Naming The Animals

Posted on October 30, 2023 by heatonkent

Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. (Genesis 2:19-20)

Naming The Animals

On the fifth and sixth day of creation, God created all the animals. The fish and birds were formed first, and then the land animals. On the fifth day, the waters abounded with great sea creatures and every living thing that moved in the waters. The skies were filled with the winged birds in great abundance. There were no land creatures or man on earth. When the sixth day of creation began, the Lord brought forth the land creatures such as cattle, creeping animals, and beasts. God looked upon His creation and said it was good.

God created man in His image on the sixth day, according to His likeness. Creating the man was different than the animals that preceded him. He bore the likeness of an eternal creature and was given dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over all the earth. God gave man the power to subjugate the animals of the world. As master of the earth, man would rule over the animals in intelligence, wisdom, and eternal nature. Animals would never be equal to men. God gave man the image of the eternal while the animals would be nothing but dust.

Man’s superiority over animals is demonstrated in how God brings the animals to name them. There is a hint of curiosity later when the serpent speaks to Eve, suggesting a means of communication between man and animals. God brings all the animals to Adam to see what he would call them. Adam named all the cattle, birds of the air, and every beast of the field. Whatever name chosen by Adam was the name animals are known by today.

Before the flood, man and animal lived together in harmony. After the flood, the fear and dread of man came upon every beast of the earth, birds of the air, and all that moves on the earth. Man’s dominion changed after the flood when God permitted animals to be eaten for food. Every living thing that lives became food for the man. As ruler of the earth, man’s dominion was over all the animals to be used for his purpose. Adam’s naming of the animals illustrates the authority of rule over all animals as given to him by God.

As Creator, the Lord God has all power and dominion. God gave man the right to rule over the animals because He is the Creator. Adam naming the animals was the first right given by the Lord for man’s dominion over the animals. The rule of dominion continued after the flood when man was allowed to eat the flesh of animals. There were restrictions put upon man not to eat flesh with its life (blood), but man could kill and eat an animal. Under the Law of Moses, the Jews were restricted from eating certain animals, but this only applied to the nation of Israel.

Man’s dominion of the animal kingdom will last until the coming of the Lord. Adam named the animals because he had dominion. Animals share a relationship with man as creatures of the earth, but animals are not eternal and have no spirit that continues after death. The animals did not name themselves. God created them for man, and man rules over the animal world. Whatever name Adam called the animals, that name remains today. The authority of God to allow man to rule over the animals shows His power and might and authority over all things. Animals are subject to man, and man is subject to God.

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Denominationalism

Posted on October 29, 2023 by heatonkent

For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:11-13)

Denominationalism

A denominator is the bottom number in a fraction or the number below the horizontal bar of a fraction. A fraction represents a part of a whole. Denominationalism is the devotion to denominational principles or interests emphasizing differences to the point of being narrowly exclusive. A denomination is the act of denominating and, by its nature, is a process of division. One of the common terms used for different churches is the question of what denomination a person belongs to and adheres to. The word itself suggests it is a group that is part of a division.

Jesus prayed that His disciples be one and united so the world could know they were disciples of the Christ. When the world looks at the religious world of Protestantism, what they see is a fractured, divided, exclusive group of individual churches following different creeds, worship, beliefs, and names. There is no unity among the believers in Christ. Using the term denomination proves the division of those who say they follow Christ. Everything about denominationalism is contrary to what the Bible teaches.

After Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, Jesus promised to build His church. The emphasis of the text shows the singular nature of what Jesus would build rather than a plurality of churches as found in today’s religious market. Jesus told the disciples His kingdom was coming, but there would only be one kingdom. The church would be known as the flock of God, and there would be one Shepherd and one sheepfold.

Paul described the church as the bride of Christ. How many brides does Jesus have? There is only one bride. Jesus is the head of the body, the church. Can there be more than one body if Christ is the head? The church is called the household of God, where He is the Father. How many households does God possess? Finally, the church is called the Temple of God. Solomon built one Temple in Jerusalem, and Jesus built one Temple beginning in Jerusalem that would spread throughout the world. The church cannot be fractured and be the church of Christ.

Denominationalism is less than five hundred years old. The early church was not denominated as Paul declared to the saints in Ephesus that there was one church (Ephesians 4:4-6). In the first century, the Protestant denominations so common today did not exist. After the apostasy came, the Roman Catholic Church held the European world hostage in the Dark Ages, suppressing the word of God. In 1517, a Catholic monk named Martin Luther posted 95 theses or propositions of his opposition to the system of indulgences on the church door at Wittenberg, Germany. Luther came into conflict with the church for his criticism. Excommunicated by the Pope, Luther continued to challenge the papal authority. The term Protestant was first used by Lutheran princes who protested the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.

From the reformation of Luther and other men, more denominations began to emerge from the apostasy of the Roman Catholic Church. The Church of England was established by Henry VIII in 1534. In Switzerland, the Presbyterian Church began in 1535. John Smyth was instrumental in forming the Baptist Church in London in 1607 and John Wesley the Methodist Church in 1729. The World Christian Encyclopedia, a comprehensive reference work, estimated over 45,000 Christian denominations worldwide in 2020. That is a far cry from the one church in the New Testament.

Paul rebuked the church at Corinth for division. There was division in the local church brought about by carnal men seeking to please themselves. Some brethren gave allegiance to Paul, some to Apollos, others to Peter, and some to Christ. None of these men desired for the brethren to act so childishly, and Paul condemned them for it. Christ is not divided. He desires no division. The Lord declares denominating sinful and contrary to the will of the Father. God is not well pleased with anyone who belongs to a denomination because that is a church divided. His Son did not die for a divided church. There is only one church because there is only one body.

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Judging On The Balance

Posted on October 28, 2023 by heatonkent

But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them, he shall die. (Ezekiel 18:24)

Judging On The Balance

A man lives a full life of seventy years. In those seven decades, he learned early the love of God and obeyed the gospel of Christ. As he grows into manhood, he devotes his life to serving the Lord as a husband and father. The church is blessed with his love for the Lord. His family is an example of righteousness. Children grow to become parents, blessing the man with grandchildren. It seems for the man growing into the golden age of life he is a very blessed man.

Somewhere in the twilight of his life, the man’s heart turns cold and hard against the Lord. He has suffered tragic heartache and has become disillusioned. His love for the Lord wanes. The once devoted heart is now hardened into resentment. A life that was once dedicated to the service of Jesus Christ is now an empty shell. There is no love for the Lord and no desire to serve the Lord. The final years of the man’s life are spent away from God’s love, and he dies apart from the saving grace of Christ.

On the balance of the man’s life, everyone saw his righteousness and good works. He was a man for almost all his life who, was dedicated in his heart to serving God with love. Tragically, his life turned for the worse, and he rejected the Lord. From a human standpoint, the largest balance of his life was lived in righteousness for God. However, at the end of his life, he turned away from the Lord. Everything he lived for, he rejected. He died outside of Christ. As death consumed his life, he woke up in terror at the horror of divine judgment. Hell was real. A man who lived most of his life for Jesus Christ now found himself without the Son of God.

Another man lived seventy years and was a vile and corrupt man of immoral pleasures. He was not an example of righteousness. His life indulged in every pleasure of the flesh for many years, living to the gusto of all life had to offer. Everyone who knew this man saw a heart hardened with the deceitfulness of sin and wickedness to the excess. He was known as a man who pleasured himself with sin. His family was destroyed, his name smeared among the unrighteous, and his body wracked with disease for the pattern of life he had lived for so many years.

Somewhere in the twilight of the man’s life, he learned about Jesus Christ. Near the end of his life, he turned his heart to God and found grace. Through the love and mercy of a compassionate Father, this man’s sins were washed away in the blood of Jesus Christ. Rising from the waters of baptism, the second man’s face was filled with tears of joy. He was lost, but now he was found. The amazing grace of God had washed away all his sins. Shortly after his obedience, he lay in the hospital with death coming closer. As he closed his eyes in death, the saints he came to know who witnessed his transformation cried as they watched him pass into the realm of eternal glory. Angels carried him to the bosom of Abraham.

Two men. The first lived most of his life for righteousness, and the second lived most of his life in unrighteousness. Judgment is not measured by the balance scale. God will not look upon the totality of life and sum up salvation by how long a man is righteous or unrighteous. When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and fills his life with ungodliness and sin, all his righteous acts will be forgotten, and he will die condemned. When a wicked man turns away from all his sins and serves the Lord to do what is just and right, they will live and not die. All their past sins will be forgotten, and they will live because of the righteous things they have done.

A balance scale cannot measure eternal salvation. A man can obey the gospel in the eleventh hour and be saved. Another man can turn away from the Lord at the eleventh hour and be lost. God is not impressed by the years of a man’s service to righteousness. The Lord demands a heart pure of sin. “For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

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Death Cannot Keep Its Prey

Posted on October 27, 2023 by heatonkent

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. (Acts 2:22-24)

Death Cannot Keep Its Prey

Jesus taught His disciples that He was going to die. He described how He would suffer many terrible things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and the scribes. Jesus said that He would be killed, but three days later, he would rise from the dead. This is something He told the disciples on multiple occasions. He spoke this word openly of His death and resurrection. On one occasion, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke the Lord for saying such things. Jesus, in turn, rebuked Peter in front of the disciples and told them that His death was the will of the Father.

The announcement of His death was startling enough, but no one seemed to take seriously the news that after three days, he would rise from the dead. Jesus used Jonah’s story to illustrate how He would die but rise three days later. What Jesus knew and what He and the Father had planned before time began was for Him to suffer the death of a mortal man, and then God would raise Him up on the third day before corruption could set in.

Death reigned over the world with a deadly grip of fear. There had been no demonstrations of the power of the forces of Hades before Jesus. The death of Jesus was not only to redeem sinful man from the wrath of God but to break the bonds of slavery encased in the realm of the Hadean realm. Jesus knew He would die, but death would not be able to keep Him. The Father would not allow His Son to suffer corruption in the grave. On the first day of the week, the Son of God rose. Death was unable to hold Him.

Peter explained to the devout Jews gathered for Pentecost the death of Jesus was by the foreknowledge of God. The Jews had killed Jesus by lawless hands, but it was in keeping with the will of the Father. They crucified Jesus and put Him to death. God raised Jesus up, having loosed the pains of death. The reason is because death could not keep its prey. Jesus could not be held by the tentacles of death. The Son of God rested in the bosom of Abraham until the third day. He left the realm of the dead, returning to the world as a man for forty days. He then ascended to the Father.

Paul declared Jesus was seen by the apostle Peter and then by the twelve. After that, He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once. Many of those people still lived when Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. Jesus was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Paul writes Jesus appeared last to him as one born out of due time. Death did not keep its hold on Jesus. The Lord remained in the grave for three days and rose so His body would not suffer the corruption of the flesh.  

Robert Lowry (1874) wrote the hymn, “Christ Arose,” where he said, “Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior; He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord.” The sting of death is gone because Jesus rose from the dead. Victory in Jesus gives joy to the heart of the Christian, knowing that death will come, but death has no power to keep its prey. All men will die, but not all men will suffer the pain of death. Jesus said most will be lost, but the few will not be held hostage to the shackles of death. For the Christian, death is a release, a new beginning, an eternal journey of joy. Death cannot keep me. We will tear the bars away. Jesus, our Lord.

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Gleaning In The Corners

Posted on October 26, 2023 by heatonkent

So Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, “Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favor.” And she said to her, “Go, my daughter.” (Ruth 2:2)

Gleaning In The Corners

God has always defended the weak and impoverished people. As Creator, the Lord made man in His image to glorify Him. He is not a respecter of persons and has no interest in the divisions of economy between rich and poor. The commandments of God have always been for the rich to have benevolent hearts towards the needy, with provisions made to care for the unfortunate. The principles of benevolence toward one another are clearly defined in the story of Ruth.

In the days of Israel, when judges ruled the land, a famine came upon the nation. A man called Elimelech from Bethlehem took his wife and two sons to Moab, where Elimelech would die shortly after arriving in the far land. His two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, married Moabite women named Orpah and Ruth. Ten years later, the two sons died, leaving Naomi destitute with her two daughters-in-law. Naomi returned to Judah, telling Orpah and Ruth to return to their families. Ruth desired to remain with Naomi and returned with her to Bethlehem.

The situation for Naomi and Ruth was dire. Without their husbands, the women must fend for themselves. Ruth asked her mother-in-law if she would permit her to go to the fields and glean heads of grain after the reapers. Like many poor people of the land, Ruth worked in the field all day gathering up what was left over from the reapers. The benevolent heart of the owner of the field, Boaz, allowed Ruth to gather grain among the sheaves without the reproach of the reapers. Boaz and Ruth married and became the great-grandparents of David, the king. Ruth, a Moabite woman, is found in the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

God included in the Law of Moses commandments that when a field is being harvested, the corners would not be gathered, and the field would not be totally gleaned. This included vineyards of grapes that were not to be wholly picked. God wanted the poor to have the opportunity to harvest what was left over. These were not suggestions but commandments of the Lord, qualified by the declaration, “I am the Lord your God.”

The reason God required His people to provide for the poor was to remember how they were once strangers and slaves in Egypt. If a sheaf of grain was forgotten, they were forbidden to go back for it. Beating the olive trees could only be done once without going over the boughs again. Vineyards were not to be stripped of grapes. The stranger, the fatherless, and the widow would be allowed to gather what is left over in the fields, orchards, and vineyards. This was to remind the people of God how blessed they were to have the storehouse of His blessings given to them in bounty. They were once slaves in Egypt, subjected to hardships and lack of food. God delivered them with innumerable blessings and brought them to a land of milk and honey. Remembering people in need among them was to remember how needy they were at one time.

There was no choice for the people to leave the corners and fruits of the land for the poor and needy. God commanded it. The land owner may look upon the corners and leftover olives and grapes as his, but God commanded him to leave it for others. The greedy man would take all of it for himself. Jesus told a parable of a rich fool who had no interest in helping others and lost his soul because of it. The people of God are benevolent spirits who know the blessings of the Lord are great. Having a willingness to share is the character of the Christian. The apostle Paul said one of the purposes of having a job is to share with others.

Do we leave corners for others to gather? Is the spirit of benevolence in our hearts? It will teach us not to trust in riches and give greater joy in sharing what God has richly blessed with others. This type of spirit is not found in the world but should be found in the church among God’s people. Covetousness robs us of the kindness we can show to others. Let the light of Christ shine in the manner we leave the corners for others.

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Where Do You Take Refuge?

Posted on October 25, 2023 by heatonkent

(To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” a Michtam of David when He fled from Saul into the cave.) Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; and in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamities have passed by. (Psalm 57:1)

Where Do You Take Refuge?

The first king of Israel was Saul of the tribe of Benjamin and son of Kish. Saul was a very handsome man standing head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land. When the people demanded a king, Saul was chosen to lead the people of God. At first, Saul was a good king, but shortly after his reign began, the king began making bad decisions. After two years, Saul fought against the Philistines in Gilgal when he made his first grave mistake of offering a burnt offering rather than waiting for the prophet Samuel. When God told Saul to destroy the Amalekites utterly, Saul spared the king and the best of the flocks. Samuel declared to the king the Lord would remove his kingdom.

Samuel was told by the Lord to anoint another king for Israel, and David was selected. The young king would not take the throne for many years until the death of Saul. During this time, Saul was troubled by a distressing spirit. He was jealous of David after the young shepherd killed the Philistine champion, Goliath. The women would sing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” Saul began to resent David with great hatred. The king started a ruthless campaign to kill David. On one occasion, David and his four hundred men found safety in the cave of Adullam. Later, David spares the life of Saul when he finds the king in a cave in the wilderness of En Gedi.

The background for Psalm 57 is unsure. It may be connected to one of the stories mentioned by the writer of 1 Samuel. The story could have been another occasion when David felt threatened by Saul and his army and found refuge in one of the many caves that dotted the landscape of Palestine. Whatever the circumstance, David found refuge in a cave and the knowledge of the Lord’s protection.

David uses beautiful language to describe the protection of God as the refuge in the shadow of His wings. Young birds will seek protection from danger under the wings of the parent bird. A mother hen will sweep her brood under her wings to protect them from danger. God will send from heaven to save His children with His mercy and truth. Facing the wrath of his enemies, David finds safety in the knowledge of God’s protective care. There is nothing to fear in the shadow of God’s wings.

Taking refuge in the Lord is the blessing of being a child of God in Christ. Through the blood of Jesus, the Christian will find refuge in the shadow of God’s wings to care for them against all danger. Satan has no power over those who abide in Christ. There is no condemnation for those in Christ. The Holy Spirit testifies to the Father of the needs of His children. Jesus taught His disciples to ask God to deliver them from evil. Peace fills the soul of the Christian. There is no greater joy than to find the shadow of God’s wings and His protection.

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The Memorial Stones

Posted on October 24, 2023 by heatonkent

And it came to pass, when all the people had completely crossed over the Jordan, that the Lord spoke to Joshua, saying: “Take for yourselves twelve men from the people, one man from every tribe, and command them, saying, ‘Take for yourselves twelve stones from here, out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood firm. You shall carry them over with you and leave them in the lodging place where you lodge tonight.'” (Joshua 4:1-3)

The Memorial Stones

God wants His people to remember. The function of the memory is given by the Creator as a tool to guide the spirit of man to the throne of God. Memorials are as ancient as the world. Great feats are remembered, courageous men are honored, and stories are immortalized in memorials. When the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River to enter the land of promise, God wanted memorial stones erected to remind them of the One who brought them there and gave them the land.

The twelve tribes of Israel were represented by one stone taken from the midst of the Jordan River. Like crossing the Red Sea forty years before, the people would cross the flooded Jordan River on dry ground. The priests bore the ark of the covenant before the people, and when their feet dipped in the water’s edge, the waters flowing downstream stood still and rose up in a heap. Then, the priests stood still in the midst of the Jordan as all of Israel (nearly two million souls) crossed on dry land.

After the people crossed the Jordan, Moses told the people to take twelve men from each tribe and gather twelve stones from the midst of the Jordan. These stones would form a memorial at Gilgal for the people to know who delivered them and gave them the land of milk and honey. As a sign of the power of God, the memorial stones will tell how the flooded Jordan stood up and the people crossed on dry ground. The peoples of the earth would know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, and to fear the Lord God forever.

The Lord has given the church memorial stones to cause the people to remember. Jesus stood in the midst of Hades and stopped the power of death. The hand of God permitted the hands of men to kill His Son. Only through the mighty power of the Father did the Son offer Himself as the lamb for sacrifice to redeem sinful man. The Lord’s Supper is a memorial feast to remind the people of God of the price paid, allowing them to enter the eternal promised land. Each first day of the week is a time to ask, “What does this memorial mean?” As an everlasting memorial, the Supper turns the hearts of the penitent to the love of God, His power to redeem man, and the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

Joshua set up the memorial in Gilgal. Jesus established His memorial in Gethsemane when He gave Himself willingly to the angry mob. The Lord’s Supper was given by Jesus earlier that night as a reminder of God’s love. On the following day, Jesus suffered on a cross of wood and died. The memorial stones had turned to wood. Jordan could not hold the Son of God, and on the third day, Jesus rose. When the children ask what the memorial of the Supper means, they must be told this is where Jesus crossed over Hades and conquered death. The sting of death is dried up. Jesus has given the victory to God’s people. Lord, come quickly. The land of promise awaits.

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Here I Raise My Ebenezer

Posted on October 23, 2023 by heatonkent

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:12)

Here I Raise My Ebenezer

The history of the nation of Israel and the Philistines was a time of perpetual conflict. God had told the first settlers of Canaan to destroy all of the people of the land, but they were unwilling. During the period of the Judges, Israel was constantly plagued with the nations around them. In the final days of Eli, the Philistines captured the ark of God. After seven months, the Philistines were plagued by God and returned the ark to Israel. It remained at Kirjath Jearim for twenty years.

Samuel began to judge the people after the death of Eli. He commanded the people to put away their pagan gods, such as Baal and the Ashtoreths. Gathering Israel at Mizpah, Samuel prayed to the Lord to forgive the sins of the people as they repented. When the Philistines heard of Israel gathering at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines came to make war. The people cried out to Samuel to save them. Samuel made a sacrifice before the Lord, and the Lord answered. As the Philistines drew near, God thundered with a loud thunder that so confused the Philistines that they were overcome. The men of Israel defeated the Philistines and subdued them, so they did not come anymore into the territory of Israel. As long as Samuel lived, the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines.

After the great victory over the Philistines, Samuel took a stone, set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called it Ebenezer. The great prophet and judge said, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” Ebenezer means “Stone of Help.” As a memorial stone, Ebenezer reminded the people of the power of God to deliver them from the Philistines. This was not the first memorial given by God. The Passover feast was given to remind the people of their deliverance from bondage. In giving the Ten Commandments, God begins by reminding Israel that He brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Ebenezer was a testimony to the deliverance by the power of God.

There is an Ebenezer for the people of God that remains. It is not a stone somewhere in the desert or a place on Earth where men can assemble. The Stone of Help is Jesus Christ, the Ebenezer for God’s people. In the days of Samuel, the Philistines did not come up against Israel because God protected them. The Lord promised to protect them, and Ebenezer reminded them of His grace. Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the Great Shepherd who will guide His people and protect them. Satan has no power against those who trust in the spiritual Ebenezer.

The Lord’s Supper is an Ebenezer reminding the people of God of the blessings of the Father to send His only begotten Son. It is a weekly remembrance feast showing God’s grace and mercy to forgive the sins of disobedient people. As Samuel put up the stone to remind Israel of God’s providence and care, the supper of the Lord reminds the faithful of the enduring love of God to care for His people. Robert Robinson writes, “Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I’ve come. And I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God. He to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.” (O Thou Fount Of Every Blessing; 1758)

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Original Sin

Posted on October 22, 2023 by heatonkent

Original Sin

Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world where they could walk in the cool of the day with the Lord. Everything they needed was provided for them. They were both naked, and there was no shame. The Lord planted two trees in the midst of the garden where they could find life and death. God told them they could eat of the Tree of Life but prohibited them from taking of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil. Satan deceived the woman into believing the word of God was wrong and unfair. Eve looked at the forbidden fruit with longing eyes, desiring to be wise and be like God, and took of the fruit. She gave some to Adam. Immediately, their eyes were open, and they both knew they were naked. Sin brought about the consciousness of guilt as they hid themselves from the presence of the Lord.

God would cast the man and woman out of the garden, and sin would reign in the hearts of men. Animal sacrifice would not suffice to stop the wrath of God, and only through the blood of Jesus Christ was peace found between man and God. Grace is given through the will of the Father to those who would obey Him. Each person is responsible for their actions and stands accountable individually before the Lord God. Everyone will be judged according to the works in their lives, whether good or evil. Jesus died to offer men the avenue of escape if they choose to submit to the will of the Father. No man is forced to submit. It is a private decision held within the trust of a single heart. Most will deny Christ, and only a few will be saved.

The question of salvation has always been the problem of men. Satan continues to deceive people into believing the lie. One such doctrine is the idea of original sin or Adamic sin. This doctrine puts into question the moral character of all men to accept that all are born in sin, corrupt, and guilty of sin at birth. John Calvin wrote, “Original sin seems to be a hereditary depravity and corruption of our nature, diffused into all parts of the soul, which first makes us liable to God’s wrath. (Institutes, II, 1536) The Westminster Confess of Faith says, “We are utterly indisposed, disabled, and made opposite to all good, and wholly inclined to all evil” (Formulary of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland, 1643).

Original sin is inherited, not acquired. This doctrine is the bedrock of Calvinism with the acronym TULIP. Total depravity: the belief that sin affects every aspect of human existence and makes humans unable to choose God by themselves. Unconditional election: the idea that God decides who will be saved based on his own will and not on human merit or condition. Limited atonement: the belief that Christ died only for the elect and not for the whole world. Irresistible grace: the belief that God’s grace is effectual and cannot be resisted or rejected by the elect. Perseverance of the saints: the belief that the elect will remain faithful and secure in their salvation until the end. If one stands, they all stand. Destroying one will destroy the others.

When Adam and Eve took the forbidden fruit, they unleashed on the world the plague of sin. Cain was guilty of killing Abel because Cain made a choice. Adam did not kill Abel; Cain killed Abel. God put a mark on Cain, not on Adam. Noah was saved by grace because he was obedient along with the seven. All those destroyed outside the ark were guilty of their sin. Paul affirms in Romans 5:12 that death spread to all because all sinned. Everyone is subject to death because the tree of life is destroyed. Sin is a choice of the individual.

The Law of Moses taught fathers could not be put to death for the sins of their children (Deuteronomy 24:16). Ezekiel explained the father was guilty of his sin, and the Son was guilty of his sin. The proverb heard among the captives in Babylon was, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge” (Ezekiel 18). This suggests the blame for the children comes from the fathers. God denied their proverb, claiming the children were guilty of their own sin. The soul who sins shall die.

Original sin has led to many false doctrines (mentioned above, TULIP). The reason many embrace infant baptism is because of the teaching of original sin. How can babies sin without knowledge? John said sin is a transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). Paul wrote, “I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet” (Romans 7:7). Each will give an account of their sins, not their fathers (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). David Riesman explains, “A concept of original sin is typical of a view of life which makes the past an authority over the present.”

If we all bear the sin of Adam, who will Adam blame?

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Good Advice For A Chaotic World

Posted on October 21, 2023 by heatonkent

Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21)

Good Advice For A Chaotic World

It is a hard world to live in with all the anger and hatred manifesting in road rage, yelling contests in stores and restaurants, families fighting, and disrespect for authority. There is nothing new about the conditions of the world because sin has mangled the spirit of man since Adam and Eve lost the garden. God has always told man how to live peacefully in a world of conflict.

When men live outside the laws of God, there will be hatred. The children of God live by a law that governs their emotions to serve others with love and compassion. Paul offers some advice on living in a world of chaos that would be well to heed.

Evil abounds in the world, and evil men will always bring sorrow and heartache for their own purposes. The Christian does not pay back evil deeds with more evil. Jesus described the child of God as one who loves others, seeking their good and proper welfare. The singular desire of the Christian is to do everything they can to live in peace with everyone. This will be a challenge in a world that challenges a life of faith, but it can be done.

One of the main ingredients to the character of the Christian is his peaceable spirit. He does not seek to bring evil to others. He desires to bring the joy of Jesus Christ to those who do evil. It takes courage not to avenge wrongs or injustice. Rising above the noise of the world seeking its own ways is where the Christian shines the most.

The workplace can be a competitive world of backbiting, backstabbing, and vicious wranglings. For the Christian, his example is one of godliness and kindness toward others. As a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Christian brings calm to the workplace as they let their light shine by doing good. Evil is not repaid with evil, vengeance is not rewarded with anger, and evil is overcome with good.

Families are torn apart with jealousy, anger, yelling, and hatred. For the child of God, their family is an example of goodness to one another and to others. As neighbors in a community, their home is a model of godliness and caring for others. The challenge Paul offers is the example of the Christian spirit feeding enemies that are hungry and giving them drink when thirsty. What this does is bring peace by doing good and shining the light of righteousness in the lives of those filled with the evil of the world.

Vengeance belongs to God and should be left to His will. It is not the place of the Christian to execute righteousness judgment on those whom the Lord will judge. Those who profess a love of Christ show by their example a love toward enemies in doing good things. Evil should not conquer the heart of the Christian; love should overcome evil with good.

The advice Paul gives is two-fold. First, it is the commandment of God. The Lord has always expected and demanded His children live above the evil of the world. Judgment of the Christian will come from his relationship with those in the world. Secondly, the admonition of Paul is good advice on how to live in a crazy, mixed-up world. The practical applications of these attitudes will bring a remarkable change to the individual and to the community.

Let God shine in your neighborhood so that others can see Christ living in you. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

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