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Warwick Allen's Essays

Theological essays and reflections

Theology and Practice of Mission Participation

Course Number: MM581

Course Name: The Mission of God

Assessment: Assessment 3: Theology and Practice of Mission Participation

Teacher: Emma Stokes

Student: Warwick Allen

Due Date: 24 November 2023
(extended from 10 November 2023)

Word count: 1,755 (see Appendix II for details)
Target word count: 1,600

Declaration of Originality

By submitting this assignment for assessment, I acknowledge and agree that:

Table of Contents

Theology and Practice of Mission Participation 3

The Mission of God 3

The Practice of Mission 7

My Participation in the Mission of God 11

Bibliography 14

Appendix I: An Exploration of the Word ‘Redemption’ 16

‘Redemption’ as Defined by Modern Dictionaries 16

The Biblical Words Behind ‘Redemption’ 19

Conclusion about the Use of ‘Redemption’ 22

Bibliography for Appendix I 23

Appendix II: Word Count 25

Theology and Practice of Mission Participation

The first section of this essay examines the nature of God’s mission. The second section explores the Church’s role in God’s mission, and how Christians fulfil that role. Finally, I discuss my personal participation in God’s mission, and reflect on my engagement with my learning about the mission of God.

The Mission of God

The scope of God’s restorative mission is as wide as the entire cosmos,1 and as personal as His love for every individual believer.2 Its purpose is twofold: to manifest His love for His bride3 and to demonstrate His glory.4 “Its source is in the Triune God Himself,” 5 and it is shaped by God’s very nature.6 It is an expression of His justice and righteousness,7 and of His love.8

Can we distil a description of this grand mission down to a succinct definition? Here, I attempt to.

I like to understand truths from first principles. So, when contemplating the mission of God, I am drawn to the question of why it pleased God to create—a deep rabbit hole! There is an apparent conflict between answers delivered by biblical theology and answers delivered by systematic theology. A biblical theologian might start with, for example, Romans 11:36:

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen.9,10

This suggests that God’s creative acts were for His own sake.11 John Piper teaches this.12 Conversely, a systematic theologian might start with the idea that God is perfect, therefore has nothing to gain by creating, and His creative acts result from an overflow of His love, and are for the benefit of the creatures.13

As even to scratch the surface of this dilemma would well exceed the word limit for this essay, I will only consider God’s mission after the Fall.14

The first two chapters of Genesis and the last two chapters of Revelation describe the Edenic state of God’s creation and of His re-creation. In between those beautiful bookends is God’s great story of restoration: His mission of restoring fallen humanity15 and fallen creation16 back to that Edenic state.

Some authors frame God’s restoration of creation as an act of redemption. For example, in Recovering the Full Mission of God, Dean Flemming states “God’s redemptive mission … is to restore … all of creation.” 17,18 In many contexts, redemption entails the concept of a payment, in addition to the concept of freedom from bondage.19 It is true “that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay,” 20 but the requirement for a payment to set the creation free is indirect. It is the sin of humankind that causes God to subject creation to futility,21 and a sacrifice (a payment) was required to atone for that sin.22 Due to God’s grace on humankind, the restoration of creation is achieved via His redemptive acts. However, had God chosen to destroy humanity instead of redeem us, He could have restored the rest of creation without any payment.23 For the sake of clarity, then, and to not unnecessarily limit the scope of the discussion, I prefer to use the term redemption only when discussing God’s saving acts as they pertain to humanity, and opt for the term restoration when discussing God’s actions that are working towards bringing all creation back to its Edenic state.

Moreover, Romans 9:22, and other passages,24 teach that not everyone will be restored. Many are destined for destruction.25 Therefore, a careful formulation of the mission of God should include that qualification. Thus, I submit:

The mission of God is restoration of all that is destined to be restored and destruction of all that is not.26

Mission entails sending.27 Acts of sending stem from the relationships within the Trinity, as God executes His purpose. The Father sends the Son; the Son sends the Spirit.28

The mission of God is God’s business. The next section discusses our involvement.

The Practice of Mission

God commands the Church to participate in His mission.29 “The call to follow Jesus is a call to … participate in the mission of God.” 30 In our limited capacity, we partner with God to outwork a portion of His mission.

Our responsibilities within God’s mission constitute the Church’s mission. Christopher Wright words this as, “All our mission flows from the prior mission of God.” 31 He quotes John Stott when defining this mission:

Mission is the global outreach of the global people of a global God.32

Wright greatly expands this definition by adding, “When I speak of mission, I am thinking of all that God is doing in his great purpose for the whole of creation and all that he calls us to do in cooperation with that purpose.” 33,34

“All that God is doing” is God’s mission; “all that he calls us to do” is the Church’s mission (Wright calls it “the mission of God’s people” 35). The “all that he calls us to do” phrase contrasts Stott’s narrower rendering of the Great Commission: “Our primary duty is to be neither reformers of society nor healers of the sick, but rather preachers of the Gospel.” 36 But the Great Commission is not our only calling.37 Wright’s “all that [God] calls us to do” encompasses the entirety of Christian living.

This broad definition of the Church’s mission comports well with the meaning of mission as task. However, its scope is too broad to facilitate useful missiological discussion. Thus defined, mission could be substituted with godly living. The definition hides the sending aspect of the word’s etymology and traditional Christian use.38 Michael Goheen, reflecting on John 20:21, insists, “the terminology of ‘sending’ is key.” 39 To capture the sending essence of mission, yet maintain Wright’s breadth of scope,40 I propose this definition:

The mission of the Church is to engage in godly, obedient living with a conscious goal of drawing others into God’s kingdom.

The sending essence of this definition is embedded in the intentionality of drawing others, emphasising an awareness of the missional impact of our lives. Even for those who are not geographically sent, the definition encourages a sent-ness in attitude. It reminds us that our entire lives bear witness to the Gospel.

Keeping the missional aspect of our lives front-of-mind guides our actions. Our prayers will more often include intercession for the lost. Our conversations will more likely be evangelistic. We will take into account which life choices lead to opportunities to draw people to God.

Living faithfully requires carefully balancing competing concerns. In zealously testing everything, do we despise prophecy?41 As we seek to imitate Paul42 in trying to please everyone in everything we do,43 do we fail to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel,44 and instead conform to this world?45 One such apparent contention, relevant to mission, is between the doing and telling aspects of our witness. But a perceived tension between these activities is spurious. It is impossible to be so preoccupied with godly living that one has no time for Gospel proclamation. That proclamation is a mandatory element of a godly life. It is possible to be so engrossed in evangelistic outreach that other areas of life are compromised (a travelling evangelist might neglect their family at home46). But such compromises will ultimately reduce the effectiveness of our witness. The doing and telling aspects of witnessing reinforce each other.

In Recovering a Full Mission of God, Dean Flemming ties together the doing and telling with a third category: “Mission is fundamentally about being. It’s an identity issue.” 47 Flemming argues for the legitimacy of using Jesus’ ministry as a model for our missional life,48 and shows that “the Gospels portray a remarkable synergy between what Jesus said, what he did and who he was.” 49

What might an integrated being-doing-telling mission look like? It starts with Christian leaders practising this ideal, and inspiring others to see their whole lives as missional endeavours. The importance of pursuing all three aspects will be frequently taught and modelled in leaders’ lives. Then, with the Spirit’s enabling, the Church will naturally find opportunities to speak of God’s goodness and the veracity of His story. This will be through organised outreaches and through unplanned interactions. Hearts will be softened, prepared for the sowing of the Word,50 by the day-to-day witness of Christians living out God’s ways.

A house church leader on Waiheke Island exemplifies this vision. In his practical service to the community, he is doing Christ-centred living. His service produces opportunities for the telling of the Gospel. And he seizes those opportunities. These behaviours flow from his being a servant of the God who wants “all to come to repentance.” 51

This vision aligns with God’s mission, because, through its God-empowered implementation, His kingdom grows. This is already happening; may God cause it to increase!

My Participation in the Mission of God

Through my learning about the mission of God, I have developed a more nuanced understanding of what the bible teaches about mission, and how integrated missiology is throughout the entire cannon. Seeing the missiological impact of the Torah’s teaching on Israel’s identity as the people of God (their being) and of how they should behave (their doing) was particularly illuminating.

This has led me to evaluate my entire life—my thoughts and my deeds—in terms of my participation in the mission of God. As I reflected, I wondered if my definition of the mission of the Church is insufficient, as I do live with a conscious goal of drawing others into God’s kingdom, yet my life seems ineffectual in this regard. Upon further reflection, I realised that it is not the definition that is lacking, but my obedience. I have some success with the being and doing aspects, but my telling is deficient. I pray for boldness and opportunities to work alongside brothers and sisters who tell of the Gospel story more often and courageously than I do.

Such reflection is necessary, but, as Van Engen reminds us, “the intimate connection of reflection with action is essential for missiology.” 52 I am not currently in a practical position to engage in formal, organised missional outreach. But I do have a re-energised drive to avail myself of every opportunity to proclaim the Good News.53 In any circumstance, there is opportunity. Adverse circumstances can, in fact, be vehicles for effective outreach. Paul expresses this to the church in Philippi when he says, “what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel.” 54

My response is to commit to praying for, and seeking out, opportunities to bear witness to my Lord. This prayer is an ongoing catalyst for developing my mission praxis; God empowering my actions will produce this development.

Bibliography

Craig, William Lane. “Problem of Evil and Suffering (Question and Answer Time—If God Is Perfect, Why Did He Need to Create People?)” presented at the On Guard Christian Apologetics conference, 27 October 2012. https://youtu.be/JgXmdni56bs.

De Visser, Arjan. “The Mission of God by Christopher J.H. Wright,” review of The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission, by Christopher H. Wright, 2006. https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/files/ pub/articles/20150485 - Arjan De Visser - The Mission of God.pdf.

Flemming, Dean. Recovering the Full Mission of God: A Biblical Perspective on Being, Doing and Telling. 3rd ed. Westmont: IVP Academic, 2013. Kindle edition.
Goheen, Michael W. Introducing Christian Mission Today: Scripture, History and Issues. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2014.
Goodall, Norman. Missions Under the Cross: Addresses Delivered at the Enlarged Meeting of the International Missionary Council at Willingen in Germany, 1952; with Statements Issued by the Meeting. London: Edinburgh, 1953.

Jacob, Patrick. “Created for God’s Glory (Isaiah 43:7).” End of the Matter, 15 January 2018. https://endofthematter.com/2018/01/created-for-gods- glory-isaiah-437/.

Online Etymology Dictionary. “Mission.” Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, 2 February 2019. https://www.etymonline.com/word/ mission#etymonline_v_16306.

Piper, John. “God Created Us for His Glory.” Desiring God, 27 July 1980. https:// www.desiringgod.org/messages/god-created-us-for-his-glory.

Stott, John R. W. The Contemporary Christian: An Urgent Plea for Double Listening. Leicester: IVP, 1992.

———. “The Great Commission” presented at the World Congress on Evangelism, 1966. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ 518c65fee4b0887d9a39138d/t/56480707e4b0102d9d8eae41/1447560967683/John-Stott-on-the-Great-Commission.pdf.

Taylor, Charles R. “Editorial Essay: Mission, Missions, Missionary—the Words We Use.” Leaven 7.1 (1999). https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/ leaven/vol7/iss1/3.

Van Engen, C. “Mission, Theology Of.” Pages 550–62 in Global Dictionary of Theology. Edited by William A. Dryness and Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen. Nottingham: IVP, 2008.

Wright, Christopher J. H. The Mission of God: Unlocking The Bible’s Grand Narrative. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2006.

———. The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission. Edited by Jonathan Lunde. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2010. Kindle edition.

Appendix I: An Exploration of the Word ‘Redemption’ {#appendix-i:-an-exploration-of-the-word-‘redemption’}

This appendix explores how tightly the word redemption is coupled to the requirement of a payment. The first subsection looks at how the word is defined in modern dictionaries; the second subsection looks at the biblical words that have been translated as redemption (or other forms from the stem redeem). The appendix concludes with my opinion, based on this exploration, of whether redemption should be used when no payment is involved in the action.

‘Redemption’ as Defined by Modern Dictionaries {#‘redemption’-as-defined-by-modern-dictionaries}

The results of a survey of several on-line dictionaries, reviewing which definitions of redemption include a requirement of payment, are tabulated below. Of the 23 definitions surveyed, 12 include a concept of payment and 7 do not (it is not clear for the other 4 definitions). Hence, it is reasonable to assume that a contemporary hearer would have the idea of a payment in mind when they hear the word redemption.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language55
Definition Includes payment
The act of redeeming or the condition of having been redeemed. Ambiguous
Recovery of something pawned or mortgaged. Yes
The payment of an obligation, as a government’s payment of the value of its bonds. Yes
Deliverance upon payment of ransom; rescue. Yes
Christianity Salvation from sin through Jesus’s sacrifice. Yes
The Britannica Dictionary[^56]
Definition Includes payment
the act of making something better or more acceptable No
the act of exchanging something for money, an award, etc. Yes
Christianity : the act of saving people from sin and evil : the fact of being saved from sin or evil No
Cambridge Dictionary[^57]
Definition Includes payment
Improvement No
(especially in Christianity) an occasion when someone is saved from evil, suffering, etc. No
the act of exchanging bonds, shares, etc. for money Yes
the state of being kept from evil or of improving morally No
the act of exchanging shares or bonds for cash Yes
the act of paying back a loan Yes
Collins Dictionary[^58]
Definition Includes payment
the act or process of redeeming Ambiguous
the state of being redeemed Ambiguous
Christianity deliverance from sin through the incarnation, sufferings, and death of Christ No
Christianity atonement for guilt Yes[^59]
removal of a financial obligation by paying off a note, bond, etc Yes
redemption date Ambiguous
Vocabulary.Com[^60]
Definition Includes payment
the act of purchasing back something previously sold Yes
repayment of the principal amount of a debt or security at or before maturity (as when a corporation repurchases its own stock) Yes
(theology) the act of delivering from sin or saving from evil No

The Biblical Words Behind ‘Redemption’ {#the-biblical-words-behind-‘redemption’}

The goal of this subsection is to review the Hebrew and Greek words that are translated as redemption (or variants thereof) and determine how strongly the concept of a required payment is connoted by those words. I make this determination by extracting the relevant points from Walter Elwell’s entry for ‘Redeem, Redemption’ in the Evangelical Dictionary of Theology.56 I have underlined words and phrases that involve the idea of payment. From this exercise, I find that although the concept of a payment is not connoted by every use of these words, it is in very many cases, and there is a strong overall connotation of a required payment.

Hebrew

This is an extract of Elwell’s commentary of the words used to express the concept of redemption in the Old Testament (the underlines and footnotes are mine):

In the Old Testament, redemption involves deliverance from bondage based on the payment of a price by a redeemer. …

The verb pada57 … is a legal term concerning the substitution required for the person or animal delivered. … Human firstborn were also redeemed, either by the substitution of an animal or by the payment of a fixed sum (Num 18:16). … Money was sometimes paid to deliver a person from death …

The verb gaal58 … is a legal term for the deliverance of some person, property, or right to which one had a previous claim through family relation or possession. Goel, the participle of gaal …, is the term for the person who performed the duties of “redeemer.” … It was the duty of a man’s redeemer … to buy back the freedom that he had lost …

The meaning of the third verb, kapar59 …, is to cover. To cover sin, atone, or make expiation are associated meanings. The substantive koper … (ransom) is of interest in that it signifies a price paid for a life that has become forfeit (Exod 21:30 ; 30:11-16).

… There is only one explicit Old Testament reference to redemption from sin (Psalm 130:8), the emphasis falling in the majority of references on God’s deliverance from the results of sin.

Greek

Similar to above, this is an extract of Elwell’s commentary of the words used to express the concept of redemption in the New Testament (again, the underlines and footnotes are mine):

Fundamental to the message of the New Testament is the announcement that Jesus of Nazareth is the fulfillment of Israel’s messianic hope and that, in him, the long-awaited redemption has arrived. … In the New Testament, redemption requires the payment of a price, …

Although the concept of redemption is central to the New Testament, the occurrence of redemption terminology is relatively limited. … The concept of redemption is nevertheless conveyed in the New Testament by the agorazo and lyo word groups. These terms have in mind the context of a marketplace transaction with reference to the purchase of goods or the releasing of slaves. In using these words, New Testament writers sought to represent Jesus’ saving activity in terms that convey deliverance from bondage. Most of these words infer deliverance from captivity by means of a ransom price paid. The noun “ransom” (lytron60,61 …), however, only appears in three locations in the New Testament (Matt 20:28 ; Mark 10:45 ; 1 Tim 2:6). Redemption language is merged with substitutionary language in these verses and applied to Jesus’ death. Pauline usage of the noun “redemption” (apolytrosis 62…) is limited and generally conveys the meaning of deliverance (Rom 3:24 ; 8:23 ; 1 Cor 1:30 ; Eph 1:14 ; 4:30), although substitutionary meaning is evident in Ephesians 1:7, where Christ’s blood is depicted as the means of redemption.

… An important text with regard to Jesus’ understanding of his redemptive work is [Mark] 10:45, in which Jesus declares that his mission not only includes self-sacrificial service, but also involves giving his life as a “ransom” for many. Thus, Christ’s death is portrayed as the payment price for the deliverance …

Conclusion about the Use of ‘Redemption’ {#conclusion-about-the-use-of-‘redemption’}

In both the modern dictionary definitions of redemption and its use in the Bible, the concept of a payment being a necessary aspect of the redemption process is very widespread. Therefore, I conclude that, for the sake of clarity, the word should only be used when that concept is present, unless the context makes an alternative meaning obvious.

Bibliography for Appendix I

Blue Letter Bible. “G629 - Apolytrōsis - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g629/esv/tr/0-1/.

———. “G3083 - Lytron - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3083/esv/tr/0-1/.

———. “G3084 - Lytroō - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3084/esv/tr/0-1/.

———. “H1350 - Gā’al - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1350/esv/wlc/0-1/.

———. “H3722 - Kāp̄ar - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3722/esv/wlc/0-1/.

———. “H6299 - Pāḏâ - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (ESV).” Blue Letter Bible, 2023. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6299/esv/wlc/0-1/.

Cambridge Dictionary. “Redemption.” *REDEMPTION English Meaning - Cambridge Dictionary*. Cambridge University Press & Assessment, 2023. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/redemption.
Collins. “ATONEMENT Definition and Meaning Collins English Dictionary.” Collins Dictionary. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2023. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/atonement.
———. “REDEMPTION Definition and Meaning Collins English Dictionary.” Collins Dictionary. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2023. https://www. collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/redemption.

Elwell, Walter A. Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 1996. https://www.biblestudytools. com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/redeem-redemption. html.

Encyclopædia Britannica. “Redemption Definition & Meaning Britannica Dictionary.” The Britannica Dictionary. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2023. https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/redemption.

Rightmire, R. David. “Redeem, Redemption - Bible Meaning & Definition - Baker’s Dictionary.” Redeem, Redemption - Bible Meaning & Definition - Baker’s Dictionary, 2023. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/ bakers-evangelical-dictionary/redeem-redemption.html.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. “American Heritage Dictionary Entry: Redemption.” The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. HarperCollins Publishers, 2022. https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=redemption.

Vocabulary.Com. “Redemption - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms Vocabulary.Com.” Vocabulary.Com. Vocabulary.com, Inc., 2023. https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/redemption.

Appendix II: Word Count

Only the text body contributes to the word count. The cover page, declaration of authenticity, table of contents, headings, footnotes and appendices are excluded.

Section Target Actual Deviation
Introduction   50  
The Mission of God 600 595 -1%
The Practice of Mission 700 803 15%
My Participation in the Mission of God 300 307 2%
Total 1600 1755 10%

Patrick Jacob, “Created for God’s Glory (Isaiah 43:7),” End of the Matter, 15 January 2018, https:// endofthematter.com/2018/01/created-for-gods-glory-isaiah-437/.

[^56]: Encyclopædia Britannica, “Redemption Definition & Meaning Britannica Dictionary,” The Britannica Dictionary (Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2023), https://www.britannica.com/ dictionary/redemption.
[^57]: Cambridge Dictionary, “Redemption,” *REDEMPTION English Meaning - Cambridge Dictionary* (Cambridge University Press & Assessment, 2023), https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/ english/redemption.
[^58]: Collins, “REDEMPTION Definition and Meaning Collins English Dictionary,” Collins Dictionary (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2023), https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/ english/redemption.
[^59]: The relevant definition for atonement in the same dictionary is “the reconciliation of humankind with God through the life, sufferings, and sacrificial death of Christ,” which, by including the adjective sacrificial, includes the concept of payment. Collins, “ATONEMENT Definition and Meaning Collins English Dictionary,” Collins Dictionary (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, 2023), https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/atonement.
[^60]: Vocabulary.Com, “Redemption - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms Vocabulary.Com,” Vocabulary.Com (Vocabulary.com, Inc., 2023), https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/ redemption.

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  1. Rev 6:14 ↩

  2. 2 Pet 3:9 ↩

  3. John 3:16 ↩

  4. Eph 1:5,12,14; Isa 43:25; Rom 9:23 ↩

  5. Norman Goodall, Missions Under the Cross: Addresses Delivered at the Enlarged Meeting of the International Missionary Council at Willingen in Germany, 1952; with Statements Issued by the Meeting (London: Edinburgh, 1953), 190, quoted in Michael W. Goheen, Introducing Christian Mission Today: Scripture, History and Issues (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2014), 76. ↩

  6. That is to say, there is no external force acting on God to determine the essence and form of His mission. ↩

  7. 1 John 2:2 (justice was achieved by Christ atoning for our sins through His sacrifice), Rom 3:25–26; Ps 89:14 ↩

  8. Rom 5:8; 1 John 4:19 ↩

  9. Cf. Col 1:16; 1 Cor 8:6; Rev 4:11. ↩

  10. All Bible quotations in this essay are taken from the Anglicised New Revised Standard Version (NRSVA) unless indicated otherwise. ↩

  11. Some use Isaiah 43:7 (“everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory…”) to argue that God created people for the sake of His glory. The “Created for God’s Glory” blog post (referenced below) contains an example of this argumentation. However, the context of Isaiah 43 shows that God has created and called, specifically, the Israelites for His glory, not all of humanity. To say that this may not be extrapolated to apply to all humanity, it is necessary to show that the focus of Isaiah 43 is on Israelites as individuals only in the sense that they collectively constitute Israel as a nation. Such a case can be made by tying in passages like Exodus 19:6, Deuteronomy 4:6–8 and Psalms 67. Even if Isaiah 43:7 cannot be extrapolated to all individuals, in light of Romans 11:11–32, I contend that it does include the Church. ↩

  12. John Piper, “God Created Us for His Glory,” Desiring God, 27 July 1980, https://www. desiringgod.org/messages/god-created-us-for-his-glory. ↩

  13. E.g, in this audio clip, William Lane Craig states that “since God is perfect, He is completely fulfilled within the Trinity of His own being” (timestamp 0:24), “[creation] can only be for the benefit of the creature” (0:49) and “creation is by grace” (1:09): William Lane Craig, “Problem of Evil and Suffering (Question and Answer Time)” (presented at the On Guard Christian Apologetics conference, On Guard Christian Apologetics conference, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 27 October 2012), https://youtu.be/JgXmdni56bs. ↩

  14. As described in Gen 3. ↩

  15. Heb 12:2; 1 Cor 15:51–56 ↩

  16. That is, the rest of creation, in addition to humanity, as shown in, e.g., Romans 8:18–23, 28–30; Isaiah 11:6–9; 65:17–25; Hebrews 12:26–28. ↩

  17. Dean Flemming, Recovering the Full Mission of God: A Biblical Perspective on Being, Doing and Telling, 3rd ed. (Westmont: IVP Academic, 2013), Kindle edition, 41. ↩

  18. Cf. Wright’s claim that “God’s redemptive mission includes creation” in Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission, ed. Jonathan Lunde (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2010), Kindle edition, 75. ↩

  19. See Appendix I of this essay for an exploration of the word redemption, and a case for restricting the use of the word to when some form of payment is involved. ↩

  20. Rom 8:21 ↩

  21. Rom 8:20; Gen 3:17–19; Isa 24:5–6 ↩

  22. Heb 10:1–10 ↩

  23. According to Romans 8:18–25, creation will be set free when our bodies are redeemed. This may be referring to the penultimate scene in the grand story of restoration, when Christ judges from the great white throne (Rev 20:11–15). The restored creation is the new heaven and new earth (Rev 21:1–5 ff). Under this interpretation, the full restoration comes through the complete purging of sin: destruction of the ungodly and justification and sanctification of those whose names are written in the book of life. ↩

  24. E.g., Matt 7:13; 2 Thess 1:9; 2 Pet 3:7; Rev 17:11; Rev 20:14–15 ↩

  25. This does not contradict restoration of all things as mentioned in Matthew 17:11 and Acts 3:21, as a survey of pas (‘all things’, G3956) shows that it is often used in a hyperbolic sense or with assumed qualifications. ↩

  26. Given the previously stated scope. ↩

  27. Charles Taylor writes: ↩

  28. Matt 10:40; Matt 15:24; Mark 9:37; Luke 4:18, 43; Luke 10:16; John 3:17; John 4:34; John 5:23–24, 30, 36–38; John 6:29, 38–39, 44, 57; John 7:16, 18, 28–29, 33; John 8:16, 18, 26, 29, 42; John 9:4; John 12:44–49; John 13:20, 24; John 15:21; John 16:5; John 17:3, 8, 18–25; John 20:21; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7; Acts 3:20, 26; Gal 4:4, 6; 1 John 4:9, 14 ↩

  29. A very famous command to participate is the Great Commission of Matt 28:19–20. ↩

  30. Flemming, Recovering the Full Mission of God, 79. ↩

  31. Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission, ed. Jonathan Lunde, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Academic, 2010), Kindle edition, 18. ↩

  32. John R. W. Stott, The Contemporary Christian: An Urgent Plea for Double Listening (Leicester: IVP, 1992), quoted in Wright, The Mission of God’s People, 18. ↩

  33. Wright, The Mission of God’s People, 20. ↩

  34. In The Mission of God, Wright words this mission as “our committed participation as God’s people…in God’s own mission within the history of God’s world for the redemption of God’s creation.” Christopher J. H. Wright, The Mission of God: Unlocking The Bible’s Grand Narrative (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2006), 22–23, quoted in Arjan De Visser, “The Mission of God by Christopher J.H. Wright,” review of The Mission of God’s People: A Biblical Theology of the Church’s Mission, by Christopher H. Wright, 2006, https://www.christianstudylibrary.org/files/ pub/articles/20150485 – Arjan De Visser – The Mission of God.pdf. ↩

  35. Wright, The Mission of God’s People, 8 ff. ↩

  36. John R. W. Stott, “The Great Commission” (presented at the World Congress on Evangelism, World Congress on Evangelism, Berlin, 1966), https://static1.squarespace.com/static/ 518c65fee4b0887d9a39138d/t/56480707e4b0102d9d8eae41/1447560967683/John-Stott-on-the- Great-Commission.pdf, 22. ↩

  37. E.g., 1 Pet 2:21 ↩

  38. Mission is derived from Latin mittere, meaning “to release, let go; send, throw.” Online Etymology Dictionary, “Mission,” Online Etymology Dictionary (Douglas Harper, 2 February 2019), https://www.etymonline.com/word/mission#etymonline_v_16306. Cf. Taylor, “Editorial Essay: Mission, Missions, Missionary—the Words We Use,” 4. ↩

  39. Michael W. Goheen, Introducing Christian Mission Today: Scripture, History and Issues (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2014), 78. ↩

  40. The proposed definition covers the key missional concerns discussed in Wright, The Mission of God’s People. These concerns are: being biblically literate (p. 52), stewarding creation well (p. 76), being a blessing to those around us (p. 107), living out God’s righteousness and justice (p. 129), engaging in earthly redemptive activities, e.g., working to deliver people out of oppressive poverty (p. 160), exemplifying God’s character (1 Pet 2:9–12; pp. 183–84), attracting people to God (p. 212), having a personal knowledge of God and a drive to make Him known (pp. 223–24), proclaiming what God has done through Christ (pp. 268, 294), sending and being sent (pp. 339–40), engaging with and confronting the world where we live and work (p. 335), and engaging in prayer and praise (p. 408). ↩

  41. 1 Thess 5:20–21 (also 1 Cor 14:1; 1 John 4:1) ↩

  42. 1 Cor 11:1 ↩

  43. 1 Cor 10:33 (also Rom 12:18) ↩

  44. Eph 6:19 ↩

  45. Rom 12:2 ↩

  46. Which makes them worse than an unbeliever, according to 1 Timothy 5:8. ↩

  47. Flemming, Recovering the Full Mission of God, 22. ↩

  48. Flemming, Recovering the Full Mission of God, 82–83. ↩

  49. Flemming, Recovering the Full Mission of God, 70. ↩

  50. Mark 4:1-20 ↩

  51. 2 Pet 3:9 ↩

  52. C. Van Engen, “Mission, Theology Of,” in Global Dictionary of Theology, ed. William A. Dryness and Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen (Nottingham: IVP, 2008), 555. ↩

  53. Col 4:5–6; Eph 5:16; 1 Pet 3:15 ↩

  54. Phil 1:12; cf. 2 Cor 1:9 ↩

  55. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, “American Heritage Dictionary Entry: Redemption,” The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (HarperCollins Publishers, 2022), https://www.ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=redemption. ↩

  56. Walter A. Elwell, Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 1996), https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical- dictionary/redeem-redemption.html. ↩

  57. Blue Letter Bible, “H6299 - Pāḏâ - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (ESV),” Blue Letter Bible, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h6299/esv/wlc/0-1/. ↩

  58. Blue Letter Bible, “H1350 - Gā’al - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (ESV),” Blue Letter Bible, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h1350/esv/wlc/0-1/. ↩

  59. Blue Letter Bible, “H3722 - Kāp̄ar - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (ESV),” Blue Letter Bible, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h3722/esv/wlc/0-1/. ↩

  60. Blue Letter Bible, “G3083 - Lytron - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (ESV),” Blue Letter Bible, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3083/esv/tr/0-1/. ↩

  61. Blue Letter Bible, “G3084 - Lytroō - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (ESV),” Blue Letter Bible, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3084/esv/tr/0-1/. ↩

  62. Blue Letter Bible, “G629 - Apolytrōsis - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (ESV),” Blue Letter Bible, 2023, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g629/esv/tr/0-1/. ↩