Home
God made Adam and Eve in His image. He made them: male and female (Genesis 1: 27). They were made alive through their relationship with Him. They were a joyful family, at home in the Garden of Eden. God was the source of their life. He was the source of their joy. He so enjoyed His family that He created a boundary to protect it. He said, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2: 16 - 17, NIV).
Exile
Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil and, just as God said, they died. Life and death are defined by one's relationship to God. They were alive when they were connected to God. However, when they disobeyed God they sinned. Their sin separated them from a sinless God and so they died. Their home was destroyed.
Longing
Sin changed Adam and Eve. It changed them deep inside, so that they could no longer find their way home to God. In fact, it changed them so much that they no longer wanted relationship with God (Romans 3: 11 - 18). But, even though they no longer wanted this relationship, the hole that God's absence created ached so greatly that they still sought to fill it. Adam and Eve would go on to populate the entire world (Romans 5: 12). All their offspring would be corrupted, just as they were. They would be born in sin--destined for shame and death. But God...
Great Rescue
God had longing too. The consequences of Adam and Eve's choice left Him a loving Father longing for the return of His children--longing for the restoration of His family. God needed a plan. The problem was our sin sick state. We were born with an inclination away from God--the source of our life and joy and our home. He had to get rid of sin. But, because we were sinful, He had to find a way to kill the sinful nature without destroying us. He sent Jesus Christ. Jesus, though innocent, took on our sin and shame and paid the penalty we earned by shedding His blood on the cross (Romans 3: 21 - 26). There is no remission of sin, without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9: 22). But, it wasn't enough to cancel the debt. We needed to be given a new nature, one that would give us the desire and capacity to find our way back home.
Invitation Home
The good news is that Jesus didn't just die, He got up! And when He did, He came with a most spectacular offer--His righteousness (perfection) for our sin. If we would confess our sins AND trust in His righteousness (rely on His goodness instead of our efforts to be good in order to be made right with God), He would apply His payment on the cross to our account AND give us His righteous standing (Romans 4: 4 - 5). In Jesus Christ's righteousness we are reconnected with God, who is the source of our life and joy. We are made a joyful family again! We return home.
Home
Beloved, let's go home! Pray: Lord Jesus, I believe that You died and shed Your blood to pay the price for all of my sins. I believe that you rose from the dead. I invite you to live in my heart and lead me in this new life with you. In Jesus' name, amen.
God made Adam and Eve in His image. He made them: male and female (Genesis 1: 27). They were made alive through their relationship with Him. They were a joyful family, at home in the Garden of Eden. God was the source of their life. He was the source of their joy. He so enjoyed His family that He created a boundary to protect it. He said, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2: 16 - 17, NIV).
Exile
Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Good and Evil and, just as God said, they died. Life and death are defined by one's relationship to God. They were alive when they were connected to God. However, when they disobeyed God they sinned. Their sin separated them from a sinless God and so they died. Their home was destroyed.
Longing
Sin changed Adam and Eve. It changed them deep inside, so that they could no longer find their way home to God. In fact, it changed them so much that they no longer wanted relationship with God (Romans 3: 11 - 18). But, even though they no longer wanted this relationship, the hole that God's absence created ached so greatly that they still sought to fill it. Adam and Eve would go on to populate the entire world (Romans 5: 12). All their offspring would be corrupted, just as they were. They would be born in sin--destined for shame and death. But God...
Great Rescue
God had longing too. The consequences of Adam and Eve's choice left Him a loving Father longing for the return of His children--longing for the restoration of His family. God needed a plan. The problem was our sin sick state. We were born with an inclination away from God--the source of our life and joy and our home. He had to get rid of sin. But, because we were sinful, He had to find a way to kill the sinful nature without destroying us. He sent Jesus Christ. Jesus, though innocent, took on our sin and shame and paid the penalty we earned by shedding His blood on the cross (Romans 3: 21 - 26). There is no remission of sin, without the shedding of blood (Hebrews 9: 22). But, it wasn't enough to cancel the debt. We needed to be given a new nature, one that would give us the desire and capacity to find our way back home.
Invitation Home
The good news is that Jesus didn't just die, He got up! And when He did, He came with a most spectacular offer--His righteousness (perfection) for our sin. If we would confess our sins AND trust in His righteousness (rely on His goodness instead of our efforts to be good in order to be made right with God), He would apply His payment on the cross to our account AND give us His righteous standing (Romans 4: 4 - 5). In Jesus Christ's righteousness we are reconnected with God, who is the source of our life and joy. We are made a joyful family again! We return home.
Home
Beloved, let's go home! Pray: Lord Jesus, I believe that You died and shed Your blood to pay the price for all of my sins. I believe that you rose from the dead. I invite you to live in my heart and lead me in this new life with you. In Jesus' name, amen.