Humanity was not originally designed to live apart from the manifested presence of God. But something deferred God’s ultimate plan for His people (both Israel and the Church) for perhaps 6,000 years so far. However, God has a strategy to bring humankind back into His glorious presence.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Rom 8:18
All Christians know a good portion of that plan, however, what they have learned is rather paltry when compared to the whole body of truth. For sure, they know that plan begins with justification – the work of Christ reconciling the world to Himself – but is that where the story ends? Is the story only believing in the cross to take away our sins, with the promise we go to heaven after we die? Hardly. Indeed, it is a poor facsimile of the promises concerning what lies in store for those who believe. So, it is this full story we attempt to answer in The Revealing.
Note that much of the book connects the dots between scores of passages in the Bible. That’s intentional of course. We are focused on what the Word of God teaches about the manifestation of the glory ahead for the children of God. So, to begin, here are the essential points I seek to establish with my co-author Doug Woodward:
- God has revealed a pattern for His Plan to restore and complete the Church.
- The fulfillment of God’s Plan primarily consists of revealing His Glory in and through the Church to a dying world.
- This Plan includes revealing Jesus as the Messiah to Israel through His Glorious Body – the Church, which is itself, the “revealing.”
- Understanding God’s plan in depth, in its fullness, will motivate the Church to unity and maturity, to face the difficult days ahead.