The Story of God in the Bible – "There is nothing else in the whole religious literature of the world to put alongside it."
A Hindu scholar of world religions once said to Lesslie Newbigin:
"I can't understand why you missionaries present the Bible to us in India as a book of religion. It is not a book of religion – and anyway we have plenty of books of religion in India. We don't need any more! I find in your Bible a unique interpretation of universal history, the history of the whole creation and the history of the human race. And therefore a unique interpretation of the human person as responsible actor in history. That is unique. There is nothing else in the whole religious literature of the world to put alongside it."
His complaint was that even Christian missionaries to India had not recognized the Bible for what it is. Instead, they reduced it to the status of just one more book of religion. This Hindu scholar recognized that there is nothing quite like the Bible in the whole religious literature of the world.
Here is a whimsical video that captures a 5+ minute synopsis of the story of God found in the Bible.
321 - The Story of God the World and You Video
"The Story of God, the World, and You" was created by Glen Scrivener, an Australian who serves Jesus' Church in Eastbourne, UK, and Jeremy Poyner, a digital artist.
Emmaus City Statement of Faith – Our World Belongs to God
"The Story of God, the World, and You" provides a creative preview for what Emmaus City ascribes to as our statement of faith – "Our World Belongs to God."
In 2008, a wise and thoughtful group of pastors and theologians were tasked with the responsibility of penning "Our World Belongs to God." They began the process of writing with this thought:
In 2008, a wise and thoughtful group of pastors and theologians were tasked with the responsibility of penning "Our World Belongs to God." They began the process of writing with this thought:
“It is our prayer that this testimony may help you live by faith in God’s world, and that some of these words may assist you in giving reason for the hope that you have through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I believe God helped them achieve this goal in so many ways as "Our World Belongs to God" includes a narrative structure and poetic language that is both accessible and powerful, while also artistically framing a thorough understanding of the story of God found in the Scriptures.
Each of the links below include not only the statements in each of the ten sections, but also the verses that support each statement.
For a helpful preview of what each of the linked paged will provide, I am including the six parts of the preamble underneath the first link with some of the verses related to each.
(1) Preamble
1. As followers of Jesus Christ, living in this world—which some seek to control, and others view with despair—we declare with joy and trust: Our world belongs to God!
The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. "Who has given me anything that I need to pay back? Everything under heaven is mine." Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. – Psalm 24:1; Job 41:11; Deuteronomy 10:14
2. From the beginning, through all the crises of our times, until the kingdom fully comes, God keeps covenant forever: Our world belongs to God! God is King: Let the earth be glad! Christ is victor: His rule has begun! The Spirit is at work: creation is renewed! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Your unfailing love will last forever. Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens. Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever. Praise the LORD! For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does. What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? – Psalm 89:1-2; Psalm 117:1-2; Psalm 145:13; Romans 8:31
If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:32-34, 39
3. Still, despair and rebellious pride fill the earth: some, crushed by failure or broken by pain, give up on life and hope and God; others, shaken, but still hoping for human triumph, work feverishly to realize their dreams. As believers in God, we also struggle with the spirits of this age, resisting them in the power of the Spirit, testing them by God’s sure Word.
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? – Romans 2:1-4
But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception. – 1 John 4:4-6
4. Our world, fallen into sin, has lost its first goodness, but God has not abandoned the work of His hands: our Maker preserves this world, sending seasons, sun, and rain, upholding all creatures, renewing the earth, promising a Savior, guiding all things to their purpose.
God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth. And it is he who says, “I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons." – Isaiah 42:5-7
Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief. Yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins. I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. – Isaiah 53
5. God holds this world with fierce love. Keeping His promise, He sends Jesus into the world, pours out the Holy Spirit, and announces the good news: sinners who repent and believe in Jesus live anew as members of the family of God – the firstfruits of a new creation.
"For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” – John 3:16-21
“So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” – Acts 2:36-39
6. We rejoice in the goodness of God, renounce the works of darkness, and dedicate ourselves to holy living. As covenant partners, set free for joyful obedience, we offer our hearts and lives to do God’s work in the world. With tempered impatience, eager to see injustice ended, we expect the Day of the Lord. We are confident that the light which shines in the present darkness will fill the earth when Christ appears. Come, Lord Jesus. Our world belongs to You.
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