Inclusion

In October, I attended "The Creed" conference hosted by John Crowder, and  C. Baxter Kruger. I'll sum up the conference in one quote by Dr. Kruger, who said, "The true hermeneutic is the Light of the World."  For me that means all Scripture is interpreted in Jesus' life, death, resurrection, ascension, and sending of the Spirit. Scripture doesn't interpret Scripture. Jesus interprets Scripture. Jesus is the Light of the World, the Light that shines in our darkness!

We read in Genesis 1:26-27, that God created human beings in his own image, and likeness. We are created in the image and likeness of God, after the God-kind. This makes us unique. We are different from any other creature that God has made. But in Genesis 6-7, the writer of Genesis tells us that the whole earth was filled with violence. Human beings had departed from who they were created to be, as God's children, made in his image and likeness. We're told that God brought a flood on the earth to destroy all that had breath; except for Noah, and those that went with him into the ark. However, when we read these passages through the true hermeneutic, Jesus, the Light of the World, we see much more. We see Noah, as a shadow of Christ, coming up out of the watery grave. Noah is a shadow of the new creation in Christ Jesus. The new creation that has been raised up with Christ. The new creation that is presently seated in the heavenly realm with Jesus. As the Apostle Paul tells us in ¹Ephesians 2:5-6,  For even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with him, and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This means that even those who perished in the flood, have been raised up with Christ. We like them, were dead in our transgressions, but made alive in Christ.

There are no obstacles to keep us from being included in Christ. Evil, sin, and death, have all been defeated in Christ. Even our rejection of God has been defeated. God in Christ has said yes, even when we said no, and he continues to say yes when we say no. God's work in Christ is ongoing but completed in Christ. As we read in Revelation 13:8, last part (KJV), the Lamb slain from the  foundation of the world. 

So rejoice in the salvation of the Lord, as the Psalmist says: Psalm 96:1-3, Sing to the Lord a new song; Sing to the Lord all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; Proclaim good tidings of his salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. 

¹All Scripture references in red, are NASB, except where noted.