Page 27 - Pentateuch

Let’s get Personal…

How has your understanding of God grown through your life experiences? In what ways have you observed
other people learning about different aspects of God’s character at different times in life? What
characteristics of God must be known before a person might genuinely say, “I know God”? Even though
Abraham did not know Jesus, was he saved by belief in a coming Messiah/Savior? How might these lessons
strengthen your resolve to preach Christ? How have people in your culture been prepared for hearing the
gospel?

Every person on earth has a concept of a personal, all-powerful Creator (Psalm 19; Romans 1:18-23).
Everyone has a sense of right and wrong, anticipating a day of judgment before this Creator. Everyone
expects a personal Creator’s desire to have continued communication with his creation. Everyone seeks to
somehow become acceptable in the sight of the Creator. These universal bits and pieces of theology drive
every culture to formulate spiritual plans and customs unless the gospel has reached the culture with the
real plan to become acceptable to God.

Here in the early pages of Genesis, we are reminded of the wisdom of God in creation and in providence to
keep alive the message of the Gospel all over the world. “Incredible as it seems, literally thousands of
Christian missionaries down through history have been startled by exuberant welcome even among some
of the earth’s remotest peoples! Folks who could not have read a newspaper even if one were dropped on
their doorstep anticipated the coming of message-bearers for the true God almost as knowledgeably as if
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they had just read about them in the morning news.”

Many examples can be cited. The Mbaka live in the Central African Republic. They had a
long cultural history of expecting a message and messengers of unique salvation. “Koro,
the Creator, sent word to our forefathers long ages ago that he had already sent His Son
into the world to accomplish something wonderful for all mankind. Later, however, our
forefathers turned away from the truth about Koro’s Son. In time, they even forgot what
it was that He accomplished for mankind. Since the time of ‘the forgetting,’ successive
generations of our people have longed to discover the truth about Koro’s Son, but all we
could learn was that messengers would eventually come to restore that
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forgotten knowledge to us.” Fig. 15: Mbaka tribal mask

We understand the nature and depth of sin. Sin kills. Sin leads to deeper and deeper levels of evil in
individuals and cultures. Sin cannot be overcome with human methods and human messages. We should
not be surprised when the gospel of Jesus resonates deeply with a variety of people all across the world,
some still living with cultural principles of previous centuries, and others thoroughly modern in their
mindset. The same One who created us has provided for our salvation. His character shines through
creation at least dimly and fairly shouts to us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The cross of
Christ is a “demonstration” of God’s character “at present” (Rom. 3:26). We see in him on the cross what
we would expect to see from our Creator.

34 Ibid, p. 56.
35 Ibid, p. 57ff.
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