PAX has begun a study from Creation to Joe - A look at the Ancient::Future
We are currently on Genesis 5,6 and try to offer some sort of supplemental teaching here on the PAXblog.
So this is going back a few weeks now but it holds such huge importance for our spiritual life, and understanding of God, humanity, the condition of sin, and the outcomes that still plague our world today- I thought I would post on it.
The results of sin are more then a trace substance in a world being detoxed by therapy, tolerance, or religious piety. The result of sin has left a deep stain on each son of Adam and every Daughter of Eve (Psalm 106:39; Prov. 30:11-12; Mark 7:20). Sin has caused us to be born spiritually dead and separated from God our Creator, Father (Ephesians 2:1); Being born in sin we have only the identity of what a sinful world drives us obtain (Ephesians 2:2) - although marred by sin, because of God's hand in our Creation we maintain a God given dignity, value and worth. Also, we live under the authority of the 'Optimus Prime' of evil enemies of the Good and Holy God, Satan himself (Ephesians 2:2b). Therefore all that remains for us to live out of is the cess pool of our own self-driven, flesh craving desires (Ephesians 2:3a). This condition of willful and natural rebellion to God cannot be left uncorrected, or unpunished by a loving God. When God looks down upon humanity in this condition He is grieved at our having been created to experience such complete desolation (Genesis 18:20; Jer. 6:27-30;Lam. 1:8; Romans 1:18).
Genesis 3 describes for us in painful detail that when our first parents, Adam and Eve, opted for their own selfish 'freedom' from God, their good Creator and Father, they really became losers. And we who are born of the same flesh and blood as our parents are born in the same condition as them- lost (Romans 5:12, 18; 8:5a, 8).
Here's what went down: Genesis chapter 2 everything is declared "VERY GOOD", complete, full, whole. Man and woman are in holy covenant love with each and with their God. A beautiful reflection of the relationship experienced and enjoyed in the Trinity its self. Plus they were so complete and full in each other that they were innocently naked (Heb.'arom') and loving it! This would refer to an intimacy and acceptance of each other on every level- mind, emotion, will, and physical relationship.
Gen. 3:1-4 The leader of the 'Free' World
- is crafty (Heb. 'arum', see the play on words?) Rev. 12:9; 20:2
- is a destroyer Psalm 10:6-11; I Pet. 5:8
- is a liar John 8:44
This is the one who is offering 'freedom'!
A good principle to keep in mind when reading Genesis- Genesis doesn't merely tell us what did happen but what happens everyday in our world!
The crafty, destroying, Liar Serpent- offers 'freedom' everyday in our world, on our streets and in our homes. More $, Freedom? More self-gratification, Freedom? More women, freedom? The perfect guy no matter what, Freedom? Self made Fame, Freedom? Getting what I want, Freedom? SEE HIM FOR WHO HE IS!
The LIE of Freedom- Look at how the Father of Lies, questions truth, twists truth then just straight out denies and accuses the God of truth of being a liar! He appeals to doubt, desire and foolish pride- all the while coaxing us on with our own flesh. Can you hear him? "God is not that good, sin is not that bad." The poison apple that he entices, and baits the enslavement to death with everyday.
vs 6 Adam and Eve both take the bait! Eve is deceived to sin- hoping to become her own god, knowing not just the good that she had experienced by God's good hand but now, wow, a promise of experiencing the evil, the bad! How sad and dark. Adam was deliberate in his sin. As the covenant head of his home he sat back and allowed for Satan to lie and manipulate his wife, his completer, this one and only, precious girl of God's. He decides not to lead his family and Satan steps in to lead. Adam goes farther then this however and even as he watches Eve's sin he deliberately reaches out, and like some lazy arsed, self induced comatose dope head, takes a 'pull' on the sin that was being passed around!
Vs 7-19 The Losers of Freedom "And they were naked and shamed"; This is a nakedness they had never experienced before, "erom". The stain of shame, the weight of guilt, the fear of wrath, the darkness of a mind perverted and a heart separated. In this one moment they lost. They lost the freedom of security (which each other, with their God); They lost the freedom of shameless, whole relationship (with each other, with their God); They lost the freedom of right-ness, even as they pointed the blame on each other, or on God in some twisted attempt to tell God they were not as bad as others are (lost rightness with each other and with God). They lost Life- even as God in his mercy did not allow them to remain in the Garden, where they would have no hope of ever being free from the devastation of sin, if they were allowed to live forever in it's hopelessness; They lost Life physically and spiritually- and they as our representative, chose on our behalf to live life separated from the Giver of Life.
The thud of this decision goes deeper and farther then I can blog or imagine, but I see it everyday in my own life and in the lives of those I love and serve.
Without the hope of 'the seed' who will crush the head of the one who has taken a headship in our life and world- Freedom indeed is forever lost in a glitz, glittered, air brushed, fake smiled, sin soaked, empty souled world of addiction, hurt and pain.
WE NEED A SAVIOR!
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