Faithfullyliven:the podcast
Do you want to learn how to study the Bible? Do you wish you could understand the Bible better? Do you want to know how you can remain faithful to historic Christianity in our contemporary society? Let's take a journey to explore and learn how to be a faithful follower of Christ. Faithfullyliven, the podcast is here to uplift your soul and encourage you to live a life honoring to God
Faithfullyliven:the podcast
Connecting the Dots: God's Plan in Scripture
Can understanding the Bible as a unified story with Jesus Christ at its center transform your faith journey? Discover how biblical theology can deepen your grasp of Scripture’s grand narrative in this episode of Faithfullyliven. We unpack the Bible’s structure around creation, fall, redemption, and restoration, emphasizing how doctrines fit within their historical contexts.
Join us and be inspired to live faithfully for Christ, understanding the grand story of God’s plan for humanity
References
What is biblical theology? https://www.gotquestions.org/biblical-theology.html
Matthew Y. Emerson and Heath A. Thomas, The Story of Scripture: An Introduction to Biblical Theology (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2017),
What is Biblical Theology?: A Guide to the Bible's Story, Symbolism, and Patterns by James Hamilton
Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible: A Guide to Reading the Bible Well Edited by Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, Thomas R. Schreiner
The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses ByChris Bruno
The Whole Message of the Bible in 16 Words ByChris Bruno
Do you want to learn how to study the Bible? Check out the YouTube channel Faithfullyliven youtube.com/@faithfullyliven
Do you want to read about how to live faithfully? Check out the blog http://lyfe102.org
Get a free Road Map to get started learning how to study the Bible https://mailchi.mp/88f9c9405da0/bible-study-road-map
Welcome to Faithfully Living, the Podcast where we learn how to live for Christ in our daily lives. I am Dwan, your host, and I would like to invite you on a journey with me to explore and learn how to be a faithful follower of Christ. Hi everyone, welcome to Faithfully Living, the Podcast, where we strive to encourage you to live for Christ faithfully by offering guidance on how to study the Bible, how to understand the Bible better and how to remain faithful to historic Christianity in a contemporary society. You know a good story can captivate a person's mind for hours and you know stories are the threads that kind of like weave the fabric of the human experience and transcend time and culture. You know from. You know sometimes we have ancient myths passed down through generations to modern tales spawn across screens and pages. Stories captivate our imagination. They can invoke emotions, impart wisdom. They're the vessel of knowledge, of empathy, entertainment, offering windows into different worlds and perspectives. But you know, not all stories are true, but they can draw us in.
Speaker 1:So when you've read the Bible, it is a book with many stories within it. You know some of them. You know you can understand Others we have a little bit harder time with. You know we have stories the story of creation, or the battle of David and Goliath, or the story of a donkey talking. You also have a story of Jonah and the big fish. You know there are many unbelievable stories in the Bible, but they're all true. So when we're reading the Bible, there's one thing you should know the Bible might be made up of many stories, yet it is one continuous story. The Bible's subject is Jesus Christ and the story is a grand narrative. It starts in Genesis 1 to the new creation, which we read about in Genesis 21. This one big, unified story tells us about his creation, man's continual rebellion, god's redemption of man and the fulfillment of restoration. So this grand narrative is sometimes called biblical theology. Narrative is sometimes called biblical theology.
Speaker 1:So the website GotQuestion tells us what is biblical theology. It says biblical theology is the study of the doctrines of the Bible, arranged according to their chronological and historical background. In contrast to systematic theology which characterize doctrine according to specific topics, biblical theology shows the unfolding of God, such as the theology of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, or the theology contained within John's writings. Or it might focus on a particular period of time, such as the theology of the unified kingdoms. Another branch of biblical theology may study a particular motif or theme in the Bible. A study of the remnant, for example, might search out how the motif is introduced and developed throughout scripture.
Speaker 1:So here is an example that they gave. It says what if you question? If you ask a question about angels? It says biblical theology asks how did our understanding of angels develop throughout biblical history? And then starts with the Pentateuch's teachings about angels and traces God's progressive revelation about these beings throughout scripture. And then, along the way, the biblical theologian draws conclusions about people's thinking about angels may have changed as more and more truth was revealed.
Speaker 1:The conclusion of such a study is, of course, an understanding of what the Bible has to say about angels, understanding of what the Bible has to say about angel. But it also places that knowledge in the context of the bigger picture of God's whole revelation. Biblical theology helps us to see the Bible as a unified whole rather than a collection of unrelated points. So one storyline the Bible puts it all together for us. It's God's revelation progressively throughout Scripture. So let me read from the story of Scripture and introduction to biblical theology. I think it provides a better understanding of the Bible's theological unity. I will put the reference in the show notes if you want to check this resource out.
Speaker 1:Okay, this is what they say. It says the Bible is ultimately one book given by one author for one purpose. The Bible is a Trinitarian book. Scripture is given by the Father to reveal the Son by the power of the Spirit. In this way it is Trinitarian. God has given scripture to his people in the context of the covenant of salvation he has made with them. God gives scripture to us so that we might know him. The bible was written to reveal the god of the universe to us. His purpose is to make the one god, yahweh, known to his people, people, his people who have been redeemed through his covenant, covenant keeping work. And they also say when we think about the Bible, then we need to come to understand the context in which it is given and the purpose for which it is given. The Spirit inspires scripture in the context of God's work of salvation and he does so in order that his people might know how to come to him and know him fully.
Speaker 1:The Bible is not just an instruction manual, although it certainly gives instructions. It is not just a guide for moral living, although it addresses morality. It is not just an anthology of stories, only by the front and back cover, only connected by the front and back cover. The Bible is a covenant book given to God's covenant people so they might know him fully. Okay, so, as we know, the Bible is a book about, is a book of 66 books that talks about Jesus Christ. The passages in the Bible point to Christ, as we read from Genesis to Revelation.
Speaker 1:So this is the grand story, a meta-narrative, which is called, and can be structured, summarized, as creation, fall, redemption, restoration, or sometimes they call it new creation. So we're going to start with creation of the world. Then we'll see the fall of Adam and Eve into sin and the progression of scripture as it shows us how God planned to redeem humanity and the world. This is the biblical storyline God's incredible plan to redeem his people and glorify his name, from Genesis to Revelation. So, like I talked about, there are four parts to the storyline Creation, fall, redemption and restoration.
Speaker 1:So creation tells us in Genesis 1-2, like before time, we know that there was god and god created all things out of nothing. He created a man and a woman in his image. Adam and eve were image bearers of god. And he said to said that everything that he made was good. And not only are adam and eve image bearers, god. God gave them work to do. They were to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. They were to fill the earth with offspring, meaning fill it, fill it with more image bearers. So they were given authority to subdue the earth, to have dominion over land, the fish, the birds and then everything under heaven and earth that moves into the earth. So Adam and Eve were not only supposed to fill the earth, but they are also supposed to rule over all creation. God wanted them to be a godly authority over scripture. And then God also wanted them to cultivate and keep the garden. God had given adam and eve a land in which to dwell um, the garden of eden, in which they were to rule, but it was a fruitful land that provided food for them and where God also dwelt with them. So in creation we can see that God made Adam and Eve as image bearers to be fruitful and multiply, to fill all the earth with other worshipers of God and image bearers of God, and he wanted them to rule over the land he gave them, to cultivate it and to keep it as a good land that he gave them, and he also wanted them to obey the law which he gave to govern them.
Speaker 1:All right, next we have the fall. All right, next we have the fall. So in the fall, we can read this in Genesis 3, 6 to 7, when Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God, and so the relationship that Adam and Eve once had became broken and God punished them for their sin. And God punished them for their sin. One of them was death, and this in turn affects all of creation and humanity. Now I think it's interesting to know that sin affected humanity in many ways, and I read this again in a passage from the book the Story of Scripture, an Introduction of Biblical Theology, and they give us some insight into default effects. So I'm just going to read this passage that they have. So it says in response, god issues a number of punishments. One critical aspect to note about these punishments is that they corresponded to the task that God gave to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1 through 2. Which I thought this was very interesting when I read this. Okay, I'm going to continue.
Speaker 1:So, after cursing the serpent, to which we return into a moment, god punishes Eve in two ways. His first he first tells her that from now on, it will be painful in bearing to bear children. He then tells her that her desire will be for a husband, but he shall rule over her. They say the word desire here is not a positive term. Rather, it indicates a desire to master, rule or oppress the husband. So this desire will be thwarted, though, and in turn there will be strife between husband and wife. These two punishments both relate to the primary task that God gave to Adam and Eve To be fruitful and multiply. Not only would it hurt to have babies, but the tension between husband and wife will make it difficult to conceive babies as well.
Speaker 1:And then they go on to say God punishes Adam for his sin. First he tells Adam that the ground is cursed because of him and that it will be difficult to bring forth sustenance from the ground. Instead of all the, the green plants available to him and his wife, the ground will bring forth thorns and thistles. Then, adam, when Adam works it, instead of food being easily available, adam will have to toil by the sweat of his brow to make anything grow. Again, this relates to one of the tasks God gave Adam and Eve to cultivate and keep the garden. No longer can Adam do this easy. Further, this punishment affects not only Adam but the land itself. Curse is the ground because of you, god says to Adam. The effects of sin are creation-wide.
Speaker 1:All right, so they're going to continue talking relating the sin and the tasks that God gave Adam and Eve. All right, so they go on to say the two other tasks they mentioned in Genesis 1 and 2 to rule over creation and to obey were the ones that Adam and Eve failed to do when they left the serpent into the garden and then fell into his temptation to eat the fruit. They say their failure at these two tasks resulted in the punishments they received. But two final punishments indicate the other seriousness of what has happened and the true effects of sin that Adam and Eve have committed. They're going to say God finishes his punishment of Adam by telling him that he will die From the dust of the ground he came and to it he will return.
Speaker 1:So death, the physical separation of our soul from our body and therefore our loss of any chance of dwelling physically in the presence of God, as we were made to do this, the ultimate punishment. They go on to say God allows Adam and Eve and their children to experience physical separation from him. Human beings were made to dwell physically in the presence of god, and death cuts that physical presence off. And, as a foretaste of this physical separation, god completes his punishment of adam and eve by casting them out of the garden. They cannot and will not dwell physically in the presence of god any longer. So you see. So you see how the fall affects the task in which Adam and Eve, the task which God gave Adam and Eve at the beginning, and so their sin affects all of us because it affects all of humanity.
Speaker 1:All right, the next thing we have in the story, the grand story, meta-narrative of the Bible, is redemption. Genesis 3.15 says and I will cause hostility between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring, and he will strike your head and you will strike his. He will strike your head and you will strike his heel. So after the fall, god had a plan to redeem humanity. You know, being the gracious and merciful God that he is, he promised the hope of a savior who would take the punishment of our sin and make everything right thing right. So all throughout the old testament, we see how god chooses a people to bring forth our saviors. So throughout the old testament you can see how the storyline points to the coming of jesus to redeem us. And then in the new testament it tells us the story of jesus and the redemptive story, how we were and then how can, how we can be made right with God if we give our life to follow him. So from the fall to redemption it was promised as we saw in Genesis 3, 15, you know, as the story of the bible continues, we see pictures of redemption throughout the story of exodus, you know, unto the exile of the israelites, we see how god redeems them by saving israel from the troubles in these stories of in scripture. So redemption was prophesied through the hope given by the prophets of the old testament.
Speaker 1:All right, again I'm gonna reference the book story of the bible and introduction to biblical theology. It says hope comes in the message of the prophets. Like adam and eve, though exile is not the final word, god's prophets speak A hopeful word for the future. There is much we can say here about prophetic books In the Old Testament, but to suffice it To say that they are both Covenant lawyers Showing Israel how they are guilty Of breaking God's covenant law and, at the same time, prophetic ministers giving Israel hope that Yahweh will save his people and return them from exile in the future. So then, redemption is accomplished through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All right, so you can see how one example would be that the prophets in the Old Testament foretold the coming of Christ and what he was going to do. So they gave bits and pieces of the, the death of christ and his resurrection.
Speaker 1:So back to our book story of the bible. It says consider what jesus coming to the world means. In the biblical story, his work consummates and fulfills all of God's promises in the past, to Adam and Eve, to Abraham and to Israel. In fact, we can think about Jesus' life as a fulfillment, fulfilling Israel's hope as articulated in the Old Testament. Most importantly, jesus atones for sin and provides victory over God's enemies, the serpent, sin and death.
Speaker 1:In his atoning death, jesus takes punishment for humanity's sin. He is a sacrificial lamb, not just for Israel but for all God's people, those who believe, from every tribe, tongue and nation. He is a suffering servant promised by Isaiah, the one through whom Israel's sins are forgiven. Jesus is the high priest for those who believe, offering himself as a perfect sacrifice on the cross for their atonement, so that they too have access to God's throne. In his resurrection, he puts death to death, the final blow and his devastating defeat at the hands of Christ. In his death and resurrection, jesus pays the penalty for sin and defeats death and the serpent. He is the promised seed of the woman, the one who restore what adam and eve lost in the fall.
Speaker 1:Revelations 21, 1 through 4 tells us. And then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared and the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne saying look, god's home is now among us. He will live with them and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes and there will be no more death or sorrow, or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. These things are gone forever. And then Isaiah 65, 17 says look, I am creating new heaven and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. So it comes to our last part of the story, the grand narrative.
Speaker 1:Restoration or consummation, which is sometimes called, meaning that everything is going to, you know, be made right. So we all know when jesus ascended to heaven he was. He's gone back to prepare place for us and he's going to return. And when jesus returned he's going to judge sin and evil, and then sin is going to be cast out forever and Jesus is going to make all things new. Now, for those who have repented and believed in Christ's work of his death and resurrection, they will dwell with him forever in the new heaven and the new earth.
Speaker 1:Alright, so I'm going to go back to um, the book story of scripture, and they give us a good summation of restoration, restoration of what god will, um will look like. So it says god restores what adam and eve lost in the garden garden. Now, his redemptive image bearers can do what adam and eve did not rule in his place, where they dwell with him, cultivate it and keep it and doing so throughout the whole cosmos, because god has been fruitful and multiply his people through the work of his son, by the power of his Holy Spirit. So in the end, when God makes a new heaven and a new earth. We will, as believers, we will finally be able to complete and do the task which God gave to Adam and Eve in the garden so long ago. So let's kind of think about it.
Speaker 1:So, as Christians, you know we're on a mission from God and by understanding the Bible as one story from creation, fall, redemption and restoration, we see and know the plan God has for humanity. So as Christians, we are to share this with others God's love, mercy and grace to a fallen world that has an opportunity to live with God forever. So I hope this episode was helpful. Check out the show, note for the resources on the story of the Bible and until next time, remember God is always good and he's always faithful. Thank you for listening to the podcast. Do me a favor by following the podcast and leaving a review to help spread the word. I look forward to hearing from you.
