Eastside Church of the Cross

Our Story Theology

            

These categories are generally worked out in home bible studies for new members, their presentation here is rather like a sketch. 

 

Stage I.   Kingdom Created      

(Eden –> First Adam “God’s Son”, “God’s Image”, God’s Presence)

 

     Stage II.  Kingdom Promised        

(Image Lost, Covenant Curse and Restoration Promised -> Genesis 3:16/Abraham)

 

     Stage III. Kingdom Pictured

(Exodus, Israel; “called God’s son”)

 

     Stage IV. Kingdom Inaugurated:   Kingdom Already

(Jesus and the Cross – Last Adam, Image Restored, New Exodus, Resurrection Started)                                                                          

     Stage V.  Kingdom Come: Kingdom Not Yet

(Resurrection, New Creation)

                                                      

The Bible from Genesis to Revelation is the one story of the Kingdom of God.  It is the story of a King (the Great King) and those who represent him on Earth.  It culminates when Heaven and Earth unite into one Realm and God and humanity dwell together in the Resurrection.

 

Stage I. is God creating a man to rule in the Garden.  Adam was to rule on Earth and image his creator.

 

Stage II. is God promising to restore what man ruined, it is the movement of the story from Garden to arid wanderings.  These promises are given to Adam, and stated more fully to Abraham.  Abraham is promised a world-wide family, and that family comes to be what Jesus creates in his redemption.

 

Stage III. of the Kingdom of God is the kingdom concentrated in one place — a place where sin was concentrated in Israel (who oft turned to idolatry and rebellion).  Israel pictured ultimate realities of presence with God, life in the face of God’s glory.  It also pictured the realities of judgment, exile, and covenant curse.

 

Stage IV. of the Kingdom of God is the breaking-in of that Kingdom on Earth in Jesus.  This is the Kingdom Realities Already here, fulfilling the promises made to Adam and Abraham, but they are not yet experienced bodily by all in their fullness.

 

Stage V. is the consummation of all things, it is the stage of the Kingdom Not Yet experienced by Christians, but it is coming!  When Jesus returns, he will restore all things, and heaven and earth will be united in one resurrection realm.

 

Reading the different parts of scripture in terms of the stage of development of the Kingdom of God to which that scripture belongs is of great help to the church.  For example, when we read Malachi, we realize that we the Church are not under the Kingdom of God as it then was, but have come to experience the Kingdom in the light of Jesus’ Death and Resurrection.

 

We always must orient ourselves when we read the Bible to locate where we are and in which stage we live, and likewise read the various parts of the story according to their context.  These five stages give us a handle for so orienting ourselves.

Louisburg, Kansas

Sunday School, 9:30am

Sunday Worship, 10:30am

Glorifying God by Enjoying Him Forever