When we say that the Bible is the inspired word of God, what exactly do we mean? Was it dictated by God? And what is the overall message of the Bible, the grand themes in its narrative, the underlying point it’s trying to make? These are the questions explored in this episode of Table Talk.
Season 1 | The Big Picture Series
The very idea of a supreme being, an omnipotent God, boggles our finite human minds. And yet our curiosity is unstoppable. We can't help but wonder if God exists, and if God does exist what kind of being are we talking about?
The Bible teaches that God has a specific purpose for which he created the universe and human beings. So why did God embark upon the work of creation? Why do we exist? What are we and who are we as human beings?
The fall is the language we use to describe the rebellion of human beings against their Maker. How does the Bible describe this tragic event and the horrible if effects it has had? What exactly is sin and how did it enter the universe?
According to the Bible, we are not alone in the universe. In addition to planet earth and the human race, there are other orders of beings God has made, such as the angels. Who are the main characters involved in the war between good and evil ?
Either we live in a controlled universe in which all outcomes are determined, or we live in a free universe in which dynamic relationships of give-and-take determine outcomes. But only in the free universe is love conceivable and possible. The Bible teaches that “God is love” and therefore God created a world governed by free will, with all the risks involved in doing so.
Because God created a universe governed primarily by free will, the risk inherent in freedom has manifested itself in the emergence of evil as a force to be reckoned with by good. We are all born into a cosmic battlefield, and God is in the process of conquering evil by the only power powerful enough to do it: love.
The moment sin entered our world, God proceeded to do what infinite love does: He vowed to pursue us and make every conceivable provision for our restoration. The covenant of peace is the agreement between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit to do whatever it takes, short of violating our free will, to save fallen human beings.
The Bible unfolds a specific story centered on God's call to Abraham and the formation of Israel as God's chosen people. What are the key features of the story, the plot line, in the grand into which the story is reaching?
The key truth of Scripture is God’s faithful love. Rather than give up on us, He has remained committed, at any and all cost to Himself, and it is His faithfulness that constitutes the basis of our salvation.
More amazing than our minds can comprehend is the idea that God became a human being. This astounding event is called “the incarnation.” But why did God do it?
What exactly did Christ endure as went to the Cross? Yes, he was physically tortured. But was there more to it than that? According to Scripture, Jesus endured a psychological agony that exceeded mere physical pain. The sacrifice He made to save us was one of infinite self-giving love.
The Bible foretells that there will one day be a new heavens and a new earth free from all pain and evil. What will that new creation be like? How much of the present world oder will be restored and what will the final state of the universe be like?
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