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Cardinal'Point'1'Ȃ' Š”‹•–ǯ• Incarnation'

               11.     PreTIncarnation.''The'Triune'God'relates'to'creation'and'humanity'as'Creator'and'LightTgiver'
               (Gen'2:7,'Ps'104:27T30).'In'the'NT,'we'learn'that'Christ'is'the'source'of'Common'Grace'indiscriminately'
               (John'1:3ff,'9,'Col'1:16f),'as'befits'the'OnlyTbegotten'of'the'Father'who'loves'and'blesses'the'evil'and'the'
               good'(Mat'5:44f).''The'grace'of'the'Triune'God'in'the'Gospel'is'built'upon'the'goodness'of'the'creation''T'
               before'there'could'be'saving'grace,'there'was'common'grace.''To'deny'such'general'goodness'has'
               serious'consequences'(1'Tim'4:1T5).''Jesus''positive'attitude'towards'creation'and'the'ordinary'people'in'
               it'was'obvious'to'those'around'Him.'his'readiness'to'receive'God͛Ɛ'goodness'through'created'things'
               brought'him'under'the'(false)'accusation'of'being'a'drunkard.''His'love'for'people'of'the'world'earned'
               him'the'precious'title'of'friend"of"sinners.''ChaplainƐ ĂƌĞ ĐŽŶĨŝĚĞŶƚ ƚŚĞLJ ŵŝŶŝƐƚĞƌ ŝŶ ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ 'ŽĚ͛Ɛ ŐŽŽĚ
               creation,'as'fellowTsinners'and'friends'to'sinners,'as'much''dependent'on''ŽĚ͛Ɛ ŐƌĂĐĞ ĨŽƌ ĞǀĞƌLJ'breath'
               as'anyone'else͗ ďƵƚ ǁĞ ĂƌĞ ĚĞĨŝŶŝƚĞůLJ ŝŶ /ŵŵĂŶƵĞů͛Ɛ ůĂŶĚ.'

               12.     ͞God'with'us͟'before'Christmas.''At'his'incarnation,'God's'promise'(Is'7:14)'of'Immanuel'"God"
               with"us"'was'fulfilled.''But'his'practice'of'Immanuel"ůŽŶŐ ƉƌĞĐĞĚĞĚ /ƐĂŝĂŚ͛Ɛ ƉƌŽƉŚĞĐLJ͘  'ŽĚ͛Ɛ Chaplaincy'
               was'through:'

                          a.  'lonely'Enoch'or'Noah'(Gen'5:24,'6:9)'walking'with'God:'likewise,'the'Chaplain͛Ɛ spiritual'
                              walk'is'essential'to'his'experience'and'representation'ŽĨ 'ŽĚ͛Ɛ ƉƌĞƐĞŶĐĞ͘ '

                          b.  the'>ŽƌĚ͛Ɛ ƉƌĞƐĞŶĐĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĂŶĚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŚĞ patriarchs'(Gen'18:17ff,'31:42,'41:39f):'
                              ChaplainƐ ĐĂŶ ŝĚĞŶƚŝĨLJ ǁŝƚŚ͕ ĨŽƌ ĞdžĂŵƉůĞ͕  ďƌĂŚĂŵ͛Ɛ Chaplaincy'failures'(Gen'12:10T20)'
                              and'successes'(Gen'18:23T33).'


                          c.  Moses'and'the'chosen'nation'(Ex'3:12'ʹ'the'verse'contains'both'the'singular'and'plural'
                              ͚LJŽƵ͛)'experiencing'the'trials'of'beinŐ ƚŚĞ ƉĞŽƉůĞ ŽĨ ͞'ŽĚ ǁŝƚŚ ƵƐ͟ ŝŶ Ă ŚŽƐƚŝůĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͘'

                          d.  The'tabernacle'(Ex'40:35)'and'temple'(2'Chr'6:20)'ĚĞŵŽŶƐƚƌĂƚĞĚ ƚŚĞ >ŽƌĚ͛Ɛ ƉƌĞƐĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ
                              mobile'and'static'circumstances'among'His'chosen'people,'and'through'them,'in'his'
                              world.'By'this'we'learn'his'gracious'presence'is'mediated'to'the'world'through'his'
                              covenant'people,'both'individually'and'corporately.'This'indirect'(or'mediated)'mode'of'
                              'ŽĚ͛Ɛ ƐĂǀŝŶŐ dealing'in'the'world'through'his'chosen'servants'is'demonstrated'and'
                              taught'by'Jesus,'and'continued'through'Christians'and'his'church'(John'16:7f).'God'
                              dispenses'his'common'grace'more'directly'(Acts'14:17,''17:28).' Ɛ ǁĞ͛ǀĞ ƐĞĞŶ͕ ƚŚĞ
                              Chaplain'is'one'of''ŽĚ͛Ɛ ĞůĞĐƚ extending'his'church͚Ɛ ŐƌĂĐŝŽƵƐ ŵŝŶŝƐƚƌLJ ŝŶ'his'Name.'

                          e.  In'the'remainder'of'the'OT,'͞God'with'us͟ ŝƐ'located'geographically'and'ethnically'in'
                              Israel:'but'also'personally'in'the'offices'of'priest'(teaching,'operating'the'sacrificial'
                              system,'and'maintaining'the'͞ƉůĂĐĞ͟ ŽĨ  ƚ ϭϮ͗ϱͿ ʹ'king';ƌƵůŝŶŐ ŝŶ 'ŽĚ͛Ɛ EĂŵĞ ĂŶĚ ƵŶĚĞƌ'
                              his'anointing'(1'Sam'24:6',(1'Ki'10:9))'ʹ'and'prophet';ƐƉĞĂŬŝŶŐ 'ŽĚ͛Ɛ tŽƌĚs,'but'also'as'
                              the'locus'ŽĨ 'ŽĚ͛Ɛ ĂĐƚŝǀĞ ƌƵůĞ'[Elijah'is'the'classic'case'as'he'preaches,'prays,'acts,'
                              executes]).'These'offices'in'the'first'instance'ministered'to'the'covenant'people,'and'
                              then'indirectly'to'the'world'as'we'noted'above.'



                                Gospel'Chaplaincy'in'a'Secular'Age'ʹ'page'5'of'9'ʹ'September'2011'
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