What is the Bible's big story?

Creation

In the beginning, God made everything, and he made people too. “So God created mankind in his own image.” “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” We were made to know God, to love him, and to walk with him, free.

Sources:Genesis 1:1Genesis 1:26–31Genesis 2:15–25

The Fall

But the serpent lied. Adam and Eve listened to him instead of God, and they disobeyed. Eve said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Sin is like a chain. Jesus said, “everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” And sin brought death into the world. Hebrews talks about “him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.”

We couldn't break the chains, and we couldn't buy our way out. A psalm says, “no payment is ever enough.”

Sources:Genesis 3:1–13John 8:31–36Romans 5:12Hebrews 2:14–15Psalm 49:7–9

A promise

But God made a promise. One day a child of Eve would come. God told the serpent, “he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” The serpent would hurt him, but he would win.

Sources:Genesis 3:14–15

Bought back

That child is Jesus. He said he came “to give his life as a ransom for many.” A ransom is the price you pay to set a prisoner free.

In Israel, if someone was sold as a slave, a family member could pay to buy them back. God's law said, “One of their relatives may redeem them.” That's what redeem means. And Jesus became one of us, part of our family, so he could redeem us.

Sources:Mark 10:32–45Galatians 4:4–5Leviticus 25:47–49Hebrews 2:11–14

The cross and the empty tomb

Jesus paid for us with his life on the cross. Peter says we were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” The devil thought he had won. But Paul says, “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead, “because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” Jesus broke the devil's power. Hebrews says he came to “free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

Sources:1 Peter 1:18–191 Corinthians 2:6–8Acts 2:22–321 Corinthians 15:3–4Hebrews 2:14–15Colossians 2:13–15

Made new

When we repent and believe in Jesus, this promise is for us: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” His Holy Spirit makes us new on the inside. Paul calls it “renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Jesus is our Lord and our Savior, so we follow him, and the Spirit helps us learn God's Word and obey it.

And one day, Jesus will come back. “The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay.” “There will be no more death,” and God says, “I am making everything new!”

Sources:Mark 1:14–15Romans 10:9–13Titus 3:4–7John 14:26Acts 1:9–11Romans 8:18–23Revelation 21:1–5