In The Beginning

Let me share an illustration with you that may help you understand what our life in Christ should look like.
In my garage I have a Raleigh bicycle, it is a very nice quality bike and much desired by bicycle enthusiasts. It is very well built and can support a person of 250 pounds or more. The wheels of this bicycle have 32 spokes each and that is what makes the wheels able to support so much weight. Now if I were to remove all but 4 of the spokes the bike would still remain upright but as soon as I got on it the wheels would collapse under the strain.

Our life in Christ can be said to be similar. The outer rim can be compared to the all encompassing Christ and spokes represent all the historical facts that make up the Gospel message. The hub can be compared to the individual Christian. We are supposed to be Christ centered and it is only when we are Christ centered that we are living as we should. It is the individual spokes of the wheel that give strength and keep the hub exactly where it is supposed to be so that the wheel can run straight and true. Now let's assume that I have removed all but 4 of the spokes and these 4 represent the salvation message that Christ died for my sins. This is very true and we would not have salvation without that fact. It is a historical fact and when I accept it then it becomes life in me. However if that is all that I have, and that really is about all that the majority of Christians do have in their knowledge basket, then my walk with God is going to be very wobbly and the first thing that puts too much pressure on my Christian wheel will cause a collapse. This collapse may be some serious moral sin or it may even result in a total destruction of my walk with God and I return to my worldly ways because I am disillusioned. Let me explain the word "disillusioned" it simply means that I was suffering under an illusion and now I am no longer under that illusion. Those who would tell you that all you need for a victorious Christian life is the acceptance of the fact of Christs shed blood are filling you with illusion and sooner or later you are going to discover that something is missing because the reality is somehow not measuring up to the promise.
Now before the doctrine police come and arrest me for heresy let me state that the shed blood of Jesus is definitely enough to save you if you are laying on your deathbed and are fortunate enough to be conscious so that you can confess that indeed you accept His free gift of eternal life. However for most of us there is a journey over a span of time from the moment we accept His gift of grace until we receive the redemption of our bodies and we will encounter many difficulties that must be overcome. As I wrote in my previous article, it is the over comer who will be saved. Every other facet of the works of God in Christ are vital not only to our arrival at the pearly gates but in navigating all the pitfalls, overcoming sin and developing the nature of Christ which are all requirements. We can look forward to hearing from Him "well done good and faithful servant or depart from me you workers of iniquity for I never knew you". Yes those last words will be spoken to many who professed to be Christian.
These articles are not written to judge anyone but rather to help those who desire to attain to the highest purposes of God.

Now with this preface in mind let us begin at the very beginning. There probably are not many living today who do not know the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. For many it is even a source of jokes but there is really nothing funny about it for it describes a great tragedy yet it is all a part of the great plan of God for mankind. I know that there are those who would argue with me that had sin not taken place then life would have been wonderful to this very day. That was never the plan of God. God's purposes are much higher than that and in due time we shall understand but for now let us consider what happened there in the Garden. Every day in the cool of the evening God actually came down and walked and talked with Adam and Eve. I often wonder what they talked about. Anyway during one of these conversations He told them to enjoy everything there in the Garden but to stay away from a certain tree that was called the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Don't touch it and don't eat it's fruit. Now we all know that if you forbid your child to do something it is like saying sic um to a dog when he sees a cat. You may ask why but I don't have an answer for you, you need to ask God. My opinions are worthless so I just give you the facts as much as possible which can be verified by scripture and try to leave speculation alone. If we accept and stick to the facts and live them out the fruit should be answer enough. God states in Isaiah 55:9 " My thoughts are higher than your thoughts and My ways are higher than your ways". Also in Proverbs 3:5&6 He tells us to "trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding and in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths".
It wasn't long before Eve found herself looking with great curiosity at this forbidden tree and wondering like all the rest of us WHY God? Old slue foot was there ready to help her out by explaining that though God said that she would die if she touched or tasted it that it was not really so and matter of fact she really would become very wise and as smart as God himself. Folks he's still here with the same old story, what God has said He really doesn't mean cause He's just a loving God. We know the rest of the story, she bought the lie and ate the fruit. Now if it had ended there things would have been much different because she was deceived and God knows how to deal with deception and to deliver us from it but she took some of the fruit to Adam and he with eyes wide open and with full knowledge that he was disobeying the command of God he ate it even knowing the consequence. Now the word of God is sure and true and unchangeable and they did die for their true life was derived not just from God but in God and God had to withdraw Himself from them because He cannot tolerate sin or perhaps I should say that sinful natural man cannot even continue to breath in the presence of our Holy God. It was only in their purest state that the first couple could walk and talk with God. Now here is the point that I needed to make and it is not a secret to most Christians but needs to be made for it is the basis for many other vital historic facts.
Romans 5:12 (New King James Version)

Death in Adam, Life in Christ

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—

How is it that all humanity bears the burden of Adams deliberate sin? It is by heritage, he is the father of all mankind and because of his fallen nature he had no life of God in him therefore everyone after him bore the same likeness. It is simply a fact of life and could not be changed. By the same unchangeable fact came our deliverance. In the fullness of time God came and took on human form and in His sinless perfection sacrificed Himself on a cruel cross. Now what most are not aware of because it is simply not taught is the fact that when Christ died on that cross all humanity died with Him.

2 Corinthians 5:14 (New King James Version)
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;

This is where it gets difficult to grasp for there is divine truth that needs to be understood. Not only did all humanity that was on the earth at that time die with Him but all humanity that would be born through all future generations and here is why: What was true with Adam is true with Christ. In Adam all sinned or have become sinners for sin is not an act of disobedience but a state of being where one is without the life of God in them. Therefore if all men became sin or sinners then in Christ all men became dead. But whereas death could not hold Him He was resurrected to eternal life and thus all humanity also was raised from the dead with one little caveat: We must accept the historical facts and choose to Abide in that life of God that He freely gives. He does not give us eternal life as a thing, He gives us Himself Who is Eternal Life. Do you see the difference? Eternal life is a person not a thing that is why the person and the relationship with that Person is so vital.
1 John 5:11-12 (King James Version)

11And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

This is merely the beginning of the understanding that we need to embrace in order to experience the Abundant life that Jesus promised. We will continue another day.
God bless and keep you and open the eyes of your heart to understand and ingest these truths so they can build you up in Him.

john Martin
justjohn@eoni.com