God's Answer to Life's Most Important Question
What The Bible Teaches
Unit 3
Is There Life After Death?
Lesson 13
Conclusion: God’s Answer to Life’s Most Important Questions
We come to the end of our study on What the Bible Teaches in response to the most important and most asked questions of life.
Who is God? Is there a God?
Who am I?
Is there life after death?
Scriptures teach the divine answers to each of life’s ultimate questions about God’s nature, man’s nature, and life after death. Your answers to these questions can help each of your students order his or her thoughts about their own individual life. Hopefully, if any in your class are unsaved, these lessons will help them come to a saving grace in God.
Psalm 19:1 (NKJV)
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Psalm 14:1 (NKJV)
1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.
Teachers: This week’s lesson is a review of the last twelve weeks. Ultimately, the key to these lesson might be summed up in the concept that “it is all about application.” These lessons have been studied in order to gain a better understanding of God in order to help the believer answer, in a biblical framework, life’s most important questions. These answers should drive the believer to be a better person and to be more effective for the kingdom of God. What follows is my version of the leader’s guide outline. I really would vary this lesson a great deal depending upon the actual needs and make-up of your individual classes.
Getting Attention
How important have these lessons been for you? Do you agree with the lessons? Who do you think God is? Who are you? Is there life after death?
Matthew 16:15 (NKJV)
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Knowing and Practicing the Bible
Genesis 1:1 (NKJV)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
Romans 10:13 (NKJV)
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
I. Who is God?
Are you a “fool” or a believer? Who is God? This is the first great question of life.
How can I know that God exists?
We have seen that all men know deep in their hearts the existence of God. Over time they may dull, blunt, and bury this knowledge, but it is there. Genesis presupposes the existence of God and no where in Scripture do the writer’s of the Bible attempt to prove God’s existence. Such proofs are merely the work of the hands of mankind. These arguments included:
Cause and Effect – power, presence
Design -- intelligence
Morality -- morals
History -- worship
Each of these proofs point to one or more of the attributes of God. By considering both the arguments and the attributes, we can find a picture of God and understand the need for His existence.
Remember that none of these arguments point to the Christian God or lead to a relationship with God. These steps must be accomplished by faith.
Does God make Himself known?
Since mankind is reprobate and denies the existence of God, God must take steps to make Himself known. Thus, God has communicated with mankind in two ways – general revelation and special revelation.
General revelation is God’s being seen in creation itself and history. His power (Rom 1:20) and His goodness (Acts 14:27) may be seen in nature. Mankind is also a picture of such revelation, since man is created in the image of God (Gen 1:26-28).
Psalm 19:1-6 (NKJV)
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. 2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race. 6 Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
General revelation is insufficient to point people to the Christian God. More is needed. Man may seen God in nature. Man may discover morals, intelligence, personal relationships, and rational thoughts in his own image. This may draw man to seek God, but nature will not reveal the grace of God. For God’s love, grace, and mercy to be known, more is needed. So first God provided the Bible, communications with men about who God is and how He controls history.
The Bible is given to a variety of men over a number of years. He spoke to them by means of visions, dreams, direct communication, miracles, and prophetic utterances. The Bible is the perfect, true, life-changing, word of God.
Psalm 19:7-11 (NKJV)
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; 8 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; 9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. 10 More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The Bible is the story of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the second great special revelation of God. He is God in the flesh. The Incarnation demonstrates the strength at which God is willing to go to save mankind. The revelation of God shows God to be a personal being Who desires to communicate with mankind.
How can I understand the Trinity?
God is one Being in three coequal, coeternal Persons. God is both three and one. The abstract nature of the doctrine of the Trinity should not discourage the student of Scripture. The teaching has practical value in highlighting the personal nature of God, showing God’s desire to create the world, revealing the greatness of the Christian God, and modeling the submissive role without viewing oneself as inferior.
God is one (Deut 6:4). God the Father is God (1 Cor 8:6); God the Son is God (John 1:1); and the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:1-4). Each Person of the Godhead has distinct roles in the work of God with men (Eph 1:3-14). While the Trinity may be difficult to understand, it is easy to accept and realize how this Three-in-One structure allows God to work in our lives.
How powerful is God?
Re-review Psalm 139. There you will discover God is:
Omniscient – all-knowing
Omnipresent – all-present
Omnipotent – all-powerful
Sovereign
Creator
Loving
Forgiving
Eternal
We also looked at the problem of evil. God did not create evil and suffering. In order to eliminate evil, God would have to eliminate all humans, since evil develops in the heart of each person.
Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NKJV)
9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.
God chose the Cross to defeat evil in order to also save mankind. Those who accept God’s offer of grace are justified by their faith in Jesus and enter into eternal life with God. God’s patience with evil is His love in desiring that all should come to a saving grace (2 Peter 3:9).
Can I trust God?
God is eternally trustworthy. He is faithful, truthful, good, loving, merciful, gracious, holy, righteous, and just. This means that God will keep all of His promises (cf. Psalm 89). The fulfillment of prophecy shows God’s truth as well. Further, the unity of the Bible demonstrates that we can trust God. His very revelation to us provides a picture of His truthfulness and trustworthiness. The two major recipients of prophecy, Israel and Jesus, highlight the accuracy of the Bible. This accuracy itself shows that God may be trusted for salvation and eternal life.
II. Who am I?
The second great question of life we consider is Who am I?
Where did I come from?
Men are created in the image of God. This is the crowing apex of God’s creation and points to the purpose of creation – mankind.
Genesis 1:26-28 (NKJV)
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Being created in the image of God, men and women are created with the ability to relate to God, to communicate with Him as did Adam in the Garden of Eden. This position is diametrically opposed to the theory of evolution which teaches mankind arouse from a blob of chemicals. Evolution does not account for the emergence of life from non-life nor does it account for personality. Further, since evolution is based upon the concept of the survival of the fittest, evolution is racist in that some form of the human race must ultimately survive to the detriment of all other forms.
Men came from the Creation of God. A review of the Bible indicates this thread carries through the entire Bible. Men are special to God. They are special, because men and women are created in the image of God.
Am I basically good or bad?
This is the study of the basic nature of life. Who am I? I am a sinner saved by the grace of God. This means that, absent Jesus in my life, I am basically bad. We saw above God’s view of our hearts – they are evil (Jer 17:9). It is only through God’s saving grace that men may become good. Because of our evil hearts, we are by nature children of disobedience (Eph 2:2). God’s image is still present within each of us, but it is tarnished, bent, burned, buried, and non-functional (Gen 9:5-6). Sin depraves mankind. His spirit is dead. Only God’s grace will revive and regenerate man’s spirit.
Where am I headed?
This question’s answer flows with the above discussion. Men are evil and without God’s saving grace are bound for eternal punishment. All men will die and then be judged. All men will fall short of God’s standards in that judgment, unless they have accepted God’s grace. The ultimate destiny of believers is to live with Jesus in eternity in a special place. Those who do not believe will find themselves separated from God for eternity.
John 14:1-6 (NKJV)
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Revelation 20:14-15 (NKJV)
14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
III. Is There Life after Death?
“Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die” leads to a belief that nothing exists after this life. Is this the teaching of the Bible?
What should I know about death?
The Bible teaches that life does not end after death. There is a resurrection following death. A believer’s soul goes to be with the Lord in heaven when he dies, even though his body remains in the grave. An unbeliever goes to Hell when he dies. At the end of the age, God’s plan takes on a variety of options, depending upon whether one believes or not.
The Church will be raptured and the dead in Christ will be resurrected (1 Thess 4:13-18). Christians will be judged at the Bema Seat of Christ. At the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will gather the nations and judge them. All unbelievers will be sentenced at the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennium (1 Thess 4; Dan 12, Rev 20).
Immortality and eternity pertain to the whole person, not just to the soul.
How do I overcome death?
We have already discovered that death is not the root of the problem. Mankind’s only problem is sin. One overcomes sin and death by trusting in the work of Christ.
Romans 3:21-26 (NKJV)
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
The atonement of Jesus provides the basis for justification, redemption, propitiation, and reconciliation. These benefits are appropriated by the believer by faith. A person must say yes to Jesus.
This is the most important lesson, the most important question, and the most important teaching of the Scriptures. Jesus prime purpose in coming to earth as a human was to die on the Cross as the perfect substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of the world. Without this work of Jesus, mankind would have no pathway back to God.
What is God’s greatest promise?
God promises that all believers will one day be made perfect. All hurts will be removed. Even the heavens and the earth will be renovated. This will be the fulfillment of all prophetic hope. This hope relates to the church, Israel, the nations, and creation. God will come to live on earth with His primary, most important creation, mankind. Only believers will participate in this new day.
Revelation 21:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”