Who's Who Today

The modern concept of the Christian life has been seriously skewed by false teachers and preachers in pulpits, colleges and in media.  What Jesus taught, what the Apostles continued has been relegated to an incorrect application of one small precept that has grown to overshadow all the rest of Biblical truth of the Christian life. 

The contrast between John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." and Matthew 16:24-25 "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it."  is polarized, two apparently different extremes.  Is the Christian life one of these two extremes or is there a middle ground where we may expect our path to lead?

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  

Jesus is saying that there is internal peace, but externally there will be tribulation.  I recognize that there may well be periods of external peace followed by repeated times of tribulation, tribulation will be our lot, because we serve Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3: 1-7  "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.  Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them."  Paul is teaching that we have a responsibility to prioritize our life with Christ as higher in importance than our life in the world.  So much so that we are to mortify (put to death, figuratively) our physical, fleshly desires that dominate our life.  

This is the foundation for the reality of Galatians 2:20 "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."  Death to self, but alive in Christ Jesus. Also note Romans 8:1-2 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."  The distinction of the fleshly life and the spirit-filled life is distinctly clear and possible.  

The promise of God for success in the Christian life is declared in Galatians 5:16-17 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."   

Conclusion:  

In this world we will have internal peace with God, but external conflict with the world.  It is our calling as disciples of our Lord Jesus that we embrace the reality of tribulation, allowing it to be a growing experience, purifying our soul from entanglements with this world.  He calls us to give free reign to our spirit in fellowship and control of the Holy Spirit, while subduing our fleshly (carnal) desires that tend to dominate us in this life.  Let us live above the flesh having our affections set on things above.  Doing so will save us much discouragement and disappointment.  We will also have a greater source of joy for our daily walk with Christ.  Who is who in our life?  Let it be Christ first and most!

AND, in the life to come, "Joy unspeakable and full of glory."

MARRIAGE GOD'S WAY - SURPRISE!

Having just entered the 72nd year of my journey through this life, I have much less concern about the effect of the opinions of others on my life.  Because that is so, I approach this topic with bold carelessness.  

INTRODUCTION

It is my conclusion, after nearly fifty years in pastoral ministry, in seven churches, in six states in the USA that the most common contribution to marital problems among Christians is, a failure of most wives to reverence their husbands.  We are all probably familiar with the famous passage of Ephesians 5:22-33, that carefully spells out the responsibility of both husbands and wives.  I will particularly focus on verse 33, because it is the sum of the whole passage.  "Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."  It is the conclusion of my observations and investigation that most wives do NOT reverence their husbands, for one cannot be critical and reverent at the same time.  

ADVISORY

Please note that I am using comparative terms such as "some", "most", "many".  I am not using words like "all", "every", or "each".  While I sincerely believe my conclusions are accurate and reflect on the great majority of Christian marriages, I certainly realize the foolishness of painting every husband or wife with the same broad paintbrush.  Of course there are exceptions.  Thankfully, there are men and women who recognize the truth of the Biblical description of marriage and have or are implementing these principles to the best of their ability.  I am happy to have personally known some of them.  Therefore, please do not assail me with  how this or that exception should be considered.  If I dealt with every possible exception, this article would be well beyond the reading tolerance of most readers.  I may be pushing the limit as it is.

DESIGN

God designed marriage with structure that replicates His relationship with His creation.  We are created in His image and likeness, Genesis 1-2.  Just as the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit have unique and complimentary roles, so do husbands and wives.  In His design, husbands are the head of the wife, wives are in a role of submission to his headship.  These roles were not designed to function on the basis of feeling, but rather on the basis of organizational structure.  Each person in their place doing their job, and fulfilling their responsibility.  1 Corinthians 11:3 "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."  This passage clearly lays out the design structure for marriage, a structure that is repeated other places by precept and example throughout the Bible.  The husband is the head of the wife, BUT Christ is the head of the man.  This is the organizational structure, but we must always remember, both husbands and wives have a head.  No one is a law unto themselves.  A ceremony and a certificate do not constitute godly marriage.  If they did, the marriage would last as long as the paper.  Today there are far too many divorces and failed marriages because there is a focus on the ceremony and certificate, when really it should be about commitment.  What makes a godly Christian marriage is a commitment to God, to fulfilling the designated designed roles and functioning in the spirit of God's purpose.  Quitting is not an option.

FUNCTION

God has designed the marriage to function under authority, but not on the basis of law, force, or legalism.  1 John 4:8 tells us that God is love and in replication of our Lord's relationship to His creation, marriage is to function in the environment of love.  Love for God and love for spouses is to be the rule rather than the exception.  Anytime we endeavor to make a marriage work out of fear or force or even grudgingly we have missed the functionality of God's design.  Wives: almost every time the role of each spouse is mentioned in the New Testament the role of the wife is mentioned first, just as it is in Ephesians 5.  I believe this is done because of the importance of the wife's role in marriage and family.  Someone once said that the husband may be the head, but the wife is the neck that turns it.  I would rather say that she is the neck that supports the head, giving it mobility to do it's work.  That is more in keeping with the function of a wife.  In Genesis 2:18 "And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him."  According to God's Word, a wife is to be a help to her husband, one that is meet for him, that is one that is comparable to him.  She is not inferior to the man or she would not be meet for him, nor would she be much of a help to him.  She is also not superior to him for the same reasons.  The beloved wife, bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh is meet for him, BUT her role is subject to her husband's authority and leadership (headship), even though in her person she is his equal and his compliment.  For a dear wife to subvert her husbands headship is tantamount to subverting God, for He designed the roles.  Her role is one of aid, support, comfort, encouragement, companionship, and so much more great value that only a dear woman of God may supply.  She is to aid him in his God given task or call, without having an alternative task of her own that may retard her aid to her husband.  She is to aid him in the great work of producing children and populating the Earth.  In this task, she has the most significant role and the greatest influence on the next generation.

Husbands:  are called upon by God to function in His design by portraying Christ in his marriage.  This is not an ego boosting position, but rather one of fear and caution, for it is the greatest responsibility that a man may endeavor to fulfill.  While it may seem out of place, a husband's first order of responsibility is not to his wife, but to his Head, Christ.  Modern marriage counselors may focus on the husband/wife relationship, but they would be missing the very foundation on which marriage was established.  In Genesis 2, God gave man a job, then He created his wife to help him.  A wife cannot be a help if her husband does not have his job from God.  So, I maintain that a husband's first responsibility is to be about the work that God has given him to do.  Along with what ever task that may be, he also has the responsibility of providing for, protecting his wife and family, and leading them in a godly lifestyle of service to the Lord.  This is a large order and will require a man's complete dedication to God and family.  There is no such position as part-time husband and servant of God.  A husband's second level of commitment after God is to his wife.  She is to come before children, parents, friends, employers, and personal recreational pursuits.  She is to be most important to him, next to their Lord, whom they both serve.  In the marital relationship the husband bears the responsibility of leadership and authority.  He is the one to answer the door when trouble calls and he is the one who answers for the decisions he makes.  God holds the husband responsible for his wife and family.

SPIRIT

A marriage, like a fine Swiss watch, is a wonderful thing to behold when all the parts are in place and working as designed.  However, when one or both are not functioning according to God's design the beauty is marred and peace is lost.  God designed marriage to be the closest thing to Heaven on Earth, but when the function is marred by an out of kilter spirit it can be closer to Hell than Heaven.  Most Christian marriages today are vacillating somewhere between the two extremes, usually bouncing around, just out of the Hell category.  

Romance: has actually done more to damage Christian marriage than it has ever helped.  Romance is about a man and woman's love for each other.  While love for each other is involved in Christian marriage it is not the foundation.  The foundation for Christian marriage is love for God.  When Christians are married and love God, they will do marriage God's way.   Unfortunately, most Christians do not know what that is.  I have dealt with some of it in the design and function segments, but without the spirit of God's design, even Christian marriages can be a hollow shell of misery and hopelessness.  Romance is ooey, gooey sentimentality whereas the love that God has for the marriage relationship is based on Him and not the spouses.  Love for each other results from the marriage being based on love for God, not the cause of it.

Reality:  is that romance is a poor foundation for marriage.  Doing the will of God is the best foundation for everything and particularly marriage.  To operate within God's design for marriage and to effectively function, it is necessary to understand the spirit which we must embrace for His purpose.  The Ephesian passage listed in the introduction is  most commonly used to identify marital roles.  I have put the text of the passage at the end of this article.  Emphasis is usually given to wives submitting to husbands and husbands loving wives as Christ loved His church and gave Himself for it.  Some translations, unfortunately add the word "up" to the last phrase, saying, as Christ loved His church and gave Himself up for it.  As a result many modern teachers and preachers declare that a husband is to be willing to give his life for his wife and in lieu of physically dieing, he should sacrifice anything to make her happy.  I have heard many  recorded speakers at Promise Keepers meetings present that precise message.  Jesus did not die for churches, He died for sinners.  When He gave Himself for His churches, He gave Himself to be the head of each, He took upon Himself the responsibility of a husband to a bride.  Bluntly put, a dead husband is of no value to anyone.  The modern concept of a husband dieing to self for his wife is the stuff of romance, not the reality of Christian marriage.  Husbands, if they are to fulfill God's design must always put God first, then function as a husband.  To follow the romance format is to put the wife ahead of the will and glory of God.  It effectively makes the wife an idol to be adored and worshiped.

Modern feminism has as it's goal to radically change God's design for marriage, to the extent that most leaders want to do away with marriage and family altogether.  One of their most effect efforts is to convince men and women that women are to be exalted to such a position of power and authority that they would be adored and worshiped as the superior gender.  Some radical feminist leaders have claimed that men be reduced to only 10% of the human population.  Romance is very supportive of the feminist concept of female superiority.  But, did you notice that such is in direct contrast to God's design for marriage?  God designed husbands to be the head and wives to be their aides.  Feminism and romance has invaded Christian thought and institutions to the degree that Christian marriage is no longer taught in most churches and Christian colleges and universities.  Married people are being taught that wives only need to submit to their husbands as long as they are being good husbands and doing right.  Oddly, the wives are the ones who are (supposedly) entitled to decide if their husbands are worthy of their allegiance.  And, if they are not, they may legitimately divorce them for a variety of reasons.  Concurrently, husbands are finding it easier and easier to not love their wives because the dear ladies are crass and not lovable.  Romance fails because it is based on emotion and infatuation that, at best, is unstable as water.  Reality based on love for God has wives saying, I will submit to my husbands headship because that is what my Lord Jesus said to do.  As well husbands will say I will love my wife because that is what my Lord Jesus said to do.  In Ephesians 5 we are instructed fulfill our designed role, not based on circumstances or on the performance of the spouse, but because that is what the Lord taught us to do.  We fulfill the spirit of our role regardless of whether our spouse does or not.  We don't love someone because of their qualities, but because of the spiritual quality of our own heart.  We love because God has put His love in us.  As our Lord loved us when we were yet sinners, so we love our spouse from our reserve not because of their qualities.  Husbands love your wives, even when the may be unlovely.  Do not make her perform to your specifications to deserve your love.  Your love is God's gift to her, so do it.  Love her.

Wives: do not chafe at the idea of submitting to your husband.  And above all to not make his performance a condition of your submission.  To do so is idolatry.  You will be putting yourself in the position of being his head.  He will answer to Christ, not to you.  Do you, dear lady, want to usurp the authority of Christ?  Please, leave the romantic notion that you are to be adored.  I know that it is desirable to be wanted and adored.  Such is the stuff of romance and is the fanciful delight that has the world watching the royal weddings in England.  But it is not of God.  Submit your self unto your own husband, not to any other man, but to your husband.  Do so because the Lord said so.  If you do so grudgingly, you may have done your duty, but only that.  You will have missed the whole spirit of God's design.  Your submission to your husband is a reflection of the role of Christ's churches in relation to Him.  You cannot stand in judgement of your husband and be in the spirit of God's design for marriage.  To do so suggests that it is legitimate for churches to stand in Judgement of Christ.  Rather, enter into the spirit of serving God as your husband's wife by treating him as churches are to treat Christ.  As said in verse 33, reverence your husband.  It is impossible to criticize, judge, reprimand, or resist your husband and reverence him at the same time.  But what if he is wrong?  Deciding that and dealing with him about it is the responsibility of his head, the one he is called to be in submission to, Christ Jesus.  Do you have a legitimate problem with your husband or concern about him being or doing right?  You may well have those concerns, but do not usurp the authority of Christ.  One of a wife's responsibilities and ministries is to support her husband with prayer and a godly spirit.  Bathe him in prayer, incorporate the power of God in your marital concerns.  A godly wife has power with God to influence her husband for God in many areas, 1 Peter 3:1.

CONCLUSION:

Most husbands love their wives to the point of adoration.  They do partly because they have been trained to do so by centuries of romantic influence and partly because God has put His love in men's hearts for the loveliest part of His creation, women.  While most men may not display that love very well, it is a reality.  Women thrive on being loved and even more so on words and displays of love.  Love is so important to women, they think it must also be equally important to men.  That would be a mistake.  In the introduction, I said that most wives do not reverence their husbands and that is correct.  However, wives are very involved in loving their husbands, particularly when the men are giving them words and displays of love.  Wives don't understand why that is not as important to their men as it is to them.  Here's why, men and women are different in many ways.  Husbands are to replicate Christ in the family.  Does Christ want us to love Him?  Yes, but before we can love Him we must first reverence Him.  Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him...".  He wants and requires that we believe Him if we are to please Him.  Husbands desire to be believed, trusted, and reverenced by their wives much more than being loved by their wives.  A godly husband will bust a gut trying to live up to the reverence of his godly wife.  Wives, it is wonderful that you love your husband, but if you want to enhance your marriage and increase the sense of love you receive from your husband, reverence him and gladly submit yourself to him, not because he is worthy, but because Christ is and He requires it of you.  Do this and you will see your marriage blossom and your husband will become a better man because of it.  Criticism and reverence are mutually exclusive, one cannot do both with the same person.

Ephesians 5:22-33Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.  Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

God Is The Patriarch

God has two families, all humans by virtue of creation, and those who are children of God by faith in Christ, by virtue of being born-again through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.  God is the ultimate patriarch.  He rules because He is the God and Father of us all.

God designed the family to be a patriarchy that reflects His patriarchal structure in His relationship with His families.  Those who are His family only by virtue of creation will benefit from following His patriarchal structure, but because of the lack of faith there is rebellion against that structure, resulting in male patriarchal abuse by way of force and female rebellion against God's authority in patriarchal structure.  Those who are in His family of faith are to function as a patriarchy in compliance with the will of God, in complete fulfillment of His purpose.  While it is difficult to operate in a godly manner while living in a secular, rebellious world, we do have the benefit of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to equip us for the task.  In the godly family, both the husband and wife fulfill their patriarchal roles, motivated by love for God and each other, not through force, violence, or stubbornness.

Husbands are instructed by God to love their wives; to protect, provide for, lead, and guide them in daily living and in their walk with God.  They are to be the priests and prophets of their families.  None of this is because wives expect it, demand it, or deserve it, but because it is the will of God and He will reward the husband’s faithfulness.  Wives are instructed by God to be in submission to their husbands in everything, to reverence them, to encourage and succor them, to care for the home, to raise and nurture his children.  She is not to direct him or correct him, nor is she in the position to question his decisions or judgment.  As the husbands are to reflect the role and character of God in their role and behavior, wives are to reflect the role of churches and believers in general as they relate to the headship of Christ and His authority over them.  God’s plan is God the Father (Patriarch) is head over Christ, Christ is the head over the husband (Patriarch), the husband is the head over the wife (patriarch).  This pattern is found in 1 Corinthians 11:3.

God’s plan for His family of faith is for them to operate in patriarchal families motivated by love for God and each other, through the directive of His Word and the instructions contained therein.  Wives are instructed to submit to and reverence their husband, not because they deserve it or when the wives think the men are right, but only because God said so.  Husbands are to care for and love their wives, not because they are lovable or when they are nice to their men or when they want some spousal interaction, but because God said so!  To alter this plan, for whatever reason is to argue and dispute with our Creator and Redeemer.  Arguing with Him, removes Him as Lord and substitutes our will as the authority in our lives.

  

These instructions are only for the family of faith.  For God’s redeemed and born-again faithful family, there is NO exception and NO escape clause.  Changing this pattern is fighting with God and it is guaranteed that you will lose on many levels.  There is no other way, but to TRUST and OBEY!

SUCCESS WITH GOD

There is an impossible chasm between God and mankind. Between every person and God, that includes you and I.

It is so wide and so deep that no amount of human effort and ingenuity could ever span it.  It wasn't always this way and it doesn't have to stay this way.

God did not create the chasm and He doesn't want it to exist. The problem started with the first man and the first woman that God made. We know them as Adam and Eve.  They were both created by God, in His own image.  They were the only part of His immense creation that was patterned after the image of God.  God is holy, righteous, loving, and just.  Adam and Eve were holy because God is holy.  Their relationship with God was completely the result of their love and loyalty to their creator.

The chasm developed after God assigned Adam and Eve roles and responsibilities on the Earth.  He created a special garden in a place called Eden.  He put Adam in charge of it and He assigned Eve the role of being Adam's helper, the role she was created for.  For an unknown period of time, they took care of the garden and would fellowship with God whenever He came by to see them.  God had instructed Adam that he could eat any of the fruit from any of the trees in the garden but one. Adam understood that and told Eve of their liberty and their one restriction.  

Enter SIN!
God's enemy, that we know as Satan, is powerless against God.  He hates God because God is holy and just, because Satan rebelled against God and was judged severely for doing so.  In his desire to hurt God, he determined to hurt Him by attacking those that God loved because they were created in His image, Adam and Eve.  One day Satan approached Eve with a question designed to cause doubt of God's holiness.  He said, " Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Genesis 3:1 She responded with what Adam had told her, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." Genesis 3:2,3 First his question, then his lie, "Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:4,5 Eve was deceived by his lie, so she examined the fruit of the one forbidden tree, liked it, picked it and ate it.  So far no consequence, she didn't die, so she gave it to Adam.  Adam was the one made responsible by God, he was the one that received the command.  Adam was the god of the Garden of Eden and the world, under the authority of the creator and he was Satan's prime target.  Eve offered the fruit to Adam, who was there with her.  He saw that she ate it with no consequence, so he too doubted God and chose to listen to the voice of Eve rather than the voice of God.  Adam ate the fruit, to his destruction, knowing that it was forbidden. Genesis 3:6 After he ate the fruit, the consequence of his action came upon them both.  "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." Genesis 3:7
They knew they were guilty of rebelling against God's Word. They tried to cover their nakedness and they hid, the same response to guilt that we all have today.  The chasm has a holy, righteous, loving, and just creator on one side and on the other, rebellious, sinful humanity.

Death is the consequence of Sin.
Sin is the transgression of God's law; falling short of the righteousness of God, and doing what we know not to do. Adam and Eve did all of these.  They sinned against God. Their only sin was choosing to listen to another authority than God.  As a result of their sin, God had to judge them because of their rebellion, just as He did Satan, and this was Satan's goal.  He wanted God to have to sentence God's image bearers to death and cause God pain.  Because God is not only righteous, but also just, He had to sentence Adam and Eve to death or He would not be true to His own character. That day God's favorite creation died. They were separated from God because of their one sin, no longer connected to the source of life, they were dead spiritually and would eventually die physically.

God is also LOVING!
In addition to God being holy, righteous, and just, He is also loving.  In fact, God is described by the Apostle John with one word and that describes His nature and character.  "God is LOVE." 1 John 4:16  God manifests Himself in three persons that we know as the Father, the Son (Jesus the Christ), and the Holy Spirit.  God is never taken by surprise, He had a contingency plan in place before the world was ever formed. God will demonstrate His love in the face of His holiness and justice. At a predetermined time in this world's history, the Father sent Jesus into the world to be the sacrificial offering to pay for Adam's sin and all mankind that would descend from Adam.  The plan was put into action in the garden of Eden, though it would be thousands of years before the culmination of the atonement.  God began by killing animals to make covering robes to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness (the evidence of their sin and guilt) and He then sent them out of the garden to till the soil and make a living from it.

God makes a way!
After they were expelled from the garden, God began the next phase of demonstrating His justice and love.  At just one location, the east side of Eden, He placed Cherubims (a powerful rank of angels) and one flaming sword, to keep the way of the tree of life. Genesis 3:24 God is keeping the door open for Adam and his descendants to come back to God, but they must come through the prescribed Door.  Many centuries later, Jesus would say, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." John 10:9   In the intervening years, God established the practice of animal sacrifice as a means of keeping His provision before mankind's awareness.  The animals were not a sufficient sacrifice, but they were a reminder of the sacrifice that God Himself will one day make. People, when making their sacrifices were acting in faith of the promise of God regarding the Savior to come.  To make sure that the Son of God would be known and recognized when He came, the Father selected one man and his descendants to become a nation (Abraham, Israel) to be the channel through which the Messiah or Savior would descend.  He gave them a body of laws that would keep them unique among all the nations of the Earth.  He also provided them with prophets and priests that would proclaim prophetic identifiers of the Messiah, i.e. what tribe, what city, peculiar points unique to Him, even some of His names.  It was God's purpose for this people and nation to present the Messiah to the world, that He might atone for the sin of Adam's rebellion (the sin we have all inherited). 

THE ATONEMENT!
At the precise predetermined time in history, Jesus was born to a woman who was a virgin (key identifier), a humanly impossible event, but divinely planned and performed.  The result, the perfect sinless God/man.  The only one qualified to pay the price for Adam's sin.  He was the fulfillment of every hope held, when an animal sacrifice was made, looking forward in faith of God's promise.  The cross ministry of Jesus the Christ bridged the chasm between God and man. Jesus satisfied God's justice and demonstrated His love. Jesus said, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6  Jesus is the way that was kept open and the door through which we may come back to a loving Heavenly Father.  Jesus is the ONLY WAY back to God, there is no other way, no other price that can be paid.  Anything and everything else is woefully insufficient, it's like sewing fig leaves together and hiding from God.

Crossing the BRIDGE to God and life.
God sent His Son Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for Adam's sin and that of all his descendants. John 3:16 That's good news, but what must I do to benefit from it?  Here's the answer from several Biblical references: "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand." Isaiah 53:10  Like Adam and Eve, most people try to cover the evidence of their own sin, some by trying to be really good, some by giving sacrificially, or others by creating a narrative that denies any responsibility to God. None of it works, that is why Jesus came, died and rose from the dead, to do for us what we couldn't ever do on our own. Therefore anything we bring to God to atone for our sin of rebellion is offensive to God.  The only offering that is acceptable is God's crucified and resurrected Son, Jesus. That's why our text says "make His soul an offering for sin". We submit to God's authority by bringing that which is required, in the way that God demands and for the reason God purposed, we are restored to fellowship with our Creator, who is then also our Redeemer.  "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12,13  Two important words in this text, BELIEVE & RECEIVE.  Believe who Jesus is and what He did for us, enough that we will actually receive Him as our Savior, His death and blood is the only acceptable offering to present to God and we will (at that time) be born again, become a new person from the inside out.  "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans 10:9, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."Romans 10:13  "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6   When we come to God through Christ, we leave the rebellion and begin living as the new person that God created us to be, of course, with His help. Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 5:17  

On the other side of the Bridge
On God's side of the bridge, after passing over the chasm and united with our Creator and Redeemer, the issue of Adam's SIN has been dealt with completely. In God's view, we are a new creation, with new life forever. However, we will find that we have a lot of baggage from our old life to deal with. This baggage is  habits, attitudes, and history developed while we were in rebellion against God.  These are the sins, the deeds and attitudes developed during our separation from God, an unavoidable consequence of Adam's sin of rebellion. All this baggage was all atoned for at the cross, when Jesus died for us.  It is now a matter of growth, deliverance, and discipline.  The third manifestation of God (making the trinity) is the Holy Spirit.  When we come to God in Christ, believing and then receive Christ and His offering, the Holy Spirit comes into our life and lives within us, making us the new creature that we now are.  It is His job to comfort us, guide us, correct us, and when necessary discipline us.  God will NEVER punish us for past or future sins (baggage), because Jesus already took punishment that for us at the cross, but the Holy Spirit will help us mature in the Christ life.  "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." Hebrew 12:5,6   

Baggage Handling
Old habits and attitudes can be challenging to overcome.  For this reason God doesn't leave it up to us alone,  He helps.  "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." 1 Peter 2:2,3   "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."  2 Peter 3:18   "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15   When the baggage (sins - works of the flesh Galatians 5:19-21)  shows up on the doorstep of our life, here's what to do about it: "If we say that we have no sin (works of the flesh), we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 1 John 1:8-10  We own up to it, we confess it to God, we are cleansed by God, and we don't pick up the baggage, leave it behind.  We do this every time baggage shows up, it's not ours, it belongs to the old us.  
Avoiding the baggage.  Here are the tools for getting rid of the old baggage:  Bible reading, prayer, believing God, and fellow-shipping with other believers (church = assembling).

Being a new creation
Being a new creation is not something we have achieved.  It is the miraculous work of our loving Lord, He does all the work. We are new and we can and should, live new.  It's a process, so don't be discouraged when we falter or fail.  Just start again each time you stumble.  God doesn't expect us to start out in the same place that others are at after walking with Him for decades.  We all start sometime and the key to success is "don't quit".  Read your Bible, believe God when He says you are a new creation 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20, and DON'T QUIT!

Christ First, Not Ethnicity

In the last few years I have been exposed to old  doctrines that are making a comeback.  They are usually resurrected to the public eye in the arena of racial strife. 

First I read of the doctrine that is similar to British-Israelism. This states that the white people of Celtic, Anglo Saxon, Norman, Germanic, and Scandinavian descent are the ten tribes of the northern part of Israel.  Some presentations make them ALL the twelve tribes of Israel.  

Second I have more recently read of a doctrine promoted by a group called Hebrew Israelites.  This doctrine states that certain black Africans from the west coast of Africa are the true Hebrews and therefore the Biblical Israelites.

One thing that both groups have in common is the view that they are superior or the original people of God, to the discrediting of all other racial or national groups.  Another thing they have in common is an effort to follow and keep select precepts from the Mosaic law.  Neither group keeps the whole law, making their efforts an invalid practice.

Both groups promote racial hatred and bitterness, therefore denying the grace of God.  Both groups rely on manipulating Scripture with a large dose of selected and sympathetic, though questionable, extra-biblical writings to build their case.

I believe that I can show from the Word of God alone that both these positions are erroneous, but that is not apropos for this article. So, another time and piece.

My purpose for this article is to help us come to a genuine Biblical position that will promote peace and brotherhood in the Christ honoring world.  Obviously, to restrict it to Christ honoring people, means we will not solve the world's problem with racism.  However, if we who love the Lord can come together on a Christ honoring position, we may then, have a better opportunity to affect the way the world thinks.

1. No where does the Word of God make distinction regarding intermarriage on the basis of race.  It is always in regard to beliefs and loyalty to the one true God, the God of the Bible.
2. There are two times in world history where all people are of the same family; Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and Noah and his family on the ark.  To deny this, is to deny the Bible and therefore, you have no place in this discussion.  All people, all racial distinctions come through these two men, Adam and Noah.  No one really knows how or when racial distinctions developed, so please, quit propagating mythological explanations as reality when they are nothing more than theory, theory that cannot be substantiated.
3. It doesn't matter what color Adam or Moses was, UNLESS, you are endeavoring to promote some kind of racial superiority.  I have theories on this too, but this isn't an article about theory.
4. John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  World doesn't have a modifier to restrict ethnicity or color.   Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;".  ALL have sinned, no racial distinction.
5. There are only two important distinctions among people today and all people fall into one or the other of these two.  Age, gender, ethnicity or race does not enter in to the qualifications for either group.  They are: the saved or lost, the Heaven bound or the Hell bound, the quick or the dead, the sinner or the saint (not the Catholic version), the twice born or the once born.  Where are you in this list?  If you are a saved, Heaven bound, living (quick), saint of God who has truly been born again, you are part of the family of God.
6. The distinction of being in the family of God supersedes any ethnic or racial superiority priority.  I am blessed to have met and known men and women who are of African, Hispanic, Asian, and European ancestry who consider me to be a brother in Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."  If you claim any other priority as first in your life than that of being a child of God, you have fallen victim to one or more of the race baiters of varying colors. Escape, flee, run for your spiritual sanity from anyone that would cause you to give preference to anything above being a child of God.  There is NO RACIAL DISTINCTION in the family of God, NONE!!!
7. God has designated our behavior as a born-again child of God, as a member of His family and His kingdom.  That behavior includes Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."  Also, Colossians 3:17, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
8. We were, once, black, brown, yellow?, white, or any variation on the theme, BUT now, we are a new creature in Christ Jesus, created in righteousness, for His praise and His glory.  We, in turn, benefit as we faithfully follow Him.
9. If you identify first by racial status, you then incorporate in your status and therefore your pride, all parts of the social spectrum of your race.  Foolish indeed to identify with thugs and outlaws of your color against your brothers and sisters in the family of God.
10. Let us build our life on Christ, not our secular culture. For the child of God, there is no ethnic culture.  There is kingdom/family culture with Christ on the throne.
11. Born-again child of God, first and foremost, devil takes the hindmost, but I will stand with my God family against the ungodly ethnic family.  I have chosen.  What do you choose to do?