The
gospel begins with creation, a real event in which God created both the heavens
and the earth (Gen. 1:1). But due to the fall of man, sin and death entered the
world (Gen. 3:14-19). If evolution is true, then death is natural and is the
means by which living beings progress and evolve. If death is normal and sin
does not lead to death, then there is no need for a Savior, no need for
atonement of sin, and no need for resurrection (1 Cor. 15:21-22, 50-57).
Biblical hope rests not in God destroying His creation, but rather God
restoring His beloved creation and reversing the curse that brought sin and
death (Deut. 32:43, Ps. 72; Isa. 25:8-9, 26:19, 49:6-10, 65:17-25, etc.) Therefore,
we do not hope in floating in heaven forever, but we hope in the resurrection
and in living on earth in physical bodies, as it was in the beginning.
God
Himself will bring about this change on the Day of the Lord, a future
apocalyptic day in which God will purge the heavens and earth of all
ungodliness and wickedness. He will judge all of humanity: rewarding the
righteous with eternal life and punishing the wicked with eternal fire (Isa. 2,
Isa. 13:6-9, Ezek. 30:3, Joel 1:15, 2:1-31, 3:14, Amos 5:18, Obad. 15, Zeph
1:7-14, Mal. 4:5, Acts 2:20, 1 Cor. 5:5, 1 Thess. 5:2, 2 Thess. 2:2, 2 Pet.
3:10). The Day of the Lord will bring an end to this present, evil age and
begin the glorious and long-awaited age to come (Gal. 1:4, Matt. 12:32, Mark
10:30, Luke 18:30, Heb. 6:5). All of creation groans and anticipates this Day
(Rom. 8:20-23).
In
addition, God has tied all of redemptive history (the Day of the Lord, the
resurrection, the restoration of the earth) to a specific people, the people of
Israel, through His covenants. He unconditionally promised Abraham that he
would become a great nation, that in him and his descendants, all the families
of the earth would be blessed, and that him and his descendants would possess
the land of Israel forever (Gen. 12:1-8, 13:14-18, 15:1-21, 17:1-27). The Lord
also made a covenant with the people of Israel on Mount Sinai. They heard the
voice of the Lord and professed that they would obey (Ex. 20:1-21, 24:1-8, Deut
5:1-22), but Moses declared that they did not have a heart in them to keep
God’s commandments, pointing to the new covenant that the Lord would make with
the house of Israel to put His law in their minds and to write it on their
hearts, that they would be capable and empowered to walk in His ways (Deut.
5:29, 31:14-29, Jer. 31:31-40, Ezek. 36:22-38). God also promised a seed to
David that would reign on an eternal throne in an everlasting kingdom (2 Sam.
7). All of these covenants progressively build Messianic hope. Most
importantly, these covenants have not found their ultimate fulfillment. The
first coming of Jesus the Messiah did not change God’s plan for redemptive
history, nor did Jesus re-interpret the meaning of the covenants. We are still
awaiting the fulfillment of all of these promises, when the Messiah will
establish the kingdom of Israel, rule from Jerusalem, and give us new hearts.
The
purpose of the first coming of the Messiah, His death on the cross and
resurrection, was for the Lord to make His soul an offering for sin and to lay
on Him the iniquity of us all (Isa. 53:6-10). The shedding of His blood is a
substitutional sacrifice for sins, providing atonement and forgiveness. The
only way for humanity to be declared as righteous before God is through faith
in the blood of the Messiah (Rom. 3:21-26). There is a transfer of our sin unto
the spotless Lamb. Therefore, righteousness is not obtained through observance
to laws or by good deeds, but simply by faith. Faith in the sacrifice of
Messiah is the one and only means by which we can be counted worthy to enter
the Kingdom of God and the age to come.
The
Messiah’s resurrection is a guarantee that the same Spirit that raised Messiah
from the dead will also raise us up on the last day (Rom. 8:11, 18-26). The
pouring out of the Holy Spirit is also a first fruits or down payment of what
God will give in the age to come (Eph. 1-13-14). The gifts of the Spirit are
meant to confirm the message of the Gospel and point towards the Day of the
Lord. We are to persevere in our faith through the suffering and wickedness of
this age, boldly proclaiming the Gospel of Christ crucified, resurrected, and
returning.
This
present age will end with a period of unparalleled tribulation, known as
Jacob’s trouble (Jer. 30, Dan. 12, Matt. 24). It is likened to the process of
birth, where the pain of labor leads to joy and blessing (Matt. 24:8). The end
of the age, as with the entire history of God’s dealings with humanity, will be
Israel-centric. The Lord will lay on the people of Israel all of the covenantal
curses, crushing them until their power is gone (Deut. 32: 35-43, Dan. 12:7).
As a result, Israel will seek the Lord with all of their heart and soul,
repent, and call on the name of the Lord, culminating in the return of Jesus,
their Messiah (Deut. 30:1-7). He will bring deliverance and establish the
kingdom of Israel; the Law will go forth from Zion and the nation of Israel
will fulfill its irrevocable calling to be a light and blessing to all nations
(Isa. 2, Zech. 14). This kingdom is not presently here in any capacity
whatsoever; it will be inaugurated at His second coming, as He is the rightful
king.
We
are to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel, whatever the cost. We are to endure
until the end, even unto death (Matt 24:11-14, Rev. 6:9-11). We must live
soberly, righteously, and godly, eagerly await our Savior, who will restore
creation and establish righteousness and peace forever and ever (Titus 2:11-14,
Isa. 9:6-7).