Biblical Solidarity
Image #1
Gen 25 (v. 21) Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren....and Rebekah his wife conceived. (v. 24) So when her days were fulfilled for her to give birth, indeed there were twins in her womb. (v. 27) So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.
So we see clearly that Rebekah is giving birth to only 2 children: Esau and Jacob.
But what does God say about the events which are happening?
Gen 25 (v. 22) But the children struggled together within her; and she said, "If all is well, why am I this way?" So she went to inquire of the Lord. (v. 23) And the Lord said to her: "Two nations are in your womb, two peoples shall be separated from your body....And the older shall serve the younger."
How can somebody give birth to a whole nation? That must be at least one million babies!
The “in Christ” concept is based on Biblical solidarity, the idea that all mankind constitute or share a common life....God created all men in one man—in Adam.[1]
What we need to remember is: that our thinking is not like God's thinking; And so in order to understand this, we must start thinking in the same way that God views things.
Take a look at this picture illustration to get a better grasp of the Biblical Solidarity concept. What we see in contrast to what God says is really happening!!
Notice again what God says about this one man―Esau; projecting outward through the bloodline and ending with "a Nation" of many people in the circle.
Image #2
Gen 36 (v. 8) So Esau dwelt in Mount Seir. Esau is Edom. (v. 9) And this is the genealogy of Esau the father of the Edomites in Mount Seir.
Just like Adam is Mankind, Esau is Edom!! ( What we see in contrast to what God says! ) Gen 5 (v. 1) This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man.... (v. 2) He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created.
The same thing has happened for Jacob, his bloodline ending in "a Nation," just like what the scripture said in Gen 25:23, "two nations are in your womb."
Gen 35 (v. 10) And God said to him, "Your name is Jacob....but Israel shall be your name." So He called his name Israel. (v. 11) Also God said to him: "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply, a nation....shall proceed from you...."
What if this man (Esau) had aids, what would happen to one of these other people in his circle? They would all have aids and be condemned to die!! Because, they were from the blood line of Esau.
But, not so for the blood line of Jacob, if he were healthy. Now think about what would happen to both of them if (Adam) had aids!! This represents the sin problem.
When God created Adam, he was not creating an individual. He was creating the whole human race. So all men, the whole human race to which we belong, was created in one man—Adam. God did not create you when your mother conceived you. Our lives are simply an extension of Adam’s life.[2]
The Biblical Solidarity concept continues....
How can this be? Because, God sees people as how they will be, and not as how they are right now.
Image #3
Rom 4 (v. 17) ....even God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did.
God sees things as how they will be, because all of our lifetime is in the present tense to God!!
Isa 46 (v. 9) ....For I am God, and there is none like Me, (v. 10)
declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, things that are not yet done....
Now, this is an important concept which refers to the method that God chose to create us “in Adam” and to redeem us “in Christ."
Even before we were created in Adam, God had already planned our salvation in Christ. God predestined all men to be adopted as His children in Christ, not because we were good or deserved it, but because of His unconditional love for us.[1]
Eph 1 (v. 3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.... (v. 2) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.... (v. 5) having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.
It is a fact that Jesus Christ was crucified. And when he was crucified, "we" also were crucified; for he was one of us, His name is Immanuel, which is "God with us," not God with him, but "God with us."....And when he was crucified, then who was it but "us" that was crucified?[3]
Matt 1 (v. 22) So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: (v. 23) “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
....it is important for all to realize that the reason God redeemed mankind in Christ is because of His unconditional love for us, not our goodness. This is salvation by grace alone.[4] To review it again, click here: Why—You Are Saved
Now, let’s go back, all the way to the beginning, and witness God using “Biblical Solidarity” in our creation.
References:
1. Savior of the world Bible Course, (2000). Lesson 3, “The Truth as it is In Christ.”
2. Vineyard Ministries. “The In Christ Motif” Tape 7B. The Gospel in a Nutshell, Audiocassette.
3. Jones & Waggoner, (1995). Lessons on Faith, (from a sermon by A.T. Jones in 1899), p.119. Teach Services.
4. Savior of the world Bible Course, (2000). Lesson 2, “The Love of God.”
Image #1: Family Bible Plan, (2011). Isaac and Rebekah. Retrieved from http://www.familybibleplan.com/study-the-bible/lesson-20-isaacs-life-and-family-genesis-25-26/
Image #2: The Torah.com, (2015). The history of Judah and Israel. Retrieved from http://thetorah.com/israels-history-as-a-family-narrative/
Image #3: Faith Reformed Church, (2017). God is in control. Retrieved from http://frctc.org/online-media/sermon-archive
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