Twin Themes in the Bible

Twin Themes in the Bible

Two major themes run like railroad tracks through the Bible, from the original creation of the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1) to the creation of a new heaven and earth (Rev. 21:1). One track is creation, the other is redemption (closely related to salvation). It’s important to keep both in mind when reading and interpreting Scripture.
The creation track reminds us that …
• God in Christ has made everything there is. He is Creator and Lord (Gen. 1:31; Col. 1:16, 17).
• God has created and called people to oversee the earth as His managers (Gen. 1:27, 30; Ps. 8:6). People have been given a mandate to care for the earth—to preserve, protect, and use it wisely.
• Everyday work matters to God. We are His coworkers, called to accomplish meaningful tasks for which He will hold us accountable (Gen. 2:8, 15; Eccl. 9:10; 12:13, 14).
• What happens here and now, in this present, physical world, matters to God (John 5:17; Eph. 2:10).
The redemption track reminds us that …
• God has committed Himself to reclaiming this fallen world and rescuing sinful people through His Son, Jesus Christ (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 8:19–22).
• God desires that no one be lost, but that every person come to repentance and faith in Jesus (2 Pet. 3:9). As believers, we have a mandate to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth (Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8).
• Salvation affects everything about us, our relationships, our character, and our conduct (Col. 3:17).
• What happens here and now affects us spiritually and has eternal consequences (Matt. 25:31–46).
To ignore either of these two tracks is to get derailed from a balanced understanding of God’s work in the world as revealed in the Bible.