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| God is Re-establishing His Dominion, which He gave, as a Gift, to Mankind |
| “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 |
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When God created the heaven and the earth, it was one world and Adam was given dominion over all things. It was governed by Adam who, at that time, represented God's one-world government. Although the world in essence, consisted only of the Garden of Eden and its surroundings, in terms of land mass that had been discovered, the entire world was created in the very beginning and Adam was given dominion over the entire Earth. Adam represented the entire human race, and when he rebelled against God, his creator, he forfeited everything. He no longer had total dominion, many in the animal kingdom became savage creatures, one of his children became a murderer of his own brother and, most significantly, Adam lost his governorship of the world to Satan, the serpent. Consequently, he surrendered his dominion, which God had given him, and, from that time, until Christ's death on the cross, man was dominated, through Sin, [1] “...and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (See James 1:15) |
“(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Romans 5:13-19 [2]Because of Adam's sin (one offence) mankind was condemned. Through God's amazing grace, by way of the life, death, burial and resurrection of Christ, condemnation was replaced with forgiveness and righteousness (right doing). Adam's rebellion resulted in bondage. Jesus's sacrifice resulted in freedom from that bondage and He delivered mankind, “...who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”One thing that must be remembered is that, even though Adam lost his dominion, God did not. He was and is still God and exercises His power, on our behalf, as he wills. (See Ephesians 1:5-11.) If God had lost His dominion, He would not have been able to institute a plan by which all of mankind might be saved. This plan is first introduced in Gen 3:15, where is it promised, “...I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”The key word, here, is enmity [3]. It means hatred — deep-seated hatred, and is the root cause of all antagonisim, distrust, deceit and other negative human atributes and traits. It lays hidden, unknown to exist, until it becomes apparent — until it is exercised — and, even then, it is usually not recognized for what it is. It is expressed in many ways, and the first record we have of enmity being expressed is when Cain slew his brother, Able. The slaying of Able was the first death recorded on planet Earth and the first time Adam and Eve experienced what God meant when He said “...thou shalt surely die.” It was not until then, that they began to realize the depth of the cost for their disobedience. While a full meaning of the subject of death cannot be gained from this one text, it does begin to demonstrate the ultimate cost of Sin. When God said, “...I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed...”, He was speaking to Satan, the serpent. One might ask, “Why would God make Satan hate Eve [the woman] and her seed?” In reality, Satan already hated Adam and Eve, simply because they were God's creation. God not only “put” enmity between Satan and the woman, but also between the woman and her seed [4] and Satan and his seed. When God placed enmity between them and "their seed," it was to assure mankind, on an individual basis, that it had a choice as to whether it would submit to Satan or choose to maintain a connection with God, the Creator. It placed within man the capacity to hate Sin, rather than love it. We have biblical evidence that exposes the fact that almost every individual chose to yield to Satan and Sin. It is stated in Genesis 6:4, 5 and 8, 9, “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. 5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... 8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. 9 ...Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”What we, today, call Noah's Flood, which was actually God's Flood in the time of Noah, was necessary to cleanse the Earth of abject slavery to Sin. In a world of unrecorded millions, only eight individuals, “walked with God.” After the flood, it is revealed that many of Noah's sons and “their seed” did not go the way of Noah, beginning again a worldly kingdom of Sin and wickedness. Only a few chose to follow in the footsteps of a righteous man. The Bible clearly establishes that following after evil and practicing wickedness — following after the things of this world — will result in the “destruction of the wicked.” Job pointed this out, when he asked, “Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, 30 That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. 31 Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done? 32 Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.” Job 21:29-32 “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2Thessalonians 2:8-10Is a “love of the truth“ guiding our minds or have we been taken in by the “deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish”. On which path are we walking? Down which path are we heading — one that leads to eternal life? or one that leads to eternal death? Today, it is even more important, than it was in the days of Noah, to know with Whom (or with whom) we are walking. Is God the One to Whom we have a closen to have a close, abiding relationship or is Satan the one to whom we have sworn our allegiance. The anwser to this question will determine whether we are a part of the Kingdom that God is re-establishing, by exercising the right to choose to serve Him, or are we helping Satan establish his kingdom of Sin, wickeness and death. Does Sin still reign over and in us (as it did in those who perished in the Great Flood) or have we submitted ourselves to the God of the universe, Who, alone, can deliver us from the kingdom of Sin and death [that is: eternal death — the second death]. Many may be quick to say that they certainly aren't helping Satan establish his kingdom, but at the same time, if you ask them if they have surrendered their lives entirely to Jesus, they couldn't honestly answer “Yes.” If asked if they still served Sin, they would probably say, “No.” Herein lies a four-fold problem.
“...being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”Given here, are the only two choices. The decisions we make, each day, determine the path we follow, whether it leads to eternal life or eternal death. In making our decisions, we either yield to God and practice righteousness, doing what is right, or we yield to Satan and practice evil. It is not natural for mankind to follow God, that is why so many are recorded in the Bible as having gone astray. As a matter of fact, we are told in Isaiah 3.6 & 7 (prophecying of Jesus), “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”God is attempting, through Scripture and by the power of the Holy Spirit, to guide us back to the correct path — to a correct way of thinking. He, through the blood of Jesus the Christ, has provided a means by which this can be accomplished. The Bible refers to it as a path of righteousness, when, in Proverbs 2:1-9, it states, “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; 2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; 3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; 4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; 5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. 7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. 8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. 9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.”And in 2Peter 1:4-12 we are assured, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 12 Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.”Jesus told us, as recorded in Luke 16:12-15, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.”While we are encouraged in that Jesus gave us the promise of the Holy Spirit, Who was to guide us into all truth, this is not the only work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus also said, In John 16:7, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 Of sin, because they believe not on me; 10 Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; 11 Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”We cannot escape the biblical exhortation found in Romans 6:12-21 to, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. 15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. 19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. 20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.”In the beginning Adam and Eve knew only good. After eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they now knew evil. Immediately, they experienced shame and guilt and recognized that they were naked. They hid from God and, if He had not stepped in and created a barrier (enmity) between Satan and the woman, all of mankind would have submitted in totality, without a chance of redemption. There would have been no remedy for Sin, because mankind would not have had any desire to be delivered from it or ever gain a full understanding of its consequences. It is stated in Jude 1:15-21, that, when Jesus returns, He will be coming, “To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”God says, in Genesis 3:22-24, “...Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”Adam and Eve had a choice — They could either eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and suffer the awful results of Sin or they could eat of the tree of life. Unfortunately, they chose wrongly and mankind has, since that time, suffered as a result of their poor decision. Today, just as He promised, God is setting up a Kingdom, “...which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44 How is God accomplishing this, today? |
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| Footnotes:
[1] The word “Sin”, here, is capitalized on purpose. In my writings, I use this to signify the difference between the condition or state of Sin and the act of sin, such as a sin or sins that we commit. When Adam fell, “Sin” entered the human experience and mankind, since that first act of rebellion, has suffered under its affliction. To put it simply, we sin because of Sin. Return to document. [2] All Scripture is taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible, unless otherwise noted. Return to document. [3] Please see my 33-part series on the biblical principle of Enmity. Return to document. [4] The term “and her seed” is more relevant today, because those living today represent that seed. Return to document. |