The following is an abbreviated summary of one of the main themes of the Bible, taking direct quotes and passages from the Bible as best as possible and arranging them in chronological order. It is my goal not to add or leave out important themes and historical events, but simply to provide a general understanding of God’s relationship with mankind and a glimpse into His kindness—saving mankind from our own sin and death. I have listed the chapters and books referenced below. Please know that it is a very serious task to relate the Bible in an abbreviated format and to persuade another person in spiritual matters so I would encourage you to study the Bible for yourself as well and ask God to show you His truth, this is just a helpful starting point.

Creation

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” But when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Therefore, sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind because all sinned. 

Jesus

Yet, God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us, providing a just way for God to forgive us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation (appeasement) by his blood, to be received by faith. For by grace we are saved through faith. And this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

Eternity

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. For God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

Then will come the end of sin and death, as revealed by God to the Apostle John: “Then I saw a great white throne and him (God) who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

And this is the judgment: the light (Jesus) has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. However, (in this lifetime), if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’”

Conclusion

Jesus once said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” This is the Gospel (the good news), that Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God. Now, the Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise (to bring about the end of the first heaven and earth) as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

(Quotes and excerpts taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Bible: Genesis 1-3, John 3, Romans 6, John 3, Romans 5, Colossians 2, Romans 3, Ephesians 2, Hebrews 9, Acts 2, Revelation 21, John 3, Romans 10, Revelation 22, Mark 1, 1 Peter 3, 2 Peter 3)