The Plan of Redemption

1 Peter 1:20

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world,

but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you. NASB

 

The Plan of Redemption

When we consider the narrative of the Old and New Testaments, it is important to see the Providence of Almighty God in the outworking of His eternal plans in human history. All of the events of history are the outworking of plans which God has made from all eternity. In fact, Providence is assumed and implied constantly by biblical writers, as we shall see.

Hebrews 1:2-3 – 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. NASB

Colossians 1:16-17 – 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. NAS

Acts 17:28 – 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, NASB

Job 34:14-15 – 14 “If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath, 15 All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust. NASB

Therefore, when we think about God’s activity of Providence in His world, we should think of it as God working out the plans that He has made for His creation from all eternity. Not only does God control Nature, but because of this is “in every action directing” the events of History. The Scripture plainly declares that God is the primary cause behind everything that happens.

Lamentations 3:37-38 – 37 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth? NASB

Isaiah 45:7 – 7 The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these. NASB

Now the fact that events are seen to be under the Providence of God is plainly evident in Scripture. God is Providentially working His will in all things to accomplish His own purposes for the display of His own Glory, Name and Power!

Ephesians 1:9-11 – 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, NASB

Consider then, that in the course of history, God’s purpose to redeem fallen mankind from their sin by sending His Son Jesus Christ into the world to give His life as a sacrifice and be raised from the dead, is primary among all the things which God has purposed to do. God is summing up all things in Christ! In fact this is plainly revealed in Scripture as the unified message of redemptive history.

 

This Plan of Redemption opens up a whole new understanding for us then concerning God’s activity in directing the events of History. We see then and therefore that Jesus Christ and His atoning work at the Cross become the very focal point of history, and thus the key event in the history of the world. Another way of stating this is that all things before the cross look forward to the Cross and all things after the Cross look back at the Cross. The Cross of Jesus Christ is everything! More than this, the God-Man Christ Jesus, the One hanging on the Cross is the eternal Lord of history, come to earth to display the awesome beauty of His divine character to us in an unfathomable way as to cause the whole creation to stand in awe, rejoicing with Holy fear, at the marvelous thing that He has done!

Revelation 5:11-14 – 11 And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped. NASB

So when we think about Jesus Christ the Savior, we must understand that He is not just some Galilean peasant in history who did some good things and had some wise teachings, but rather He is God very God, embodied as a man, accomplishing the primary work of the eternal plans of God which were made before the creation of the world.

1 Peter 1:18-20 – 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you NASB