"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel... By which also ye are saved... unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

"For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.  But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?  Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:  Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." (Heb. 2:5-9)

In the beginning of creation, God had made all things in six literal days through Jesus Christ, the Word of God. On the last day He made man, who was different than all other living things, in that he was created in God's image and likeness. After He had made man, he gave him certain commands, the first was to be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth. (Gen. 1:26-28) God "formed the earth . . . to be inhabited" (Isaiah 45:18), and man was to fill it. We might say that this was the first commission given to man by God.

They were also to subdue it and have dominion over all the earth. God made man to be the steward over the created world and all the things therein. He made man to rule over the works of His hands. He "put all things under his feet" (Psalm 8:6), and "left nothing that is not put under him." (Heb. 2:8) Adam was to reign, and his offspring were to rule with him. Man was put in this high and exalted position by his Creator. What a privilege and honor for man, to be chosen for such a task, to rule over all of creation, as God's steward.

The next command that was given man had a consequence if disobeyed. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Gen. 2:17) Contrary to this,  "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." (Gen. 3:4-5) In these scriptures mankind was given two paths whereby a choice had to be made. To eat or not to eat, that was the temptation set before mankind. To trust and obey, or turn from the commandment and believe the serpents lie.

Man now had two opposing opinions as to the results of eating. The first being the truth of God, that is, to eat and die. The second, the lie of the devil, contradicting and opposing God, saying that they would not die but through eating would be as gods. A choice needed to be made. What would man do? Who would he believe and trust? Whom would he follow? The same question has been echoed down through the ages to every man. "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." "Choose ye this day whom ye will follow."

You might ask, Why would God even allow such a choice be made, and risk the possibility of man choosing to follow the serpent? The answer is simple. God is Love! Yes, that's it. God certainly did not need man to share his love, for in eternity He was complete in the Triune Godhead. Why then would he have made man? "O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?" (Romans 9:20) We must be careful that we don't find ourselves in the place of judging God and demanding of God why he made us so. But to answer such a question apart from divine revelation would be impossible. But we have the Word of God, and within the revelation of God we find that God created man for his pleasure (Rev. 4:11), as with the whole of creation, and He intends to demonstrate the exceeding riches of His grace on man's behalf through all the ages to come (Eph. 2:7).

God's love was central in the creation of man, but love is reciprocal. Love must be mutual and voluntary in any relationship. An automation can not love it's maker. If they are to really love God, men and women must be able to choose of their own free will to love God, in response to God's love for them. Perhaps you have heard the saying, "If you love someone, set them free, if they come back to you, they are yours, if they don't, they never were." This is true in a love relationship. God made man morally free spiritual beings, "in his own image", and God was willing to run the risk of having man reject Him and His love for them. The creation must involve a probationary period, to allow them a free decision.

God had made every wonderful provision for man in Eden. He was free to eat of any tree, or herb of the garden, and as much as he wanted. The tree of Life was there in the garden also, which he was free to eat of. There was only one minor restraint, which would be the test of man's love for God, giving him opportunity to reject God's Word if he so pleased. True love is based on Trust. Would man "Trust and Obey" the One who had shown so much love and care for him? Man was told not to eat of one tree, the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil. Man had already the knowledge of Good, for in the day that God rested from the works of creation, He pronounced all things Very Good. But to eat of the tree which God had forbidden would indeed give man a very real knowledge of evil. Evil is simply the rejection of God's will. Disobedience to his command is participation in, and experimental knowledge of evil.

Unfortunately, the first choice that mankind made plunged him into the depths of sin and death. He was told not to eat, but sin took the occasion by the commandment and it slew him. Adam now had a real knowledge of good and evil, and knowledge to know the difference, as do all his offspring now. Man, who had walked in innocence, now had a conscience of Good and Evil.

God's Word, being the only reliable source of truth was "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Mankind died that day, but the question arises, How did man die? and What is death? Is death the cessation of being? Obviously not! Adam did not cease to be. Did the body that day give up the ghost? No it did not, but it would, for death and decay at once began to work in him. When mankind sinned, when he transgressed the commandment, he became alienated from God who is Life. "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2) So when man became dead in sins and trespasses, his fellowship with the Lord was severed. Real life is only found in communion and connection with divine life. But Adam lost the original righteousness of Him in whose image he was made, and a spiritual and moral death ensued.

The result of sin indeed was death, and separation from God. Man was cast out of the garden, from the presence of God, to till the ground from whence he was taken, that had now come under the curse of God. It was when they sinned, they lost communion and fellowship with their Creator. For how can they, who are dead in sin have communion with the Living? They became "darkness" (Eph. 5:8), and How can darkness co-habitate with Light? Darkness flees from the presence of the Light, as did Adam when he hid himself from the voice of God in the garden.

The question is, Would God leave man alone to himself to perish? Would He cast him out of the garden of Eden forever? No! He is long-suffering not willing that any should perish, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2Cor. 4:6) He shows to man a way out, but those who will not come to the Light, and depart from this earth in their dark and defiled estate, "is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." (Jude 13)

Adam sinned against the light of God, and hid himself. He would not come to the light. The scriptures tell us "that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." (John 3:19-20)

As Adam and Eve hid, now in fear, in the darkness that had come over them, God in his grace and mercy, pierced the darkness and called out to Adam, Where art thou? This raised the question of the psalmist, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?"  When we consider the heavens, the work of God's fingers, and the moon and the stars, and the vastness of the universe, which appears to be infinite in size, What is man? and What are the son's of Adam that God should visit them? If you break man down, he only exists as a couple of gallons of water and a handful of carbon, that might be worth a couple of dollars. Why should God be concerned with man? When the angels rebelled, "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment" (2Peter 2:4). Why does he not do with us as He has done to the angels? Why has God promised a redeemer for man and not the angels? What is man that God should be mindful of him?

But God in his mercy sent his Son into this dark world to seek and to save that which is lost. He is calling out into the darkness of this world, Where art thou? The Lord says "Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (Isaiah 55:3) Jesus says "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." (John 7:37) "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. . . and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." (John 6:35-37) Jesus is the Tree of Life.
 

Jesus is calling. "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24) "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) Mankind still has a free will to choose today as Adam did. "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days" (Deut. 30:19-20).

"This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." (1John 5:11-13) Do you have the Son? Have you yet received Him? Have you placed your trust in the Word of God? Those who respond to His call, and come to Him are said to have been called "out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1Peter 2:9). "He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder." (Psalm 107:14) Commit the keeping of your soul unto God, as unto a faithful Creator (1Peter 4:19), for "he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." (2Tim. 1:12)

Hope was not lost for mankind, for he could yet place his faith in the Word of God and all His promises, for He did promise a deliverer, who would undo the work of the serpent. The deliverer would be the seed of the woman whom the serpent deceived. The seed would crush the head of the serpent, that one who had the power of death, and was a murderer from the beginning, but in the process, the heel of the promised seed would be bruised.

The way back to glory for man would be through the bruising of the seed of the woman. The Scriptures tell us that " it pleased the LORD to bruise him . . . He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53:10-11) God was satisfied when the Lord Jesus was bruised. God's justice could not be compromised, payment for sin must be made, but in His grace He would allow a substitute,  One who had no sin of his own, that He might pay our debt of our sin. "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5)  On the cross of Calvary, the heel of Jesus Christ was bruised when his feet were nailed to the accursed tree. What unbound love that the Saviour should die for me.

When Adam and Eve sinned they died, they were separated from God. The first physical death we read of in the Bible, is that of an animal, most likely a lamb, slain from the foundation of the world, whose skin was given to cover the nakedness of man. This was to temporarily cover his sin until the seed of the woman should come, when sin would be taken away, and forever dealt with. The life of the flesh is in the blood, and life was required as the payment of sin, so without the shedding of blood there could be no forgiveness. God provided a substitute which pointed to the Man to come, the second Adam, who is the Lord from heaven.

G.N.C.

The Law of Sin and Death

There are many universal laws in the world today but none so predominant as the "law of sin and death". (Romans 8:2) The universality of death is a constant reminder to man of his need for redemption. Redemption from his bondage of corruption and decay. Today, death has it's way with man, and he is powerless against it. We only need look to the obituaries to recognize the truth to this fact. Man has spent billions of dollars on health care, yet he still lives only about seventy to eighty years (Psalm 90:10). This raises a most important question, Why does man die? The Doctors will tell us that man dies of natural causes, or perhaps one of the many fatal diseases that plague man, such as AIDS, cancer, or heart disease.

According to Natural History magazine, the following infectious diseases were the most deadly in 1997. Acute lower respiratory infections, such as pneumonia, topped the list by killing 3.7 million people. Second was tuberculosis, causing 2.9 million deaths. Cholera and other diarrheic diseases were third, with 2.5 million deaths. AIDS killed 2.3 million. Between 1.5 and 2.7 million people died from malaria. Measles accounted for 960,000 deaths. Hepatitus B caused 605,000 deaths. Whooping cough claimed 410,000 lives. And another 275,000 died from tetanus.

To most men aging and death is a mystery. Why should man die? Why does he not live forever? Through observation we understand that not only man is affected by death, but all organisms are born, and they live a more or less prescribed number of years and they die. Death is a certainty. In Time magazine, Nov. 25, 1996, the front page read, "How science is searching for ways to keep us FOREVER YOUNG". Inside they ask the question, "Can we stay young?" They describe what they consider "two of the great mysteries of life: Why do we age? And even more important, What can we do about it?"

In the article they talk of "genetic manipulation", "Chromosomes" and "DNA", and many other scientific terms which are beyond this individual. In the article, the scientists are said to be searching for how they "might be able to bring aging to a halt." One of their theories is that in "each cell there was an actuarial hourglass that gave it only so much time to live and no more. [They reasoned], If the clock could be found—and, more important, reset—both the cells and the larger corpus that gave rise to them might be made immortal." What they found when studying certain cells, they recognized that cells from a fetus would only duplicate about one hundred times. They then they stopped reproducing and aging began. Every time a cell duplicated, the telomere's within the daughter cell kept reducing in size until the telomere's were depleted, then reproduction ceased. They thought that, if they could only prevent the depletion of the telomere's within the cell, they could reproduce for ever, and decay would not begin. Through their research they "discovered a telomere-preserving enzyme they dubbed telomerase." Further research confirmed their discovery and they would claim "In the Petri dish, the agent of eternal life had been found."

Vanity of vanities. Every man still dies today, yet he sees not the reason. Until he looks to the infinite wisdom of the Word of God, he will never know. There is one disease, if it can be called that, that has plagued man from the beginning of time, that is far worse than any disease that can only kill the body. It is called sin. Scientists will not find it under the microscope, for it is the soul of man that is infected. We are told "the soul that sinneth it shall die".

All those who have lived, their bodies have gone on to the grave, but what about the soul? Is death but an eternal sleep that man shall never awake? A soul sleep as some would call it? No a thousand times No! Death is just separation. Spiritual death is separation from God. Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. Jesus Christ suffered both of these when he bore our sin in his own body on the tree, when He was made to be sin for us who knew no sin. His "body" (Heb. 10:10), and "soul" (Isaiah 53:12) were made an offering for sin.

On the cross Christ would cry, "My God, my God, Why hast thou forsaken me?" Jesus was always in the bosom of the Father. He could say,  I and my Father are one. They had wonderful fellowship and communion from eternity, but when the load of sin was placed on Christ, he was separated from the Father. The sweet communion that he had with the Father was now severed. What he must have suffered because of sin that was not his own. When the dark veil of night over shadowed him, and he lost sight of the Father, what horror it must have been, we will never know. And how could we, who were dead in sin and trespasses know? We had no prior communion with the Father, nor ever could because of sin. We had no fellowship to loose.

If it was not enough to be separated from his Father, all the wrath of heaven was poured out upon him. Why such extreme punishment? It was simply because He freely bore our sin. And why should he do this? That you might live. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) Having paid the debt in full, He could triumphantly cry "It is Finished". No more debt to pay. He had finished the work his Father gave him to do. He then commended his Spirit to the Father and gave up the ghost. A Roman soldier then pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. This blood was shed for you, for the life of the flesh is in the blood, and he has given it to atone for our sins.

The Second Death

The first man to die a physical death was that of Abel. He was the one who was approaching God on His terms, with blood offered by faith, understanding the price of sin, and the extreme penalty for being a transgressor. With this God had respect and could accept Able because of his faith, not in the lamb, but in the One in whom it represented, the seed of his mother. The promised seed, the One who was to come, the One in whom the lamb was but a type and shadow, the promised Saviour and Redeemer of the world.

Able was a child of God through faith. And how did he die? He was slain by another, "Cain, who was of that wicked one" (1John 3:12), who was trying to approach God his own way, through his own works, and the offering of his hand. Able was accepted of God, but Cain was not because his works were evil, so he slew Able. Such has it been down through the centuries "As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." But could death separate Able or us, who have believed, from the love of Christ?  "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8:36-37) "Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord . . . and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2Cor. 5:6, 8),"having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philip 1:23).

But for those who have gone the "way of Cain" (Jude 11) there awaits death also. Not physical death which all men see because of sin, but the "second death" (Rev. 20:6). There will be a resurrection day for all of mankind, both of the saved, and of the lost. But the resurrection of the saved and the lost will be separated by one thousand years.  So, there will be two resurrections, the first one of the saved, and the second one of the lost. The first, when the Lord returns from heaven, the latter, one thousand years later. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Rev. 20:6)

Those who are in Christ shall rise first. Death will no more have dominion over them, and they "shall not be hurt of the second death." (Rev. 2:11) "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." (Rev. 20:5) All those who are not found written in the Lamb's Book of Life will be raised to the Great White Throne judgment, where "the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Rev. 21:8) The lake of fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever." (Rev. 20:10) This is called "hell fire" (Mt. 18:9). It is an "everlasting fire" (Mt. 25:41), a "fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not" (Mark 9:44-45).

Who was this serpent?

This is a very important question, for it was the serpent who instigated the fall of mankind. The serpents name was Lucifer. He was a created angel, whose pride elevated him to the place that he thought to usurp the place of God. The prophet Ezekiel said "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God". He was "the anointed cherub that covereth; and . . . wast upon the holy mountain of God".  He was "perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." His "heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness". (Ezekiel 28:11-19) He said, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High." (Isaiah 14:12-15)

He thought to sit upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north, the place reserved for "the great King" (Psalm 48:1-2), the Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his iniquity he was cast "as profane out of the mountain of God", and would be "brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."

Adam was God's viceroy, under His authority, but when Satan beguiled Eve through his subtlety, Adam willfully transgressed the commandment of God and obeyed the Serpent, yielding to him rather than his Creator and God.  This resulted in what is known as the "Fall of Man". "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" (Romans 5:12). Sin is the transgression of the law, and results in death. As a result of Adams sin, the whole of mankind came under "the bondage of corruption", and decay (Romans 8:21).

But, why should the whole of mankind be subject to death because of one mans sin? Well, genetically speaking, the whole of humanity was in the loins of Adam when he sinned, and when he fell, we fell in him. Paul would say that he was "sold under sin" (Romans 8:14), and this by the first Adam. Mankind became "the servants of sin" (Romans 6:20-21), and "death [now] reigned" (Romans 5:14). Mankind transgressed the commandment of God, and now came under the universal "law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2).

Adam was given the freedom to choose to take of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Although he was commanded not to eat, by the commandment he was given freedom to obey or to transgress the commandment of God. This was truly the only way that man could be free, through his ability to choose between good and evil. In effect, through the command, he was given free moral agency, but he was warned, to disobeyed and eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil would bring death, and his dominion or rule over "all things" would be lost through death, for death reigns by sin, and Satan by sin and death, to which mankind is now captive and a prisoner.

Satan through his subtlety deceived the woman into taking of the tree and she did give to Adam and he ate. Satan usurped dominion from Adam when his trust and allegiance turned from the Living God, to obey rather the serpent. Adam through sin, had by default, lost his dominion to Satan. Satan then became the "prince of this world", and gained the power over the kingdoms of this world. He could tell Christ that they were "delivered unto me" (Luke 4:6), and they were now his to give to whom he willed. They were delivered to him by Adam, somewhat like when Esau sold out his birthright, and inheritance for a pot of porridge to Jacob. Therefore, the whole of creation that was to be under Adams dominion, now came under the bondage of corruption, which was the work of the devil. Death now reigned through sin, and Satan by sin and death.

Would God's plan for mankind be forever lost? God had given Adam dominion over all things. "Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet" (Psalm 8:6). But in the book of Hebrews we are told that "we see not yet all things put under his feet." Satan usurped this dominion from man, and death now reigned.

The angels, including Lucifer were to minister to man. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1:14) "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?" (1Cor 6:2-3) Before the fall of man, all things were put under his feet. God left nothing that is not put under him. Man was higher than the angels. They were to minister to man, and he was in the place to judge and reward them.

But man, through his disobedience was made a little lower than the angels by the suffering of death. Mankind could not free himself from the bondage of death, for he was captive to sin, being sold under it. The payment for sin was death. Would God's will for man now be lost?  Did His plan for mankind fail? Would the devil triumph over God? Would man who was to have dominion now be a slave to sin and death forever? How could man be free from the debt that he owed because of sin? The debt had to be paid, and his life was required as payment for sin. Because of sin "it is appointed unto men once to die" (Heb. 9:27). "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). That is the decree. "When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James 1:15)

The Scripture says, "Every man shall be put to death for his own sin." (Deut. 24:16) Every man has his own debt to pay, so it is impossible for him to pay the debt of another, for he is himself in debt. One would be needed who had no debt of his own, who could pay in the place of another. Is there such an one who would be an eligible candidate who could redeem us from our captivity, who could pay the price of our ransom? All those who are in Adam are fallen, and sinners alike. Because of sin, certainly no man could pay the price for another, for all have sinned and there is none righteous. God on the other hand is holy and without sin, but He is not a man, but Spirit. There could only be one solution, that is for God to be manifest in the likeness of sinful flesh, yet without sin, and He die in the stead of His people. Could it be that God would do this for me, and not only me, but for the sins of the whole world?

Oh what great joy it is to find such truth in the scriptures. "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Mt. 1:23)"And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh" (1Tim. 3:16). The apostle John would testify for us, "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us" (1John 1:1-2). "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us , (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14).

God Manifest in the Flesh

What was the purpose of God manifesting himself in the flesh? "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;  And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Heb. 2:14-15)"He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." (1John 3:18) God's grace "is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2Tim 1:10).

Man was to have dominion, yet through sin, death had dominion over him. While we yet see death reigning in the world today, we have the hope of the gospel, Jesus Christ crucified for sinners, and risen from the dead. When we believed, we "were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,  Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." (Eph. 1:13-14) The Holy Spirit is like our receipt and assurance that the debt has been paid in full. It is like ordering something, and prepaying for it. It is yours, you have the receipt, and are now waiting for the delivery. Perhaps it will be in today, maybe tomorrow. You do not know the day nor the hour of the delivery, but one thing is for certain, the price has been paid, you have the receipt, and we await with patience for His coming.

We no longer need to fear death for "we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Heb. 2:9). Jesus Christ became perfectly qualified to be our Saviour through his incarnation, his sufferings, and death.  He hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God, and because his offering was acceptable to God, He raised him from the dead. "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.  For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God." (Romans 6:9-10) Death lost its dominion over man when Christ rose from the dead. Our victory is in Jesus, and we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

As all in Adam die, so all in Christ Jesus shall be made alive. What blessed assurance we have through the resurrection of Christ from the dead. "For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Heb. 2:10-11). "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1Peter 1:3-4).

So with patience we do wait, having received "the firstfruits of the Spirit . . . waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23) It is clear from the Scriptures that our life has been redeemed, not with silver and gold or other things that perish, but with the precious blood of Christ, so we patiently wait for the redemption of the body at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, when death shall be swallowed up in victory.

When Jesus Christ comes again "the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1Cor. 15:52-55)

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.  Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.  For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.  The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." (1Cor. 15:21-26)

In the end, "death and hell were cast into the lake of fire" (Rev. 20:14),  "and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.  And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." (Rev. 21:4-5)

Jesus Christ, Our Hope of Glory

Mankind was made to have dominion over the work's of God's hands. He "put all things under his feet", and "left nothing that is not put under him." But the Bible tells us that man was made a little lower than the angels. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1:14) Does the Bible not say that "we shall judge angels?" (1Cor. 6:3) If this is so, how was man made a little lower than the angels? I believe it was by death, for we read of our Redeemer, that he too was made a little lower than the angels "for the suffering of death" (Heb. 2:9), or rather, "by" the suffering of death. I take the position that Adam was made higher than the angels originally, but when he sinned, he was made a little lower than the angels by death, for the angels are not subject to death.

In the beginning, man was made in the "likeness" of God (Gen. 1:26). But after the fall, Jesus "took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Philip. 2:7). He was made "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans 8:3). So Christ, it is said was "in all things . . . made like unto his brethren" (Heb. 2:17), for "he himself also is compassed with infirmity" (Heb. 5:2), and "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (4:15)

He became subject to all that man was subject, such as desires, thoughts, feelings, emotions and affections. In all points he was tempted like as we by assuming a body frail and weak. He became weary and tired. He felt all of sin's effects, but because he was without sin,  He was not in bondage to corruption like us. Rather, He came "to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound" (Isaiah 61:1). He could say, "I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:17-18)

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philip. 2:8) Jesus Christ "was made a little lower than the angels for (or by) the suffering of death" (Heb. 2:9). Jesus was brought to the lowest state that man can endure which is death. All the kings of the earth as high as they may have been exalted, in the end are brought low, even to the grave. Christ also, of his own free will, when the bitter cup of death was pressed to his lips, He drank every drop. This he did for you and for me that we might live through faith in Him and His Finished work. He was made lower than the angels by death, but through death he conquered death and the grave when God raised Him from the dead. After He shewed himself alive for forty days, when "he ascended up on high,  he led captivity captive" (Eph. 4:8). He Triumphed over sin,  Satan,  the world,  death,  and the grave, and led these captive. "Having spoiled principalities and powers [through the cross], he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it." (Col. 2:15)

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil. 2:9-11) He is now "gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him." (1Peter 3:22) When God raised him from the dead he "set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,  Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." (Eph. 1:20-23)

What Adam had lost in the garden of Eden through sin, Jesus Christ did gain back when He paid the debt of sin. Jesus brought God down to earth, but when He rose from the dead, He ascended up on high, and brought man up to heaven. There is now a man up in the glory, the man Christ Jesus. He is now placed far above the angels, and every dominion, and God has put all things under His feet. Jesus could say, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth." (Mt. 28:18) He has triumphed victoriously over Satan, sin, death and the grave. He became flesh to pay the ransom price for our deliverance, and through his sufferings he became perfectly qualified to be our Saviour, in bring many sons unto glory. He has become one with man, sharing his temptations, sufferings, even death, that He might enable man to be one with Him, to share with Him, His nature and dominion.

Oh the universality of death, the plight of mankind. Who shall deliver us from this body of death? Who shall redeem us from the bondage of corruption? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. We see not yet mankind redeemed from bodily death, but we see Jesus, crucified for sinners, risen from the dead, and received up into glory, set on the right hand of God in heaven. It is there that "we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Phil. 3:20-21)

The Path to Glory

"And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Philip. 2:8) The death of the cross was the ultimate form of humility, but the cross was to be the path to exaltation and glory. Such is the path that Christ must take if he would redeem mankind back from his fallen estate. And such must be the path of those who wish to follow Jesus Christ. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23) Paul could say "I die daily" (1Cor. 15:31). He was "Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body." (2Cor. 4:10) He was always dying to self, putting off the old man with his deeds, and so too should we, if we would seek not our own will, but the will of Him who loved us and gave himself for us. "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."  (Romans 12:2) "But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." (Romans 13:14)

Jesus would tell his disciples "but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.  And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;  That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Luke 22:26-30) Christ was tempted of the devil to exalt himself over the kingdoms of this world, but would resist the temptation, and took upon himself the form of a servant, and humbled himself, even to the death of the cross. This is the teaching of Christ that "whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted." (Mt. 23:12) Therefore we are admonished, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time" (1Peter 5:6). This Jesus taught time and again. (Luke 14:8-11, Mt. 19:28-30) Such is the path of restoration and exaltation.

Consolation For Believers

Because Christ rose from the dead we have hope. "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." (2Thes. 4:13-14) Our hope rests on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The hope of sins forgiven through the offering of Christ once for all. This is the centerpiece of our faith. One Lord, one faith, one hope. Jesus Christ, our only hope of salvation.

We also have hope that when we see Him, we shall be like him. When He comes again, we shall not only see Him, but all those who have gone on before, who are in Christ. We no longer fear death who was our tormentor for Christ has delivered "them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Heb 2:15) As the apostle Paul would write, "Whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord . . . We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2Cor. 5:6, 8) "For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Philip. 1:23). We look forward to that day when we shall put off this body of death that we might be with Christ.

Perhaps we have seen on the news at one time or another, a military man who is sent out to war, and at his departure, whether it be by plane or ship, his wife and children are there. They are extremely sorrowful, for the husband and father is ready to depart. Perhaps he will not return, and they will never see him again. They have no assurance that once he steps on that ship, that they will ever embrace again. It is sad, that we have wars, and that families and relationships get torn apart this way, but it is a fact of life in this sin cursed world, and so is death. But for the Christian, when a loved one departs we "sorrow not, even as others which have no hope", for we know "to be absent from the body, [is] to be present with the Lord", "which is far better". We know that we will meet again on yonder shores of glory with Christ.

And if it comes to be our turn to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we have this exceedingly great and precious promise of God. "Thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.  When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.  For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour" (Isaiah 43:1-3). "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." (Psalm 116:15)

Christ will inherit all things

"I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.  Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession." (Psalm 2:7-9) That which was lost by Adam, Christ victoriously regained. God "Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds" (Heb. 1:2). "And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one." (Zech. 14:9)

The wonderful news, is that, we as His children, will share in his nature and dominion, and will inherit all things with Christ. "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Gal 4:7) We have become children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:16-17)

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you" (1Peter 1:3-4). "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." (Dan. 7:27)