God graciously restores sinners to Himself through Jesus Christ.
Some theologians draw the plan of salvation in three broad strokes: Creation, Fall, and Restoration (or Redemption). If we think of salvation as simply “gettin’ saved,” we can miss out on a lot of the work of Christ as He restores the image of God in His people. When Adam sinned, the image of God in him was terribly marred. Moreover, all Adam’s children are born with the same “birth defect.” By “ordinary generation” we are born not only with a bad record (guilt), but also with a bad heart (depravity), with sins continually flowing from it. God’s saving work in Christ not only answers to our guilt, but also to the issue of our sin-sick heart. God not only restores us to a right relationship with Himself, but also restores in us the family likeness – His love and holiness. Restoration begins with the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and continues with His work of sanctification. This wonderful process will continue to advance until the grace that began it is swallowed up by the glory that completes it.
This truth of restoration has momentous application when it comes to Bible interpretation and preaching. If God’s work in the believer is that of restoration, then the aim of Bible interpretation and proclamation should be the same. Mere information, theological disquisitions, or sentimental musings fall far short of the target. Rehearsing the same doctrines and pet applications ad infinitum does the hungry sheep no good. Neither does it help the as-of-yet fully unrestored sheep. As Bryan Chapell explains in his book Christ-Centered Preaching, the Scriptures are given to us to restore us from our fallen condition. They address those areas that are still unrenewed in us and show us the restoration in Christ that He purchased for us in His redeeming death. While it can be pleasant to sort out theological knots, or to get a “warm fuzzy” from Scripture, the sheep need to have their issues diagnosed and exposed, and their diseases treated.
Let us approach the Word of God to see Christ and His saving work. Anything short of this is a waste of time. Among other things, this will mean detailed exposition of those “practical” parts of Scripture that tell us in no uncertain terms how we are to live – how we are to express our love God and to others. There are no clearer diagnostic tests than the plain statements of exhortation applied to every heart – our own first of all.
God help us be good “medics” on the battlefield!
