Everyone Loves A Redemption Story
There is a lot packed in to the word "redemption"—a whole story’s worth. In order for redemption to happen, something had to go wrong. Further, for something to go wrong, at one time it had to be right. Redemption takes place right when things are going wrong. The Bible shows us all of creation is a redemption story, it teaches us how things started, where they went wrong, how they can be made right, and where we’re headed. These questions are summed up in the four headings; creation, fall, redemption, and glory.
Creation
You’ve heard it before, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Ge 1:1)” Out of the overflow of his love he created everything that exists. Sea, sky, land, fish, birds, plants and animals are all demonstrations of his glory and goodness. And most glorious of all he created humans to reflect back his very image (Ge 1:28). We were called to creatively participate in the care and flourishing of creation out of love for the one who made it all. As we lived out our purpose we experienced joy and glorified our creator. In the beginning things were good.
Fall
But it was not enough for humanity to bear witness to God’s glory, instead we wanted to have God’s glory for ourselves. So we exchanged the glory of God, sinned against him by breaking his command to not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and plunged the world into death. Every level of relationship was broken. The relationship between man and nature was broken, between man and woman, and even within ourselves we are broken. But these broken relationships are just the symptoms of the true disease, a broken relationship with God.
Redemption
But God, because of his depth of love for his creation set his plan in motion to accomplish the redemption of the world. He made a promise to draw a people to himself and to renew the whole world. He raised up a family, who became a tribe who became a nation, and through that nation he himself entered the world. The one who created it all humbled himself to take on the same humanity of his image bearers. Jesus Christ took on flesh, so that he would die in our place. Taking upon himself the death that we deserved so that by faith in him we might rise with him to eternal life. Jesus died on a cross as a criminal and three days later rose from the dead so that all who come to him might find their redemption in him.
Glory
We look forward to the redemption of all creation, as the good news of Christ's life, death and resurrection is proclaimed throughout the whole world. Christ is calling together his people, the church, to be salt and light in the world as we look forward to his return when he will make all things new. The amazing thing about this redemption story is that it can be your story, too. Our own lives participate in this story of redemption as Christ redeems sinners like us to share in his glorious grace.
Our Beliefs
For a more complete picture of the beliefs and teachings of Redemption Church Denver, check out the RCD Statement of Faith. This document helps us to bring mutual understanding between church members and potential church members around the major doctrines of our faith. For those of you who really want to go off the deep end, the elders of RCD must all affirm the Westminster Confession of Faith. This historical confession from 1647 provides the most complete doctrinal summary for the teaching and ministry of RCD, just as it has for countless other churches and denominations for the past 400 years.