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The Continuity of the Bible

Adult Class

Winter 2005/2006

Lesson 2: God's Eternal Purpose

            The Bible is a single story with many characters and times in it. The story has to do with the salvation of humanity through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Since this was God's purpose from before the beginning, we should not be surprised to discover that Christ's apostles and prophets were able to show how He fulfilled God's will. In fact, that formed the basis for Peter's sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2:22-36.

            Features of this sermon include:

1. God's foreknowledge and purpose in bring Christ to Calvary,
2. Prophecy of David pointing forward to Christ,
3. The conclusion that Jesus is the promised Christ.

            God's eternal plan was not made known to the world earlier. It is only in the age since the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that the details of God's plan are plain to us. In fact, the hiddenness of God's plan is highlighted by the fact that it is called "mystery," especially by Paul. A mystery in the Bible is not a puzzle to be solved as the clues are tracked down one by one. It is instead a thing that was hidden in the past but now is made clear by subsequent events.

            Paul concludes the book of Romans by identifying the mystery as the counsel of God. In Romans 16:25-27, he shows that the mystery remained hidden for "long ages past," yet is now made known to the world. And it is not a secret that somehow slipped out of numerous clues in the Old Testament that were found by brilliant men later. This mystery was commanded to be revealed by God's apostles and prophets. It had been hidden long enough-the time had come for God to make the full truth known.

            One of the fullest explanations we get of the mystery of God's purpose is in the book of Ephesians.

• In Ephesians 1:9-12, Paul describes the mystery as God's planned design to bring all things together under one head-Christ.
• In Ephesians 2:15, he makes it even clearer that the old divisions of humanity are no longer correct and that there is one new man in Christ.
• In Ephesians 3:2-6, he explicitly states that the mystery revealed makes Gentiles fellow sharers in the gospel. From verse 7-11, he shows that this is the dedicated plan of God-His purpose from before the beginning.

            Another interesting passage is found in Colossians 1:25-27, in which Paul calls himself the servant of the church to proclaim and make known the mystery that was hidden in the past, but is now revealed. The centerpiece of that mystery is: Christ in you, the hope of glory.

            Finally, we should note Hebrews 6:17. In this passage, the writer shows that God's purpose was fixed in the past and that the promises to Abraham (and through him to the other patriarchs) were a part of His purpose. God made an oath to confirm the promises to Abraham and his heirs.

            It is this series of promises that will occupy our attention for the next few weeks. The mystery has been revealed. The continuity of the Bible is wound around the eternal purpose of God-to provide salvation for all through Jesus Christ.