God created the world good.  However, his good creation has been invaded by the powers of darkness.  Now, the whole cosmos is under sin that reigns in death along with satan and his underlings.  Nevertheless, God has taken the initiative to rescue us from these powers.  Through the coming of his Son as human God came dramatically on the scene with liberating power.  And so now we thank God for he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 

The dying and rising of Christ is at the heart of God’s rescue mission.  In his death, Jesus brings an end to the reign of sin in death. Furthermore, all the dark powers that rule over us were disarmed and defeated through his death.  In his resurrection, he arose as the new man into a new creation so that he now rules over us in the new order.  The old is gone the new has come.  Truly, the dying and rising of Jesus marks the turning of the ages. 

So the coming of the Father’s Son among us is God rescuing us from the powers of darkness and also reclaiming his creation from dark powers so that he puts everything right.   And yet, a battle still rages between light and darkness that will eventually reach a climax in the final triumph of God over all his enemies This means that the Gospel is first, last, and always about The Triune God’s gracious initiative.