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A Review of Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a

Reformational Worldview. By Albert Wolters.
Eerdmans, 1985. Available in Australia at Koorong Books.
This is a gem of a book. First published in 1985, it has been reissued several
times since then, with the newest edition appearing in 2005.
The gist of the book can be stated this way: there are two major themes in
biblical theology creation and redemption. Unfortunately many believers today
only consider the latter. That is, they are focused and in many ways, rightly
on personal salvation. That is why Evangelicals are called Evangelicals: they
take seriously the task of evangelism, of telling people the good news of the
gospel.
But sometimes in their zeal to do this, they reduce Christianity to just one thing:
getting souls into heaven. Now that of course is vital. As Jesus said, what does it
profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul? (Matt. 16:26).
So telling people about their eternal destiny is crucial.
But that is not the entire biblical gospel. Redemption is important, but so too is
creation. Yes, creation is fallen, and sin has marred Gods original design and
purposes. But why did God create in the first place? Is this world just transient
and unimportant? Or is there a greater purpose for creation?
Recognising that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth should
remind us that this world is not just secondary to Gods purposes. In fact the two-
fold nature of the biblical worldview is really a threefold one: creation,
fall/redemption, and re-creation.
God is not finished with this world, and has great plans for it. Indeed, argues
Wolters, we need to have a more wholistic view of what biblical redemption in
fact entails. He says that the redemption in Jesus Christ means the restoration
of an original good creation. . . . In other words, redemption is re-creation.
Believers sometimes tend to forget that the original creation made by God was
pronounced good by the creator. And even though now labouring under the
effects of the Fall, it is still a good creation. Everything that God created be it
social, relational, cultural or personal is part of Gods good creation and is
meant to be redeemed, to be taken into the Lordship of Christ.
Thus arts and culture are good in themselves, because God made them. Of
course they are all now fallen. But just as individuals are fallen and in need of
redemption, so too all areas of life partake of the fall, and are meant to partake in
redemption. The earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof we are told by the
Psalmist (Psalm 24:1).
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Wolters reminds us that everything is creational. That is, every aspect of natural
life is part of Gods created order. As we are commanded in the so-called
dominion mandate of Gen. 1: 27-31, we are to tend Gods creation; we are to be
his stewards on planet earth. Almighty God has withdrawn from the work of
creation, says Wolters, but he has put an image of himself on the earth with a
mandate to continue.
He explains, Mankind, as Gods representatives on earth, carry on where God
left off. And our task is no less than the development of civilisation, and all which
that entails. Thus a cultural order is to be developed and sustained by Gods
people. And a political order. And an economic order. And a social order, and so
on. All these are aspects of the civilisation which God intended mankind to
develop and propagate.
Thus in one sense there is to be no sacred-secular dichotomy. This whole world
is Gods world. Satan has sought to claim it as his own, but it is not. It does not
belong to him. It belongs to God, and doubly so: by creation and by redemption.
Again, the goal of the church is not just to get disembodied souls into some
cloudy-like heaven, but to get whole embodied people into a new earth in the
future, and remake them on this earth now.
So we are partakers with God in the creation/recreation theme that pervades all
of Scripture. Creation is not something that, once made, remains a static
quantity, says Wolters. There is an unfolding of creation. This takes place
through the task that people have been given of bringing to fruition the
possibilities of development implicit in the work of Gods hands.
In other words, We are called to participate in the ongoing creational work of
God, to be Gods helper in executing to the end the blueprint for his masterpiece.
Seen in this light, the Christian life is far more than what happens on a Sunday
morning, or in daily devotionals, or in witnessing:. It takes on the whole of life.
Thus writing a novel, tending a garden, or singing in a choir can all be parts of
Gods creational and redemptive work. Doing the best job you can in a factory
can be just as important as becoming an overseas missionary. As Paul reminds
us, whatever we do, we should do all for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).
What Wolters wants to remind us is that human history and the unfolding of
culture and society are integral to creation and its development. They are not
outside Gods plan for the cosmos, despite the sinful aberrations.
Wolters argues that we must take sin and its effects seriously, but we must
remember that the beauty and purposes of Gods creation are not totally
eradicated by sin. Believers are called to redeem the created order, bringing it
under the Lordship of Christ. That means every area, not just what we consider
to be spiritual.
The view being put forth by Wolters (a view which has always been part of the
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Reformed biblical worldview) helps us to think outside of the box, and see our
calling and mission as much larger than how we tend to view them. Wolters
rightly says, The scope of redemption is as great as that of the fall; it embraces
creation as a whole.
As Paul says in Col. 1:20, Christ seeks to reconcile to himself all things. All of
creation is affected by the fall, and all of creation is meant to be reclaimed in
Christ. There is no middle ground here. Every inch of creation is claimed and
counterclaimed by Christ and Satan. Both God and Satan lay claim to the whole
of creation, leaving nothing neutral or undisputed, he says. Nothing is neutral
in the sense that sin fails to affect it or that redemption fails to hold out the
promise of deliverance.
It is our job as believers to seek to reclaim for Christ and his Kingdom every area
of life. It rightfully belongs to God, but has been temporarily and deceptively
snatched by the enemy. But all of creation is the Lords as should be all of its
redemption.
Wolters deserves much credit for reminding us of these foundational truths that
have in many ways been lost in much of the church. Being a Christian is much
more than just going to church or abstaining from certain activities.
Being a Christian is really about being a partner with God in seeing his creation
extended, his redemption applied, and his victory ensured. It is his work, not ours,
yet he calls us to partner with him in this whole magnificent process of creation,
redemption and re-creation.