Kerygma: Week Four Follow-Up

April 23, 2014

Week Four: Images of Salvation in the NT

Welcome to week three of our study on the message of our faith! So far we have examined some of the confusing ways in which people talking about the cross, the good news according to Acts, and the rich imagery Paul uses when talking about salvation. This week, we're going to take a wider look at how Paul and other NT writers use different images to explain the mysterious reality of Jesus' death, resurrection, and saving work for humanity.

Images & Metaphors

Over time, we all have a tendency to want to shorten and simplify our beliefs and explanations about things in order to communicate effectively. However, the beauty of the scriptures is that the variety of perspectives invites us into narrative larger than we can easily explain through simple doctrines and creeds. Each image and metaphor used to describe Jesus' saving work provides new insight, but by themselves they only communicate a fragment of the larger story. By gaining a better understanding of the variety of images used in the NT, we can gain a fuller understanding of salvation. Here's a quick look at some of these images:

New Covenant - We are invited into a new covenant inheritance. God was faithful to the original covenant, but it was not sufficient to transform the hearts of humanity. Jesus' death is a sign and seal of the new covenant relationship in which God dwells in the hearts of humanity (Heb. 8:7-14; 9:11-22; Rev. 21:1-5).
A New Kingdom - The Kingdom of God is being ushered in and is near to you. There is a better King and Kingdom than the oppressive world powers that rule by force. This Kingdom rules by love (Matt. 10:5-8; Luke 10:3-12; John 18:28-40)
The Age to Come - Jesus' death and resurrection conquer the powers of death so that we can ourselves experience resurrection when all things are made new (John 5:24-27; 11:17-27).
New Birth - Even now, before all things are ultimately made new, the Holy Spirit within us helps us overcome our sinful habits. We are born again into a new and better life (John 3:1-21; Eph. 4:20-25; Rom. 13:14; Col. 3:5, 9-11)!
Rescue and Healing - We are saved from distress and healed from disease! Physical and spiritual decay are intimately tied and both are overcome by Jesus the Messiah (Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:67-79; Luke 17:11-19).
Redemption & Ransom - Somehow we find ourselves in bondage and slavery to sin. Jesus pays the cost of our redemption so that we can be set free (Rom. 6:15-23, see chapters 7-8 for extended metaphor).
Reconciliation & Adoption - Once we were strangers, orphans, and/or enemies of God. Yet God draws near, grants forgiveness, and calls us friends and family (1 Peter 2:9-10, Rom. 8:14-17).
Justification - We were defiled and unworthy, but Jesus makes us clean and righteous through his death by inviting us into repentance and faithfulness to the new covenant (Rom. 4:18-5:11).
Chosen - We were once disparaged and unseen, but now we are specifically picked out as God's own (Rom. 8:28-39; Rom. 9:6-18).
Transformation - The image of God that we were created with has been marred by sin. Yet through Jesus' incarnation and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we are transformed more and more into the image of Christ (Phil. 3:20-21, 2 Peter 1:3-9).
Sanctification - In our sin, we had lost our ability to worship God correctly as we became unclean and our desires were distorted. In Christ, we are made holy and set apart for worship and ministry (2 Thess. 2:13-17)
Called to Endure - Being once without a purpose, we are given a call to live as a people set a part and to endure the hardship and persecution. Through endurance we participate with Christ as we await the final victory and the new creation (Acts 20:23-24;1 Cor. 9:23-25; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 12:1-3; Rev. 2:8-11, 3:10-12, 7:9-17).

In the midst of all these images, we find a God who meets us in every area of our need. Those straining under debt encounter a Christ who pays their dues. Those with illness encounter a Christ who heals. Those who are tormented encounter a Christ who rescues and gives them purpose. Those who feel unworthy encounter a Christ who chooses them, offers grace, and brings transformation. Those who feel guilty for their failures encounter a Christ who rips up the old covenant and starts fresh, just so they can be with him. Those who despair under worldly power encounter a Christ who is King of all kings. Jesus saves in all these ways and more. But how?

Life, Blood, Repentance & Resurrection

All these images are compelling, and they hit us at deeply emotional levels. However, seeing all the different images together paints a different picture than the traditional explanation of atonement - our sin made God angry, so Jesus died to absorb our punishment. If that's not how it works, though, then how are we made right with God? What initiates the new covenant? How does the Kingdom of God conquer the kingdom of the world? How are all things made new? What makes it possible for the Holy Spirit to dwell in us? What is our medicine? How do we all of a sudden become part of God's family? How are we made clean?

The common denominator in all of this is not a transactional event that took place on the cross. The common denominator is Jesus, the Word of God, who most fully embodies the divine character in the self-sacrifice of the cross. We are not saved by the cross or by the blood. We are saved by the Word of God in living flesh. This is an important distinction because to overly glorify Jesus death and his blood shed risks averting our gaze from the person of Jesus himself.

The event of utmost saving significance happened once and is continually happening forever. It is not Jesus dying. It is the Word of God approaching us with a word of peace and forgiveness. For those willing to respond in humility and repentance, this Word brings life. For those so hardened that they cannot receive this peace, their contempt and anxiety will torment them forever. The blood shed on the cross is the occasion through which Jesus speaks a final and resounding word of victory over sin that echoes throughout eternity.

Praise to the Risen King who speaks forgiveness for our sins and victory over the grave!

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For further reading on the significance of images and metaphors of salvation, see Brenda Colijn's Images of Salvation in the New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2010).

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