Follow “Scripture" for Mission and Practice with Social Identity

Introduction

In the first lesson, we briefly reviewed what “Scripture” is and what it means to “us”. That is; the entire Bible came from God in order to show us how to live.

We have reviewed the essential, basic concepts of social identity with examples. We also analyzed the method to reading “Scripture” while using the social identity lens in consideration of modern significance in the second lesson. One’s existing group social identity continues to be relevant but transforms/re-configures/re-prioritizes in-Christ identity as a believer.

In this lesson, we will continue from the previous study to learn what the “Scripture” is and talk about and how to live with it in our lives and church ministry to do God’s mission as social identification.

What does the “Scripture” talk about?

1. God

“God has created universe, also the Holy Scripture. The Spirit of God is at work in revelation of what God has accomplished for us in Jesus Christ, together with the other members of the Trinity God, the Spirit is responsible for the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. In addition, he plays a unique role in the inspiration or supervision of the writing that bears testimony to God’s saving act in Christ, the writing that now forms the canon of Holy Scripture (; ).” (Bloesch, “The Holy Spirit: works & gifts,” 73)

As we learned from first lesson and observations from key words or phrases above, the Holy Bible– the “Scripture” tells us about Trinity God (three persons in one).

the Father

the Son of God, Jesus Christ

the Holy Spirit

What does the “Scripture” say about Trinity God?

Trinity God is not a biblical word, we can’t see the exact word in the texts. However, you can see the three persons of the trinity God together mentioned in the following verses.

Deuteronomy 6:4 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV

14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

Matthew 28:19 ESV

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

●

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” (2 cor. 13:14 ESV)

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” ( ESV)

“Though we can’t fully comprehend the nature of God, there is only one eternal God, who though one at the same time three persons – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit” (Ogden, “Discipleship Essentials,” 65)

Personal Significance:

Trinity God, three persons in one. God is relational God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, three persons testimony each other, glorify each other, and fellowship each other. The “Scripture” describes all the three as divine with distinct personalities in the holiness as opposite to our sinfulness. Yet, I can’t understand creation in Genesis without embrace the trinity God. How do you understand of the Trinity God? (cf. ; )

2. Jesus Christ

God created the universe and the Holy Scripture; the Holy Bible also tells us about Jesus Christ, His life, His Words and deeds. He is the Son of God.

Mark 1:11 ESV

11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:16–17 ESV

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

●

A voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” ( ESV; cf. ) the voice was the voice of God. God called Jesus “my Son.” God is our heavenly Father. He made us, loves us. wants to help us. God send Jesus to earth to help us and save us from sins, so that we may have eternal life and intimacy with God.

A voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” ( ESV; cf. ) the voice was the voice of God. God called Jesus “my Son.” God is our heavenly Father. He made us, loves us. wants to help us. God send Jesus to earth to help us and save us from sins, so that we may have eternal life and intimacy with God.

Jesus is the Son of God, who:

obeyed God, His Heavenly Father

obeyed His earthly parents

doing the works of God on earth

helped people with all types of problems.

taught us how to live

showed us how to live

show us the love of God

Show us how to love God

showed us how to love others

showed us how to love ourselves

showed us how to forgive other

showed us how to forgive ourselves

forgive our sins

save us from sins

died for our sins

helps us love God more than anything else.

… etc.

Personal Significance:

What a wonderful person of Jesus, our model and exemplar. Many people knew Jesus as a good man but did not think that he was the Son of God. Jesus had a human mother (Mary), Jesus did not have human father; God is the Father of Jesus. The birth of Jesus was a miracle. Jesus is both the Son of God and Son of Man. I remember thinking that Christmas was about “Santa”, but now I realize it is about Christ. Who do you think Jesus is? ()

3. Gospel of Jesus Christ

“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” …Jesus proclaiming the gospel of God: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (, ESV)

“A gospel is an announcement of good news. In particular, the gospel is the announcement that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have brought about salvation for Israel and the world. When the word Gospel is capitalized, it may refer to one of the four NT narrative accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.” (this and the following point refer to: Kugler, “gospel,” 2014)

“gospel” is a message of “good news” that proclaiming Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have brought about salvation for Israel and the world. This is not limited to the only the canonic book of “Gospel”

“Gospel” with capital “G”, refer to one of the four New Testament Gospel Books (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), the narrative accounts of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

The “good news” in Old Testament general refers to a message of military victory or military salvation from exile in Babylon and salvation from evil (; ; ; ; ) The New Testament flows the same concept and applies it to the message of Jesus’ own life, death, and resurrection and interprets it as referring to preaching the good news about Jesus Christ, and kingdom of God. (; ; ; ESV).

Isaiah 52:7 ESV

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”

are the feet of him who brings good news,

who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,

who publishes salvation,

Romans 1:1–6 ESV

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” ( ESV)

What does it mean for the people to get saved?

ESV)

As it is written, if you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. … How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (, , ).

What does it mean for the people to get saved? As it is written, if you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. … How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (, , ).

Personal Significance:

gospel means the “good news” of Jesus Christ, and Jesus’ life, His Words and deeds bring salvation for “us”, for “you” and “me”– for everyone’s life. Good news shouldn’t be hidden, it must be spread in the local community, till the end of the world. Have you heard the “good news”? If you are a believer, would you like to share with others as other shared the “good news” with you?

How do we follow the “Scripture” to do God’s mission?

1. What is mission?

Per Tennent, it is essential that mission be conceptualized within a Trinitarian framework. “the word Mission refers to God’s redemptive, historical initiative on behalf of His creation. Mission is first and foremost about God and His redemptive purposes and initiatives in the world, quite apart from any action, tasks, strategies or initiatives the church may undertake. To put it plainly, mission is far more about God and who He is than about us and what we do.” (Tennent, "A Trinitarian, Missional Theology,” 54-55)

Per Hiebert, the “Missiology is a discipline that asks the critical question: how should we work to communicate the gospel to people in their historical and sociocultural contexts so that they understand and believe, and so that the gospel becomes a power that transforms individuals and societies to become followers of Christ who manifest his kingdom on earth?” (Hiebert, “The Gospel in Human Contexts,”161)

We must know “gospel” means, and we must study the underlying structure of Scripture (Systematic Theology) while looking at the underlying story of Scripture (Biblical Theology), we must also study human history and social identity theory, and the communication of gospel to humans in their local history, sociocultural context in the ingroup/outgroup relationship.

Oneness of humanity

As we are all human first and no “other”, “them”, but all of “us” and “we”. We all created in the image of God, but all turned against God and His will, we are all sinners in need of redemption. ()

Oneness in the body of Christ

While we were yet sinners, Jesus died once for us all, we were not simply sinners, but all potentially new disciples of Christ. Thanks to God, the Lord Jesus Christ, this was made possible.

As far as social identity concerns, this involves the cognition of truth, of the people, affective of love and emotion and evaluation of moral and righteousness; to build holiness relationship with God, and multicultural relationship with intragroup/intergroup of people. Without a good relationship with God, we would never have the relationship God expected of us in decent love, care. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” ()

Personal Significance:

The processes we learn to understand God’s truth and use it in service of the ways of love in respect one’s social identity. The important lesson is to change our view as God’s will. While we must never compromise the Word of God, we must see those we serve through God's eyes, and love them through God's heart. We must break the walls of stereotypes to learn and understand one another in the intragroup/intergroup setting. We must address not just their spiritual needs but also their social and economic welfare needs with love and compassion. What brought me here is the Gospel, and people around me who deliver gospel, transforming my life. We need to do the same for those lost that need to be found. Who is your “2 AM” friend? Who is your top three in your heart in which who may need you help and share the gospel?

2. An example of Paul’s mission as social identification

1 Corinthians 9:9–23 ESV

9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. 19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

ESV)

The Apostle Paul ’s letter to the Corinthians concerns over eating food offered to idols and civic engagement () may provide helpful insight into group belief systems with efforts to persuade and influence others. (Tucker & Coleman, HSINT, 46)

It’s interesting that the pattern of the different social identify group:

“Free from all, … servant to all, … win more (vs to all) …”

“To …, I became …, that I may win …”

“To all, … became all, … might save/win more (vs tot all) …”

“To all, … do it all, … for sake of the gospel/bless, … with all …”

To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews

- (Paul’s status as both a Jew and a Roman citizen to minister to both Jewish and Roman)

To those under the law I became as one under the law, that I might win those under the law.

- (though not being myself under the law)

To those outside the law I became as one outside the law, that I might win those outside the law.

- (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ)

To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.

……

To all, I have become all things to all people, that I might save some (not all).

Based on historical interpretation principle, the key point of study is Paul’s missionary strategy with inwardly and outwardly identity “for the sake of the Gospel”. “free from all things” is characteristic of the perfect apostle (Origen) and merciful Paul’s attitude (Augustine) (Kovacs, “1 Corinthians,” 154-156)

Per Calvin: that is to all things or all person, he prefers the second Paul adds “as”, to intimate that his liberty was not at all impaired on that account, he might accommodate himself to men as one of them outwardly but remained always like himself inwardly in the sight of God.(Calvin, “the Apostle to the Corinthians Vol. 1,” 304-308)

Per Tucker: Paul thinks he is free from Torah observance, but the freedom is on one hand, from becoming indebted to human master, and on another hand, from prioritizing his own safety or advantage in his interaction with other, the presence of “as” is more likely refers to Paul’s variety of practices as he relates to Diaspora ethnic cultural context, (this and following refer to Tucker, “Reading 1 Corinthians,” 88-105)

The “weak” often refer to those who are not in Christ. However, I thought Christians might weak sometime too in the broad sense. First, for the “weak” brought my attention, that I was confused first from quick grasp what Dr Tucker means the “weak” is refer to those who are not in Christ (), to Paul’s point of “for the sake of the gospel”. However, read Dr Tucker’s and other’s further, that Paul’s work of identity construal is broader, the “weak” also refer to a subgroup within the Christ-movement in Corinth (), also could be those “poor and disadvantage”, include Christian like myself as I feel weak sometime.

Apostle Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, forming the new in-Christ identity opposed to the Jew / Gentile identity. Because Jesus came and fulfilled the law, we are no longer bound to it. We can all be unified through Christ and Paul gives very practical ways in which we can do that.

Personal Significance:

Like the church of Corinth, we can get our group identities out of order, needing to reprioritize them. If any group, we identify with becomes salient or dominant over our in-Christ identity we must use prayer to reorder our priorities.

Practically, the inwardly identity one holds is important, “free from” for example, a “glass of wine”, one may depend of the others view to whom may be “weak” and “stumbling block” because of this glass of wine.

Summary

We have reviewed what the “Scripture” is and talk about and how to live with it in our lives and church ministry to do God’s mission as social identification by follow Apostle Paul’s example.

The “Scripture” tells us about Trinity God, who though one at the same time three persons – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit; also tells us about Jesus Christ, His life, His words and deeds, He is both the Son of God and Son of Man, the Savior and the Lord; Jesus proclaiming the gospel of God, the “good news”, the gospel is the announcement that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection have brought about salvation for Israel and the world.

The word “mission” refers to God’s redemptive, historical initiative on behalf of His creation. Mission is first and foremost about God and His redemptive purposes and initiatives in the world.

We must embrace the divine revelation social-historical and cultural-moral contexts that reflect people’s social identity and worldview of “sin”, proclaiming the gospel, to help people repent, accept and follow Jesus Christ, and living with the right relationship with God, with one another, and with the world.

Our vision is: changed by Christ … changing the world…

Bibliography

Tucker, J. Brian. Reading 1 Corinthians. Eugene: Cascade, 2017.

Tucker, J. Brian and Coleman A. Baker. T & T Clark Handbook to Social Identity in the New Testament. London: T & T Clark/Bloomsbury, 2016.

Gundry, Robert. A Survey of the New Testament, Fifth Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.

Bloesch, D. G. The Holy Spirit: Works &Gifts. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. 2000.

Eby, J. Wesley. The Life of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of Mark. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 2003.

Kugler, C. “Gospel.” in Lexham Theological Wordbook. Edited by D. Mangum et. al. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press. 2014

Tennent, Timothy C. "A Trinitarian, Missional Theology." in Invitation to World Missions: A Trinitarian Missiology for the Twenty-first Century. 53-73. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic & Professional, 2010.

Hiebert, Paul G. The Gospel in Human Contexts. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2009.

Ogden, Greg. Discipleship Essentials, A Guide to Building Your Life in Christ. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2007.

Kovacs, Judith L. 1 Corinthians. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005, p. 154-156

Calvin, J., & Pringle, J. Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians Vol. 1, 304-308. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010.