Connecting the Creation Account With Why Christ Came

[Arial]

I am reading "The Progress of Redemption" by Willem Vangemeren. It is a book I recommend to all Christians.

​

In his introduction to Part One he states the following:

​

"In this part I consider the biblical account of creation as a proclamation, specifically that:​

1. God, the Redeemer, is the Creator.
2. Gid rules over his creation in accordance with his royal nature.
3. his creation itself reflects these royal attributes.
4. human beings are uniquely endowed it mirror the royal attributes of the great King;
5. God, who created by his Word maintains his relationship with individuals by the Word;
6. although the original creation was good, it had to be consecrated and perfected; therefore,
7. Jesus Christ had to come to consecrate all things to God (Eph. 1:9-10)."

It is 6 and 7 that I am having a bit of trouble with. It seems to me to posit that creation was created by the Holy God, but also man not being holy when created. I could readily agree that after the fall, the creation had to be cleansed and sanctified and that Jesus came to do just that, and for the glory of God the Father, and himself as the person of the Trinity who was sent to do that. And that this was the Covenant of Redemption before creation.

Thoughts? Let's work through this systematically, with exegesis, and help (for me) getting this clear in my understanding. And the different approaches and views of Vangermeren's proclamation above.

 

[David Lamb]

I am reading "The Progress of Redemption" by Willem Vangemeren. It is a book I recommend to all Christians.

​

In his introduction to Part One he states the following:

​

"In this part I consider the biblical account of creation as a proclamation, specifically that:​

1. God, the Redeemer, is the Creator.
2. Gid rules over his creation in accordance with his royal nature.
3. his creation itself reflects these royal attributes.
4. human beings are uniquely endowed it mirror the royal attributes of the great King;
5. God, who created by his Word maintains his relationship with individuals by the Word;
6. although the original creation was good, it had to be consecrated and perfected; therefore,
7. Jesus Christ had to come to consecrate all things to God (Eph. 1:9-10)."

It is 6 and 7 that I am having a bit of trouble with. It seems to me to posit that creation was created by the Holy God, but also man not being holy when created. I could readily agree that after the fall, the creation had to be cleansed and sanctified and that Jesus came to do just that, and for the glory of God the Father, and himself as the person of the Trinity who was sent to do that. And that this was the Covenant of Redemption before creation.

Thoughts? Let's work through this systematically, with exegesis, and help (for me) getting this clear in my understanding. And the different approaches and views of Vangermeren's proclamation above.

Yes, I agree with you that 6 and 7 are suspect. He says that the original creation was good (indeed the bible tells us that God regarded it as "very good), but it is noticeable that the author makes no mention at all of Adam and Eve sinning. Also, under 7, he quotes Ephesians apparently to show that Christ came to consecrate all things to God. The verses don't mention consecration. Unless he goes on to mention the fall, sin, the devil and hell in the remainder of the book, what you have quoted from his introduction seems suspect to me. I have never heard of the author.

 

[Arial]

Yes, I agree with you that 6 and 7 are suspect. He says that the original creation was good (indeed the bible tells us that God regarded it as "very good), but it is noticeable that the author makes no mention at all of Adam and Eve sinning. Also, under 7, he quotes Ephesians apparently to show that Christ came to consecrate all things to God. The verses don't mention consecration. Unless he goes on to mention the fall, sin, the devil and hell in the remainder of the book, what you have quoted from his introduction seems suspect to me. I have never heard of the author.

I am sure that will come up as I go through the chapter and the book. I realize that was from an introduction to something that will follow. And a lot of something. It is a big book.

 

[David Lamb]

I am sure that will come up as I go through the chapter and the book. I realize that was from an introduction to something that will follow. And a lot of something. It is a big book.

Thanks. I wonder if anybody on the forum knows anything about the author.

 

[Arial]

Thanks. I wonder if anybody on the forum knows anything about the author.

Willem A. VanGemeren - Wikipedia

 

[David Lamb]

Willem A. VanGemeren - Wikipedia

Thanks for that.

 

[Arial]

Thanks for that.

I purchased the book because reference notes were made often in another book I was reading that was so well done, on making the connections that are found in the Bible that keep the entire Bible a one consecutive story from the first words to the last words; the eternal Covenant of Redemption as it progresses through history, and the future end of that story that culminates when Christ returns and restores all things (including the creation itself, the home God created for humans and all creatures and vegetation.

Most of all it keeps Christ as the center every step of the way and helps us to keep our eyes focused on him when we interpret.

That book is Far As the Curse is Found by Michael D. Williams. The Vangemeren book puts even more focus on the continuous story by way of Reformed (covenant) hermeneutical application.

 

[makesends]

I am reading "The Progress of Redemption" by Willem Vangemeren. It is a book I recommend to all Christians.

​

In his introduction to Part One he states the following:

​

"In this part I consider the biblical account of creation as a proclamation, specifically that:​

1. God, the Redeemer, is the Creator.
2. Gid rules over his creation in accordance with his royal nature.
3. his creation itself reflects these royal attributes.
4. human beings are uniquely endowed it mirror the royal attributes of the great King;
5. God, who created by his Word maintains his relationship with individuals by the Word;
6. although the original creation was good, it had to be consecrated and perfected; therefore,
7. Jesus Christ had to come to consecrate all things to God (Eph. 1:9-10)."

It is 6 and 7 that I am having a bit of trouble with. It seems to me to posit that creation was created by the Holy God, but also man not being holy when created. I could readily agree that after the fall, the creation had to be cleansed and sanctified and that Jesus came to do just that, and for the glory of God the Father, and himself as the person of the Trinity who was sent to do that. And that this was the Covenant of Redemption before creation.

Thoughts? Let's work through this systematically, with exegesis, and help (for me) getting this clear in my understanding. And the different approaches and views of Vangermeren's proclamation above.

Yeah, that list seems to bypass the fall completely! Maybe at some point it brings out how that consecration HAD to be done via the fall and redemption? Idk.

 

[Arial]

Yeah, that list seems to bypass the fall completely! Maybe at some point it brings out how that consecration HAD to be done via the fall and redemption? Idk.

It will---he just wasn't there yet (and neither am I) So consider that I jumped the gun to some extent. I thought it was a curious statement and thought a discussion on it would be enlightening.

It comes from the introduction to Part 1 in his book. Part 1 is titled Creation in Harmony.

The first part is the beginning of a large book that goes all the way through the historic progress of redemption to the restoration (Rev 21-22). In the introduction to part 1, he is dealing with creation (Gen 1-2) setting the stage of connection between all the parts of redemption with creation itself, with Christ being our starting point in Bible interpretation, and being the One who our eye is trained on in all the parts. So what he did there is begin with creation---not the fall.

In retrospect, I suspect that when he gets to Part 2, which is titled Creation in Alienation, which is organized as ;
The Generations From Adam to Terah
Israel and the Nations
Man's Revolution and God's Rule over the Earth

that 6 and 7 will be fully and wonderfully explained. So I apollogize for posing the question before I had even glanced at what was to come. Before putting it into the context that would be forthcoming. I was simply reading the book page by page without the context of the Content Page. In this case, it was important because that was where I needed the information that would have kept me from taking his statement as a theological/ doctrinal statement! My bad. It is quite natural that everyone reading my post took it the same way. That is how I presented it.

However, we can still discuss. I will post "gems" as I go along in the book. Vangemeren's approach to the progress of redemption is profoundly hermeneutical using a Reformed (covenant) hermeneutic and exegesis method and will help us to keep our own intact and our eye on Christ. It will help us recognize where other hermeneutics fall short in a way that takes the eye off Christ and divides the story; and improve our ability to support claims made by Dispensationalism.