Pastor's Blog

“Mary, did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?” Mark Lowry, writer of this popular Christmas song sings, “Did you know that your baby boy is heavens perfect Lamb? This sleeping child you’re holding is the great I Am.” Many who greet others with Merry Christmas truly know very little about the Christ of Christmas. They don’t understand this emphasis on the Incarnation of Christ. What a thought that Christ, the Second Person of the Godhead, would condescend to take upon Himself humanity! Christ, without relinquishing His deity, added humanity to become the God-Man. This is an astounding doctrine and one on which our redemption hangs. The crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and second coming of Christ cannot be rightly understood without a proper understanding of the incarnation.
In the early ages of the church there was much arguing and false teaching concerning the person and work of Christ. With the eternal destiny of souls weighing in the balance one should expect such confusion being spread by Satan. There were the Ebionites who said He was just a man, and the Gnostics who claimed that Christ was a spirit who descended upon the man Jesus at baptism and left him at the cross. Then there were the Arians who denied the deity of Christ, saying that He was a son of God, much like the Mormons of our day believe.
New Testament Apostles, such as John and Paul, defended the truth of the humanity and deity of Christ against the Gnostics of their time. The heresies of our day resemble those of old. The Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus was Michael the Archangel before becoming man while Mormons teach that Jesus and Lucifer were brothers. The Christian Science religion denies the incarnation of Christ while the blasphemous liberals of The Jesus Seminar teach that Jesus was only a mortal man born of human parents. Islam holds that He was a prophet, born of a virgin, but not God incarnate. Others acknowledge Him as the Son of God but know little more than that basic fact.
On October 8, 451 AD over five hundred bishops and theologians gathered in Chalcedon, near modern day Istanbul, Turkey, to hammer out a creed defining the church’s position on the Incarnation of Christ. They affirmed the following: “In the one person Jesus Christ there are two natures, a human nature and a divine nature, and these two natures are indissolubly united. They represent Jesus Christ as a single undivided personality in whom these two natures are vitally and inseparably united, so that he is properly, not God and man, but the God-Man.”

John (1:14) says, And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. The scriptures made plain that Christ was both God and man possessing all the attributes of both. Theissen in his Systematic Theology states that “Christ has an infinite intelligence and will and a finite intelligence and will. He had a Divine consciousness and a human consciousness.” Paul succinctly stated in I Timothy 3:16, and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh. The writer of Hebrews (2:17-18) reveals that in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren,… to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Again Paul says for there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (I Timothy 2:5)
It was imperative for Christ to assume a human body so that He could redeem fallen man. Here we have the sinless Son of God coming to redeem (rescue) the fallen sons of Adam. The Heidelberg catechism asks:
Why must he be a true and sinless man? Then answers: Because the justice of God requires that the same human nature which had sinned should make satisfaction for sin; but no man being himself a sinner could satisfy for others.

Hebrews speaks of Christ, made like unto his brethren (man), so that He could make reconciliation on our behalf. Paul reveals in Romans that man in his lost condition is an enemy of God. When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son (5:10). Reconciliation is the removal of God’s wrath toward man. Christ in the incarnation assumed a human body so that He could die in our stead, in our place, and satisfy the wrath of holy God.
Most people remember the story of Baby Jessica in 1987. Eighteen month old Jessica was playing with other children in the backyard of her aunt’s house in Midland, Texas. Cissy McClure who had been watching the children went into the house to answer the phone. When she returned the children were looking down an old abandoned well. Jessica had fallen into the well pipe that measured only eight inches wide. Little Jessica trapped twenty-two feet below was calling out to her mother. It took over two days for rescuers to drill a parallel hole to reach the toddler.
The rescue of Baby Jessica was an amazing feat, but nothing to compare to the rescue mission of Jesus Christ for lost humanity. He too went a long way down to secure our reconciliation to the Father. The distance spoken of is described in Philippians 2:7-8. It is important that we remember that He is both God and man, the unique God-Man. John spoke of Christ as the only begotten of the Father (1:14). Begotten speaks of Him as the sole representative of the Being and character of God. He did not divest Himself of His divinity when He assumed humanity.
Christ never had a beginning. He has always co-existed with The Father and The Spirit as the Second Person of the Godhead. This truth is intimated from the earliest pages of Holy Writ in the statement let us make man in our image (Genesis 1:26). The concept of a substitute to atone for sin is presented by God providing coats of skins to cover Adam and Eve. The idea is expanded in the Passover where a spotless lamb was sacrificed. The blood applied to doorposts protected the occupants within from the wrath of the angel passing over that night. The Old Testament types and teachings are brought into focus in Isaiah’s revelation of Jehovah’s suffering Servant (Isaiah 53). The New Testament Epistle of Galatians reveals that when the fullness of the time was come, God sent froth his Son, made of a woman…to redeem them that under the law (4:4-5). Jesus Christ, as the God Man, fulfilled the conditions to be our substitute. As complete man he could take our place even though He had not personally sinned. As God, He could satisfy the righteous demands of Gods holiness.
Neither was He only partially human. Hebrews says that we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (4:15). As man Jesus knew what it was to be tempted, but He never succumbed to temptation nor sinned. John said in him is no sin (I John 3:5, and Paul states for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin (I Corinthians 5:21).
Obviously we have only touched on this wonderful doctrine, but I hope this whets your appetite to dig deeper into the Incarnation of Christ this Christmas season. By no means do we pretend to fathom this great truth, but wholeheartedly agree with Paul in I Timothy 3:16. Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh.

Everyone is talking about love. It is the theme of many a song. The old Beatle’s ballad says “All You Need Is Love.” But love seems to have fallen on hard times. It sounds good in songs and plays well in the movies, but it seems to have lost its endurance. How can something so inspiring at the outset become so devastating to many in just a few years? It starts full of hope with the giving and receiving of rings, that piece of circular metal, which is symbolic of an unending relationship. Beside this golden ring is another garnered with a diamond, the hardest of stones speaking of that which is enduring, rugged and resilient. Couple these symbols of love with the vows verbalized before both God and witnesses. One would assume that the problem didn’t lie in intentions.
Most of those who assemble at the marriage altar intend it to be “till death do us part.” So then, from whence comes the break, the disillusionment and the pulling apart. What was it that shattered this vessel of love, spilling and spoiling all the hopes, emotions and dreams called love. Is true love that fleeting and flimsy? Is love nothing more than feelings for the moment? Was it meant to be here today and gone tomorrow? Absolutely not!
Real love is enduring. It is not just for the moment. To understand this kind of love we look to the author of love. Jesus said that God is love and that God so loved the world that He gave. Through the example of God we begin to glean an understanding of the basic tenet of love. Love first and foremost is about giving. Most of the songs and script of our culture depicts love as getting. What’s in it for me? Dr. Dorothy Tennove, psychologist, speaks of the emotions and euphoria of “falling” in love. She said that the average life span of a romantic obsession is two years, after which we usually descend from the clouds and come back to earth again. Psychologist Scott Peck carries the idea further by stating that the in-love experience should not be called love at all. He gives three reasons why the “falling in love” experience is not real love. “First, falling in love is not an act of the will or a conscious choice.” He explains that one cannot just make this experience happen at will. Secondly, “falling in love is not real love because it is effortless. Whatever we do in the in-love state requires little discipline on our part.” In other words, our strong emotions during this period motivate us to do outlandish things for each other. Thirdly, “one who is in love is not genuinely interested in fostering the personal growth of the other person.” The “in love” experience gives the idea that one has arrived and does not need further growth. Gary Chapman rightly summarizes that this “falling in love” experience catapults us into an emotional orbit unlike any thing we have ever experienced. Think about this. Real love cannot begin until this emotional “in love” experience finishes running its course. Real love brings together reason and emotion. Real love requires discipline and the desire to give and invest in the other person.
Real and lasting love begins with a commitment. It is based upon giving rather than just receiving. Feelings are fleeting. They come and go. Real love is lasting. Max Lucado shares that the deepest love is built not on romance but on a common mission and sacrifice.
The greatest example of love is found in John 3:16.The greatest definition of love is found in I Corinthians 13:4 and following. Allow me to paraphrase by saying that real love is long suffering, patient and kind. It is not envious nor self-boasting. Real love is not rude, self-seeking, nor insists on having its own way. It does not calculate and keep track of wrongs. Real love never fails.
Jesus died on the cross to pay our sin debt because He loved us. The Bible makes it plain that we love Him (after we are saved) because He first loved us. Obviously one cannot understand nor practice the love revealed in I Corinthians 13 until he or she is truly born again by the grace of God. Only a Christian, walking in the Spirit, and following the words of Christ can give and experience the love spoken of in I Corinthians 13. There is a real love and it begins with giving.

Gary Chapman, The Five Love Languages (Chicago: Northfield Publishers, 1995), p.33.
Max Lucado, No Wonder They Call Him Savior ( Multnomah Press, 1986), p.41

Once again the Gospel message has come under attack. A two front assault has been launched in the forms of universalism and annhilationism (or some refer to the latter as conditionalism.) Rob Bell’s Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived attempts to make the case for a form of universalism (the view that sinners will have another chance to turn to Christ after death). Then Edward Fudge comes out with the third edition of his book The Fire that Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of the Doctrine of Final Punishment. Fudge refers to himself as a “conditionalist”, one who believes that immortality is given by God only to the redeemed. At death the lost person, not being granted immortality, will be annihilated by the fires of hell once and for all. Both of these men call into question the character of God if eternal punishment is true. In an interview in Christian Post.com Edward Fudge said, “I believe the traditional view (ie: everlasting punishment in Hell) is a horrible scandal against the character of God himself.” Clark Pinnock, past professor at McMaster Divinity College in Canada said, “How can Christianity possibly project a deity of such cruelty and vindictiveness whose ways include inflicting everlasting torture upon his creatures, however sinful they may have been? Surely a God who would do such a thing is more nearly like Satan than like God.” (p.392, vol.4, Geisler’s Systematic Theology)

In considering these challenges to the Gospel, we first look at the justice of God in the eternal punishment of the wicked. In considering the punishment of the wicked, several things must be considered: the extent, motive and responsibility of the guilty party. Did the sinner commit the transgression against light? Was the sin committed with knowledge or was it executed in total ignorance of the laws and expectations of God? Is man nothing but a brute beast acting only upon impulse without any moral compass within? Quite to the contrary, man knows right from wrong with basic moral law stamped upon his conscience. The starry heavens witness to a transcendent Creator that will one day call His creatures to account. After general revelation in creation, special revelation available in the Bible is available to most who would bother to seek it out. Man cannot plead ignorance. Never in history has the Bible been more available to more people through more means of delivery than in our generation. Ignorance of God’s law and expectations are without excuse.
Keep in mind that not all sin is equal in its motive and extent. Cain deprived his brother a posterity, which in turn deprived them of life and the opportunity to know and serve God. This was a sin against God and Abel, who was created in the image of God. Cain’s sin was a strike against God in attempting to thwart God’s will and deny Him the worship of His creatures. This was a sin of incalculable magnitude. Add to that the intimate knowledge that Cain possessed of God and to simply annihilate Cain is not a just recompense for his rebellious transgression.

God is a great God – Great in His creative ability but also great in His character and person. By and large our society has a low and insufficient view of God. Both Isaiah and Peter were left stunned in the presence of God, declaring their sinfulness. This great Creator transcends all His creation. He is high and lifted up. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. Man grapples with what is true, just and right. Yet God is truth. He is the standard.
Man’s judgment becomes conflicted by his passions or feelings. Sin has poisoned our minds. We cannot think nor reason clearly about that for which we have such a fondness. Jonathan Edwards reasoned that God’s mercy is not an emotion that overcomes His justice. If that were the case, it would render God weak and inconsistent within Himself. In describing the doctrine of the impassibility of God, Norman Geisler said, “God cannot undergo passion or suffering; nothing in the created universe can make God feel pain or inflict misery on Him. This does not mean that God has no feelings, but …His feelings are not the results of actions imposed on Him by others.” A.H. Strong states that “the penalties God inflicts upon transgression are not vindictive but vindicative.”
The extent of judgment must be weighed against the offer of reconciliation and redemption available to the offender. The holiness of God demanded a high price for the redemption of fallen man. Nothing less than the death of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, would be required to pay this sin debt. One must consider that God did not withhold His only begotten Son to die upon the cross and to give His life a ransom for us.
Some who hold to annihilation would argue the necessity of Christ suffering eternally, if the sinner suffers so, to atone and pay the sinners debt. But this is where they confuse the value and extent of the payment made by the Son of God. Christ is not a mere human, but rather the God-Man.
These aberrant views are nothing new. In the early 1900’s, Augustus Strong in his Systematic Theology, stated “the modern tendency to confound holiness with love shows itself in the merging of justice and righteousness in mere benevolence.” He goes on to say that ‘justice and righteousness are revelations of the inmost nature of God.”
Paul said, To declare, [I say], at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Here is stated the gospel truth that God could maintain His holiness and at the same time justify the sinner through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ His Son. The Psalmist said mercy and truth are met together (85:10). The sacrifice of Christ on the cross to pay the debt of sinners and the offer of forgiveness to all who will repent and trust Christ have to be taken into account when considering the justice of God in punishing the wicked who refuse His offer.

One must consider the teaching of the degrees of punishment revealed by Christ in Luke 12:48: But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few [stripes]. As illustrated earlier all sin is not the same in motive or extent. How can one reconcile annihilation with degrees of punishment as taught by Christ? Jesus said in Matthew 11:22 that it would be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the Day of Judgment than for the inhabitants of Chorazin. Annihilation of the wicked seems to perpetuate rebellion. The rebel who fomented insurrection against the King is exterminated, but is that a just sentence against one who challenged the goodness of The Almighty? Questioning the veracity and goodness of God were the primal sins committed in the Garden of Eden. Annihilation seems to mute the question, whereas everlasting separation from God (the second death) grants what the rebel sought all along.
The Bible seems to be plain concerning the extent of Hell. Matthew 25:41 speaks of everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. It is interesting that Edward Fudge believes that neither demons nor Satan are immortal and will be annihilated. Revelation 20:10 says, the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. The language of this passage clearly reveals hell to be everlasting in extent. One should note that both the “beast and false prophet” spoken of here are men who were confined to the lake of fire and brimstone one thousand years before Satan was placed there (compare Rev. 19:20).
Isaiah 66:24 says, And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched. Jesus referenced this passage in Mark 9:44. Luke 16 says in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, which surely does not support annihilationism. Jude spoke of Sodom and Gomorrah being set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 1:7). Again Jude speaks of fallen angels who are in everlasting chains awaiting the coming judgment (1:6) and in verse thirteen he speaks of the blackness of darkness for ever.

The Bible is plain that the judgment of God meted out to unrepentant and unbelieving sinners is both just, based on degrees and everlasting. Furthermore, for God to annihilate the unbeliever would be to deny him true “free will”. Man cannot be considered truly free in his moral decisions if he knows that extermination awaits those who refuse to follow God. But by allowing the unbeliever to exist, albeit in Hell forever, God affirms the intrinsic value of personhood. A.H. Strong quotes W.E. Forster saying that he would rather be damned than annihilated. Annihilation is wrong in the sense that it says I will allow you to exist only if you do what I say. C.S. Lewis said hell is like a great divorce, an eternal separation of the sinner from God.

He was handsome, courageous, daring, romantic, smart and spiritual. Renown as Israel’s greatest king, no enemy could stand before him. As a young man fleeing the deranged Saul, he was invincible. Beyond question the providential hand of God was upon him. David acquired all the riches that a man could desire. As he walked with God, success seemed to come in every venture. As Israel’s enemies were subdued and peace and prosperity enveloped the land, the glory of the king abounded. Yet for all the prestige, prosperity and power, a shadow of failure loomed over this king. His family, in particular his children, were his weak link. In working so hard to succeed in the highest office in the land he had failed in one of the greatest responsibilities of a man.
God has bestowed honor upon mankind by allowing him the privilege to bring children into the world. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth (Genesis 1:28). Angels can’t propagate after “their kind” but man can. However the biological aspects are just the beginning. Once we bring offspring into this world the lifelong responsibility of fatherhood begins. Since we are made in the image of God we are called upon to reflect that image to our children. The father is to exhibit daily the character traits of strength, love, mercy, justice, righteousness, and compassion. Some of a child’s earliest developmental concepts of God come from his father. The seriousness of a father’s responsibilities is highlighted by the word father being mentioned 979 times in the Bible.
I would never question David’s love for his children, but he loved them as many modern fathers love their children- in word more than in action. David’s parental failures began soon after a moral failure in his own life. II Samuel 11 records the sordid adulterous relationship between David and Bathsheba. Some months afterward, David was confronted by the prophet Nathan and he sincerely repented. Though forgiven, this sin seemed to impede David’s ability to properly direct and discipline his children in moral areas. The devil never lost any time in seeking to exploit this weakness in David’s life. Amnon was the King’s oldest son, and as such was in line to become the future king. But the day came when this young man defiled his half-sister Tamar. Now Amnon and Tamar had the same father, but different mothers. David became very angry when he found out what his son Amnon had done, but that was the end. David didn’t discipline Amnon in any way. What did this say to his daughter? Her father should have defended her virtue and good name. What did this say to Tamar’s brother, Absalom, David’s other son? Did it seem that David loved Amnon more than his side of the family? Did his dad approve of Amnon’s conduct? David’s inability to deal adequately with his son’s awful behavior goes back to own adultery and complicity in murder, concerning the death of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah. As William Scroggie aptly stated, Our past is not done with us when we have repented of it, and have been forgiven.

Sorrow tracketh wrong
As echo follows song
On, on, on, on.

David could not bring himself to pronounce judgment upon his son, when judgment by the state had not been meted out to him, the king of Israel.
Absalom, due to the inaction of his father, took matters of vengeance into his own hands. He plotted the death of his half-brother and summoned his servants to carry out the ghastly deed at a party. Afterward Absalom fled to his mother’s home country. David’s inaction concerning Amnon’s sin eventually occasioned the young man’s death. Now the King was following the same path with his other errant son. Absalom spent three years in self-imposed exile. The Bible reveals that David mourned for Absalom and longed to go to him, but did nothing. These thoughts may have run through Absalom’s mind… “Does dad not care about me? Does he not want me to come home?” Absalom knew that David had a name for loving God, but what David professed was not lining up with how he was acting. Some people mistakenly believe that by doing nothing the problem will eventually go away. It will not.
David waited too long to seek reconciliation with his son. Absalom grew bitter and sought for revenge. From his viewpoint his dad had humiliated him, his sister and mother by not dealing with Amnon. If the truth be told, Absalom was just as guilty as his dad, but bitterness and anger have a way of blinding one to his own sin. In time, through the mediation of General Joab, Absalom was allowed to return to his house, but he was not permitted to visit his father. This only added insult to injury. David’s pride got in the way of a much needed reunion with his son.
Absalom threw down the gauntlet by saying “If there be iniquity in me, let him kill me (II Samuel 14:32). Absalom was crying out to be received back by his dad. A son or daughter can be longing for a father’s attention even though they’re behaving in a rebellious manner. David had a problem with Absalom, but he didn’t realize how much larger that problem was going to grow. Absalom began to plot the overthrow of his father’s kingdom. The respect and love that he once had for his father was now gone. Don’t wait too long to repair a broken relationship with your family members. Waiting too long can be interpreted by a hurt son or daughter as, “I don’t love you,” or “I don’t care about you.”
II Samuel 18 records one of the saddest stories in the Bible. Upon news of Absalom’s insurrection David fled the capital city. Within short order Absalom’s men were fighting and pursuing the King. The rebellion promptly ended with the death of Absalom at the hands of Joab. Can you see David, the broken father as he ascends the steps over the gate into a private room to mourn? He weeps as he goes, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! If he had only wept, prayed and sought to set things right between him and his son a few years earlier.
Don’t misunderstand- there are no perfect fathers, but we must work to build relationships with our children. It is one thing to tell children how to behave, but quite another to model good behavior before them. In a great testimonial to Abraham, God said, For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD (Genesis 18:19).

“Thy will be done” is the powerful excerpt from the model prayer given by Jesus to His disciples in Matthew 6:10.  After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Is that your ambition in life?  Do you seek for His will to be carried out in your life?

Many people have thought, if not asked the following questions: Why does God let people die?  Why does He not stop evil, such as the senseless killings at Virginia Tech and Columbine high school?  Why does He allow little children to get sick and die? I believe one answer can be found in an understanding of the will of God and the challenge to that will.

When there was only “one will” expressed in the universe, it was understood that all life, health, beauty, joy, and fulfillment emanated from that will as it was manifested in God. But when God created beings (angels and humans) he gave them the basic freedom of choice.  He wanted His creatures to love, admire, honor, praise and worship Him out of a heart of love and admiration.  He desired His creation to see Him as all wise, just, holy, righteous and desirable.  But at some point in time past, one of those creatures manifested a will contrary to the Divine will.  This personality, identified as Lucifer, sought the worship, and glory for himself that belonged only to God.  The basis for  this rebellion was pride on the part of this beautiful angel.

According to Revelation twelve, we understand that upwards of one third of the angels considered the challenge of Lucifer, apostatized and followed this former angel of light in a great rebellion. With one grand sweep of His arm, God could have destroyed these rebels, but had He done so, two possibilities would have existed; (1) Forever the question would have remained concerning “what if” Lucifer’s will had been the best, and (2) Who would be the next to exert a will contrary to God’s will?

From my perspective God could exercise two options. He could have vaporized the insurgents or He could allow the universe to witness the results of a will contrary to His own.  The questions had been raised.  Was there a good outside of God?  Was there a justice and beauty outside of God?  To forever answer these questions He did the following:  First, He allowed a fixed amount of time for this “contrary will (evil) to manifest itself.  Second, He passed an initial judgment on the sinning angels whereby they would be banished from their holy office and never allowed the opportunity of repentance and change.

God created man and placed him in the Garden of Eden upon the earth.  The Bible says that man is fearfully and wonderfully made. Angels are pure spirit but man is different.  God created Adam’s body from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and he became a living soul.  Man was created a spirit and soul dwelling within a body.  God created man in His own image and as such he possessed intelligence with the capacity to know and learn, had emotions (the capacity to love), and freedom of will giving him the capacity to choose.  God did not create man an automaton- a robot pre-programmed to love Him. He wanted Adam to choose to love Him because he viewed Him as the all powerful, wise, benevolent, compassionate and sufficient God that He was. God placed man in a wonderful environment, the Garden of Eden. Adam was to exercise dominion over all of God’s animate life on earth.  Adam was allowed immense freedom within this paradise with only one prohibition- he was not allowed to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil that God had placed in the midst of the Garden. God didn’t just leave Adam with a choice, but also revealed to him a consequence if he should choose to disobey and eat from that tree. In the event that Adam exercised a will contrary to the Divine will by eating of that forbidden fruit, there would be a judgmental response in the following ways: (1) Adam would die, (2) the ground would be cursed, and (3) Adam’s fellowship with God would be broken.  It didn’t take long for the rebel, apostate Lucifer, to challenge God’s will on earth.  It’s interesting that Lucifer didn’t challenge Adam head on, but rather placed his challenge before Eve.  He suggested that God was withholding something good from her and Adam.  Lucifer had questioned both God’s truthfulness and authority (will).  Would Eve believe God’s Word or Satan’s lie?

As we know Adam made the tragic decision of disobeying God and his descendents have witnessed some six thousand years of disease, heartbreak and death. God did not wish sickness, sorrow and death upon man, but man had crossed the line that God had drawn.  God would have to make good on His warning.  Once again, God could have destroyed man and started all over, but the question would have remained over this challenge to the will of God; therefore, God designated a period of time when man could witness what this contrary will (sin, evil) would really produce.

If rightly understood, when we witness the suffering and death of loved ones, we should recognize this as the result of sin brought into the world by our first parents Adam and Eve. One might argue that we had nothing to do with Adam’s choice, but the Bible makes clear our connection with Adam in a spiritual and genetical  sense. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. (Romans 5:12)

True to His nature of love, God provided a way of forgiveness and restoration.  He provided coats of skins to cover their nakedness.  The basic facts are readily obvious.  An animal (substitute) had to die to provide the covering for man, and a choice had to be made on the part of Adam to receive God’s provision.  That was an early picture of the redemption that would be make possible through Jesus Christ, Who would die on the cross as our substitute, so as to provide a covering of righteousness for all who would receive it. Adam as progenitor of the human family acted as our head in a legal sense when he made the decision to disobey God. As our representative he brought the resulting judgment of death upon the entire human race. Man seemed doomed to a destiny of disease, death and destruction, but God had a plan. Jesus Christ came to this earth to pay our sin debt and redeem us from the bondage of sin and death.

Don’t despair.  This period of rebellion and challenge to the will of God will soon be concluded.  The Bible states because the creature (creation) itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)  Jesus said lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.(Luke 21:28)  We are quickly approaching the day when Satan will be judged and incarcerated in Hell for eternity for his sin and rebellion.  All of God’s created beings will have witnessed the lie of Satan’s challenge to God.  It will have been proved that there is no goodness, beauty, peace and love apart from God. God’s character and His Word will be vindicated.  God is good.

It is my prayer that if you have been tempted to blame God for some misery or loss in your life, that these comments will help provide light on the situation.  God loves you and God is good. If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to do so today.  Begin to study His Word and seek Him in prayer.  He will bring peace and understanding to your life.