Bible In One Year-Day6 (January 6, 2014)

Yesterday was the 5th day of this wonderful adventure of reading the Bible in one year in which we read Genesis1-3. Chapters 1 & 2 revealed how life began, dominion power was received and the flow of spiritual communication in man (spirit-soul-body). This means that a man was living in the fullness of a spiritual life and with the fullness of the knowledge of God. The spiritual life is a state, in which man walks in the spirit, i.e. listens to the dictates of the Spirit and not the flesh, did everything as the Spirit leads; the Spirit (God is Spirit) communicates with the man’s spirit, which in turn communicates with the soul and the communication flows to the flesh. So a wonderful relationship with God was in place. The judgment of man (as a spiritual man) was perfect;

1 Corinthians 2:15 “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”

In this state, man was in total obedience to God; hence, all creatures submitted and respected him because of man’s righteousness. Adam and Eve were naked but were not conscious of it as they were clothed with God’s glory. Unfortunately, when they disobeyed, they fell short of God’s glory;

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

As soon as man fell short of God’s glory, animals disrespected man and could even violate and be aggressive towards man; insects could bite man and release poisons into the body system. This was something that was not before the fall of man; before the glory departed.

In these 2 chapters we saw that man had freedom of choice. There were 2 trees to choose from. One tree was to feed the spiritual life while the other was to feed the soul. That which feeds the spiritual life was for eternal life. The other which feeds the soul, only uplifts the soul (mind, will and emotion) at the detriment of the spiritual life. He had the choice to eat from the tree of life and live. Unfortunately, he made his choice of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil based on satanic counsel; man chose death rather than life. A lesson learnt is that the longer you interact with the enemy, the more you think God is hiding something from you and, of course, doubt Him. Satan’s argument was to make man doubt the integrity of Jehovah God;

Genesis 3:4-5 “And the serpent said unto the woman, 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.”

The irony of it was that, as soon as they tasted it, they were stripped of the glory of God and they realized their nakedness. Shame came in, the order of communication or law was changed (flesh-soul-spirit) and a good relationship was broken. This is the law mentioned in Romans 7:23.

Romans 7:23 “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

This is the law that makes man fall into diverse sins; man became carnal or natural man and so discerning the things of God or pleasing Him became impossible;

1 Corinthians 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness to him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

When a man becomes born again, the law is restored to the original; spirit-soul-body. To be born again, Jesus says it has to be of the water and of the Spirit, John3:3-8.

Chapter3 is a pathetic one. Man became miserable (Romans 7-8 is necessary for us to have a better understanding of the predicament of man). Man was looking for ways of covering the sin. He never taught of repentance or asked for forgiveness. Man did not start the plan of salvation but God did. God initiated it. Sin is horrible. It stripped man of the garment of light and the knowledge of God just as it stripped Jesus of the connection with God on the cross and He shouted “…My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?” Sin breaks holy relationship with God and makes demon to violate our lives. Beloved, there was only one sin in the Garden of Eden, but it led to all other sins outside of the garden. The only one SIN in the garden is the permeation of the serpent (satanic nature) into the soul of man which leads to many outward SINS as evident in our conducts doings and actions. The sin (singular form) is the root of other sins (plural form). Wherever you see SIN mentioned in the scripture, carnality or the evil law in the member is referred to. Where we have SINS (plural – deeds of the body), the bible refers to fruit of the SIN, i.e. what the singular sin (evil law in the member) produces; hatred, murder, envy, jealousy, etc. Deliverance is needed for SIN while forgiveness is needed for SINS. Deliverance is to be released from that law of sin and death into the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus;

Romans 8:1-8 “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. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

We can’t please God in any other state but the spiritual state. Jesus came with the ministry of reconciliation and redemption. However, He is not going to make another choice for you. If Adam made that wrong and regretful choice that ushered in death, you have the opportunity to make another choice; life or death. Opting for Jesus is choosing life, ignoring Him is choosing death. Satan will not force anyone to hell and Jesus will not force anyone to heaven, IT IS A MATTER OF CHOICE; Adam and Eve will be relieved of any blame on the Day of Judgment.

The next 3 chapters are the result of what happened in chapter 3; murder, hatred, envy, jealousy, etc. The reading for today is Gen4-6. Keep the fire burning and alive on the platform of love