find it exhilarating when I make new discoveries concerning my family, both those alive and those who are no longer living with us. What kind of people were they? Has my life been influenced by theirs? How have their lives influenced my decisions, and do I allow their actions to affect what I do today? As a result, what follows is my story, and you may not realize it yet, but it’s your story as well
Unquestionably, the Creators origional intent for the family of man was disrupted—the result being that some of its members no longer act in ways becoming of the original intent of God Almighty. And yet, to begin to understand our families heritage we will have to take quite a step back into time. God’s Word, revealed in the Bible, is his will and everlasting covenant to all of mankind. It will provide the answers we seek, the truth—and it overflows with his promises and his heart’s desire for all of his family. That's where we will begin.
When God created the first man Adam, God gave Adam dominion and rulership over all of the earth. Then God created a woman for Adam. He made both unique and set them above all the rest of his earthly creation. And God blessed them, and God said unto them:
Adam and Eve were given dominion (rulership) over the earth. They were to repopulate the earth and subdue it, to bring it into subjection. They were to cultivate the garden and prepare it for the humans to follow. They were to be its guardians.
Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. Gen 2:15 NASB
They were given free will and designed by God with three vital components to their humanity: body, soul and spirit; the latter being what made them unique among all of God’s creatures. None of God’s other creatures were created and endowed with this special God-given component—spirit. God’s man was connected with his creator, and that spirit from God allowed Adam and Eve to speak directly with God, who is holy and who is Spirit. The creator's heart for Adam and Eve was simple: He wanted to share in fellowship and communion with them—not much different than what any good earthly father desires to share with his own children. Jehovah wanted to be their provider, their caretaker, and the great source of their livelihood. Simply put, God wanted to be their sufficiency and to provide for all of their needs. And yet, in providing all of this, God demanded of Adam one thing: do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Gen 2:8-9 NIV
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Gen 2:15-17 NIV
As Elohim (God the creator) bestowed upon Adam rulership over all the earth, Satan (the one who was determined to overthrow the kingdom of God), was at work on a grand scheme. (Now the story of who Satan is and where exactly he came from is a story in itself, but keep in mind, this is a brief history of our past.)
And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where [art] thou? Gen 3:8-9 KJV
Satan beguiled Eve, who then persuaded Adam to disobey God as well. Adam committed treason against God and transferred his rulership over the earth to Satan, God’s archenemy.That very day Adam and Eve, breaking the judicial rule of God, received the sentence of death .
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: Rom 5:12 KJV
The consequence of the first human beings' disobedience was, that as God had promised, Adam and Eve died spiritually, giving up their spiritual nature from God in exchange for the sin nature of the world (the consequence of partaking of the knowledge of good and evil). Many years later, after having progeny, they both died physically. Their new nature, infected by sin, would be passed onto all the children of the earth - inherited by all of mankind. Cast from paradise, the Spirit of God was lifted from upon Adam and Eve and they were left without a connection to God. Adam and Eve died, first spiritually (losing they're spiritual connection to God),and then, a number of years later they died physically.
Through the generations, some upon the earth have assailed this idea as preposterous. Not to mention a contradiction. Impossible, they say! Yet, we find that as in most cases there is no contradiction; that is, if you understand a simple Biblical truth. There are two forms of life on earth: spiritual and natural; and there are two types of death: spiritual death and natural death. Yet, they will fully embrace the baseless idea that by chance occurrence (immeasurable by any mathematical or scientific axiom because of its impossibility), that mankind was created by some impossible meeting of gasses (some of which didn’t even exist at the time in prehistory they were supposed to meld), and that thereafter, that human beings became a part of a long line of our supposed ancestors starting with the amoeba and ending with our supposed ancestor the ape.
It is unfortunate, but true, that the first man and woman failed to obey God. The scriptures (the Creator’s declared owner’s manual for mankind) promised that God, in his great mercy, would send help for all mankind. A redeemer that would crush the enemies head.The Creator had made man to live forever, but mankind now had a death sentence upon its head. No one but the Almighty knew that this redeemer to come would pay the full sentence of death for all mankind with his own life. Furthermore, the redeemer would be the most valued and cherished creation in God’s kingdom: His only begotten Son, the anointed offspring of God, the only begotten of the Creator, “the Christ.”
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. Romans 5:14-19
Jesus Christ’s life was payment in full for all of mankind’s sins. He died in our place. Born of a woman he paid the ransom placed upon our lives. Jesus suffered what mankind deserved, allowing mankind to receive what Christ had earned. Because of his obedience (fulfilling the Old Testament Law and giving his life), great power was bestowed upon him. Jesus Christ was given authority and rulership on his Father’s behalf over all who believe. God elevated His son’s name above all other names in the universe, and all knees will bow—in heaven, on earth, and below the earth—to the name of Jesus. He destroyed the power of God’s adversary over the believer, and finally, in the fullness of time, he will annihilate Satan’s entire evil kingdom. Finally the Son will give back to his Father the kingdom, given to the Son to rule on behalf of the Father.
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phl 2:8-11 KJV
The Christ (the anointed one whom God sent) paid the ransom that was placed upon our lives with his own life. He paid the full legal cost for Adam’s treason, so that all of humanity could be pardoned from the sentence of death. The Father set him at his own right hand. To sit at the "right hand" indicates a place of power, authority and honor.
For he [Christ] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He has put everything under His feet. Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not mean God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. 1 Cor 15:25-28 NIV
Jesus Christ, and only Jesus Christ, is the only way to gain access to God. One may believe the world’s words (there are many roads to God), or the words of God’s Word in the Bible. No other name gives man access to God. Jesus Christ paid the full price and bought with his death, victory over God’s archenemy Satan. He ushered in a new way of life for every man and woman. He made available a new man, a man different than any before, and he gained back all that Adam originally lost, and so very much more. Jesus Christ always obeyed the Father’s will. In opposition to what many men say, which is, there are not many roads to God.
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”John 14:6 NIV
He is the only man ever born who died, who was raised from the dead and now lives. That’s correct. He ascended up on high, he led captivity captive and he gave gifts unto men. He made available the gift of holy spirit, the component of life which enables direct communication with God, which Adam having lost, is now again available to all mankind. He is the head of the one body. Ultimately, he will give the kingdom back to God the Father, our Creator.
End of Part 1. Part 2. The Redeemer
