This morning I started reading from the Gospel of John in the 19th chapter, which is where Jesus' crucifixion is described. I found myself thinking about the death of Jesus, and why it was required. That in itself if a topic that one could study and reflect upon for many days, but instead I found myself thinking about the Genesis account that describes the origination of sin, and the effects that sin had upon mankind, and why that mattered. Thus, I have found myself reflecting on the following passages - Genesis 2:8-9,15-17 NIV:
[8] "Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. [9] The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground---trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."
[15] "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. [16] And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; [17] but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Without going to the temptation section found in chapter three, I wanted to look at the foundation of truth that is laid out for us in this story. Earlier in Genesis, (Gen. 1:29) God had given the fruit of every plant and tree to Adam to eat, and that is the assumed understanding in reading these verses. So God planted the garden, put man in it to steward it (verse 15) and told man that he could eat of any tree in the garden except the one - that which was called "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil". Please notice that there was no rule about not eating from the tree of life, so in God's original intent was the ability for man to eat of that tree, and experience the benefits of that tree. Later, God describes the benefits of eating of that tree as living forever (Gen 3:21) like God.
I find it interesting that in the very middle of the Garden are two trees, one that gives eternal life, the other the knowledge of good and evil, and the God's warning effectively creates a choice for Adam and Eve, obedience and life, or disobedience and death. One would think that this choice would be simple, and yet we find that Eve was easily persuaded the better choice was the latter, because had lied about the result of the eating of the fruit. The basic truth communicated here is that God desired us to experience eternal life (It was ok to eat from that tree) and thus remain in relationship with God! This is God's desire for man, and we are all included in that original plan.
However, God also gave man free choice. He seems to have made the rules pretty simple, and yet, man failed to choose wisely. The result of that bad choice was not experiencing eternal life, not experiencing continued relationship with God, and ultimately death. This curse was passed to all future generations. Paul, in his first letter to the church in Corinth describes how Jesus cancelled this death that was passed to us by Adam - 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 NIV: "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. [22] For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive."
Thus, with the cancelling of sentence of death, Jesus has made a away for us to experience eternal life. In addition, Jesus said that He was the way to relationship with the Father, effectively cancelling the sentence of separation. Jesus described it in this way - John 14:6-7 NIV: "Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
In Jesus' death and resurrection, we are all set free from the ramifications of the original sin, and are free now to choose our own path. This is what free-will is all about, and why God feels so strongly about it. We now have the opportunity to choose relationship with Him and as a result eternal life. He gives us the same choice as Adam and Eva had, and we are free to choose. Jesus describes this in the following verses - John 17:1-3 NIV: "After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. [2] For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. [3] Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
It is in knowing God, in relationship with Him, that we experience eternal life. We can choose this, or we can choose the other option. We have free-will, and it is in this free-will that we can choose God, establishing real relationship, entering into His Family as His son or daughter. Paul describes this in the following verses - Galatians 4:4-6 NIV: "But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, [5] to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. [6] Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba , Father.”
Finally, back to my original question and thought, Jesus' death and crucifixion effectively redeemed us all from being under the law, under the sentence imposed on us due to the original sin of man. The Greek word here translated redeem, is the word 'exagorazo' and it is defined as: "to redeem by payment of a price, to recover from the power of another, to ransom, buy off" The idea here is that we were effectively held captive by the sentence of death and separation, and Jesus paid the price, or the ransom to set us all free. He did this for all of us! As Paul writes in his letter to the Romans 5:8 NIV: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
This morning, I am one again amazed at the love God has for us, His desire for relationship and His plan to enable us to experience eternal life with Him. He has made a way to cancel the effects of the original sin, and give us each the opportunity to know Him, to love Him and to choose relationship with Him. He paid the ransom, one of infinite worth, to set us free and restore to us freedom to choose. Let us take this opportunity to choose wisely and become His sons and daughters and experience eternal life in Him.
Amen!
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