Reading the Bible through the metanarrative of scripture
Have you heard of the metanarrative of scripture? Simply put, it’s the overarching storyline, or outline, of scripture. Once we know the storyline, we can see the pieces of it reflected throughout all of scripture. It gives us the eyes to see the bigger picture when we’re reading a portion of scripture and helps us understand the context of what we’re reading in light of the overall message.
These are the pieces of the story: creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.
Creation
Scripture to read: Genesis 1, Genesis 9:6
God created us in His image, to glorify Himself. In the garden of Eden, we walked with God in the garden. We lived in a close relationship with our Creator. We knew no sin and perfectly bore God’s image. While we were not God and did not equal Him in power or knowledge, we pointed to Him in our actions. We were loving as He is loving. We were kind as He is kind. We worked and created just as He works and creates.
God also declared us His good creation, both men and women. He declares clearly that both women and men are made equally in the image of God—to rule the earth as equals and co-rulers. In the beginning, women and men were perfect and did not know sin. We were able to reflect God’s identity perfectly.
Questions to ask when you read the Bible:
How does this point to God as a creator?
How does this point to the way God designed creation?
2. Fall
Scripture to read: Genesis 3, Romans 5:12-14, Colossians 1:21, Colossians 3:5-7
When God made us, He gave us the ability to love and obey Him. In order to truly make the choice to love and obey Him, the opposite had to be true as well. We had to be able to choose to not obey Him as well, otherwise, obedience couldn’t be considered a choice. The power to say “no” gives meaning to our “yes.”
Thus, God introduced a commandment to men and women, to not eat from the tree of good and evil. He was giving them a true choice of walking in a relationship with Him. We too have this choice. Sadly, because of the fall, we have chosen to go against God. When Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit, they chose disobedience. Sin was introduced into the world, and as a result, we walk around in a world where sin flourishes.
Apart from the work of redemption, our identities are broken. We are still made in the image of God. We still reflect Him in glimpses and hold the purpose of glorifying Him. We maintain value, dignity, and worth as His creations. However, we don’t glorify Him perfectly anymore. We’re like a broken mirror with God standing in front of us. The mirror is shattered and picks up glimpses of His character, but could never wholly depict His image.
Questions to ask while reading scripture:
How is this a result of the fall?
How does this point to sin and brokenness?
3. Redemption
Scripture to read: Ephesians 2, Colossians 1:21, Romans 10:13
We’re not able to fix our identities on our own. Remember the broken mirror analogy? Like a broken mirror, we’re not able to take ourselves down from the wall and mend the cracks. We need someone to do that for us. We can’t step outside ourselves and fully understand who we are and who we were meant to be. We’re not able to set ourselves right before our God.
Praise be, we don’t need to. God sent Himself into the world through His Son, who was God made flesh. Christ bore our sin and shame that we could not carry ourselves. He bore it on the cross and died in our place. Through him, our sins are declared forgiven. When He rose from the grave, He declared victory over our sin and brought us into a new life with Christ. Now, anyone who calls out to the name of the Lord will be saved. We find redemption, and eventual restoration, in Christ.
Before Christ redeemed us, we were evil, sinful, alienated, hostile, and driven by earthly desires. Our identity was marred, broken, and shameful. In our new identity, we are set free from sin so that we can pursue what is good and holy.
While God’s work in us is incomplete, Christ is renewing us to be closer to His image. For those who have put their faith in Christ, this is where we live in God’s story of our identities. We were created in His image. With Adam’s sin, our identities cracked and became a marred reflection of God rather than a whole one. Now, we are living in the process of redemption. We experience Him changing us to be closer to His image, as we abide in Him and He works in us. We still witness our imperfections each day, but our identities have begun to heal.
Questions to ask while reading scripture:
How does point to what Christ has done?
How does this point to the redemption we have in Christ?
What does this say about my new identity in Christ?
How is Christ making me new?
4. Restoration
Scripture to read: Revelation 21
We look forward to the day that we get to be face-to-face with our Creator. We will be healed of all the sin and suffering we have encountered here on earth. Those wounds that have left scars carved deep on our hearts, will be forever healed by the balm of the Lord’s love. Our identities will be made pure and whole forever. The transformation will be complete in us, we will be a bright and shiny reflector of God’s image, able to reflect Him as we were created. You can have hope as you live out your redemption, knowing that complete restoration awaits.
God promises a future where there will no longer be sadness. We will be complete in Him and make whole in His presence. Everything will be made right and there will be no more suffering. If you have never put your hope in Him, there is no better time. Come before Him with humility, recognizing that He is the true Lord over your life. He will meet you with open arms.
Questions to ask while reading scripture:
How does this point to the hope of future restoration?
What is Christ already redeeming here, and what is yet to be restored?