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GOD CENTERED

WORLD VIEW

WINTER 2013-14: Personal Study Guide Ed Stetzer General Editor Trevin Wax Managing Editor

THE GOSPEL PROJECT FOR STUDENTS

PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE, WINTER 2013-14 VOLUME 2, NUMBER 2 PRODUCTION AND MINISTRY TEAM VICE PRESIDENT, CHURCH RESOURCES: Eric Geiger GENERAL EDITOR: Ed Stetzer MANAGING EDITOR: Trevin Wax CONTENT EDITOR: Andy McLean DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY PUBLISHING: Jeff Pratt DIRECTOR, STUDENT MINISTRY: Ben Trueblood Send questions/comments to: Content Editor, The Gospel Project for Students Personal Study Guide, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0174, Or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com Printed in the United States of America

The Gospel Project for Students (ISSN 1939-0742; Item 005508013) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President. 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources. For ordering or inquiries, visit www.lifeway.com or write LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes, e-mail subscribe@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5818, or write to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, e-mail orderentry@lifeway.com, fax (615) 251-5933, or write to the above address. We believe that the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. To review LifeWays doctrinal guideline, please visit www.lifeway.com/doctrinalguideline. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved. Photos: iStockphoto and Getty Images

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UNIT 2

The Big Questions

EVERYONE EVERYWHERE WANTS THEIR LIVES to be lled with meaning. The grave thought that life entails absolute purposelessness would lead most to bitter despair. Yet how do we establish that our lives actually have meaning? Where do we get the grounding to establish meaning and/or purpose? A house needs a solid foundation in order for it to stand rm. When a person attempts to sell a house, they usually have trouble if the foundation is cracked or unstable. It is equally important to establish a foundation for the structural soundness of the belief that our individual lives have meaning and purpose. Jesus taught that a rm foundation is built on belief in God. He didnt teach this as one alternative to many others. He taught it as the only structurally sound option. Take a moment to read the parable of the two builders in Matthew7:24-27. How great a collapse we will experience when we try to live our lives on structurally unsound beliefs! Think of all the fruitless eorts of chasing after things we believe will give us meaning and purpose in life that will fail us due to faulty foundations. Think of the times that this chasing has caused us to hurt someone else during our pursuit. God is the grounding for meaning and purpose because He purposefully created us! God is the only trustworthy foundation because He is perfectly good. Remember the problem with the house foundation? It cannot be trusted if it is not perfectly good. The same thing is true for nding meaning and purpose somewhere outside of a perfectly good foundationit cannot be trusted. JESUS DESCRIBED A HOUSE BUILT ON THE ROCK VERSUS A HOUSE BUILT ON THE SAND. WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE? HOW DOES A FIRM FOUNDATION STABILIZE A STRUCTURE? HOW DOES A FIRM FOUNDATION IN GOD STABILIZE OUR BELIEF THAT OUR LIVES ARE INFUSED WITH MEANING AND PURPOSE?
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SESSION 6

DOES LIFE HAVE MEANING WITHOUT GOD?

he atheistic worldview puts forth a view of reality where things like meaning to life, salvation, and any notions of good and evil do not exist. It is a view of reality that has humans being cosmic accidents in a universe of pitiless indifference. It is the inevitable view of a universe that is void of the Creator, or life apart from God. If God is not present, then life is meaningless, void of any real source of meaning. Of course, that is not to say that atheists and others live as though there is no meaning to lifecertainly they do. However, their living is inconsistent with their worldview on this point. Solomon wrote about this in Ecclesiastes. And as Solomon looked for purpose and meaning in a world void of God, he concluded that life is meaninglessthat is, if there is no God. Solomon then goes on to show how the biblical worldview, life under heaven, sheds light on the fact that it is only through Gods existence that life can have true meaning and purpose. This week we will answer the skeptic who believes that life can have ultimate meaning apart from God. We will also show why the death and resurrection of Jesus is necessary for redemption, forgiveness, and meaning in this life. This study is for those who have struggled with or know others struggling with the question of Gods existence and our purpose in this world.

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READY YOUR HEART

JUSTICE BELONGS TO THE LORD

Ecclesiastes 3:16-20 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED how depressing the news can be? It seems as though almost every time we turn on the TV, read a newspaper, or log onto social media we are confronted with some form of devastating news. And most of the time the news is related to how we, as human beings, have treated, or rather mistreated, one another. There are stories of mass destruction and bombings from terrorists. Genocide and gendercide have been used by those in power to accomplish their evil purposes with no regard for the value of people made in the image of God. Or what about the countless babies around the world who are aborted every day? Those persons have no voice with which to cry out for help. It can be very painful to live in a world where so much hurt takes place. And it most certainly would seem meaningless if the victims of such evil received no justice. Unfortunately, our world is broken because of sin and too often we see that justice does not always prevail. The culprit is not caught or the act goes unpunished. It would seem as though sometimes there are no consequences for wicked actions and therefore it does not matter if you choose good or evil. If that were the case, our world would be a very sad place to live if God did not exist. Thankfully, Gods existence gives us the assurance that our lives do have a purpose and that our actions do matter. We desire that justice be administered because we serve a God who always does what is good and right. Therefore, we should be encouraged to live in such a way that honors God. And let us rest in the truth that one day He will set all things right.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Explain how God will ultimately bring justice to all the evil committed. (Hint: see Matthew 25: 31-46) Why should we live in such a way that our actions do matter? How can God use the evil actions of others for good? (See Genesis 50:20)

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READY YOUR HEART

EVIL DEEDS AND A GOOD GOD

Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun. A FEW YEARS AGO my husband and I visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. If you have ever been then you know of the intense imagery that surrounds you as you tour the museum. Piles of shoes, glasses, clothes, and other personal items give you a glimpse into the immense tragedy of this horrid event. Pictures and stories of those in concentration camps can be quite overwhelming as you begin to grasp the intense evil of the holocaust. Now, imagine you have traveled back in time to Nazi Germany. The year is 1941 and you are living in one of the worst concentration camps during that timeAuschwitz. All around you is the smell, sight, and fear of death. Here you are in the heart of the Holocaust where the presence of evil is so prevalent you are stricken with terror. During your time there you witness over one million people being killed because they were hated for their race, religious beliefs, or even their physical appearance. Witnessing the extent of such evil may bring some to question the existence of God. Even though we are not rst hand witnesses of the holocaust, evil is still present today. And the presence of evil does not disprove Gods existence. On the contrary, it strengthens the truth that God is real. If evil exists then good must also exist because evil is the absence of goodness. And if goodness exists, it must be grounded in the absolute goodness and character of God Sadly, evil is here on earth because through sin we have rejected the goodness of God. Yet, we can rejoice that we serve a God who is good and who, through His mercy, provided a way for evil to be destroyed once and for all. Though evil may prevail for a time, take refuge in Jesus, who promises that one day he will wipe away every tear (Rev. 21:4).

PAUSE AND REFLECT

Why do you think people may use evil to disprove God? Why does this not work? How does Jesus bring hope to the evil we face today? Explain how you could encourage someone to trust in Jesus even in the midst of a tragedy.

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OUR MEANING AND MISSION THROUGH JESUS

1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testied about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. WHEN I WAS A FIRST YEAR COLLEGE STUDENT, I really began to question my purpose on this earth. Here I was thrown into this world of academia where I was pressured to immediately declare a major that would direct the next 4 years of my life and perhaps even the years to come. Ive always wanted to live a life of purpose and meaning, but I often struggled with what exactly that would look like. And isnt college where you are to announce who you are and what your purpose on this earth will be? Eventually, I chose a major. However, I continued to wrestle with the question, What am I going to do with my life that will bring worth and purpose to my existence? It wasnt until my junior year that I began to understand the truth that my worth and purpose are not found in my major or occupation. Instead, I came to realize that my value and reason for existence is directly connected to who I am in Jesus. Unfortunately, for some people, they do not feel as though their lives really matter. They see life as just a series of events that take place which eventually lead to death. Thankfully though, our lives hold value and meaning because we have been created for a specic purpose. You see, our value and purpose are not found in our occupations, looks, income, popularity, etc. Rather, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is what brings value and purpose to our lives. God gave us value and worth when He chose to redeem us from death and sin. He counted us to be incredibly precious when He sacriced His one and only Son for our sakes. And because of Jesus, our lives have also been given a worthy purpose. Now we understand that our mission is to make much of Jesus as we proclaim Him to be our greatest treasure.

PAUSE AND REFLECT

When was a time you have struggled to nd your purpose? Explain how the death and resurrection of Jesus holds the ultimate hope for our value and purpose. How might you offer encouragement to someone who feels their life has no worth or meaning?

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Apart from God...

If you give it some thought, you will come to realize that life can have no ultimate meaning apart from God. Also, Gods existence is necessary for things like justice and good and evil to exist as well. Well explore some of these issues here, while also show why the death and resurrection of Jesus is necessary for redemption, forgiveness, and meaning in this life.

There is No Justice.
Without justice from God, mankinds actions couldnt be considered as better or worse than those of the beasts.

If life ends at the grave, then it makes no difference whether one has lived as a Stalin or as a saint. Since ones destiny is ultimately unrelated to ones behavior, you may as well just live as you please.

William Lane Craig

 Have you ever considered the implications of a universe that is void of God? What would that look like?

If God ultimately judges human beings, it means that humans are the sort of thing that is worthy of being judged. The idea of judgment assumes that people are responsible and important, that their actions have real consequences. We reect this idea through our court systems. People are brought to trial because it is assumed they are capable and responsible for their actions.

There is No Good or Evil.

Removing God as Creator not only removes ultimate meaning and purpose from which mankind derives values, but it also entails removal of the grounding for what we call evil.
If there is no God, then the great evils that we nd objectionable are just the way the world is under the sun. In what ways does believing in God provide us with the tools to distinguish right from wrong?  How do you think Christianity provides help and purpose to those who are suffering under the hands of unjust people?

William Lane Craig

What is true of the universe and of the human race is also true of us as individuals. If God does not exist, then you are just a miscarriage of nature, thrust into a purposeless universe to live a purposeless life.

As Solomon rightly notes, in a universe void of God, there is no authority for establishing what is good and evil. Those with power do as they please. C. S. Lewis, who was once an atheist because he believed the universe to be cruel and unjust, came to realize this over time. He realized that the existence of good and evil was pointing toward God, not away from Him.

H  ow could you describe the importance of the existence of God as a basis for meaning and purpose to someone who thinks life has meaning without God?

There is No Meaning to Life.

One of the most important ways God has communicated that human life has meaning, value, and purpose was through the work of Jesus in His death and resurrection. If we lived in a universe void of a savior, the result would be no possibility of redemption. Without the resurrection of Jesus as an actual event of history, we have no Redeemer of our sins. There is no place to ground real redemption.

 When we hurt people, destroy lives, inict pain, we carry these sins with us the rest of our lives. Then we die. In a hopeless universe like this, our situation would be total despair.
Being the creation of God means that you and I were intentionally made; we each have purpose. The worth of a human is shown beautifully through Jesus teaching. He described the Creator of the Universethe kind of being who can make stars powerful like our sunas knowing the number of hairs on your head.  How does the caring nature of God impact the way we think about our mission as Christians? In what ways does our view of human value reinforce our efforts to share the gospel?

Conclusion

Ideas have consequences! According to an atheistic worldview, there is no ultimate meaning or value to life and that people are merely seen as collections of atoms in a vast universe that displays pitiless indifference to what happens to them. However, for the Christian worldview, creation is intentional, not accidental. Life displays meaning and purpose because life was intentionally designed by God, who created man in His image. Why is it impossible to pursue meaning in life apart from God?

ENCORE

DOES LIFE HAVE MEANING WITHOUT GOD? Apart from God...

1. THERE IS NO JUSTICE (ECCL. 3:16-20).

by Mary Jo Sharp

King Solomon was considered to be one of the wisest of all men in history. Because of his great wisdom, Solomon knew that apart from God, all human wisdom and eort is meaningless. As Solomon looked for meaning in the world, he considered how people treated one another. He imagined a world without Gods justice in the afterlife. Without justice from God, mankinds actions couldnt be considered as better or worse than those of the beasts. Solomons reasoning for this conclusion was because in the end we would all go to the same end: death, and the end of our existence (v. 20). As Christian philosopher William Lane Craig notes, If life ends at the grave, then it makes no dierence whether one has lived as a Stalin or as a saint. Since ones destiny is ultimately unrelated to ones behavior, you may as well just live as you please. However, if God ultimately judges human beings, it means that humans are the sort of thing that is worthy of being judged. The idea of judgment assumes that people are responsible and important, that their actions have real consequences. We reect this idea through our court systems. People are brought to trial because it is assumed they are capable and responsible for their actions. Therefore, they are judged accordingly. Conversely, the absence of Gods judgment upon mankind would suggest that we are not responsible beings, no more responsible than animals. We could injure and murder or nurture and love, but in the end nothing would be of any consequence. Solomon described that situation as vanities of vanities. This is because if there is no judgment for humanity, then his life is of no consequence and further of no meaning. 2. THERE IS NO GOOD OR EVIL (ECCL. 4:1-3). Removing God as Creator not only removes ultimate meaning and purpose from which mankind derives values, but it also entails removal of the grounding for what we call evil. Evil becomes just a part of everything under the sun. In a universe void of God, there is no authority for establishing what is good and evil. Those with power do as they please. Solomons conclusion was that it would be better to never exist in a world without God due to the amount of evil and suering under the sun! For him, there is so much oppression in this world that a person would question whether or not it was better to exist if this is all there is. C. S. Lewis was once an atheist because he believed the universe to be cruel and unjust. But over time, he realized that the existence of good and evil was pointing toward God, not away from Him. Lewis wrote: How had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust? If the whole show was bad and senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be part of the show, nd myself in such violent reaction against it? A man feels wet when he falls into water, because man is not a water animal: a sh would not feel wet. Of course I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that, then my argument against God collapsed toofor the argument depended on saying that the world was really unjust, not simply that it did not happen to please my fancies. Thus in the very act of trying to
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ENCORE

prove that God did not existin other words, that the whole of reality was senselessI found I was forced to assume that one part of realitynamely my idea of justicewas full of sense. Consequently atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be a word without meaning. 3. THERE IS NO MEANING TO LIFE (1 COR. 15:12-19). One of the most important ways God has communicated that human life has meaning, value, and purpose was through the work of Jesus in His death and resurrection. Paul emphasized the connection between an actual resurrection, faith in God, and forgiveness of sin. He began by saying that if there is no actual resurrection of the dead, then the faith weve placed in Jesus is useless. Some translations say that your faith is in vain. Remember Solomons ndings on the meaning of life if there is no God? He found all to be in vain, vanity of vanities. In a similar thought, if there is no resurrection of the dead, then our hope in Jesus is just vanity of vanitiesmeaningless. Notice the importance the apostle Paul placed on the absolute reality of the resurrection. Jesus must have actually risen from the dead for our faith to be worth anything. Why? The object of our faith must be worthy of that faith. For example, it wouldnt make much sense for me to place my faith in a chair with broken legs, no matter how much I wished it to be worthy of my faith. The reality is that if the chair is not worthy, I cannot trust it to hold me up. So if Jesus didnt actually rise from the dead, then He is not worthy of our trust. Interestingly enough, Paul not only emphasized the reality of Jesus historical resurrection, but he also focused on what the resurrection means for humankind. Paul explained that if Christ hasnt been raised from the dead, we are still in our sins. This is the reality we must face in a universe void of a savior: no possibility of redemption. Without the resurrection of Jesus as an actual event of history, we have no Redeemer of our sins. The source of the redemption is found in the historical resurrection of Jesus. Instead of leaving us to our fate of death and destruction, instead of declaring us a cosmic orphan, God redeems His good creation because it has value. This is not value that can obtain by accidently arising out of a purposeless universe. Being the creation of God means that you and I were intentionally made; we each have purpose. CONCLUSION If all is meaninglessness, nothing has meaningneither our sin, nor our own lives. Its a double standard to want your life to be infused with meaning and purpose but want your sin to be meaningless and insignicant. If it is true that we have meaning and purpose, then so do our thoughts and actions. These are vastly dierent worldviews that have far reaching implications for how we understand and live our lives. If there is no God, I am an accident of the universe and my creation has no reason. But because God does exist and created me in His image, then I am no accident and my creation does have reason. I have to accept these basic tenets in order to properly consider both views and what they mean for life. Yet it should be noted that only the personal Creator worldview ts with the understanding that humans have value, meaning, and purpose and should be treated as such.
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