GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION, AND COVENANT FAITHFULNESS

The Abraham Covenant was God's response to human sin. Satan had tempted Eve and then Adam to eat of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3:1-7). The consequence was God's curse; on the woman by pain in childbirth (Gen 3:16) and to Adam on his labours (Gen 3:17). And the universal human curse is death (Gen 3:19).

But God had also placed a curse on Satan and in doing so had pledged himself to overthrow his work (cf Gen 3:15)  In particular Eve's offspring would bruise the Serpent's head. The ESV Study Bible identifies this offspring through Noah 'a righteous man' (Gen 6:9)

From Noah the family line is traced down to Abram.

The traditional Reformed view of God's plan: Justification

This heading does not equate justification with salvation (though it often is), but is the first key step, leading through sanctification to glorification. (cf Rom 8:29) The key verses in this view are Rom 1:18; 3:19-20). The case has been made: all the human race lives under sin and thereby under God's wrath and judgment. The answer was provided by God sending Jesus, who, on the Cross bore God's wrath, and thus our 'guilty' verdict in God's courtroom. We are thus declared 'in the right', and it is this declaration which is the basis of our justification. It also means that 'righteousness is reckoned to us.(cf 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9), for we are now, by this imputation and our place 'in Christ' (1 Cor 1:30)  dead to sin (Rom 6:2). So we are enabled to have victory over sin and to live for God.

Righteousness is conceived of as God's perfect, holy character, but within that righteousness is also included God's desire to save; God's desire to 'put all things right'  The Greek word for 'righteousness' is dikaiosynē, whilst the word for 'justification' (dikaiōsis ) comes from the same root. Justification means that we are declared by God to be 'in the right' 'Justification' is a word drawn from the courtroom.

It is too narrow to concentrate on those passages in Romans, which rightly led to the Reformation and recovery of 'justification by faith' which concentrate, rightly, on human sin and God's wrath (cf Rom 1:17) and the freedom from that wrath through the Cross (Rom 3:21-26)  The precious doctrine of justification is thus boxed into too narrow and individualistic terms
This is the modern concentration on the individual and misses the majesty of God's plan begun through Abraham and brought to fruition by Jesus.  It also portrays a vengeful God, whose main aim seems to be to indict the guilty sinner, but God is a God who abounds in mercy (Exod 34:6); takes no pleasure in the death of the sinner (Ezek 18:23) and desires that all men be saved (1 Tim 2:4)

The Call of Abraham and the Covenant

    Abram was called by God to leave his father's land and go to one God would show him (Gen 12:1)  Along with the Call came a Promise that in Abram all the nations of the earth would be blessed. (Gen 12:2-3). In faith Abram trusted in God's faithfulness, and we read later that this was counted as righteousness  (Gen 15:5-6) when God made a Covenant with Abraham (Gen 15:15-18).

Before pursuing the Covenant further, it is worth turning to one side and consider the fact that Abraham's faith was counted as righteousness: what do we mean by 'righteousness'. Is it what the traditional Reformed view holds or not? Surely, it has much more to do with God's character and will to 'put things right', and in face with man's fall and sinfulness and the associated corruption of the whole creation (Rom 8:23). And God's plan is rooted in that wider concept of righteousness which Paul, with his Jewish roots and training would know was in terms of "covenantal faithfulness", and his choice of Abraham and his offspring, with whom he made covenant, purely to put things right. This contains an eschatological element; God would one day intervene again to fulfill that 'putting-all-right'  This point becomes clearer when we go on to look at that pivotal chapter, Romans 4.

Abraham: Justification and Covenant

We already note that Abraham believed God's call, and it was counted righteousness. God overlooked Abraham's sin and then confirmed his faith and the promise of a family and nation in a Covenant. 

This faith of Abraham's is the theme of Romans 4, often considered as pointing Abraham as a 'proof case' for justification by faith. This is one reading of Rom 4:3-5. But this missed the real point of all of chapter 4, which is about the bigger picture: God's establishment of his covenant people. Rom 4:11 looks at the giving of the covenant mark of circumcision. and that Abraham received this mark after the ratifying of the covenant (see Gen 15:15-18). But the point that verse 11 makes in this context is that Gentile as well as Jew could 'qualify' for covenant inclusion. Compare this verse:- He received circumcision as a sign or seal of the righteousness which he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them (RSV) with Gen 17:11 (where the seal of circumcision is given) :- You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you (RSV) The point is that where Genesis uses 'covenant', Romans uses 'righteousness' In other words justification is the equivalent of covenant-membership. And that was the position after Jesus died on the Cross and God raised him again, The central point at stake is whether we are in God's people; 'in Christ', included in covenant blessing.Yes we are as covenant-members justified as we have believed God's faithfulness just as Abraham. did; whose sin God overlooked because he knew the day would come when he would deal with sins already committed, (Rom 3:25)

The Covenant in the Old Testament
The Covenant with Abraham was renewed with Isaac (Gen 26:3-5) and then he passes the blessing on, even though inadvertently to Jacob (Gen 28:3-4) 
The Covenant with Abraham is further undergirded by that with Moses and the people he had led out of slavery in Egypt. (Exod 24:1-18)  in accord with the earlier covenant (cf Exod 34:27,28) Moses later charges the people to remember the Covenant,with blessings attached for its keeping and curses for breaking it (Deut 27-28). With the Mosaic Covenant came the Law ('Torah') (Of the Mosaic Covenant- more anon.)

  But OT history is of repeated failures of God's people, who were supposed to be for the blessing of the Gentile nations (cf Isa 42:1-7)  With them  he had sworn eternal covenant, and continually desired that they return to faithful living as his people, He is father of the disobedient nation (Isa 1:2-3); he is the shepherd who seeks out the stray sheep (Ezek 34:12, cp Luke 15:3) He constantly sends his prophets to warn of the consequences of disobedience and of turning to other gods. Eventually they brought curse upon themselves to the point that they were sent into exile (i) the kingdom of Israel was taken away by Tiglath-Pilesar of Assyria (2 Kings 15:29) (ii) the southern kingdom of Judah failed to learn that lesson and were taken captive in 586BC by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:12) Even in captivity he promised a return, and eventually a spiritual return (Jer 50:4,5)

Covenant Failure and Fulfillment

  The physical return came in 536BC under Cyrus, king of Persia (2 Chron 26:22,23)  Those who returned knew that spiritually they were still in exile, but a promise had been given by God to Daniel of eventual restoration (cf Dan 9:24-27)  There have been many spurious attempts to use this prophecy to calculate the time of the End. It is worth noting the exact wording of v24:

"Seventy weeks of years are decreed concerning your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place"

In the first century AD many Jewish scholars were debating and keenly awaiting the return of Messiah to establish the Kingdom and the Daniel prophecy above all others was quoted. The original Covenant-never reneged on  by God, relied on the Law which (a) served to keep the Jews (to an extent) on track and (b) was but the guardian until Christ came (Gal 3:24) The Jews at Jesus' time considered (exile not excepted) that they were in a privileged position, and that 'all' they need to was keep it. But Paul makes the point that the Law can do no more than give consciousness of sin (Rom 3:9;7:21-23)  But in Jesus came a descendant from Abraham came; 'descended according to the flesh' (Rom 1:3)

The fact is that v24 was fulfilled in an unexpected way in the death on the Cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, who atoned for sin and 'sealed up righteousness'. He was the one faithful Jew. Jews were as much as all humanity under the Law found under sin (Rom 3:9,19), and could never then rely upon their privileged position since they had no hope under the Law, (Gal 3:10)  By his resurrection God's righteous reign was established  This had been foreseen by one who stood as the last of the OT prophets: John Baptist (Matt 3:2) and when Jesus began his public ministry he brought the same message: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:14-RSV

He had in the Cross and by his resurrection put all rebellion under his feet and he was established Head of the Church (Eph 1:22) The Church is God's people-of-promise, and heirs to Abraham (Gal 3:29); among those there is no distinction between Jew and 'Greek' (Gentile) (Gal 3:28) The Church was in God's plan from the beginning (cf (Eph 3:4) Paul who had found the futility of the Law considered his keeping of its requirements as excrement (Phil 3:7-8) and found his true freedom and salvation in Christ (cf his contrast of the two ways (Gal 2:18-20))

When Jesus died on the Cross, he dealt with the sin-problem. We should remember that his teaching was replete with the Kingdom of God (or heaven). Although the fullness of the Kingdom waits for that day when God makes his final intervention, yet those who believe in Jesus- both Jew and Gentile live in the Kingdom- yet still in the world. It is a 'now-but-not-yet' situation- a 'realised eschatology'. At that last day the heavenly Assize will pronounce a positive verdict for believers in Jesus- and for them that verdict is already applied- which is 'justification' with a much wider emphasis than a purely individualistic moral issue. Sin is dealt with by God's wider plan, which includes the Cross; includes forgiveness of sin; includes the propitiation of God's wrath. So the Kingdom today is worked out by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer, and his membership of the church- in which there is neither Jew nor Gentile, for in the Cross the 'middle wall' of hostility was broken down (Eph 2:14-16). And in the church, we become God's co-workers in forwarding his plan.

The Mosaic Covenant

We have already noted how the Jews in addition to the foundation Covenant with Abraham were given a Covenant with the Torah as its 'condition' Let us look more into this Covenant

After the Exodus from Egypt and the oppression by Pharaoh, the people had passed through the Red Sea (and let's note that Paul in 1 Corinthians 10 says our forefathers. were all baptised into Moses. in the sea (vv1-2)) God led them to Sinai. Here the Covenant (the 'Old Covenant' as, after the writer of Hebrews, we call it) was enacted. This is a covenant proper with the involvement of both parties, a binding together, animal sacrifice, and terms and conditions.
Basically God is offering the people, the nation, a land in which they may dwell, and, if they keep their side of the bargain, where they may dwell in safety. Above all there is the promise that if you obey me fully and keep my covenant. you will be my treasured possession. You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exod 19:5-6). Then there is the killing of an animal and, significantly, God and Israel become pledged by the sharing of the blood, part of it being sprinkled on the side of the altar and part on the people with the words This is the blood of the covenant the Lord has made with you (Exod 24:8) Herein we see the formal, legal covenant becomes more than that: it is the basis of a relationship.
The blood, the life of the victim has been used to cover the two contracting parties. Each passing under the blood becomes identified with it. Before, they were separate entities; now they are one. So God is a blood-member of Israel. Those last two sentences are key sentences. Let's hold on to them.
There were conditions in the covenant to which the people pledged themselves Exod 34:27-28 contains key words here: Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel. And he (Moses) wrote on the tablets these words-The Ten Commandments
When two nations made a covenant the terms would have been placed on stone tablets at their border; one stone facing each way and each stone containing the terms and conditions. When Moses came down Sinai with two stone tablets, they didn't contain five commandments each! When the Ark of Covenant had been built they were placed there, one tablet facing out, to human view, the other facing inward- for God's presence was between the seraphim on either side of the Ark. Let's hold on to that too.

We've already noted the terms and conditions of the covenant. Like any other covenant, if either party broke it, it would be terminated, only to be renewed if the injured party chose to offer renewal. This covenant was an act of God's choice. All was of God's choosing; he had made them one people; only to their chosen leader did he reveal his Name. So, basically, looked at from the point of view of Israel, we may see the covenant as: If God does something for us, we'll do something for God. So there was no real antithesis between the legal requirements of the covenant and the fact that it was an act of God's grace. Thus it differed from the normal quid-pro-quo nature of normal human covenants

The High Priest

The Law- the Torah was as noted never going to be the way of salvation per se. Rather the inevitable failure of the Jews to keep Torah was to lead to Christ. In the meantime God provided for the people a system of sacrifices, and in these most importantly was 'Yom Kippur'- the Day of Atonement. The act of atonement was the responsibility of the High Priest, who first had to prepare himself before he would enter that part; that inner part, of the Temple specially set apart; that part where God's presence dwelt. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary...the priests entered regularly into the outer room to carry on their ministry. But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance (Lev 9:1,6) And then the crowds would wait anxiously outside, to see if the Priest would come out alive! The requirements for the Day of Atonement were laid down in Leviticus 16. The High Priest was to take from the (community) two male goats for sin offering and a ram for burnt offering (v5) After offering the ram for his own sin, he would draw lots over the goats. He would enter the Holy Place with a bull's blood, which he would sprinkle, on the Mercy Seat. Then, cleansed from sin, he would re-enter with the goats. One he would slaughter and would sprinkle the altar with its blood to obtain clean-ness for the people for another year. The second goat: firstly he would lay his hands on it and confess the people's sin on it. Having laid their sins on the goat, it would be driven off into the wilderness, never to return, taking the sins away with it: it was the 'scapegoat' If the priest then emerged alive, they would sigh with relief: the sacrifice had been accepted and their sin covered for another year!

The New Covenant

If, in the Old Covenant, we see the key-point of its institution in the sacrifice of animals, and the sprinkling of blood on the altar (before God) and over the people, then we must look to the shedding of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. His death was the sacrifice. (Rom 3:25)
 Here was the sacrifice. Here was the sacrifice presented, not by man (according to God’s ordinance), but by God himself. Moses offered the blood of animals to God; Jesus Christ offered his own blood to the Father.
Here his blood is shed over the hearts of those who believe. Actually the phrase ‘sacrifice of atonement’ in the NIV is not a good one. Better is the KJV ‘propitiation’ (the sacrifice which sets aside God’s wrath at our sins), and which completely takes our sin away: ‘atonement’ implies not the removal of our sin, but just it being covered from view. Those who have faith; these are the members of the new covenant people; these are the ones to whom God in Christ pledges himself; these are the ones to whom God says ‘You are my people and I am your God’

The key here is that it’s not what we offer God which ensures our place in the Covenant; it’s not what we provide that pleases him. It is what he provides. But this does produce within the believer’s heart a change. We’ve already looked at the promise of a new covenant in Jer 31:31. If we read on to verse 33 we have this: I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people.
Note two things:
1. God puts his law in our minds. No longer is the law an external weight sapping our energy in trying (and not succeeding in) keeping it. It is written into our minds and (on our hearts). It is internal; a wellspring for action; a source of energy.
2. He writes it on our hearts. Actually, the key here is the boundary-treaty. Do you remember that the tablets of the Commandments were placed on the Ark of the Covenant? Well, now the law is placed so that as God looks at our hearts he sees the law and is pleased with its keeping by his Son. As we look out to him, so we see it too. It's there as a constant reminder. The trouble is, we still fail to keep it!
One other point to remember is the mediator of the Covenant. Moses was the mediator of the Old. He it was who sprinkled the blood of the animals on the altar and on the people. He it was who interceded for the people when they made the Golden Calf. But in the New Covenant, Jesus is our Mediator. It was his blood. He sprinkles it on our hearts; he sprinkles it on the heavenly altar. This cup is the new covenant in my blood which is poured out for you (Luke 22:20), he said in words redolent of those spoken by Moses at Sinai. And 1 Tim 2:5 reminds us there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. And Romans 8:34 reassures us that Christ Jesus is interceding for us.

Christ, our Great High Priest

This is where we come back to the High Priestly sacrifices on the Day of Atonement. They are no longer required. Heb 8:13 says that by calling the covenant ‘new’ he has made the first one obsolete
Remember that the High Priest had to go into the Most Holy Place once a year for atonement of the people’s sins, first having to offer a sacrifice for his own. Then if he reappeared safe and well, the people knew that God was pleased with the sacrifice and they were O.K. for another year. But it was an unsure, precarious place to be in. If we string together a few verses from Hebrews 9, we will see how absolutely secure we are.
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption
How much more then will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death.
For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself to appear for us in God’s presence, (vv 12,14,24)
Jesus Christ presented his blood before his Father in the heavenlies and that is our absolute, cast-iron guarantee. Jesus Christ, through his blood, is the guarantor of our Covenant place with God. 

The 'Old' Covenant, with its laws is now obsolete. We see the sure place we have as members of Christ; 'in Christ'; in the New Covenant. This, surely, is of more reassurance to the sinner than 'justification by faith'. What God looks for is unquestioning belief in the one who brought us this new way. Reformed believers are, of course, standing on solid ground when they place their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, but the drive of all we have considered is, I propose, in God's wider plan to undo the work of Satan (1 John 3:8) and to make all things new. (Rev 21:5)

The final victory: Christ all-in-all

We turn now to consider that day when God intervenes again in human history; to that day when this tired creation will be replaced by a new creation. It will be helpful to look at three scripture passages which deal with this issue.

-i.Colossians 1:15-2015 He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation; 16 for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities -- all things were created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, that in everything he might be pre-eminent. 19 For in him all the fulness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. (RSV)

Jesus Christ is the Creator of all that is: the Word of John's Gospel (John 1:3), and that gives him the preeminent position. All things were made for him, and his headship of all includes the church. It is the church which after the Cross includes all people of faith; all those who trust in God's eternal faithfulness and commitment to his Covenant, made first with Abraham and now renewed in Jew and Gentile alike. Jesus' preeminence resting first in his creative role, but now reaffirmed by his victory over death, which won new-Covenant membership as it was his resurrection which secures our justification (Rom 4:25).

His Cross made peace, not just peace for those human who are by their justified,but peace for the whole created order, since that death reconciled the world to God (2 Cor 5:19). It was his blood which sealed our Covenant place. In Him the fulness of God dwells, and this accords with a prayer of Paul for the Ephesians (Eph 3:19). This will be fully realised as in the new heavens and earth God will dwell with his people (Rev 21:3) But the emphasis of this passage is, I suggest and believe, in the fact that the whole created order will be reconciled and set free, This means for believers, here-and-now to remember their role as stewards of all that God created, remembering that at the creation, God created all, saw that it was 'good' (Gen 1:25), then made man in his own image (male and female) (Gen 1:27), declaring that his completed creation was 'very good' (Gen 1:31), but he left mankind as his vice-regent (Gen 1:28)

-ii Romans 8:18-15. 18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

This is another passage which links our future glory with that of all creation.He relates it, too, to the end of all suffering (cf Rev 21:4). Paul, in his Christian life knew all about suffering, but he links his suffering- and indeed the suffering of the world in the light of that of the creation. That suffering is like the pain of childbirth (cp John 16:21). But a woman's labour is associated with the birth of a child; here Paul is really saying that we await a new creation, a creation being the new heavens and new earth. We await, we 'groan', even though we have the first fruits of the Spirit. We know because of those first fruits that we will one day be redeemed- not just from sin but from our mortal body. That hope too redounds to our earthly life, in that Paul warns against grieving the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30)

-iii 1 Corinthians 15:20-28  20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 "For God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "All things are put in subjection under him," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things under him. 28When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one

When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one.The 'first fruits featured in the Jewish harvest festivals: the offering of the first fruits as a guarantee of the harvest to follow. This is true of Christ: his resurrection guarantees ours. We deserve death because of our sin (Rom 6:23)- that is our heritage 'in Adam' (Gen 2:17;3:3). But in Christ we are made alive, new life here-and-now with the guarantee of the harvest of resurrection life, which will be (v23) 'at his coming' All Christ's enemies will be destroyed and last of all death. The day comes when death will be no more (Rev 21:4). Then Jesus will become subject to his father, as indeed he had been throughout his life. But we know it was his obedience that reversed the Adam-heritage of all Creation, but now all things will be subject to God, whose will is the restoration of the whole cosmos as well as all humanity. All with confess the Lordship of Jesus to the glory of the Father (Phil 2:11) Jesus received authority from his Father (Matt 28:19), but the final authority and glory will be the Father's (1 Tim 1:17).

God's ambassadors

We have noted that we have a part to play, as members of God's new community 'in Christ'. We are, as those controlled by God's love,  his ambassadors. This is fully worked out in 2 Corinthians 5:14-6:2). I highlight this point as the traditional Reformed view misunderstands this passage as part of the meaning of our salvation. According to that view we are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17) (which we are-but not just morally); God does not just impute his (moral righteousness and perfection to us) (2 Cor 5:21). Paul is rather addressing his ambassadorial role (and ours too!) . As an ambassador he no longer looks at things purely humanly (for he is God's ambassador (v20))  (2 Cor 5:16) and he then uses a series of verses which are actually statements of what God has done and what he, Paul, does.. God has made us new: we have a new way of looking at and doing things (v17); God has reconciled the world to himself; we have a ministry of reconciliation (v19); God made Christ sin for us; we become God's covenant people.

The question of works and God's plan

This may seem an odd diversion. We have seen that our place in God's new community hangs on our trust on Jesus; on his death for our sins and on his resurrection. Our Covenant-place equally is cast-iron guaranteed by our Great High Priest. So far we have not looked at some Scriptures, which cannot be talked away, which tell us that all believers will stand before Christ's Judgment-Seat. (e.g. 2 Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10-12) which make it clear that our 'works' as Christians do count and will be judged. If we know that there is no condemnation in Christ, (Rom 8:1) what are we to conclude?  How do we square the two?
The answer surely must lie in the fact that God placed us in his people 'in Christ', not just for us, but to play our part in his saving purposes. (see Eph 2:10; Phil 2:12-13-in v13 Paul clearly states that God works in us). But doesn't all this rob me of assurance in the certainty of God's Salvation-Plan? The answer lies in the role of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:5-11), where we are told to live 'by the Spirit'- and if we don't then we are not Christ's anyway. So the final judgment on the true believer will always be positive. Another Romans passage (ch 6) speaks about our incorporation into Christ, and that by this we are 'dead to sin' (Rom 6:2; 5-11). The last verse directly tells you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11)  Assurance continues to abound into Romans 8. We know that we are God's children (v14) ; heirs with Christ (v17); assured of 'glorification' (fit for our place in God's glory) (v30). The chapter rounds up  with the fact that Christ himself intercedes for us (v34) and for those 'in Christ' nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.(v39-RSV). This means that the Spirit assisting, and working within us will ensure that our verdict will always be a positive one. God's plan of salvation is sure of completion (cf Phil 1:6)

It will be the day of the final establishment of God's Kingdom. It will be the day of the public fulfillment of God's righteousness: the healing of his creation (Isa 11:5-9). The worship of the one true God will be supreme.  God himself will teach us his ways and we will walk in his paths

But with what bodies?

This may seem an odd question at the juncture.

But let us remember that the final denouement of the sin problem; the new creation in Christ; not just of people but of the whole cosmos has been 'brought forward into the present'. Jesus Christ rose and all who have faith in him are included in God's 'new' people, charged with being his co-workers, even though we struggle now with a fallen human nature, and in a creation subjected to 'futility' (Rom 8:19-20), Our human bodies are the instruments of this work; bodies enlivened by the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:11) The Spirit indwells our bodies: How we treat them and how we treat God's Creation are both matters of daily concern (1 Cor 6:19-20)

What then of that final glorious day? I commented earlier that we place the teaching on justification by faith into too narrow a box. We make it too exclusively personal and a matter only of moral liberation from sin within, but that it belongs within the final outworking of God's wider plan. One other error is to think our sole job is to 'save souls' so that when they die they will go to heaven.  This all sidesteps and overlooks that more glorious truth: the resurrection. We often tend to think of our final destiny after the resurrection as being with Jesus in heaven. With. then what body? For the truth has to take account of the opening verses of Revelation chapter 21: of God's declaration that at the end he will make all new (Rev 21:5) that there will be a new heaven and a new earth. (v1) If there is a 'new earth', then we at that point no longer just 'live with Jesus in heaven' The dead 'in Christ' will then rise to be followed by those still alive (1 Thess 4:16-17) Our final destiny will be in bodies raised in likeness of Jesus' resurrection. (cp Rom 6:5) Yes-when we die, if we are 'saved' we will go to heaven to be with the Lord (2 Cor 5:6-9). This will be the 'Paradise' promised to the dying thief (Luke 23:43). 

Exegesis of Philippians 3:20-21

20 But our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things to himself. (RSV)

Paul has been speaking in this chapter of the folly of his efforts as a Jew, and the riches he has in Christ, and at the end of the chapter he looks to his expectation of Jesus to return  He waits, as does the created order (cf Rom 8:19). He waits for his Saviour Lord, and not just because he has his sins forgiven, but rather that he will also transform his mortal body. The word for 'change' is 'transform' as we find it in Rom 12:2. Our bodies will undergo a 'metamorphosis' Our here-and-now bodies are but the chrysalis to the butterfly of our heavenly body, but will be a continuity of it. Our bodies will indeed be like his glorious body. 

The 'but' (always an important Bible word) at the start is a stark contrast to verse 19, where Paul had warned there would be no eager looking amongst those who have in this life had made their god to be their 'belly'. Their fixed end is destruction (2 Cor 11:15; 2 Thess 2:8). This is a reminder of the importance of this life vis-à-vis the life of God's eternal reign.

But that is not the glorious hope of the new creation, with the new body- the importance and relevance of that is fully played out in 1 Corinthians 15. The last enemy to be destroyed is death (1 Cor 15:26-RSV) Our 'flesh ad blood' bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom (1 Cor 15:50). But: When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
"Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor 15:54-RSV)

So let us not let our vision drop. These mortal bodies we inhabit will not cease to have relevance- they will just be changed into bodies free of sin's legacy and fit for the new heaven and earth. These bodies now matter. We are now given the privilege of the Kingdom and these bodies as well as our souls are to be taken with respect. Our final response is that of Rev 22:20- He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! (RSV)