I am not one who believes in a "plan B" redemptive theology, put into play when God's original plan failed. Christ was always the solution to Adam and Eve's problem, as He is for us in this day and time. I am saying this: the story of Adam and Eve has been included in the Message because of its role in our understanding the purpose of the Law of God -- something that has been fulfilled in Christ and no longer applies to God's judgment of us. What we see with Adam and Eve is the first accounting of a Law violation. It is one thing to be selfish, prideful, bigoted and the like. That goes to our personal ontology. It is something else to violate an imperative from God, Himself. Such a violation forces upon us a
pathology of guilt. I am a selfish person. But I do not feel guilt until I actually express that selfishness in an ungodly way -- and the Law defines that ungodliness. In the Old Testament, God orders something, man violates this request, God is angered and judgment occures, man repents and via a blood sacrifice, man is righteous once again.......................... a process that is repeated over and over and over again. Under the New Covenant, Christ dies ONCE AND FOR ALL TIME, does He not? As a violation of the Law, sin is condemned to have no effect upon our destiny -- AS A VIOLATION OF THE LAW. But with the removal of this curse, we remain unholy. The struggle is of a New Paradigm. With the fulfillment of the Law,&n
bsp; man and God are free to build upon and magnify the relationship between man and God -- God working within us both to will and do His good pleasure.
The Law proves our unrighteousness -- gives it definition and a pathological reality that is undeniable.
God's sacrifice and workings in His Son in our lives gives us an escape from this process while, at the same time, standing as a historical reminder that our goodness is really Godness from within. Read John 3:21 - we work, we come to the light and in this light it becomes clear (manifest) that our works HAVE BEEN the works of God (and I add the words "all along").
