I personally love N.T. Wright. I have been midrashing New Testament and the People of God V.1 with a group of friends. That has been wonderful. I skipped Jesus and the Victory of God V.2 (I'll pick it up later) and am finishing The Resurrection of the Son of God V.3. His emphasis on creation and recreation is breathing lots of life into me... Some thoughts
Wright makes a strong point that he will refer to throughout the rest of the book, “it has been assumed in western Christendom that the ultimate point of being a Christian was ‘to go to heaven when you die’.” The reformers dealt with Rome concerning the issue of justification but they did not deal with the issue that the misguided ultimate goal of Christianity was to go to heaven. This remains the goal and final end of most western Christians reinforced by our songs, services, teaching, liturgy and prayers. “Our loved ones in Christ who have died are already waiting for us in Heaven.” As Wright unfolds this erroneous theological way of thinking, so much falls into place for me and my understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus and co-laborer with God for the renewal and restoration of all things. Chapter Nine, Page 417-418
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice,a even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although you have not seenb him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. I Peter 1:3-9.
Wright says that this passage is one that western Christians see as speaking of a salvation that is about leaving the present life and world and going to the ultimate destination of heaven. This was not the intention of the author of I Peter, according to Wright. This salvation being spoken of, first of all, is clearly given “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” Furthermore, this “inheritance” is “kept in heaven for you.” This salvation will be “revealed in the last time”… when “Jesus Christ is revealed.” Wright states, “This language belongs much more naturally with the idea of ‘heaven’ as the place where the creator’s future purposes are stored up, ‘kept safe’ (verse 4) until they can be unveiled in the promised new world, than with the dualism which seeks to escape from earth and to arrive, safely disembodied, in ‘heaven’.” Chapter Ten, Page 464-66
Continuing on his theme of de-Westernizing our perspectives, Wright opens a discussion of resurrection from the book of Revelation. He looks at the last two chapters and declares that you can’t get the its all about going to heaven when we die motif out of the text. Clearly, the heavenly city comes down to the earth from heaven. Heaven and earth are united in Gods’ new creation. This newly created location is the place where God and God’s people will dwell forever. Chapter Ten, Page 470
In Revelation, with the discussion of the martyred dead in Christ, comes a mutation of resurrection meaning and language. We have already examined quite thoroughly the two-event chronology of the resurrection (Jesus resurrection and the resurrection of Jesus’ people). In Revelation 20 the resurrection of God’s people splits into two stages, first the beheaded martyrs and second everyone else. Chapter Ten, Page 473
Revelation 21 and 22 are full of beautiful new creation imagery. The renewed Jerusalem with trees of life growing on the banks of the river running through the city, will be the home of people who will engage with the creator to fulfill God’s plans throughout all of God’s realms. Death will no longer be the enemy of God’s resurrected, renewed people, clothed in incorruptible, immortal flesh. Chapter Ten, Page 475-76
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