GRACE - A MISUNDERSTOOD MESSAGE - PART 4
In the last post I talked about our understanding of "sin"; how we needed to understand sin in the context of the true Greek definition of this word: (The word “sin” in most instances of the new testament all come from the Greek word “hamartano” which means to be separated, to miss the mark, or to be estranged or mistaken in such a way as to not have a share in the prize.) rather then Websters definition of sin ("wrong deed or thought; a wrong attitude; a wrong action or inaction).
When God created Adam, He formed him from the dust of the earth and breathed His breath into them (Gen 2:7) and brought him to life. God said, "Let us make man in our image and likeness". So from the first breath, Adam was fashioned like God. Man was created in God's image and likeness (Gen 1:26).
After having named all the animals and Adam not finding one made "like him" (Gen 2:20), God said it was not good that man had no "aid" or "mate", the literal Hebrew says. So God created Eve from Adam. Then God had commanded Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for if he does, he shall surely die (Gen 2:17).
What I want to focus on is the fact that Adam and Eve were already made "like God"....in His image and likeness.....then the serpent comes along in Genesis Chapter 3 and says to Eve, "Yea, hath God said , Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden"? and Eve tells him that they aren't allowed to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or they would die.
And the crafty deceiver says, "Ye shall surely not die. For God knows that in the day ye shall eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be as gods knowing good and evil".
So what does this have to do with sin? Well, as you know Eve ate of the tree and gave to Adam to eat as well.....Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seems right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death. You see, knowing good and evil seemed like the way to be like God. Adam and Eve, by partaking of that fruit were basically saying that by knowing good and evil their eyes would be opened and thus be like God. They already were made to be like God but they chose to become like God by their efforts.....their doing.
God said they would die and they did.....spiritually speaking, they died. God's plan or His "mark".....His "target".....His "prize" for mankind was to live the life He created for us....that ZOE life (God's life full of His vitality and animated, brought to life in us). The Life God breathed into man's nostrils is life given by God freely. The only way to experience His life is in gift form. It doesn't come about by us trying to work principles. This is the point of departure, not the end goal. By experiencing His Life, this is the point from where we begin....begin to know His Love, experience His peace, begin to see others, both the righteous and the sinner from His perspective.
So when Adam and Eve chose to have life by knowing good and evil, they sinned....they missed the mark; they became estranged from God, separated from Him causing them to no longer qualify for a share in the prize. What prize? The prize of experiencing the Life God had intended for mankind to walk in.
But that is not where we were left. More on this later. For now, let us know that God's plan was for us to "hit" the mark.....qualify for the Life He created us to experience.....all the vitality and peace that accompanies Him living in us as was the case when He breathed HIS breath into man's nostrils.
Through faith in Christ, we can experience this life.....this love....this peace....not based on us knowing good and doing good but by our acknowledging what God has made right through Christ!
