little known then and very inexperienced. They sent a person who had been around since Acts 4. Barnabas was the man sent, whose name means “son of encouragement.”

I wish I could say that pastors of churches have responded encouragingly to me each time I felt led by God to plant a church. The sad reality is that in each church planting endeavor I have participated in, pastors have responded in very discouraging and unenthusiastic ways. New churches are viewed as threats, and leaders and resources are too often withheld. To God’s glory, one of these pastors eventually became one of our most helpful and supportive people, leading his church to partner with ours to reach our city with the gospel. (Caution to church planters: Don’t get bitter when pastors in your area fail to welcome you to the city. Do what God sent you to do. Show by example that you are a partner for the gospel, not a competitor. God can change the hearts of pastors who are not excited about you being there.)

It will take leaders sent by churches to plant new churches and expand the Kingdom of God.

4. Teachers/pastors being sought (11:25-26).

Soon, Barnabas left Antioch on a recruiting trip to find help. He searched for Paul to come and help in teaching and pastoring in this new church. It’s a fact that it takes disciples to make disciples. Paul and Barnabas spent the first year discipling leaders in Antioch. Soon, Paul and Barnabas would be sent out from Antioch and there will be new teachers and pastors leading the church there (Acts 13). New churches have an amazing opportunity to be the most mission-minded and most aggressive churches that plant churches.

I am not afraid to asked trained leaders to pray about coming to lead in a new church. This is not the same as trying to build the attendance of a church worship service by attracting and inviting the members of other churches. Church planting should not involve “sheep stealing.” However, churches must actively train new leaders to replace the leaders that the Holy Spirit may send out from their church. It will take trained leaders to start new churches.

Notice also that Paul and Barnabas had never “officially” pastored in a church before. They were likely solid leaders in other aspects of the church, but there is no record that Barnabas was a pastor in Jerusalem, nor Paul in Tarsus. Church plants are likely places for mature Christians to serve in new capacities. Men who have never served as an elder, but meet the qualifications of an elder given in 1 Timothy 3, may be called to serve in this way. Nevertheless, it takes qualified teachers and pastors in planting churches.

So, who are the people God uses to begin a new church? Some will come through providential changes in life that lead them to help start a new church. Some will join the movement as new converts. Some will be leaders sent by a partnering church. And some will be recruited to lead in the early stages of the new church. All will find that the adventure of church planting is an amazing part of God’s Kingdom purposes.

Shawn Bergen

 This effort flows from a challenge given by Dr. John Hammett to my Baptist History class while I was in seminary, and I have come to see the practical value. It has been incredibly helpful for me to think through the importance of these various doctrines, not only for my own understanding but also in helping me assess how I should engage others who differ with me on these various doctrines. For example, if another Christian believes that all the spiritual gifts are in operation today and I disagree, that’s okay, because that is a doctrine that we can discuss within the pale of Christian orthodoxy (i.e., accepted Christian beliefs). But if I encounter someone who claims to be a Christian while denying the essential doctrine of the full deity of Christ, then I know that I must seek to win that person to the true knowledge of the gospel.

 This is, by no means, an exhaustive list of doctrines, but it’s a start. I would also say that I invite critique and dialogue. I strongly believe this is something worthy of our thoughts and reflections. One thing that I realized upon reflection is that I couldn’t neatly categorize these various doctrines into just two groups, i.e., essentials and non-essentials. I had to expand the categories.

 So, here’s how it works. I have identified five categories to classify these various doctrines. Category I and Category II, Essentials I and Essentials II, respectively, both relate to ultimate salvation. The difference between the two is that the former must be affirmed immediately while the latter must never be ultimately denied. Essentials I represent the most basic truths of the gospel message. Essentials II are related but usually are affirmed and understood later in the Christian life. Category III, I have labeled Vitals. These doctrines represent what I believe are vitally important to the spiritual health of the believer, but they are not “deal breakers.” Every Christian should affirm and defend these, but someone may be wrong or inconsistent in regards to these matters and still may be a genuine believer in Christ. Nevertheless, to deny any one of these puts the professing believer on a slippery slope. Thus, these doctrines should be taken very seriously and denials should send up “red flags” resulting in a careful reengagement with the central truths of the gospel. Category IV represents the non-essentials of the faith. These doctrines are important, but genuine believers take many different views on these issues. As long as the truths of Categories I and II are affirmed, these believers may enjoy fellowship with one another even though they differ on their understanding of these various doctrines. Category V represents the particular distinctives of Baptists, the denomination to which I belong. Other denominational distinctives could be included, but the point is that none of these denominational distinctives rise to the level of a Category I or II essential. Nevertheless, even though denominational distinctives are non-essentials for salvation, they are still important in distinguishing and clarifying the beliefs of a particular denomination.

CATEGORY I: ESSENTIALS I: What must I believe in order to be considered a genuine professing believer in Christ? (One must affirm and believe these essential truths of the gospel or one cannot be considered a genuine Christian.)

• God as Creator (to whom we are morally accountable)
• Sinfulness of Man
• Full Humanity of Jesus Christ
• Full Deity of Jesus Christ
• Sinlessness of Jesus Christ
• Penal, Substitutionary Atonement (i.e., Christ died “for our sins”)
• Bodily Resurrection and Exaltation of Jesus Christ (in a “transphysical body”)
• Personal Repentance and Faith
• Justification by Faith Alone (sola fide)

 CATEGORY II: ESSENTIALS II: What must I eventually affirm and never ultimately reject if I am to maintain my status as a genuine professing believer in Christ? (Ultimately deny one of these and one cannot be considered a genuine Christian.)

• God as Trinity, i.e., one God who exists as three co-equal, co-eternal Persons
• Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence of God
• Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ
• Second Coming of Jesus Christ

 CATEGORY III: VITALS: What must I believe in order to stand firm and protect myself from falling? (These are vital to spiritual health. They should be affirmed, fought for, and defended; however, denial does not necessarily mean one is not saved. Still, deny one and it puts you on a slippery slope.)

• Inerrancy of Scripture
• Authority of Scripture (Special Revelation)
• Canon of Scripture
• Exclusivity of the Gospel
• Doctrines of Grace (i.e., Calvinism: Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints)
• Indwelling of the Spirit at Conversion
• Biblical Manhood and Womanhood
• Bible Translations
• Lordship Salvation
• Eternal Punishment in Hell
• Existence of Angels/Demons/Satan

 CATEGORY IV: NONESSENTIALS: What are the issues considered acceptable differences within the sphere of Christianity? (Believers may disagree on these issues and still be considered brothers and sisters in Christ.)

• Eschatology
• Spiritual Gifts
• Baptism and Lord’s Supper
• Ecclesiology
• Old Earth vs. New Earth Creationism
• Covenant Theology vs. Dispensationalism
• Women Deacons
• Worship Styles
• Use of Alcohol
• Sabbath Observances
• Missiology
• Church and Culture

 CATEGORY V: DENOMINATIONAL DISTINCTIVES: What must I believe in order to be considered, in this case, a Baptist? (Believers should hold to these with passion, but humility. None of these rise to the level of a Category I or II essential.)

• Authority of the Bible Alone
• Believer’s Baptism by Immersion
• Regenerate Church Membership
• Autonomy of the Local Church
• Separation of Church and State
• Priesthood of All Believers
• Congregational Church Government

 In sum, again these categories represent just one humble attempt to classify some of the various doctrines of the Christian faith. I realize this document may be controversial, and I do not expect everyone to agree with me. I also realize that I did not defend my reasons for placing a particular doctrine where I did. (That is way beyond the scope of this post.) Nevertheless, it was just good for me personally to think these things through and put them on paper, and if this document has motivated you to think about the importance and priority of these doctrines more critically as well, then I believe this has been time well spent. The bottom line is that the essentials start and end somewhere, and if the essentials represent the gospel, we better have a good idea what they are. It’s just too important.

You Are Invited

Providence Church invites you and your family to join us this Christmas Eve as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

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Christmas Eve Service

Our church family typically meets at Varisty Lakes Middle School, but due to the school’s holday schedule we have partnered with Gunnery Road Baptist Church to use their venue. We are thankful for this local church to help us celebrate this year in a special way.

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 How important is church unity to you? Not just theoretically, but practically. I have no doubt that you will nod in agreement that church unity is important. I mean, really, who wouldn’t? I don’t know too many believers who would argue against unity. I can’t imagine someone saying something like, “No, I actually enjoy a little sinful conflict every now and then; I like dissention in the church.” Nobody would say that. But how important is it? What priority do you give it? How far would you go to preserve it?

Paul goes so far as to write a letter. In that letter he begs the church in Corinth to mend the divisions that have taken place and reunite as brothers. The ESV records it as an “appeal.” The NASB says it was an “exhortation.” The NKJV says he “pleaded” with them. But I really like how the Moffatt Bible translates Paul. It says, “I beg you.” I think that was the tone of Paul’s words. “I beg you, please, end the divisions and agree together in the Lord!”

This issue is so important to him that he exhorts them “by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”! Thus, not only is unity consistent with the character and will of Jesus, but Paul is willing to speak in the compassionate authority of Jesus. The unity of this church was not a matter of indifference; it was a matter that required urgent attention and apostolic exhortation.

Now, let’s get back to the original question. How important is church unity to you personally? If there was conflict in your church, would you be willing to go “beg” people to find unity, as Paul does? If you’re in a conflict, are you willing to pursue reconciliation? How far are you willing to go to pursue peace or be an instrument of peace? Would you write a letter? Would you go visit someone? Would you humble yourself? Or, would you just ignore it and let life move on?

Paul says elsewhere, using similarly strong language, “I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called . . .  eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1-3). Paul wants us to be zealous for unity. It seems to me that too often we don’t feel the weight of Paul’s instruction. If only we were as passionate about unity as we are about evangelism or discipleship or fellowship!

Now, this isn’t unity at all costs. We certainly can’t have biblical unity in doctrinal heresy or rebellious sin. James 3:17 says, “The wisdom from above is first pure then peaceable…” So, we can’t have unity with those who refuse to repent of doctrines that deny the essentials of the biblical gospel. And we can’t have unity with those who refuse to repent of behavior out of step with the ethical teachings of Scripture. In such cases, church discipline is necessary and separation is appropriate.

But even in these times, we should continue to pursue reconciliation. We should never have a “good riddance” attitude. We should never be content with broken relationships in the body just so we can have some semblance of peace. If we are truly a family of believers, then we must pursue our brothers.

I believe the essence of our unity is in our relationships as a people with a common Lord. We agree together in the gospel. We are brothers and sisters in Christ, and thus we should act accordingly. Paul exhorted the Corinthians to “agree” together and not allow “divisions.” In their case, they were allowing sects to form, each rallying behind their favorite leaders in opposition to the other leaders. Paul reasoned that their divisions were illogical, arguing, “Is Christ divided?” If we serve the same Christ, then we should not be at odds with one another.

This wasn’t the only time Paul had to call a church to unity. In the Philippian church, they apparently had some disunity issues too because Paul calls them to be of the “same mind” (2:3) and specifically urges Euodia and Syntyche “to agree in the Lord.” The Roman church experienced problems over the issue of Christian liberty, with the strong separating from the weak and the weak judging the strong. Paul calls them also to “be of the same mind,” reminding them of their common relationship as brothers and their responsibility to “pursue peace” and “walk in love.” Where broken relationships in Christ exist, we must seek to pursue reconciliation.

On a bigger scale, when dealing with denominations, differences in doctrines of secondary importance may divide us in practice, but they should never prevent our fellowship as a common people under one Lord. As a guide, we should follow the old maxim, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, love.”

So, as we consider divisions among brothers, we must value biblical unity the same way that Christ did, and we must pursue it the same way that Paul did. As far as it depends on us, it is not optional. We should work hard to achieve it, even if it means getting our hands a little dirty in the process.

This issue is too important. The reality is our unity is in Jesus. The church is His body. There is only one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of every true believer. Thus, we act inconsistently when we allow divisions to occur in our midst. May we acknowledge our oneness and strive for unity with the zeal of Paul and motivated by the glory of Christ.

Lord, help me to be as passionate for the unity of the church as Paul is, and show me what I can do to seek to preserve unity where divisions have occurred. Give me the strength, courage, and wisdom that I need, Lord.

Don’t address spiritual threats with man-centered solutions. The Assyrians were a huge threat to the people of God; they were ruthless warriors who would destroy anyone who stood in their way. They were big, mean, and brutal in battle. When threatened by them there was a strong temptation for the people of God to flee to Egypt and seek protection there. But God reminds them through the prophet Isaiah, “The Egyptians are man, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all perish together.” (Isa. 31:3)

When threats come against the church of God we must not resort to man-centered tactics. Rather we must trust in God, he is strong and mighty to save, and he loves the church more than we ever could. There will be a temptation to neglect prayer, fasting, self-examination, and gracious confrontation. We will be tempted to forsake brotherly love and a commitment to live according to the Scriptures. We will be pulled in the direction of focusing only on human strategy, running to people that we think can protect us rather than running to the Lord.

We must be ready for trouble, because it will certainly come upon the church. “The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8), but we must remember that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:12) When we face troubles we must remember that the problem is always sin and the solution is always the gospel. We do not need to resort to worldly tactics but we need to trust in the power of the gospel to transform the lives of individuals. In the end, it is enough to remember that whatever the threat, whether it is a threat to you, a friend, or something that endangers many people… God alone can rescue.

Isaiah 31:5 “Like birds hovering, so the LORD of hosts will protect Jerusalem; he will protect and deliver it; he will spare and rescue it.”

Genesis 3:15. In this early verse of Scripture, we read what is commonly referred to as the “proto-evangelium,” or the “first gospel.” It’s named such because this is the first place in Scripture where the Messiah is prophesied to come. What makes this a clue to our thesis is that this first mention of a Redeemer for man includes a word of judgment for the serpent. (In fact, the promise of a Redeemer comes in the very context of judgment on the serpent.) Thus, our redemption is tied closely together with the crushing of the serpent. From the very beginning, we are told that the cross will spell the end of the dominion of Satan and his dominion.

Job 1-2. What I find fascinating about the story of Job, chapters 1-2 in particular, is that all that happens to Job in the earthly realm results from a dialogue between God and Satan in the heavenly realm, completely unbeknownst to Job. Satan comes into God’s presence, and God offers up Job to Satan, almost as a challenge. The challenge seems to be, can Satan get God’s servant to curse God? So, Satan kills his family, takes away all that he owns, and inflicts Job with a painful illness, but God’s servant Job never curses God. In the end, God blesses him with twice as much as he had before. So, there are three main, general characters in this story: God, angelic beings, and men. The clash in heaven between Almighty God and the demonic angel Satan is played out on earth in the life of Job, with God being vindicated, Satan being defeated, and man being blessed.

Matthew 25:41. What I see significant in this verse is the fact “the eternal fire” is not prepared primarily for sinful man, but is “prepared for the devil and his angels.” Certainly, those who forsake God and reject Christ will be cast into the eternal fire as well (the text clearly states this), but Hell is prepared first and foremost for the cosmic rebel (and his angels )who deceived man, initiated his fall, and continues to blind his eyes and hold him captive in this world. When God prepared the eternal fire, he prepared it for the devil and his angels.

Mark 1:23-25. The clash between Jesus and an “unclean spirit” is another hint at the cosmic struggle between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. With the coming of Christ, we see the beginning of the overthrow of Satan’s dominion on earth as Jesus exercises His authority and casts out demons. We also get a taste of what the kingdom will be like in its fullness at the consummation of the ages. It will be a kingdom devoid of demons and their influence where Christ will reign and rule as King.

Mark 3:27. Before one can plunder the strong man’s house, one must first bind the strong man. This seems to be precisely what Jesus does to Satan in His incarnational ministry. First, he disarms him. Then, he plunders his kingdom by redeeming and rescuing those He came to save, those who were previously lost and held captive in the “domain of darkness.”

Colossians 2:15. The cross of Christ was not only the place of forgiveness for man with the payment of a debt; it was also the place of victory over “the rulers and authorities” in the heavenly places. In fact, the former seems to have led to the latter. By paying our debt at the cross, Christ “disarmed” and “triumphed over” the demonic rulers and authorities which never ceased to harass and accuse us before God. The cross thus had a heavenly element of victory in it.

Ephesians 2:7; 3:10. These two texts are most telling. In the first, we see the purpose of God’s grace toward us, and in the second, we see the purpose of God’s wisdom in His Church. Both seem to involve a display or exhibit for the angels (and demons?) in the heavenly places. In 2:7, God puts His grace on display. We, the objects of His mercy, become like trophies in a trophy case, living examples of His great love and mercy, testifying throughout the ages to the angels who worship Him. The angels look on in wonder. And in 3:10, God uses the church as an instrument to make known His manifold wisdom “to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.” So, God purposes to use reconciled men on earth to exhibit His wisdom to angels in heaven. These verses seem to suggest a bigger story than our restored relationship with God alone. The cross of Christ has cosmic implications.

Hebrews 2:14-18. “Through death,” Jesus destroyed “the one who has the power of death, this is, the devil” and delivered those He came to save. So, Jesus overcame death to destroy the devil’s power over us. Our victory came through the devil’s defeat.

1 John 3:8. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” Here it is stated plainly. Christ’s purpose was focused on crushing the enemy of both God and man.

Revelation 12:10. Lastly, the kingdom of God seems to come in its fullness when the “accuser of our brothers” is finally thrown out. One kingdom, Christ’s, comes with the destruction of the other, Satan’s.

CONCLUSION
In sum, Scripture seems to support the idea that our redemption is wrapped up in the devil’s defeat. The cross of Christ has cosmic implications. This should cause us to ponder anew the glory of Christ’s redemption. It not only rescues us and blesses us, but goes beyond us to impact angels and demons in the spiritual world. It spells the end of Satan’s kingdom, and it signals the triumph of the kingdom of God. And it should remind us that we are key players in God’s great story of redemption. It is through God’s church that He has chosen to put His wisdom on display. This reality should make us pause, wonder, and look around us because the reality is that angels are truly watching.

After One Year, The Planting Continues..

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