Fight the Good Fight of Faith, English Edition

Lesson : The Epic We Find Ourselves In • 

done in Christ, and how the creation will be restored, according to God’s time and method. Many people who do not believe, however, argue that the cosmos (the universe), was formed accidentally with no purpose or purpose-er who called it into existence. They say no plan exists that connects everything together, and there is no single explanation to help us know why we are here, where we are going, and how everything will turn out. Atheists (those who deny that there is a God) say that it is foolish to think that there is either a God or some larger plan for life. They would argue that, since there is no God but rather only the stuff of the universe that exists, there is no destiny or purpose for life and the world. Agnostics (those who say that we can never know if there is a God) say that, even if God exists, we can’t know him/it/her, and the best we can do is to hope that things might turn out alright – maybe! How do the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds help us answer the objections of those who argue there is neither a God nor a plan for the universe? In the Bible we discover the Story of God and mankind, centered on Jesus Christ our Lord. But this epic Story is more than an account that we read about; it is something we participate in. As a follower of Jesus, you now have a new identity and you play a role in the Epic We Find Ourselves In . The universe was created by the sovereign* and triune* God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Living before time, dwelling in eternal glory, and lacking nothing, God chose to make a world where human beings, made in his own likeness and image, could experience the fullness of his creation. But this universe was thrown into chaos by a rebellious angelic* prince, Satan. With the intent to overthrow God’s Kingdom, the devil tempted the first human pair (Adam and Eve) to rebel against God, leaving humanity cursed and without hope of deliverance. In the face of this rebellion, God determined to raise up a Victor, a Redeemer, who would remedy this fall and end forever the effects of the Curse. Through Abraham, God made a covenant promise to bring this Messiah (anointed one), and raised up a people out of which the Messiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *sovereign – Sovereign refers to unlimited power with control over the affairs of nature and history. *triune – Triune is another way of saying “three persons but one God.” Sometimes the word “Trinity” is used to refer to One God but three persons. *angelic – Angels are supernatural beings created by God having greater power and intelligence than humans.

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