This Bible devotional series, which I am using this summer with the students participating in our weekly Redemption group at our church, uses “The Redemption Bible” – the complete collection of all the unique Redemption cards in the game (not every version of every unique card, just at least one version) that I have acquired over the 2 years I have been playing. This collection, much of which I have purchased but a large portion due to the very generous donations of other Redemption players, is arranged in in Bible book and verse order! So you can “read” it just like an illustrated Bible, card by card from Genesis to Revelation! (Yes, I’m sure you’re now wondering “How long did that take?” and the answer is – you don’t want to know! But this project has been a long time coming, so don’t worry, I didn’t do it all at once! 🙂 )

For this devotional series, we will be comparing various Bible characters to either fallen-and-redeemed humans or to Jesus. The characters who though being in right relationship with God nevertheless demonstrate our sinful nature well, we will refer to as “Christian-like”, while other characters, while were human and thus had sinful natures, are nevertheless very Christ-like in what God shares about them in His Word. Let’s use The Redemption Bible to learn more about ourselves, and more importantly, about Jesus, through studying God’s Word!

1) The “Christian-Likeness” of Adam & Eve

Adam and Eve are simultaneously among the most famous Bible characters and the most infamous. About 6,000 years ago, when the “I Am Creator” God accomplished in six days the Creation of the World, everything He had created was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). There was no sin, and thus there was no death or suffering for anything in physical universe. The pinnacle of God’s handiwork was human beings, Adam and Eve, who differed from God’s Animals and the rest of the creation in that they were uniquely created in God’s image and so capable of having a personal relationship with God. All human beings are made in God’s image, and this gives us inherent worth and dignity, as well as shows us our ultimate purpose for our existence – to live in right relationship with our loving Creator!

In the Covenant of Eden that God established with Adam and Eve, He commanded them to obey His one rule: do not eat from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden, for if they sinned, they would die. God did not want them to die, but He gave them the choice, as having free will is part of being made in God’s image and necessary for having a true loving relationship. But deceived by The Serpent and enticed by sin, Eve ate of the Forbidden Fruit and her husband Adam did as well, and suddenly everything changed. The state of human nature and the creation became fallen.

Just like all human beings are made in God’s image, as the first humans Adam and Eve were, so do all now share in the sinful nature of Adam and Eve and likewise face The Wages of Sin: death and all the pain and brokenness of life in this fallen world.

Amazingly, God, who because of the fact that He alone can say “I Am Mercy”, “I Am Grace”, and “I Am Salvation”, covered Adam and Eve’s original sin, providing garments for them to wear at the expense of a sacrificed animal which symbolized the true covering for sin that all humans need: the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on our behalf. Eve’s Descendant was promised in Genesis 3:15 to one day crush the head of the serpent, undoing the curse begun at the Fall and bringing redemption to the lost. The Covenant with Adam and its Flaming Sword keeping us out of God’s full presence were established not because God wanted to be separated from us, but because we had chosen separation from Him and He who alone can proclaim “I Am Holy” cannot coexist with sin due to also owning the identity of “I Am Justice”.

Though we are completely undeserving, the “I Am Love” God made a way for us to be born again by receiving the free gift of His grace offered only through the Cross of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. He offers all to exchange our sins for His righteousness so that we can forever be restored unto that original right relationship with God, if only we will receive His free gift of grace through Faith with Repentance. Praise the Lord!

To buy singles, sealed product, and other gaming supplies, please visit Three Lions Gaming!

By Jesse F

Jesse has been playing Redemption since 2013, and has come to love this game that is centered on Who he loves most- the triune God: God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit! Being privileged to learn the game from fellow church-members, including Gabe Isbell, he still has a ways to go in learning the game but is excited to be growing! Jesse currently helps support the players of his and Gabe's church in North Liberty (IA), where he has been a youth minister since 2014. Jesse intends to enjoy, contribute to, and use the game of Redemption both for Christian fellowship and as outreach to non-believers. His prayer is that God will be greatly loved through this great game!