Articles
Why So Long?
In his book The Scheme of Redemption, Robert Milligan raises a question; "Why was the full development of the Scheme of Redemption so long delayed?" According to Scripture, the need for redemption was immediate. Adam and Eve rebelled against God when they sinned. Their sin broke fellowship with God (Isa. 59:1-2). Their sin brought condemnation and death into the world (Rom. 5:15,18). Everyone is condemned because everyone sins (Rom. 5:12). The need for reconciliation is evident. Why was the remedy so long delayed?
Since humanity's fall, people have divided into two groups: those who seek a relationship with God and those who forget him. We see it with Adam's sons. Cain murdered Abel, a follower of God, and he was separated from God. (Gen. 4). Genesis tells us, To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD” (Gen. 4:26 ESV). Genesis 6 reveals most people forgot God (Gen. 6:5). They were condemned and died in the flood. God recreated the world and restarted humanity with righteous Noah. As time passed, the majority of people rebelled against God. God called Abraham to put his plan for humanity's redemption into action. God promised that through his seed, all the nations of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3).
God created humans intelligent and curious. The great philosophers debated whether there was an eternity, humanity's purpose, and how to govern ourselves. Ecclesiastes tells us, "He (God) has also put eternity in their hearts, but man cannot discover the work God has done from beginning to end "(Eccl. 3:11). Milligan comments, "And hence we find that after the lapse of near four thousand years, during which Platonism, Aristotelianism, Stoicism, Epicureanism, and every other conceivable scheme of philosophy had been unsuccessfully tried, we find that mankind was still sighing and groaning under the burdens of sin, and earnestly longing for some hitherto undiscovered remedy that would be adequate to the wants of their entire nature" (p.74). Paul makes the same point to the Greeks of Corinth: "Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom " (1 Cor. 1:20-21 ESV).
God loved humanity and sought reconciliation. He began his scheme of redemption with Abraham to restore what was lost in the garden. Paul, quoting the Law of Moses, wrote, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Cor. 6:16 ESV). God created the nation of Israel from Abraham's descendants. He taught Israel what they needed to become to partake of God's holiness. Through the Law, God revealed his character, the beauty of holiness, the malice of sin, and the impossibility of attaining justification, sanctification, and redemption by perfect obedience to it.
During the time between humanity's fall in Eden and Jesus, God taught humanity a Savior was needed to reconcile us to him. People began to understand the futility of human wisdom. Israel's history revealed their failure to obey God. Paul wrote, “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Gal. 4:4-5 NIV11). Jesus came preaching, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15 ESV).
How did people react to the gospel? Most considered it foolishness. Paul wrote, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18 NKJV). The world is divided over Jesus. Why do most reject him? Paul says,
“For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.” (1 Cor. 1:22-24 ESV)
The Jews wanted Jesus to do a sign from heaven to prove his claim. Gentiles could not conceive that a martyr was a Savior. Those who recognized Jesus as the remedy for sin and the reconciler to God believed.
Paul observed that not many wise or noble people responded to the gospel (1 Cor. 1:26-31). It is true today. God's plan is for people to learn of their need for his grace and love. Humanity needs to know they cannot reconcile with God through perfect obedience. We need God's grace. Human wisdom is a dead-end. Those immersed in the world's wisdom must learn that it will never fulfill their longing. That need is for God. That is why we proclaim God's plan for reconciliation: Jesus Christ and him crucified.
