Tag: Romans 3

Noah Was Perfect in His Genes

On By TimIn Genesis 06, Sons of God, Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment

These are the generations of Noah.
Noah was a just man and blameless among his contemporaries. Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:9

This verse is from the Bible, which I read and use regularly. But, there is a problem with it that may go unnoticed, which is going to become apparent. I do use tools other than just reading the Bible. Because I love going beyond just reading, I understand what this verse is really getting at, despite the simplicity in translation that may obscure some facts.

To help with your understanding, I am going to give a link to a plethora of translations of this verse. I want you to look there before moving on with reading. I want to give you, the reader, an opportunity to discover the issue for yourself. When you have examined the translations, continue reading.

Here is the link to the list of Genesis 6:9. Bible Hub is a great resource. It provides a generous number of commentaries on the Bible, including cross references and other resources.

While the Modern English Version I use is reliable. Mainly, I use an electronic version. I do have a print version, and the notes in the study portion drop hints of the doctrines the translators embrace. Basically, they go along with the Sons of Seth being the sons of God in Genesis 6:1–2. The beginning of Genesis 6 provides a fork in the road to two distinctly different understandings. The Sons of Seth doctrine is fraught with many problems; there is a better understanding, as you may see by continuing. It also tends to shed light on the pressures of translating the Bible.

The sons of Seth doctrine was introduced by Augustine of Hippo in his work The City of God. He saw these as righteous men who took wives of the daughters of men. The daughters of men in this case means the daughters of Cain. This was a huge divergence from the traditional Jewish interpretation that the sons of God were fallen angels. Augustine held that the traditional Jewish idea was incredible. He didn’t like it

So, which is the better understanding?

Genesis

This is the most important part of the conversation in this part of the text. It is the usage of the Hebrew word toledot translated as correctly as generations. It properly points to the descendants of Noah.

If you were paying attention back at the link above, it was discovered that some translations use the English word generation twice. The Modern English Version above uses generations first and contemporaries second. Which does sort of convey the idea. Contemporaries is translated from the Hebrew word dor. It is used in a specific form here, which only occurs once in the Tanakh.

Some translations use the word generation twice. This idea comes from how the King James Version renders both Hebrew words. Those translators probably used the way the Septuagint translators used one Greek word for both Hebrew words.

Now these are the generations of Noah: Noah, a righteous person who was perfect among his generation. Noah was pleasing to God.

Genesis 6:9 (Lexham English Septuagint)

The Septuagint is the Greek translation of the Tanakh. It was used at the time of Jesus. In that work, both Hebrew words of different meanings were translated into the Greek word genesis. The first occurrence is plural, the second singular.

The first Septuagint usage of the Greek word genesis is from the title of the first book of the Tanakh. That is why the first book is named Genesis in English. The first usage in the text of the Greek word genesis is in Genesis 2:4, where it is translated from the Hebrew toledot, which means origins in English.

To recap, the Greek word genesis is connected to origins or beginnings. By its usage in the verse above, it includes ancestry. Ancestry brings to mind genetics and DNA. These two ideas are inherently important in the second chapter of Genesis. Then there is the real hint that DNA is important and that the seed or offspring becomes the cornerstone of the redemption.

I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he will bruise your head,
and you will bruise his heel.”

Genesis 3:15

What becomes clear is that this is a gene war to claim the Human Race. One side employs corruption, the Other, redemption.

Though I don’t think the language of the time had specific words for genetics like we modern folks do. The ideas are apparent. Another necessary point to understand is that the English word gene comes from the German language by way of the original Greek word genea.

It is also important to know that the Greek word genesis also conveys the idea of nativity or nature.

Perfect Character or Perfect Nature?

That is the dilemma presented between the traditional (Septuagint and KJV) understandings of what is being said and the way modern scholars tend to translate.

The traditional understanding is clear. Noah’s genealogy is perfect. Modern Bibles say Noah’s life is perfect. Compare the MEV at the beginning with a more literal translation.

These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, without defect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

Genesis 6:9 (Lexham English Bible)

Comparing that with the former MEV reveals some seeming loss of precision in the way it handles the text. It seems to blur the distinction between righteous and perfect to make this inference about Noah’s moral character.

With a modern blurred distinction, one comes away with the idea that moral imperfection was everywhere, and Noah was perfect. But that cannot be so, as God conveys that it is all flesh, not just humanity.

The earth was corrupt before God and filled with violence. God looked on the earth and saw it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

Genesis 6:11–12

This idea also adds complication, as it would include animals and creeping things. It also indicates that all flesh somehow willingly participated in this corruption.

The obvious conclusion is that there was a genetic imperfection that affected all kinds of flesh. Yet Noah’s perfection hints that not all individuals were affected. Is this idea explained in the text?

Bring every living thing of all flesh, two of every kind, into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal, and of every kind of creeping thing of the earth will come to you to be kept alive.

Genesis 6:19–20

What is implied there is that God chose the animals to go on the ark, not Noah. This is another indicator of which animals were genetically fit to repopulate the Earth.

With this understanding, this judgment by flood was necessary because of genetic impurity. It is not about Noah being morally righteous or blameless. Most of us know that after the deluge subsided, he planted a vineyard and got drunk. Paul writes of the simple truth of the lot of humanity, we have all missed the mark and fallen short.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,

Romans 3:23

One side in this war corrupts, the Other redeems.

Politics in Translation

As much as one would like to think that translations are objective. The people who do the work are susceptible to societal pressure. They are not immune to being influenced by the zeitgeist and politics from within the cultures where they live and work.

For example, the translators of the King James Version rendered the Greek word ekklesia as church. This deviated from William Tyndale’s earlier English translation, which was foundational to the KJV. Tyndale rendered ekklesia as congregation. This is the better reading and tends to follow the Septuagint, which used the word ekklesia to describe the mixed multitude in the Exodus. Consider a modern translation that brings clarity. The better English word is congregation or assembly.

This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living oracles to give to us,

Acts 7:38

Here is the KJV for contrast.

This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:

Acts 7:38 (King James Version)

One might wonder how and why these things happen. The translators were aware of the king’s preference for the Anglican High Church. However, it was the independents (low church) who eschewed the hierarchy, preferring local control of congregations. This attitude of the king is still prevalent. There is a tendency among those who prefer high church liturgical ministrations to look down on independent congregations.

These independents and other separatists preferred to call themselves congregations and assemblies. This would create an apparent distinction between the Catholic and Anglican churches.

Remember, the KJV came about at a time when sovereign kings could still behead people who crossed them. The translators would not want to do something that would lead to beheading.

Subtle Corruption Enters

As with Augustine and the KJV, there is still a subtle inclination to dissipate the true teachings of God’s Word. Whether that dissipation is intentional or not, it is something of which a student of the Word needs to be aware. The constant barrage has been from the genesis, “Has God really said?” And it continues today.

The political pressures that stem from World War II still affect cultures today. That war pitted the Allied Powers against the Axis Powers. In an odd pairing, the Allied Powers were generally English-speaking nations with capitalist economies oddly partnering with the communists in Russia and China. These were allied to defeat the nationalists in Germany, Italy, and Japan.

The common thread amongst the leaders of the Axis Powers came from a belief that they were racially superior to other people. The Nazis in Germany claimed descent from a master race of ancients called Aryans. The foremost idea was to cleanse the Reich of genetically impure undesirables. The leaders in Italy wanted to revive the glories of the Roman Empire. In like manner, the popularity of eugenics was used to improve the quality of the Italian race. The Japanese considered themselves genetically superior to other Asian peoples and established themselves as protectors of asians against the encroachment of the Western Powers. Eugenics drove the effort to purify the Japanese race.

I must add a caveat here. I am certain there is only one race. It is Adam’s. We all share his blood and have a common Redeemer named Jesus. (Whether you actually believe it or not. Those truths remain.)

Back to World War II… The media in the nations of the Allied Powers often portrayed the driving narrative of the Axis Powers in stark racial language. Which is kind of weird because the demonic practices of eugenics were worldwide, even in the Allied Powers. This racial language stoked the hatred of the nationalist Axis Powers. It is also important to consider that the Marxist tenets of communism rejected ethnicity. Communist nations tended to avoid explicit declarations of inherent nationalist superiority. That makes for strange bedfellows.

Rejecting capitalism, communism prefers collectivism. It attempts to unite the masses of the poor of all races for the common good. Communist ideals attempt to better humanity through the proper application of social theory toward an equal outcome for all. It denies any natural inherited advantage, which tends toward celebrating mediocrity.

With time, the mass media in capitalist countries increasingly embraced the ideas of equal outcome. Those sympathetic to communism began to seek positions of influence. Eventually, the portrayal of World War II became a war against nationalism. Over time, this Marxist ideal against favoring one’s own nation or people of that nation over another subtly transformed from patriotism to nationalism and then to racism.

So the problem coming from the traditional interpretation of Genesis 6:9 becomes self-evident. With this subtle Marxism that entered the culture, it came to be preferred by the instructors in learning institutions. We can see the end result of this just by watching the news in the United States and other nations. Eventually, the Bible’s commending of Noah’s genetic purity to renew Adam’s race became quite unacceptable in academia. It is subtly embraced in many seminaries. Hence, the perfection moves from being applied to Noah’s ancestral genetic nature to his moral nature.

The Sons of God

The significance of Genesis 6:9 is subtly and increasingly obscured. With a proper understanding, Noah’s lineage becomes extremely important. The necessity of the flood is then overtly apparent. Something happened to corrupt all the kinds of flesh on Earth.

This is told immediately before Noah finds favor. And before it is revealed that God chose Noah.

When men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were fair and took as wives any they chose. The Lord said, “My Spirit will not always strive with man, for he is flesh; yet his days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was continually only evil. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—both man and beast, and the creeping things, and the birds of the sky, for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis 6:1–8

This text exposes another subtly corrupted understanding of Genesis. One that I mentioned earlier. That is, that the good guys took the bad girls to wed.

The reality is that beings called the sons of God took human females as wives. This is stated in the above (Genesis 6:1–4) and parallels the apocryphal book of Enoch. I know what you might think of the apocrypha. Yet Enoch was included in the Tanakh.

And it happened that when the sons of men multiplied in those days, they begat good and beautiful daughters. And the angels, the sons of heaven, saw them and longed for them and said to one another, “Come let us choose for ourselves women from among the people and bring forth for ourselves children.”

Enoch 6:1–2 (Lexham English Septuagint)

These sons of God have transgressed in such a way that prompts God to bring certain judgment to them for their sin. Their sin involved flesh, as it is clear that flesh was condemned to perish in the flood.

The text says the sons of God found the women attractive, so they took whom they wanted as wives. There is some assumptions I make here. First, if they are marrying, it must have followed the traditions of marriage. Traditional marriage requires a bride price… A dowry. I also know from others’ testimonies that the spiritual world is legalistic. That is not a far-fetched notion, as God makes and keeps covenants.

With that, I think that the Bible shows these dowries in Genesis 4:17–24, where Cain’s progeny are lavishly endowed with technological knowledge.

Not After Their Kind

So, if the human sons of Seth took the human daughters of Cain, what is the grievous sin?

The answer is encoded in the phrase any they chose. That is, not who they chose but from where they came… Humanity.

Angels doing what was unseemly, taking daughters of men, they took strange flesh. That is, they took something that was not intended for the purposes for which the fallen wanted to use it. They made odd human-angel chimeras. These became the giants, the titans, the gods of old. Which were found in the pantheons of the Ancient Near East. Then migrating into the pantheons of Greece and Rome.

Let me explain… The purposes of reproduction are to multiply after their kind, just as established at creation. Humans reproduce humans. Angels don’t reproduce. Which probably leads to an objection some may have based on this:

Jesus answered, “You err, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels of God in heaven.

Matthew 22:29–30

The first thing to grasp about this passage is that Jesus is correcting the Sadducees who didn’t understand the Torah and its clear teachings on angels and resurrection. Second, Jesus did not say that angels cannot reproduce. He is saying they don’t marry, meaning there is no need for reproduction after their kind in heaven; their kind being elohim. Likewise, in the resurrection, there is no reproduction after their kind necessary. The Bible clearly states that the serpent (Shining One) of Genesis 3 has seed. It follows that other elohim (angels) do, too.

(Elohim is used as a spiritual class of being when used with lower-case e. Capitalized Elohim is the Most High God. God is Elohim, but not all elohim are God.)

When angels take humans as wives and bear children, chimeras are created. Just this act alone violates many of the guardrails God established. The resulting progeny were not from reproduction after their kind.

There are lots of technicalities wrought in this idea. But the underlying issue is that of comingled DNA. I will save you the details, but it is inherent that the same happened to the animal kinds, as they were also destroyed in the flood.

The Bible says there is nothing new under the sun. Genetic manipulation has always been around. Human technology has advanced much. We can manipulate genetics with novel tools.

Do you wonder what God thinks about technologies like CRISPR that can edit the genome?

Humanity has the technology to create chimeras. This isn’t just hybridization or selective breeding for desired traits that already exist in an organism’s genome. It is a very different practice of combining genetics from one organism to another.

Consider something so familiar as corn. Your home probably contains products made from genetically modified corn. This would probably be an organism that is called BT-Corn. It gets its name from the naturally occurring bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis. (Science cannot create bacteria.) The bacteria produce a toxin used as a pesticide. In making BT-corn, scientists take a gene that produces the toxin from the bacterium. It is then inserted into the genome of corn. The corn then produces the toxin that kills predator pests by destroying the digestive tract of the caterpillar larvae.

In effect, that corn is a chimera. There is going to be some disagreement in my distinction between chimera and hybrid. But I want to make clear that inserting traits by genetic manipulation is not traditional hybridization.

But these things don’t reproduce after their kind. Bacteria do not reproduce with corn. I know about ligers, mules, and other hybrids like them. Ligers would be a kind of feline, and mules a kind of equine. Felines don’t reproduce with canines or equines.

All that to say, when angels sire with humans, the result is something that wasn’t properly meant to be. It was seeking after strange flesh.

Stranger Danger

Does my choice of words sound familiar?

It should.

Likewise, the angels who did not keep to their first domain, but forsook their own dwelling, He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities in like manner, gave themselves to immorality and went after different flesh, they serve as an example by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

Jude 6-7

Jude’s epistle helps to bring understanding to what really conspired before the flood. I think the epistle also supports my opinion that the daughters of men were really the daughters of Cain. (Augustine got something right.) The angels who fell entered into a covenant by marriage with human families in the progeny of Cain. As stated previously, there was a technological explosion among the children of Cain. It seems likely that the fathers of those taken received technological knowledge as dowry. Jude tells us that the way of Cain has to do with selfish greed.

Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily after the error of Balaam for a reward, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Jude 11

Noah Was Perfect

We know Noah, like Adam, sinned. We all do. He did not lead a perfect life and needed the same Redeemer we all do. But what is given is that Noah’s ancestry was genetically pure enough to be the progenitor of the renewal of the human race. All eight of those selected to be on the ark would have had untainted genetics.

The unspoken necessity is that angels intermarrying with the daughters of men imposed themselves into the genetics of humanity. Without the intervention of the deluge, all of humanity would have been changed, and redemption would have been impossible.

This gets really technical. The angel-human chimera comes from the seed of angels. Angels have no kinsman. Without a kin relationship, which is in the blood, there is no redemption. This whole idea comes from the Hebrew word goel, which is translated as kinsman, redeemer, and blood avenger in the Tanakh. The last Adam, Jesus Christ, is the Kinsman, the Redeemer, and the Blood Avenger of the entire lot of Adam’s seed.

This was the enemy’s first great incursion to stop redemption. When one considers Jude 1:6, it is clear that what happened is disorderly. I’m no Greek scholar, but when Jude writes, “the angels who did not keep to their first domain, but forsook their own dwelling.” He is saying that those angels left their sovereign domains and forsook their own dwellings (idiomatically analogous to the container we call our body).

Think like this, at creation, humanity was given a domain to master and become sovereign over. (I know the word might upset sensibilities, but the idea is important and contextual.) In Genesis 1:26, humans were given the imperative by God at creation to take dominion over the earth. This is His order He established. The underlying idea connects to the words in Jude, again by way of the Septuagint. The Hebrew word for rule is rada. It is an imperative meaning to dominate or lord over. The Septuagint translates the Hebrew rada to the Greek archo. That verb means to rule or to begin. In other words, to be first. In Jude, the Greek word arche is translated as domain. Which is a word that means power, ruler, and the sphere of authority. So the usage of sovereign fits. The angels did not keep their own sovereignty.

The next idea from Jude 1:6 is the phrase proper dwelling place. This is from a somewhat unique Greek word oiketerion. This word is used only once in another place in the New Testament.

In this one we groan, earnestly desiring to be sheltered with our house which is from heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:2

Here, oiketerion is translated as house. Paul uses it as an idiom of our physical body, which houses us.

These angels violated their proper place by insinuating themselves into another. I don’t know how to convey the stark importance of the legalities violated. The goal originated from angels to corrupt the seed of man. The sentence was immediate and everlasting confinement. Their progeny were sentenced to be destroyed in the flood. From that, it is easy to infer that there was no place on Earth for these chimeras.

Having no Redeemer, it follows that the spirits of these dead chimeras now have no dwelling place. There is much debate, and some say they roam and antagonize humanity as demons. They endlessly pursue a vicarious experience through others. They yearn for the things that they partook in with their own bodies. Essentially, they are forever searching for satiation of their lusts. The Bible does say demons have no dwelling places of their own and roam around deserted places.

I cannot help to point out how Peter seemed to consider this idea. Because these chimeras died in the flood, they went into the water and never came out. It’s a quaint euphemism for death.

Believer’s Baptism

Now, picture how baptism is done. People are plunged into the water and then forcefully pulled out… Alive. It’s the antithesis of what happened to the angel-human chimeras at the flood. In essence, these ones pulled from the water are appointed to resurrection, unlike the spirits of the chimeras who perished under the water. Every single time someone is baptized, the fallen ones are reminded of their fated eternity.

Peter speaks of Jesus going into Sheol. It was to show the triumph over death He had. It was to show His triumph over all authorities and powers who are now subject to Him. Peter also likens baptism as idiomatic of the reality. It is a picture of the resurrection, proclaiming those appointed to that end.

For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit, by whom He also went and preached to the spirits in prison, who in times past were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. Figuratively this is like baptism, which also saves us now. It is not washing off the dirt from the body, but a response to God from a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels and authorities and powers being made subject to Him.

1 Peter 3:18–22

In his second epistles, Peter uses baptism as the antithesis to those perishing beneath the waters.

For if God did not spare the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be kept for judgment; and if He did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, making them an example to those afterward who would live ungodly lives; and if He delivered righteous Lot, who was distressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man lived among them, and what he saw and heard of their lawless deeds tormented his righteous soul day after day); then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the Day of Judgment, especially those who walk after the flesh in pursuit of unclean desires, and despise authority.

2 Peter 2:4–10

The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial and to punish the ungodly.

Which are you?

God’s Gift of Everlasting Life

On By TimIn Eternal Security, Gifts, Romans 11Leave a comment

Don’t let someone bamboozle you.

For the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.

Romans 11:29

Said another way:

For God’s gifts and calling never change.

Romans 11:29 (ISV):

In this text, Paul was speaking directly of the privileges granted to Israel he noted by name in Romans 9:4. By extension, it includes the usage of the word gift as previously encountered in Romans. He is demonstrating a biblical principle. The gifts (and calling) of God don’t change. (Which means Israel is still God’s chosen people, righteousness, and everlasting life doesn’t change.)

Now… Considering we’ve gotten this far in Romans, we have already encountered some other truths that have application in that verse.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23

It’s unequivocally true, everlasting life is a gift of God given to the believer. There are other gifts.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if through the trespass of one man many died, then how much more has the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. The gift is not like the result that came through the one who sinned. For the judgment from one sin led to condemnation, but the free gift, which came after many trespasses, leads to justification. For if by one man’s trespass death reigned through him, then how much more will those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:15–17

God expends the gift of righteousness lavishly. That doesn’t change either. In fact, Paul says that gift leads to justification.

But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in His blood, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins previously committed, to prove His righteousness at this present time so that He might be just and be the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:21–26

This text is the crux of what Paul is teaching. It is a foundational understanding to what transpired at the cross. Note that it says the righteousness of God comes to all through faith and is ON all who believe. We already know that righteousness is a gift of God. And we know the gifts of God don’t change. Meaning that once the gift of righteousness comes upon a person, it doesn’t ever go away or even get marred.

Furthermore, the text says all have missed the mark. But those same all who missed the mark are being justified freely. (Verb tenses matter greatly. Pay attention to them!)

This is a clear demonstration of the righteousness of God. All are being justified freely as God’s gift of righteousness is extended to all.

Having already proven that righteousness is a gift that a believer already has upon them and it cannot change. Likewise, everlasting life is also a gift. But does the believer have that now?

You betcha!

“Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life.

John 5:24

And if one witness is not good enough…

Truly, truly I say to you, whoever believes in Me has eternal life.

John 6:47

Paneas and Resurrection

On By TimIn Atonement, Matthew 16, ResurrectionLeave a comment

From that time on, Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day.

Matthew 16:21

This is the beginning of a marked change in Jesus’ ministry. His ministerial focus moves from primarily around the area of Galilee toward Jerusalem. He must go to Jerusalem. This is where the elders, scribes, and priests are. It is also home to Herod’s Temple containing the Holy Place where the presence of God is. The very place the chief priest ministered in the presence of God once a year.

For Israelis, Jerusalem is the entire center of the religious world. It is there that the maturest and most venerated leaders of the religious world were. The chief priests were those who presided over the 24 courses established by Daniel. These had charge of the temple. And finally, there are the scribes. At that time, these worked as if in the position of prophets.

There are many hints as to what Jesus is going to face in Jerusalem written of long ago. David sang of them in the Psalms. A few come to mind, Psalms 22, 27, and 35. That is far from a complete list, but as the Pesach (Passover) Lamb, He must be presented to the household of Israel, where He must be inspected as perfect.

The importance of this moment is reflected in the way Matthew thinks of this moment. He writes “(f)rom that time on.” Signifying the paradigm shift in reality. Jesus was going to die. His resurrection, though, would remain mysterious in the minds of the disciples. For the disciples, the resurrection was unexpected until it happened. (This is one of my favorite ideas that shows the four Gospels to be authentic, you can read it here, It Was Unexpected.)

Passover

Many typologies in the Torah point to Jesus. An important one is Passover (Pesach.) In the Exodus, it was the perfect Passover lamb slain, and its blood splashed on the lintel and doorposts of the house. The significance of this sign spared the firstborn of the house from death.

Romans 3:23–26 (MEV): For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in His blood, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins previously committed, to prove His righteousness at this present time so that He might be just and be the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

From my understanding, the blood of Jesus already abides on every person sparing the firstborn in that house from death. 2 Corinthians 5:1 teaches us that our body is a house. Because we are spared death when we sin, the blood of Jesus applies. The book of Revelation also tells us that the work of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world is not confined to one moment in time.

Good or bad, believer or not… It is the blood of Jesus that stops the angel of death when you sin. That is one typology.

Blood Atonement

There is another typology presented in Leviticus 16. That is the command for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement.)

Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. Aaron shall bring the goat on which the lot of the Lord falls and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat on which the lot falls to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement with it, that it may be sent away as a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:8–10

Already there is a distinction in the text. Two offerings, one dead and one alive. This points to the death of Jesus and His Resurrection.

Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people, and bring its blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it over and in front of the mercy seat. And he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel and because of their transgressions in all their sins, and so he shall do for the tent of meeting that remains among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

Leviticus 16:15–16

The blood of the slain goat was sprinkled in the presence of God, for the people, for all of their sins. This is done even while they were yet sinners!

Remember when Jesus died, the veil separating the presence of God was torn in two. There is no more separation because the blood of Jesus is sprinkled in the presence of God for the people and all of their sins.

But only the high priest went into the second part once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins of the people, committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was signifying through this that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet revealed, because the first part of the tabernacle was still standing.

Hebrews 9:7–8

But Christ, when He came as a High Priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies so that the flesh is purified, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Hebrews 9:11–14

It is essential to understand these things as the Bible presents them. The presence of God is no longer reserved for a privileged few.

Therefore, brothers, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way that He has opened for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh, and since we have a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse them from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Hebrews 10:19–22

Understand that it is only by the blood of Jesus that you are sanctified. Sanctified means to be set aside. That is true for all, believer or not. Everyone has respite from the wages of sin. I repeat it, everyone.

That’s the first part of the atonement. And it is unconditional for all people. The second part is also for all people with a condition.

Removal of Sin

When he has made an end of atonement for the Holy Place, and the tent of meeting, and the altar, then he shall bring the live goat.

Leviticus 16:20–22

As we have gone back to the typologies, the high priest leaves the presence of God. This is important, as it proves the offering of blood is accepted as the priest walks out alive. That is the work of the cross, Jesus is declaring to everyone they are free.

Watch how the priest uses that freedom. He makes his way to the living offering. He presses onto the head confessing sins, in a sense transferring them to the goat. The goat is sent away, carrying the sins confessed on it into the wilderness never to return.

That is what the writer of Hebrews is saying… There is a new and living Way opened through the veil of separation. It was done by the blood that any may approach the live offering to confess our sins and have them removed forever. Jesus is the live offering, and He has taken a seat at the right hand of the Father.

We just confess our sins to have them removed. For that, we need a living offering. Jesus rose again.

Conclusion

For by one offering He has forever perfected those who are sanctified.

Hebrews 10:14

You and I cannot add to what Jesus did. It abides on us, and we acknowledge and celebrate that. Furthermore, it is a call to action. If we are forever perfected, and we are… What is there to really fear?

If we mess up and sin, we have an Advocate. A Living Offering Who takes away sin forever.

Atonement for All

On By TimIn Atonement, Romans 03Leave a comment

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:19–20 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The purpose of the law is to expose the futility of the bondage every human is in. It shows us sin.

But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

Romans 3:21–22 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Whether a believer or not, Israeli or not… There is no difference. All fall short of the mark of perfect righteousness. Yet righteousness comes by faith.

But it can only come because there is a respite from punishment… A period of justification to all, that the penalty of sin isn’t levied in a just manner. The penalty of death is satisfied by Another.

This means universally, every human is free to go after they sin. That’s exactly what Jesus did at the cross. It’s the proverbial golden ticket.

What people do with that freedom is exactly where the hinge of eternity pivots. Some believe and by that faith and are saved. Others do not and die in their sin.

But all of Adam’s race who are alive on earth are under the respite of punishment.

Don’t die in your sin.

Redemption is for All Adam’s Race

On By TimIn Justification, Romans 03Leave a comment

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and all the world may become accountable to God. Therefore by the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:19–20 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

What Paul is writing is that the purpose of the law is to expose the futility of the bondage every human is in. That bondage is sinning unto death. Romans 3 shows us our bondage and silences any objection we might have. We all know that we have missed the mark of perfection.

Even by keeping the law for the rest of our lives, it cannot make up for past offenses. What the law shows us is that barring intervention, we are doomed.

But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction.

Romans 3:21–22 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The law doesn’t show us the righteousness of God. That is revealed apart from the law. Though the law is a witness to the righteousness of God, along with the prophets. It didn’t reveal the righteousness of God.

What is the righteousness of God?

Paul says it comes to all through faith and is upon all who believe. There is a very subtle distinction here. Though the righteousness of God comes to all it is not upon all. It is only upon those who by faith… Believe. Yes, it sounds redundant. It’s an important point.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Romans 3:23–24 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Whether a believer or not, Israeli or not, atheist, Buddhist or whatever… There is no difference. All fall short of the mark of righteousness. The righteousness that is revealed to all. Yet every single one of those that have sinned and fallen short is being justified freely right now. That justification comes in Jesus Christ.

What it means is that if you’re breathing and reading this, it’s because of Jesus. That is especially true if you are painfully aware of your personal imperfections.

This is a respite from punishment. Some call it a delay. God calls it a day of salvation. Without the stay of execution, no human could live long enough to escape death and the condemnation that comes with it.

This grace comes to all. That is the righteousness of God revealed. It’s been revealed since the garden when Adam sinned.

Paul will tell you why.

whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in His blood, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins previously committed,

Romans 3:25 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

God set forth Jesus as a propitiation. That’s a big word. What it means is God’s wrath is set aside. It is set aside for everyone. God is ready to forgive!

That’s the demonstration of His righteousness. Because He passed over sins previously committed. He passed over Adam’s. He passed over David’s. He passed over mine. He passed over yours.

All of that is to give time for repentance. That’s the important point we spoke of before. There is a delay. If there wasn’t, each of us would die in our sins. We would not have any time to repent and seek remission of sins.

to prove His righteousness at this present time so that He might be just and be the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:26 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Universally, every human is free to go after sinning. That’s the cross. That’s the proof of His righteousness. He doesn’t wink at sin. Every sin has received a just punishment… At the cross.

Jesus says the problem is dying in sins. Sure, the penalty is removed, yet the sin is not. That’s the condemnation. Sin can only be removed by confession.

God is both just, saying to all who’ve sinned, you’re free to go. What each of us does with that freedom is exactly where the hinge of eternity pivots. Some believe the truth, and by faith confess that and their sin, and they are saved. Others do not and die IN their sin.

Don’t be like the latter.

Why do Really Bad Things Happen? Could God Stop Them?

On By TimIn Forbearance, Jeremiah 07Leave a comment

They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My heart.

Jeremiah 7:31 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

There is something God didn’t ordain, decree, dream up or make happen… Babies were being burned alive in sacrifice to Molech. If one takes the time to read the rest of the chapter, it is easy to discern that God did punish this sin.

The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23.) But from the very beginning of the book, we read about people committing sin and they don’t receive the wages of sin.

Why?

There seems to be a respite of punishment. To some, it isn’t blatantly obvious. But to the one who studies, it becomes very plain. And it provides an insight as to the very good reasons why God doesn’t stop repugnant-moral evil.

Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed swiftly, the heart of the sons of men is fully set to do evil. Since one who sins may do evil a hundred times and extend his life, I also have experienced that it will be good for those who fear God when they have reverence before Him. But it will not be well for the wicked, and he will not prolong his days, like a shadow, because he does not fear before God.

Ecclesiastes 8:11–13 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The wisest king Solomon lamented over the lack of swift punishment. He watched how evil is pervasive and rampant, and one can do countless heinous things and still live. Solomon knows the end for the wicked, and the extension of life has a purpose.

What purpose?

That is hinted at in the title of Jesus in the very last book of the Bible. He is called, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

What the title is saying is that His death covers all sins that have been committed. If one has considered the entire work between the bookends of Genesis and Revelation, as that title of Jesus is encountered, the reality should be clear. This is the patient-forbearance of God.

Do you despise the riches of His goodness, tolerance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

One could rail against others not getting just recompense for some heinous act. The murderer isn’t punished swiftly. But have we ever considered our own lies and thievery demand the same justice?

It’s kinda weird.

But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in His blood, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins previously committed, to prove His righteousness at this present time so that He might be just and be the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:21–26 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The law shows the futility of trying to make up for past proclivities. It is impossible. Yet because all have sinned and fallen short, as they live after they sin, God is justifying them! That’s why they live. That’s why God doesn’t stop sin from happening. If He stopped what we considered heinous, He would need to mete out the same toward us when we tell a lie about someone. And all would drop dead the moment they conceived sin in their heart.

Who could then be saved?

Continue reading. This goes on to say that God overlooks sins previously committed. There is no distinction there. He doesn’t just overlook the really bad ones.

It’s a demonstration of His righteousness. The same righteousness of God that comes to a person by faith. Though all humans are in the midst of being justified, this provides them a day of salvation (Isaiah 49:8.) What is meant, is it is a time given to all to seek remission of sins. That only comes by faith.

Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed away. Look, all things have become new. All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:17–19 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The punishment is delayed so that every person has time to repent and be saved.

Denying the Lord Who Bought Them

On By TimIn 2 Peter 02, Apostasy, Atonement, Eternal SecurityLeave a comment

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

2 Peter 2:1 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Even denying the Lord who bought them.

Why make such a statement about false prophets and false teachers?

This isn’t about losing salvation as if such a thing were possible. A false teacher or a false prophet, by definition, are not ones who have lost salvation. Those would be persons who did not have it at all.

And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their judgment, made long ago, does not linger, and their destruction does not slumber.

2 Peter 2:2–3 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Just in the same way as saying their judgment was made long ago isn’t to advocate that God made people reprobate destined for perdition.

Let’s focus on “denying the Lord who bought them.” We do that by establishing a foundation.

Aaron shall bring the goat on which the lot of the Lord falls and offer him for a sin offering.

Leviticus 16:9 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

In the instruction for the once-a-year atonement, there were two offerings, one was killed satisfying the demand of death for sin and its blood sprinkled in the presence of God. The other released alive and carried sin away.

But the goat on which the lot falls to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord to make atonement with it, that it may be sent away as a scapegoat into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:10 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

When Paul wrote about the first part of this, he said it this way.

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

That is, Jesus didn’t become sin, He became the sin offering. Just like the young goat offered in the tabernacle didn’t have sin. Goats don’t have sin. Nor are they made sin to die. The blood gave us a pattern, one that wild have its ultimate satisfaction in Jesus.

But only the high priest went into the second part once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins of the people, committed in ignorance.

Hebrews 9:7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

But Christ, when He came as a High Priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:11–12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Note exactly what is said, that Jesus obtained eternal redemption. That was by His blood. It is for the people… All of them. They’ve been redeemed… Bought… Already.

Let’s go back to that verse. Pay particular attention to the structure of the statement. God made Him to be sin. That is explicit. There is no wiggling there. There is no condition. That is because the dead offering is for the people. All of them without distinction or exclusion. The blood of the dead offering is sprinkled in the presence of God.

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

That we might become the righteousness of God. That is the second part of that verse… The conditional part.

Much hay is made about choice and choosing. Clearly, Paul is saying that God chose and did make Jesus the sin offering for every human. Every human has already been redeemed by His blood. But not every human will become the righteousness of God in Him.

It is hard to think of every human being bought. I understand. Nevertheless, it’s the truth. The context that preceded what Paul says clearly establishes the idea.

All this is from God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their sins against them, and has entrusted to us the message of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

God is reconciled to the world. By use of the word their, world is personified as humans… Meaning all of them. That’s because they’ve been redeemed, purchased by the blood price paid.

But that might be part. That we might become the righteousness of God. That’s the condition.

So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you in Christ’s stead: Be reconciled to God.

2 Corinthians 5:20 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The veil is removed, there is no partition or separation. God has indeed become reconciled to all humans, and some of you hate that He is imploring folks to be saved. But that is the truth.

That we might become the righteousness of God. It comes through believing.

This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in His blood, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins previously committed, to prove His righteousness at this present time so that He might be just and be the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:22–26 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Even in the midst of falling short, people are being justified freely. That is what propitiation does and we have it through a choice offered to us.

See… To not believe is to deny the Lord that bought you. How does one neglect so great a salvation?

He is Just

On By TimIn Daily Walk, Jesus, Justification, Love, Righteousness, Romans 03, Salvation, Sanctification, The Cross1 Comment

This righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all and upon all who believe, for there is no distinction. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in His blood, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins previously committed, to prove His righteousness at this present time so that He might be just and be the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:22–26 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

I am certain all of us are familiar with this passage. In a bit of insomniac tossing and turning last night, I had a half-hearted discussion with God and He brought this to my mind.

It was after a challenging evening where past lies were dredged up and that the one doing it reported those as my legacy. Of course, the other person was a bit short on facts. Nevertheless, those old scars can hurt.

The person who brought the stuff up is rather lonely, abusive, and very embittered. That one is certainly not a believer, but an avowed atheist. The bitterness has cost lots of people time, aggravation, and real money. Some have had to endure abusive (really demonic) behavior.

I would ask God why someone like that gets to breathe His air for so long.

He gently reminded me of how longsuffering He is with me. He also gently asked why He ought not be as longsuffering with that person. And as He always does, there was that verse gently impressed into my mind… He might be Just and justifier.

You see, when we stand before God to give account, us believers have already been judged for our sins, those list of ordinances against us are nailed to the cross.

But there are those unbelievers and God-haters who will stand before Him at the Great White Throne. Those will be gently reminded of all they’ve done to rail against God. Why will be painstakingly obvious to all who watch, will be the longsuffering of God.

It’s a simple fact that His mercies are new, and He suffers long that makes Him just.

How often do we seek immediate justice for wrongs done to us?

Seriously, really give that some long consideration. Swift justice is indeed just. Yet something else comes to mind.

He has told you, O man, what is good—and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Micah 6:8 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

There is so much talk around about justice. It is hard to find where the Bible instructs is to seek justice. I don’t think it does because God does. We are told to do justice, in other words, to act justly. It is our behavior we ought to control. And by the example given to us by Paul about God.

He says in another place that mercy triumphs over judgment. It is this mercy for all of us, that is supposed to gently lead us to repentance.

Think about that the next time someone disrespects you for something, I don’t care why it is or if it is for the ten-thousandth time. Your God suffers long for you, why would He not suffer just as long for your adversaries?

Genesis 2:17: You Will Surely Die?

On By TimIn Creation, Death, Genesis 02, Romans 02, Romans 03, Titus 01Leave a comment

but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Genesis 2:17 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

When you read that verse, what comes to mind?

I offer, most who read the verse won’t really take it at what is written. Instead, the truth might be obscured, understanding it as “you will eventually die.” God is not teaching that sin brings eventual death, but that just death for sin is immediate. Sin, Is a capital offense.

When the recompense for sin was stated to Adam, God did not say, “you will eventually die.” The penalty is clearly stated. It’s immediate death. Let us read this rationally, and not soften what God clearly says. A cursory examination of commentaries on this verse agrees. This is from the conservative Keil-Delitzsch’s Commentary on the Old Testament, “Why then did God prohibit man from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, with the threat that, as soon as he ate thereof, he would surely die?” That clearly delineates what is meant, death is to be expected as soon as one ate. Another more progressive commentary Interpreter’s Bible Commentary says, “Death would follow immediately!” The intent of God’s word is clear. God’s command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil included the assurance of immediate death. It stands in stark contrast to what most believe, and to what was allowed, to eat of any other tree… Including the tree of life.

Humans were created to be image-bearers of God. That means being like Him in all ways. There were things reserved for God, yet the implication of that one tree in the garden shows the will of God. Humans were not to know death.

There might still be an objection

But they did not immediately die when they ate the fruit. But they did eventually die.

Exactly!

The eventual death is evidence of the corruption the fruit did to the physical body. It changed Adam and Eve and not just in a spiritual sense. God gave all the other trees of the garden as good for food. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was therefore not ‘good for food.’ It was the one tree God set aside as something not to eat for food. After the serpent entered and questioned what God had said, Eve had assented to the idea God was holding something from them. She looked at the fruit, and her desire led her away from the truth, believing that the fruit was ‘good for food.’

When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasing to the eyes and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate;

Genesis 3:6 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

When she ate, things changed for her. She passed it to her man, and he also ate. He too was changed. Corruption entered humanity. The corruption also had a physical effect on the body. That corruption was passed down to progeny. That is the death from disease and aging we all will eventually die. (There are other ways to die, but all humans will die from the corruption in their own bodies regardless of other factors.)

Therefore as sin came into the world through one man and death through sin, so death has spread to all men, because all have sinned.

Romans 5:12 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We also know that Adam did not die immediately. It’s not that God changed His mind or backpedaled on His words to them. There is something else in place.

Jesus is The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

He provides the respite from justice that was given to Adam. He was the One Who satisfied what was owed, immediate death.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if through the trespass of one man many died, then how much more has the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. The gift is not like the result that came through the one who sinned. For the judgment from one sin led to condemnation, but the free gift, which came after many trespasses, leads to justification. For if by one man’s trespass death reigned through him, then how much more will those who receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:15–17 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The free gift came after many trespasses, meaning it came at a later time than that first trespass that introduced corruption to death. The seeming delay of death is not a delay, but a respite of justice. It’s been fulfilled. We know this applies backward in time to that very first trespass. The righteous act of One is applicable to all.

Therefore just as through the trespass of one man came condemnation for all men, so through the righteous act of One came justification of life for all men.

Romans 5:18 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Therefore, that free gift leads to justification for all. It’s the goodness of God.

But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who commit such things. Do you think, O man, who judges those who do such things, and who does the same thing, that you will escape the judgment of God? Do you despise the riches of His goodness, tolerance, and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

Romans 2:2–4 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Paul would further expound on the idea, that all who have sinned are being justified as they live after it.

being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith, in His blood, for a demonstration of His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins previously committed,

Romans 3:24–25 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

This is the reality. Jesus’ death provides. It’s a respite for humans from death. This respite leads to justification for all humans.

Enough about death.

Let’s talk about life. Though we all are foolish, the kindness of God is still there. Just like in the garden at the beginning, His desire has not changed.

We also were once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various desires and pleasures, living in evil and envy, filled with hatred and hating each other. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of rebirth and the renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, being justified by His grace, we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:3–7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Back in that garden, amongst those trees, there is another implicit truth. Humans were created to live forever, and not to die. God is demonstrating that to fulfill what it is to image-bear for Him is living with Him as He lives. The ability to live the kind of life God has is not intrinsic to humans. We need that tree of life to give to us what we do not have. God wants us to live the kind of life He has. It’s HIs gift to us, we must take it inside of us for ourselves.

In the garden, God is establishing reality. A reality that He continually tells us.

I call heaven and earth to witnesses against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.

Deuteronomy 30:19–20 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

The apostle Paul affirmed that this gift is from the beginning, just as taught in Genesis.

in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began,

Titus 1:2 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We are not guaranteed to become heirs of the hope of eternal life. Just like it was presented to Adam and Eve in the garden, we must choose to live forever by partaking in the tree of life. The tree of life is not in our midst to us as we live today, in that we cannot eat of it now. We can have it (eternal life) now.

Jesus says we have it now. That, is because we are heirs to the things of God, including the hope of eternal life.

Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life.

John 5:24 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give permission to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.

Revelation 2:7 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

Justice no longer stands against us. Justice is satisfied to then provide respite from the immediate penalty due. We know looking back, it was done at the cross when Jesus stated, “Tetelestai!” Justice has been done. Justice is done by His grace and all are being justified. Justification is poured out abundantly in Jesus. He is Just and justifier.

to prove His righteousness at this present time so that He might be just and be the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:26 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)

We are saved by His life.

How much more then, being now justified by His blood, shall we be saved from wrath through Him. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, how much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life.

Romans 5:9–10 — Modern English Version (Thinline Edition.; Lake Mary, FL: Passio, 2014)