The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How it Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between

by Gregory Koukl; Nancy Pearcey

Publisher:

Zondervan

, 2017

Overview

Biblical Christianity is more than just another private religious view. It’s more than just a personal relationship with God or a source of moral teaching. Christianity is a picture of reality.

It explains why the world is the way it is. When the pieces of this puzzle are properly assembled, we see the big picture clearly. Christianity is a true story of how the world began, why the world is the way it is, what role humans play in the drama, and how all the plotlines of the story are resolved in the end.

In The Story of Reality, bestselling author and host of Stand to Reason, Gregory Koukl, explains the five words that form the narrative backbone of the Christian story. He identifies the most important things that happen in the story in the order they take place:

• God
• Man
• Jesus
• Cross
• Resurrection

If you are already a Christian, do you know and understand the biblical story? And for those still seeking answers to the questions of life, this is an invitation to hear a story that explains the world in a way nothing else will. This story can change your life forever.

Key Features

• Discusses Christianity as the story of how the world began, and why it became what it is
• Examines the Christian story through the basis of five key cornerstones

Contents

• Introduction: Reality
• Part One: God
• Part Two: Man
• Part Three: Jesus
• Part Four: Cross
• Part Five: Resurrection

Top Highlights

“But given a Godless, physical universe, the idea that things are not as they should be makes little sense. How can something go wrong when there was no right way for it to be in the first place?” (Page 35)

“As we will see, evil is not the problem for Christianity that people think it is because it is not foreign to the Story. It is central to it. It fits right in. In a certain sense, the entire Story is precisely about how the world went bad and how it gets fixed.” (Page 35)

“One of Francis Schaeffer’s most memorable sayings was that Christianity does not start with ‘Jesus saves you from your sins.’ It starts with ‘In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.’” (Page 13)

“There is a saying that has been helpful in some ways but I think is misleading in this regard. The saying goes, ‘God has a wonderful plan for your life.’ From what I understand now, that perspective is in the wrong order. The Story is not so much about God’s plan for your life as it is about your life for God’s plan. Let that sink in. God’s purposes are central, not yours. Once you are completely clear on this fact, many things are going to change for you.” (Page 44)

“What isn’t obvious is that nothing is really solved by getting rid of God, though that is the standard move at this point. I say this because removing God from the equation, though understandable, does nothing to eliminate the problem that caused someone to doubt God’s existence in the first place. God is gone, but the original problem remains. The world is still as broken. Atheism settles nothing on this matter.” (Page 35)

Praise for the Print Edition

I have known Greg Koukl for a quarter of a century as a smart, well-educated man of integrity with a tender heart for God. I’ve enjoyed his previous writings, but The Story of Reality is clearly his best and most important book to date. I couldn’t put it down. Koukl carries on a conversation with the reader, presenting the big elements of the Christian Story, providing reasons for believing the Story, and contrasting it, when appropriate, with alternative narratives. The book has a wonderful feel of authenticity. I highly recommend it for believers who want to be encouraged and instructed, and it’s an excellent give-away for an open unbeliever.

—J.P. Moreland, distinguished professor of philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

Greg has done us all a great service by giving a fresh answer to our oldest questions. In simple yet insightful and profound ways, The Story of Reality will help you understand all the “whys” that matter most to us. Whether you want to begin your own personal journey toward understanding or be sharpened in your ability to help others as they wrestle with timeless curiosities, your time in this book will serve you well.

—Todd Wagner, pastor, Watermark Church, Dallas, TX

Product Details

• Title: The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How it Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between
• Author: Gregory Koukl
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Publication Date: 2017
• Pages: 208
• Resource Type: Topical
• Topic: Christianity

About Gregory Koukl

Gregory Koukl holds MA degrees in both apologetics and philosophy. He’s spoken on over 70 university campuses and hosted his own radio talk show for 27 years defending “Christianity worth thinking about.” Greg is founder and president of Stand to Reason and serves as adjunct professor of Christian apologetics at Biola University.

Sample Pages from The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How it Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between