We sometimes view what happened after the fall of Adam and Eve as God’s revision of His plan. At least I have in the past. Don’t really know how I came to that conclusion but somewhere, some when I started assuming that’s what happened.
Studying Romans this year has brought me back to the truth. The realization that there never was an alteration in God’s plan. There is no plan B in God’s play book. All along He has always, ever, only had one plan and purpose: for His creation to enjoy life in a relationship with Him.
Because Eve chose to believe the lie over the truth of God’s words to Adam regarding that tree, because she disobeyed, we have been recipients of that gene in the DNA of sin- the tendency to be disobedient and believe the lie instead of the truth staring us in the face.
That moment. What a game changer for us.
But God…
In His infinite wisdom and love, all along He knew that there was only one way to have a relationship with Him. He never changes, He is absolute. His plan never changed. He has always loved us and always will love us. He had to provide a way for us to be continually in His presence and that could only be accomplished by His Holy Spirit. And that could only be accomplished by the redemption offered in Jesus’ sacrifice once for all sin- everyone’s sin. His blood for our sin. What an exchange He offers. Something that’s already been paid and is offered up to everyone in the world freely- a life forever with Him.
When we take that first feeble step of faith towards belief in all that means and all that belief entails, I believe the Holy Spirit meets us before we take another step. The Father draws us to Himself. He is there doing the work of making us right, removing the dross, refining the gold that is in us. And He stays with us, His Holy Spirit in us – the sign that we are indeed His.
Of course, the kicker is that He always knew that would happen, even before He laid the foundation of the universe. He knew what this world would look like. He knew He would call each individual and offer a life forever with Him. He knew who would respond to His call and thus who would enjoy a new position as sons and daughters like Jesus and who would inherit the benefits of being His children. He knew they would no longer be condemned as one under the influence of the lie.
We humans have a physical beginning and an end. All creation has a beginning and an end. As will this world and all that is in it. One day it will end. Because of one choice. The Eternal Fellowship He designed for us in these bodies now has a beginning and an end. Because He still desires that fellowship with His creation He offers us His Solution to our problem.
To those who don’t believe, this whole thing is just that; a thing, a story, a tale for the gullible. Foolishness. I can’t make anyone believe what I believe. Only God can draw people to Himself. He calls to us and in His infinite love of His creation He allows us to make up our own mind. Resisting and refusing and denying and turning a deaf ear to that call leads to total destruction. Eventually. Eternal separation.
My greatest wish is that all would believe as I do. There is only One Way, One Truth and One Life and that is Jesus. Each breath I take I am reminded that the first breath was God-breathed into Adam. The breath of God bringing life to humanity. And each person breathes that breath over and over.
All it took was one breath and life began for man.
All it took was one bite and death began for man.
All it took was one life to bring life again to man.
For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.
For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Romans 5:17-19 NIV