The “Big Picture” (part two)

The fall: Adam and Eve decided that God’s design was not for them. They decided not to follow the rules. They believed the lie and ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They thought they could live apart from God and take control over their own lives. Trying to become like God, they became less of themselves. They lost themselves, each other, and the life they were created to have. Because of their act of disobedience, we too have become less than what we were created to be.

Adam and Eve “fell” from the perfect state that they were created in and became less perfect. Sin means to “miss the mark”. Death means to be separated from God and from life. God’s role was to be the source and provider. They became independent of the source. God created relationship as primary and now they lost that relationship. They lost the primary relationship becoming alienated from God and actually becoming “enemies” of God (see Col 1:21). They also lost the other primary relationship, with each other. They became naked and ashamed and covered themselves with fig leaves. They lost their intimacy, vulnerability, and ability to trust. Because they did not obey the limits God set on them, we too lost our ability to sustain love, trust and be honest with one another.

God’s role is to be the boss and has all authority. Because of the “fall” and as offspring of Adam and Eve, we try to be the boss. We try to become our own source, become our own creator, to take control of the world, become the judge of life, and make the rules. The result is we depend on ourselves. We exist unto ourselves. We try to control each other and end up losing control of ourselves. We judge ourselves and each other and cease to be able to experience ourselves and each other. We want to live any way we want to. God’s original plan changed because of rebellion and life was lost.   

Redemption: God in Christ is “reconciling” all things back to the way it is supposed to be. The penalty of sin is death. In the Old Testament, unblemished animals were sacrificed as payment but had to be done on a regular basis. Jesus was sacrificed for the sins of all mankind once and for all. This set the stage for God to have it all back and return everything to its rightful order. Redemption is available to every person who receives grace and truth and who applies it to his or her life.

The application of redemption is the process of growth. It is returning everything to its rightful “righteous” state. In other words, to solve life’s problems and to grow spiritually are one in the same. To make life work, we must turn to the One who makes life work. We return to God as the source. As we “seek first the kingdom of God” all things are “added unto us” (see Matt 6:33). Redemption helps us to get to the end of ourselves. When we realize that God is the source, we realize that we are impoverished, and this puts us into a position to receive all good things from Him. Ask God to help you see your issues in life and how they are helping you to grow to be more like Him.