Page 6 - God's Church through the Ages - Student Textbook

To understand the answer to that question, we must go back in time, clear back to the arrival of sin in the
Garden of Eden in Genesis 3. God had a plan before He created the world. God is not only sovereign over all,
but He is omniscient; He knows everything, past, present, and future. He knew that if He created Adam and
gave him freewill to obey or disobey, that Adam would choose to disobey and that the entire race of man would
inherit a nature to rebel from Adam. Adam’s rebellion would pass to all his children and their children, bringing
pain and suffering into the creation. Romans 5: 12 puts it this way:

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin,
and so death spread to all men because all sinned!

In knowing this ahead of time, why would God then create the stars, planets, and specifically Earth and populate
it with plants, animals, and mankind? There must be a plan! God’s plan is described as the mystery which is
revealed progressively to mankind.

As God slowly revealed His plan of redemption of man from sin, He raised up a unique people, Israel. His plan
was to reveal through His chosen people His love and care and redemptive work as a showcase for all the world
to see. He made unconditional promises to Israel, most important to send a redeemer who would sit on the
throne of His son, David. Yet, mixed with His promise of royalty was a connection to servanthood, sacrifice, and
death.

Romans 16:25-27 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus
Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been
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disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of
the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith.

The coming of the Lamb of God was the culmination of all the promises made to mankind in providing the
redemption from sin. In fact, history, and time itself revolves around the coming of the Savior. Christ paid the
ultimate penalty for sin in His death on a cruel Roman cross. Redemption was completed. Yet, a new mystery
was to unfold: the church.

Previous to Christs coming, the Holy Spirit would come and depart men whom God was to use. While his
presence was always with men, He did not dwell permanently within a man. In God’s unfolding redemptive
plan, He promised that He would indwell every believer who would trust in Him as Savior and Lord. This is the
reason for the church. God would be not only with us, He would be IN us. As Israel was to be a showcase to the
world of God’s faithfulness, so now the church is to reflect God’s glory. Israel was powerless to fully obey the
Lord; the church now has the indwelling Holy Spirit and is God-empowered to accomplish this task.

How God works through History

The things that God revealed to humanity were not all given at once. His
revelation was given in stages. This is known as progressive revelation.
Progressive revelation means that God did not unfold His entire plan to
humanity in the Book of Genesis or, for that matter, in the entire Old
Testament. The Old Testament traces the history of mankind, and
specifically the story of redemption, from the first days of creation
through the history of God’s chosen people, Israel. It concludes with the
fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies about the coming Messiah. The Old
Testament revelation, though accurate, is incomplete. The fullness of certain teachings cannot be found in the
Old Testament. Progressive revelation does not mean to say that the Old Testament is somehow less true than

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