'In Introducing God we take the brilliant Two Ways to Live gospel outline and set it to the music of relationship.' - Dominic Steele

Dominic Steele takes us through the 'Two Ways to Live' summary of the gospel on night six of Introducing God.

The journey we go on through Introducing God

Introducing God follows the Bible's plot line looking at key sections of the biography of God.  After an Introductory Session in Acts 17, we start the course proper, meeting the God who created us and gave us purpose and meaning (Session One, Genesis 1).

Sydney Anglican Dean Phillip Jensen on 'Our declaration of Autonomy.'

Then in Session Two we see that we have declared autonomy from God.  We are not just 'rule breakers' but independent 'rule makers.'  It's our quest for freedom outlined in Genesis 3.  

There's a judgement which is made clear in Session Three.  At first in Psalm 2 God laughs at our rebellion but then he judges.  The autonomous creation can't be allowed to run riot.  The silver lining is that while there is no refuge from God's king there is the brilliant promise that those who seek refuge in God's King will be blessed.

After three weeks of spelling out the problem in Session Four we start to see some answers as we meet God's competent king Jesus.  We seek from Luke 8 that Jesus is competent to deal with sickness, weather, demon possession and even death.  But the question hangs how will Jesus deal with our problem of autonomy finally once and for all.  

Next comes a highlight of the course as we see Jesus dying on the cross.  With his last breaths Jesus promises the criminal hanging on the cross next to him 'Today you will be with me in paradise.'   How was this man who did no good work able to achieve heaven.  We see in Luke 23 that he reached out in dependent trust to Jesus.  The clear implication is that we should do the same.

Spectacularly, Introducing God climaxes with the resurrection of Jesus from Acts 2 in Session Six.  Peter says that while we were responsible for the death of Jesus, and that now 'God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.'  There's a call for us to put our trust in Jesus death for our wrong and also to start living with Jesus as our personal Lord.

Introducing God finishes in Revelation 21-22, the last pages of the Bible, with an amazing vision of heaven and God living in beautiful peace with his creation and his creatures.  We're offered again to drink without cost from the river of the water of life.

See also the Weekend Escape and Sexuality Appendix.