Contrasting the Two Trees

The following is not meant to be a theological exposition but rather, thoughts that came during my time in the Word.

From reading Romans 5:12-21
I have been thinking of how it was necessary for Jesus, in His humanity, to retrace the steps taken by the first Adam from the beginning. Just what does that look like in scripture? What are some of the parallels? Lets start at the beginning.

I would like to start by examining the parallel of the trees.
In the garden after Adam sinned by eating the fruit offered by Eve they hid themselves (so they thought) behind the trees. (Gen 3:7-8) So the story goes today as man attempts to hide himself from the presence of God. We go from Adam hiding behind a tree to Christ being crucified on a tree. Bookends, if you will, in redemptive history. From the first Adams willingness to sin and hide behind some"thing". That "thing" being a living tree to the second Adam being nailed and left naked for all to see. Nailed to the front of a dead tree. As Adam and Eve fashioned loin cloths from fig leaves in an attempt to cover the sin and shame that rightfully belonged to them to our Lord having no sin of His own , yet covered with the weight and wrath of sin that belonged to us. God came searching for the first Adam as he hid himself behind the trees (Gen3:9) to God turning His back on the second Adam. (Mark 15:34)
Adam ate the fruit of the tree that was desirable and pleasing to the eyes (Gen3:6) and that was the beginning of the bondage of sin for humanity.
Jesus drank the gall (sour vinegar) which was on a sponge attached to a branch of a hyssop tree. After He received this He said it was finished. In Christ there is an end to the bondage of sin.
In the life of the first Adam, there was a problem with a tree and in the life and death of the second Adam there was a solution to be found on a tree.
Adam ate-Christ drank- bookends.

How much of the world?

I have been thinking a lot lately about how much like the world I still am even while being so different. Worldly ideas and worldly thinking are so deeply ingrained into my thought pattern that its seems it will truly take this lifetime to be rid of it. (at the time of glorification!)
What areas do I struggle with the most in worldly thinking? Educating my children? Do I set out each day to raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord or do I think that, pray for that and then proceed to our academic lessons just to find at the end of the day the teaching I did was not that much different from any teacher of the world? The setting was different, that individual attention give was different but did I teach them Christ today? More than just the Bible lesson that I hope I got around to? Do I have educational goals that are different from this world? Do I care more for their spiritual life than their visible, earthly life?

What about my desire to have them fit in with the kids in our new neighborhood? I found myself hoping they would be accepted and liked by all the kids outside playing. What a jolt when I heard the language that came from one young mans mouth. Did I really just sit there and hope that they would fit in and be accepted into that world? How then am I teaching them to be holy and set apart? I should instead be praying that the Lord would use them and protect them in this situation. But for a moment I wanted them to be liked and accepted by man.....

How about for myself? How many activities do I engage in that are not spiritually profitable? Am I "allowed" to do so? YES! There are books I can read, shows I can watch, and songs that I can sing that would not be sin for me to partake of. Does that mean that I should? I think sometimes we spend so much time defending what we are allowed to do that we don't stop to think of how these things affect our walk with Christ. Does it grow me spiritually? Is it profitable to my walk, my relationship with the Lord? Am I using it in a way to serve Christ thru it? I believe these are questions I should ask myself before engaging in these activities.

That said, do I think that these questions should be asked by all Christians? I hesitate to say yes because I know they aren't being asked by all who know Christ. Who am I to say that another believer should cultivate their relationship with the Lord in the same way that I would? If I have been convicted in certain areas by the Holy Spirit and if He has changed my thinking on things then am I to say that He is wrong for not having done so in another's heart and mind?
Sometimes we want so badly to think that every christian must be the same in every way that when others are not where we are we judge them wrongly and sometimes harshly. Some names that come to mind are: legalist, liberal, lost, carnal, a pharisee, a fundamentalist and on and on....Yes, there are people that legitimately fit in these categories. But how careful we must be before we judge harshly and critically. This growth and sanctification is the Spirits work in our life and its for Him to produce in us and us to bear. Who are we to judge another's servant in areas that belong to him and the Lord?
How do we know the sovereignty of God and the work of the Holy Spirit and still dare judge another that may slightly disagree with us ?

I know I am guilty of all of it......its called sin and thats why we do it. There is no other excuse, no justification.......its sin.

Melissa

The Necessity Of Gods Humanity

1. Jesus came to earth to reveal God to man (John 1:18).
Since God is a Spirit no one has seen God. He has nothing tangible to hold on to. In essence Jesus came to explain God to sinful man with precision unmatched by any mere man.(Hebrews 1:2-3) We get the word explain from the word exegete. Jesus exegeted God. What does God look like=Jesus (John 14:7-10) We have to be careful here because Jesus did not mean that He WAS the Father. That would be modal ism. we have to take into account (Col 1:15).

2. To Live under the Law. (Galatians 4:4)
Christ had to be under the same subjection to God's Law just as Adam was in the beginning. The steps had to be retraced from that very beginning of mans existence. He kept all the Mosaic and ceremonial laws perfectly. He kept not only the outward actions to perfection but inward perfection as well. He lived for over thirty years under complete and total obedience to the Law of God. It was necessary for Jesus to live His life and to succeed where Adam had not, so that the curse could be reversed.
If it was only the cross, He would have gone from the throne to the cross. Not at all to diminish the cross, but He had to live sinless as well as die sinless (Romans 5:18)

3. He became a man to die for our sins (Romans 6:23).
From the beginning God announced that there would be a penalty for sin (Genesis 2:17).
God is not only the lawgiver but the Judge as well (Ezekiel 18:4). That penalty is death:
Physical death - separation of the soul from the body.
Spiritual death - separation from God.
Eternal death - Hell
Jesus had to become a man so He could die! God cannot die. (that blows the modalistic theology to shreds). He is from the beginning and has no end. Jesus became the God man so He could taste death and make atonement for our sins (John 1:29)

4. To be an example. (1 Peter 2:21-25), (1 John 2:6)
Obedience is so important to God that He condemned the whole world to Hell because of one mans one act of disobedience. The more that we become Like Christ the more that we can resist temptation for we have His Spirit living within us. We do this not just with our lips but with our life as well. (1 John 5:3) in contrast to the burdensome man made religious traditions of the historical Jewish leaders in Jesus day to the legalistic outward rituals of many today, the yoke of Jesus is easy and the burden light (Matthew 11:30)

5. To be our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17)
Prophets present God before men. The Priest presents men before God. Not only is he our High Priest but a sympathetic one also. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Do You Truly Desire God?

I am taking a lil time from posting on repentance and will be posting a couple of videos that a friend shared with me. May God truly bless and stir you as you watch and listen. To God be the Glory!!!!!!

" Believe on The Lord Jesus Christ and You Will Be Saved?"

As I have been studying and reading what true repentance looks like before and after conversion, I came across this writing by A.W. Pink entitled, Present Day Evangelism. As I was reading , He makes an important note of Acts 16:31, and how it was used in his day to evangelize the lost.
Which is very interesting, because just as in his day this verse is still used as a way to evangelize. It is used as a stand alone verse. Although it is obviously inclusive of the gospel. But is that the proper way to evangelize the lost with just this verse alone? Is that an accurate gospel presentation.
A friend of me and the Mrs, had asked the most important question "what is the gospel", on another blog. The answer from the one who owns the blog and another frequent commenter on the blog , was "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved." When asked where is repentance, the sinless life, the death ,burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ in this gospel presentation? The response was ,"this is the Gospel and we do not need to over complicate it." So, Pink had some interesting thoughts on this particular verse when used in evangelism. It would be worth our time to take a pit stop and read his comments. May it bless you as you read. May it strike at the conscience of those who are guilty of what he speaks.

A.W. Pink (1886-1952)


...........The Gospel is not a thing apart. It is not something independent of the prior revelation
of God’s Law. It is not an announcement that God has relaxed His justice or lowered His standard of holiness. So far from that, when scripturally expounded the Gospel presents the clearest demonstration and the climacteric proof of the inexorableness of God’s justice and of His infinite abhorrence of sin. But for scripturally expounding the Gospel, beardless youths and business men who devote their spare time to “evangelistic effort” are quite unqualified. Alas that the pride of the flesh suffers so many incompetent ones to rush in where those much wiser fear to tread. It is this multiplying of novices that is largely responsible for the woeful situation now con-fronting us, and because the “churches” and “assemblies” are so largely filled with their “converts” explains why they are so unspiritual and worldly.
No, my reader, the Gospel is very, very far from making light of sin. The Gospel shows us how unsparingly God deals with sin. It reveals to us the terrible sword of His justice smiting His beloved Son in order that atonement might be made for the transgressions of His people. So far from the Gospel settling aside the law, it exhibits the Savior enduring the curse of it. Calvary supplied the most solemn and awe-inspiring display of God’s hatred of sin that time or eternity will ever furnish. And do you imagine that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to worldlings and telling them that they “may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their personal Savior” while they are wedded to their idols and their hearts are still in love with sin? If I do so, I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel, insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness.
No doubt some readers are ready to object to our “harsh” and “sarcastic” statements above by asking, When the question was put “What must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:31) did not an inspired apostle expressly say, “Believe on the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved”? Can we err, then, if we tell sinners the same thing today? Have we not divine warrant for so doing? True, those words are found in Holy Writ, and because they are, many superficial and untrained people conclude that they are justified in repeating them to all and sundry. But let it be pointed out that Acts 16:31 was not addressed to a promiscuous multitude, but to a particular individual, which at once intimates that it is not a message to be indiscriminately sounded forth, but rather a special word to those whose characters correspond to the one to whom it was first spoken.
Verses of Scripture must not be wrenched from their setting, but weighed, interpreted, and applied in accord with their context; and that calls for prayerful consideration, careful meditation, and prolonged study; and it is failure at this point which accounts for these shoddy and worthless “messages” of this rush-ahead age. Look at the context of Acts 16:31, and what do we find? What was the occasion, and to whom was it that the apostle and his companion said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ”? A sevenfold answer is there furnished, which supplies a striking and complete delineation of the character of those to whom we are warranted in giving this truly evangelistic word. As we briefly name these seven details, let the reader carefully ponder them.
First, the man to whom these words were spoken had just witnessed the miracle-working power of God. “And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.” (Acts 16:26) Second, in consequence thereof the man was deeply stirred, even to the point of self-despair: “He drew out his sword and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.” (v. 27) Third, he felt the need of illumination: “Then he called for a light.” (v. 29) Fourth, his self-complacency was utterly shattered, for he “came trembling.” (v. 29) Fifth, he took his proper place (before God — in the dust — for he “fell down before Paul and Silas.” (v. 29) Sixth, he showed respect and consideration for God’s servants, for he “brought them out.” (v. 30) Seventh, then, with a deep concern for his soul, he asked, “What must I do to be saved?”
Here, then, is something definite for our guidance, if we are willing to be guided. It was no giddy, careless, unconcerned person who was exhorted to “simply” believe; but instead, one who gave clear evidence that a mighty work of God had already been wrought within him. He was an awakened soul. (v. 27) In his case there was no need to press upon him his lost condition, for he obviously felt it; nor were the apostles required to urge upon him the duty of repentance, for his entire demeanor betokened his contrition. But to apply the words spoken to him unto those who are totally blind to their depraved state and completely dead toward God, would be more foolish than placing a bottle of smelling salts to the nose of one just dragged unconscious from the water. Let the critic of this article read through Acts and see if he can find a single instance of the apostles addressing a promiscuous audience or a company of idolatrous heathen and “simply” telling them to believe in Christ!

“By the Law Is the Knowledge of Sin”

A.W. Pink

THE FRUITS OF REPENTANCE (A.W. Pink)

To help the exercised reader identify true repentance, consider the fruits that demonstrate godly repentance.
1.A real hatred of sin as sin, not merely it's consequences. A hatred of not only of this or that sin, but of all sin, and particularly of the root itself: Self-will. "Thus saith the Lord God, Repent, and turn from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations" (Ezekiel 14:6). He, who hates not sin, loves it. God's demand is, "Ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed" (Ezekiel 20:43). One who has really repented can truthfully say, " I hate every false way" (Psalm 119:104). He who once thought a course for holy living was a gloomy thing, has another judgment now. He , who once regarded a course of self-pleasing as attractive, now detests it and has purposed to forsake all sin forever. This is the change of mind God requires.
2. A deep sorrow for sin. The non saving repentance of so many is principally a distress occasioned by forebodings of divine wrath; but evangelical repentance produces a deep grief from a sense of having offended so infinitely excellent and glorious a Being as God. The one is the effect of fear, the other of love. The one is only for a brief season; the other is the habitual practice for life. Many a man is filled with regret and remorse over misspent life, yet has no poignant sorrow of heart for his ingratitude and rebellion against God. But a regenerated soul is cut to the quick for having disregarded and opposed his great Benefactor and rightful Sovereign
This is the change of heart God requires.
"ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner... for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation" (2 Cor 7:9-10). Such a sorrow is produced in the heart by the Holy Spirit and has God for its object. It is a grief for having despised such a God, rebelled against His authority, and been indifferent to His glory. It is this that causes us to "weep bitterly" (Mat 26:75). He who has not grieved over sin takes pleasure therein. God requires us to "afflict our souls (Lev 16:29). His call is, Turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your hearts and not your garments and turn unto the Lord your God: for He is gracious and merciful" ( Joel 2:12-12). Only that sorrow for sin is genuine which causes us to crucify "the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Gal 5:24).
3. Confessing of sin. " He that covereth his sins shall not prosper" (Proverbs 28:13). It is second nature to the sinner to deny his sins, directly or indirectly, to minimize or make excuses for them. It was thus with Adam and Eve at the beginning. But when the Holy Spirit works in any soul, his sins are brought to light, and he, in turn, acknowledges them to God. There is no relief for the stricken heart until he does so: " When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long, for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer" (Psalm 32:3-4). The frank and brokenhearted owning of our sins is imperative if peace of conscience is to be maintained. This is the change of attitude that God requires.
4. An actual turning from sin. "Surely there is no one here so stupefied with laudanum of hellish indifference as to imagine that he can revel in his lusts and afterward wear the white robes of the redeemed in paradise. If you imagine you can be partakers of the blood of Christ, and yet drink the cup of Belial; if you imagine you can be members of Satan and members of Christ at the same time, ye have less sense than one would give you credit for. No, you know that right hands must be cut off and right eyes plucked out-that the most darling sins must be renounced-if you would enter the kingdom of God" (from Spurgeon on Luke 13:24).
Three Greek words are used in the New testament that present different phases of repentance. First, metanoeo, Which means a "change of mind" (Mat 3:2; Mark 1:15,). Second, metanolomai, which means "a change of Heart" (Mat 21:29,32; Heb 7:21). Third, metanoia, which means "a change of course of life" (Mat 3:8; 9:13; Acts 20:21). The three must go together for genuine repentance. Many experience a change of mind: they are instructed and know better, but they continue to defy God. Some are even exercised in heart or conscience, yet they continue in sin. Some are informed in mind and uneasy in heart, who never reform their lives. The three must go together.
"He that covereth sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy" (Proverbs 28:13). He who does not, fully in his heart's desire and increasingly so in his life, turn from his wicked ways has not repented. If I really hate sin and sorrow over it, shall I not abandon it? Note carefully the "wherein in time past!" of Ephesians 2:2 and "were sometimes" of Titus 3:3! "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him" (Isa 55:7).
This is the change of course God requires..........to be continued

A.W. Pink