Introduction
I agree with the notion that the Bible is God’s story. People make their desires and beliefs a central part of the Bible when, in reality, they are not supporting characters of the story. The next idea that fits my thinking is that to understand the Bible, one must refer to history because the Scripture was written according to historical events. Knowing the genres of each book in the Bible is also crucial for a better interpretation of God’s Word. Once a person identifies the style, he or she is able to draw strategies when learning. For example, in the Gospels, the life of Jesus Christ was documented, and this book delivers the good news about Jesus’s death for people’s sins. The last idea that I support is that the Bible does not necessarily have to direct people throughout their lives. According to Cartwright and Hulshof (2019), “Instead, the Bible tells us the path that God chose to redeem humanity”.
Triangles
One of the angles I have never considered before is that the purpose of the rules established by God in the Bible was to remind people that they, by their nature, will never be able to follow them correctly. Additionally, I did not think about the detrimental consequences of taking biblical figures as role models. By doing this, people miss the characters to which stories in the Bible are addressed. Although I knew that the Bible points to Jesus Christ, I did not think that people should not consider believers in the Bible, who follow God obediently, role models. Lastly, it is interesting that God planned to redeem humanity and restore relationships with people.
Circles
When will God’s plan come into reality? I am curious about the time when God will realize his plan.
Does the power of God lie in his grace or his law?
Hearts
I loved the idea that God has a plan for people. There are no random people, events, or circumstances in the Bible. Instead, God foresaw everything and realized his plan in a way that glorifies him and his son. On the other hand, people always face challenges and obstacles that they are unable to predict. This forces them to change their plans and think of an alternative way. In Proverbs 16:9 (New American Standard Bible), it says that “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” This means that God’s plan is purposeful, he directs people and slowly introduces changes in human life to make what he designed possible.
The 1st Response
The first author mentions the theological view of the Bible as one of the ideas that fit his perception. He agrees that God is aware of everything and guides people throughout their lives. According to Cartwright and Hulshof (2019), “We are not the principal or even supporting characters in the Bible.” This implies that God is the only main character in the Bible, and the story is created around him, revealing his great personality. The next idea that the first author mentions is the aim of Jesus Christ in God’s story. He was sent to humanity to show the extent to which God loves people. One of the ideas that the author has never considered before is that there is a connection between the Old and New testaments. Indeed, the story of God goes beyond Jesus Christ’s arrival on the Earth, meaning that his plan was envisaged. Moreover, the story is supported by the historical events that make it possible to observe transitions from one occasion in the Bible to the other. The idea the author loved is that there are more implications of the Bible than its practical value. The Bible reveals the road that God chose to rescue and redeem humanity.
The 2nd Response
The second author believes that there are no circumstances, and everything is predestined. According to Cartwright and Hulshof (2019), “Each word of Scripture is designed to move the plan forward in a way that glorifies God and points to Christ.” This means that everything that happens in one’s life has a reason. Another point is that it is easy to make stories in the Bible fit one’s life and circumstances. However, it can be dangerous because it misleads the reader and results in Scripture misuse. The angle that the author has not considered before is that Christ’s blood has the capacity to redeem and rescue. As Cartwright and Hulshof (2019) put it, “In this great exchange, we inherit his righteousness, and he takes our sin.” To walk in grace, one has to acknowledge Christ’s flawless life. Another angle is that Christ was sinless even in the time people did not hear about him, before the beginning of his mission. His sinlessness might be explained by the fact he was a child not spoiled by the worldly life. Finally, the idea that the author loved was that God held his plan from the beginning of times when the first people appeared. Since then, everything that happened was envisaged and controlled by the Lord.
References
Cartwright, J., & Hulshof, C. (2019). Everyday Bible study: Growing in the Christian faith. (B. Gutierrez, & G. Etzel, Eds.). BH Academia.