Biblical theology reminds us of the Christ-centered heart of the Scripture, of its history as the history of redemption. Theologizing, as the application of that redemptive history, then becomes eschatological in a deeper sense than we usually think. it is an eschatology defined not only with reference to the second coming of Christ but inclusive of His first coming and the present existence of the church in the world (Heb. 1:1-2, 1 John 2:19). We are those “on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come” (1 Cor 10:11). We are part of the eschatological history of redemption, living as we do in the tension between the beginning of the end and its consummation at Christ’s return. Contextualization then is covenant activity taking place between the “already” of redemption accomplished in Christ and the “not yet” of redemption to be consummated in Christ.

The realization of that place of tension should create humility and patience with ourselves and with one another in the work of theologizing in context. it reminds us of the ease with which our perceptions of the gospel can be deeply influenced by unconscious impositions of cultural and socio-structural perspectives on the biblical data. Contrary to Alfred Krass’s opinion, biblical theology does not pride itself on its “objectivity,” its “presuppositionlessness,” its “value-neutrality” [Alfred C. Krass, Evangelizing Neopagan North America (Scottsdale, Pa.: Herald, 1982), 95]. The “not yet” of biblical theology should make us “pervasively suspicious” about our ideas, our ideologies, our value judgments. (EWCW p. 226).

Tags: biblical theology applied, contemporary christianity, hermeneutics, reformed theology // Comments Off