THEO 201 November 5, 2019
Biblical Metanarrative Essay
Introduction
There are many ways to view the biblical story and it is essential that all Christians
understand the biblical story and how the four major themes found in the bible (Creation, Fall,
Redemption, and Restoration) go hand in hand. The Bible begins by explaining Creation. Adam
and Eve were deceived by the serpent and disobeyed God’s commands, leading to the Fall. Jesus
was sent to Earth to bear the wrath of God and take the punishment for the sins of humanity.
Jesus chose to redeem humanity by coming to Earth as a perfect human and being crucified for
sin He did not commit. One day, Jesus will come again and claim all who belong to Him, taking
those who chose to live for Christ up to Heaven with Him and condemning everyone else to Hell.
Through this, Christ restores the Earth to its original state, known as Restoration.
The Metanarrative of Scripture
The Bible should be thought of as one big story, in which there is one main character.
That character is Jesus Christ. According to Graeme Goldsworthy, the Bible “highlight[s] the
life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the prime focus of the whole Bible”
(Goldsworthy). The story of the Bible can be thought of as having four themes or being split into
four sections; Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. The Bible begins with Creation. God
created matter and space and gave both a purpose. God reflected on all that He had made and
decided it was good (Genesis 1:31). God wanted a relationship, with humanity, and before the
Fall, He had one where he could openly converse with His creation. According to Robert Kolb,
God “wanted to be in relationship with his human creatures, and that involves meeting as well as
conversing” (Kolb).
The next theme or section is the Fall, which happens shortly after Creation. The Fall
occurred when Adam and Eve decided to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
deliberately sinning against God and breaking His commandments (Genesis 3:6-7). Although
Adam and Eve brought sin into the world, Gerald O’Collins explains that “original sin [is] no
more than the bad example of Adam and Eve, which had not interiorly harmed their descendants
and, in particular, had left intact the natural exercise of free will” (O’Collins). The first rebellion
in the spiritual world occurs with the serpent, the tempter. The serpent appears in Genesis 3:1-5,
when he tempts Eve by pointing out that the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
will make Eve wise and will certainly not lead to her death.
The theme of Redemption begins to develop in Genesis, starting with God’s promise to
Abraham. Genesis 17:1-7 explains God’s promise to Abraham to bless the nations and make his
descendants more than can be counted. God’s promise is fulfilled in Galatians 3:16-17, this
promise was the first significant covenant of the Old Testament. God promised David (a
descendant of Abraham) that one of his descendants would sit on the throne and rule forever
(Psalm 132:11), that descendant was Jesus.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 contains a promise made my God, promising to pour His spirit out on
His people and give them new hearts. God’s promise leads to the third section, Redemption. God
THEO 201 November 5, 2019
blesses the people of Israel through Abraham and his descendants. Jesus’ being the one on the
throne is proof that God fulfilled his promise to Abraham. All of creation is going to be renewed
through the work of Christ, which leads to the fourth part, Restoration.
Romans 8:21 states that creation is going to be liberated from its bondage and brought
into freedom. According to George A. Barton, “Jesus Christ saves… he brings men into a new
life… he makes it possible for a man, conscious of sin, to find peace with God…” (Barton). The
end of Revelation shows us that Jesus will stand victorious over his enemy and there will be a
new Heaven and Earth (Revelation 19:1-21). Revelation paints a picture of the Heavenly city
descending on the new Earth where God’s people will dwell in their new, glorified bodies
(Revelation 21:1-3).
These four themes or sections are important for Christians to understand because they
provide us with a clear picture of how the Bible fits together. Understanding the theme of
Redemption influences how I view my life because, even though I am a sinful human and
sometimes willfully disobey God’s commands, God still loves me and sent His Son to die on the
cross for me. This influences how I live my life by choosing to live for Christ and do all that I
can to glorify him in my words and actions. If I live a life that glorifies God, I will be a part of
that Heavenly city that will descend on the new Earth when Christ returns.
Application to My Vocation/Job
The aspect of redemption influences my vocation the most because like Jesus, I want to
help those who cannot help themselves. I want to be an EMT after I graduate so my priority will
be helping those who are sick or injured. God gave me a heart for others and helping others in
any way I can, especially if I can help them in a medial sense, is a passion of mine. Christ healed
those who were sick, and extended grace to those who were outcasts, I will choose to do the
same not only in my professional life, but in my personal life as well.
Conclusion
It is important for all Christians to understand the Biblical story and the four components
of that story. Understanding the biblical story helps us to better understand why Christ did what
he did, who he is, and what will happen when Christ chooses to return to Earth and restore it to
its original, perfect state. Understanding the Biblical story aids followers of Christ in finding
their place in God’s plan and assists us in better understanding how He wants us to live our lives
and glorify him through our vocation.
Word Count: 1000
THEO 201 November 5, 2019
BIBLIOGRAPHY
O’Collins, Gerald. Jesus Our Redeemer: A Christian Approach to Salvation. Oxford, 2007.
Barton, George A. Christ and Evolution: A Study of the Doctrine of Redemption in the Light of
Modern Knowledge. JSTOR, 2017.
https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/stable/j.ctv4t812f
Kolb, Robert. Luther and the Stories of God: Biblical Narratives as a Foundation for Christian
Living. ProQuest, 2012.
https://ebookcentralproquestcom.ezproxy.liberty.edu/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=844
291
Goldworthy, Graeme. Christ-Centered Biblical Theology: Hermeneutical Foundations and
Principles. 2012. https://web-b-ebscohost-
com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/ehost/ebookviwer/ebook/bmxlYmtfXzU3NzY3MF9fQU41?sid=
b7e4be47elf74d27b9c3a218910bc2db@sessionmgr103&vid=0&format=EB&lpid=lp_19
&rid=0
