NPC# 14: Christopher Wright- The Love of God, The Cross of Christ and The Mission of God’s People

John 3:16
Colossians 1:15-23

The cross is central to Paul’s doctrine of creation, the church, salvation and mission. The love of God is the motivating factor for his cosmic salvation.

Who and what does God love in the OT?

1. Everything- Ps 145:9,13,17 (the Hebrew word for “all” or “everything” appears 17 times in this Psalm.)

God’s love manifest itself in:
-Salvations redemptive compassion
-Providential care of creation
-Justice and social action

2. His people (his covenant love)- Deut. 7:7-10

3. Foreigners- Deut. 10:17-19
God’s love of the nations is why he chose Israel.

The mission of God‘s love for the nations in the OT:
-Registered in God’s city- Ps. 87
-Blessed with God’s salvation- Is. 19:16-25
-Accepted in God’s house- Is. 56:3-8
-Called by God’s name- Amos 9:11-12
-Joined with God’s people Zech. 2:10-11

The mission of God’s love and the cross in the NT

A (God’s) mission-centered theology of the cross:

The cross and God’s mission
-To bear guilt- Is. 53:6 and 1 Pet. 2:24
-To defeat evil- Col. 2:15
-To destroy death- Heb. 2:14
-To remove enmity- Eph. 2:14-16
-To heal creation- Col 1:20

A view of biblical atonement must go beyond individual salvation from sin and guilt. The Good News is the good news to everyone and all creation!

Personal salvation is firmly put into all that God has done for all creations and all nations.

Paul starts with creation (not with individual) and works his way to a new humanity (the church) and ends with individual who make up the church.

A cross centered practice of mission:

All Christian mission flows from the cross in its source, power and pattern.
Al Christian mission must be shaped by the cross in its character and pattern.

We need a holistic gospel and a holistic mission because the world is in a holistic mess!