The Lessons of History Series #4

In Genesis I find a paradox.
paradox = a seemingly contradictory or absurd statement that expresses a possible truth.

Genesis 2:9
Genesis 2:8-9 (NKJV)
8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Then is verses 16 & 17 we find instructions.

Genesis 2:16-17 (NKJV)
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;
17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Die spiritually and/or physically? We know that it caused a spiritual death because that is what sin/disobedience to God, does. It was not permanent because Jesus made a way, through the cross, to get back to God/life. It is also true that had Adam eaten of the “Tree of Life” he would not have died physically and probably spiritually too.

We know Adam did not eat of the Tree of Life because of verses 22-24 of chapter 3.

Genesis 3:22-24 (NKJV)
22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”–
23 therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.
24 So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

So, how come Adam ate from the bad tree but not the good tree? Man had not fallen yet. How is it that Man chose evil over good before he had fallen? I find in this a part of the DNA of life, that God created, from moment one of mans creation, the capability in man to choose from good to evil. In fact, that man would, of himself, choose to do evil.

Paul expressed this truth in Romans.

Romans 7:13-25 (NKJV)
13 Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.
17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.
20 Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
21 I find then a law, that evil is present with me,[and] the one who wills to do good.
22 For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man.
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.
24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
25 I thank God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
Verse 21 in YLT
Romans 7:21 (YLT)
21 I find, then, the law, that when I desire to do what is right, with me the evil is present,
This is why I added in brackets [and].

Adam, in his flesh, had the capability to choose to do evil/sin/disobedience to God before he fell into sin. Go back and read this again.
In his, Adams’, DNA/flesh he had the sinful nature as is proven by the fact that he ate from the “Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil” and did not eat from “The Tree of Life.”

What this tells me is that as long as I am in this flesh I will have the propensity to do evil. And that all of my days here, before His return, will be marked by this war.
I have heard some preach that we can be perfect here on this earth and not make mistakes. In and of myself this is false. It is only true when we have Jesus in us. The reason for this is because Jesus is perfect. If we do that which is perfect it is because Jesus is in us and that which is perfect in us is Jesus. Without Him we could do nothing good/perfect.

Part of the problem we have here is the way we see the word “perfect.”
We see it as “without any fault, entirely without flaws, defects or shortcomings.”
In the Bible it’s definition is, “complete.”
Matthew 5:48 (NKJV)
48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
John 17:22-23 (NKJV)
22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
1 Corinthians 13:10 (NKJV)
10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
Galatians 3:3 (NKJV)
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
Colossians 1:27-28 (NKJV)
27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Hebrews 5:9 (NASB77)
9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
Hebrews 7:19 (NASB77)
19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. [Jesus]
Hebrews 11:40 (NASB77)
40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
James 1:4 (NKJV)
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
James 3:2 (NKJV)
2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
1 Peter 5:10 (NKJV)
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

This means that Jesus makes us perfect. It is a process. It is the winning side of the war in the flesh. We all make the same mistake that Adam made. This is why we need Jesus. If you think you can do it by yourself just check out Matthew 5-7 and see how you match up. Let me give you a clue, you don’t. Jesus did.

The next part of this lesson is: How do you react when you choose evil? You will from time to time do just that.

Cain messed up in giving offering to God. Instead of seeing the right way and doing it that way, he kills Able who did it the right way.
David messed up with Bathsheba. When he was exposed as wrong he did not kill Nathan he repented and went on to do many righteous things.
Daniel saw that his nation sinned against God asked for forgiveness. They were forgiven. Then they did it again, repented and were forgiven again, and again and again.

So, it is not if you will sin but when you sin. This is life’s DNA.
Next, what is the right response to sin. Ask for forgiveness. If you do not respond in this way you will die in sin and you will have lost in the “game” of life. This is also life’s DNA.

Life is about Jesus, not you. This is life’s DNA. There is a God, whether you accept this truth or not. It is the fact of life. This is life’s DNA.
If you do not know your history, you are going to repeat its mistakes. This is life’s DNA.