Studentenalmanak 1960 - pagina 219

the kingdom of God, though a future reality, has already come

(cf. e.g. Mt. 12: 28; Col. 1: 13; Rev. 1: 6, 9). The resurrection of

Christ already affords believers participation in its life and power

(Eph. 2: 5, 6). The one who is in Christ has become a new creation

(II Cor. 5: 17). The ends of the ages have come upon us (I Cor.

10: 11) and through the cross Christ has delivered us from the

present evü age (Gal. 1: 4).

Considered in such terms as these, eschatology is aU-embracive of

the history of redemption. It serves, therefore, not only to sum

up the Christian's future hope but also the present realities brought

into being by the Spirit of God under the new covenant. The

eschatological understanding of the gospel accordingly provides

significant perspectives for a comprehensive Christian phUosophy

of history.

Finally, one may observe some of the implications and consequences

of the above approach for our understanding of the Christian

message. Although one may not be content with an evaluation

of history from only one point of view or on the basis of a meager

selection of Biblical data, I may point out a number of ways in

which the eschatological perspective may serve to place some

truths in sharper focus and perhaps enrich our thinking with regard

to others.

First of all, when eschatology is taken in its specific Biblical meaning,

it points up the indispensability to toe Christian faith of the doctrines

of creation and providence. The very idea of a consummation of the

ages is meaningless unless the world is acknowledged as having

come into being by divine action, governed by divine power and

existing for the divine glory. Unless God is the Creator and Lord

He cannot be the Consummator. For in its very essence eschatology

has to do with the effectual and final realization of the purpose of

God with regard to the word — His world — which has rebelled

against Him. The eschatological outlook is not a merely pious

wish; it is a confident hope and assurance. And it is so only because

of God's absolute supremacy and rule over the world, and its

corollary that the world and history are completely dependent

upon Him. Deistic views of God as well as those which view

God as an aspect, however significant, of the world process are

totally irreconcilable with the Biblical eschatology, and thus one

may frequently observe that inadequate modern views concerning

eschatology are bound up with a failure to think of creation and

215

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen