Detox for the soul #3

April 22, 2020

Today is Wednesday. It also happens to be the 50^th “Earth Day.” I’m going to get back to that, so keep reading.

“Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die.” [Romans 5:12 CEV] In the Bible, “death” refers to physical death but not the end of existence. “Death” also refers to spiritual death, which involves being separated from God for eternity.

As soon as Adam sinned, a bunch of things went wrong. These consequences have been called the “Curse.” Humanity is thrown into degradation, slavery, and the ruin of the soul. As you read, keep in mind there is a direct correlation between becoming unholy and being unhappy.

The immediate consequences must have come as a shock. “At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.” [Genesis 3:7 NLT] The first consequences is a broken relationship. They feel shame over their nakedness and attempt to cover themselves, unsuccessfully. We witness the descent into degradation.

They also felt a disconnection from God. “When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.” [Genesis 3:8 NLT] Why did they feel the need to hide from God? A few verses later Adam explains to God, ...“I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” [Genesis 3:10 NLT] Humans and animals live in an uneasy hostility and fear of one another. Adam takes such a posture with God. Ironically, Adam created in the image of God, who wanted to be “like God” has lowered himself to little more than an animal. We witness his self-determination slip out of his control into slavery. 

Adam refusing to take responsibility, begins the blame game. “The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” [Genesis 3:12 NLT] Adam blames the woman who, is a gift from God. Adam doubles down on the blame by trying to make God responsible. Eve then blames the devil (see verse 13). We witness the decent in the ruin of the soul, not only separated from God but hostile to God.

Satan is lowered to the status of eating dust. Contempt and ultimate defeat are promised, “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” [Genesis 3:15 NLT] This is considered the first promise of humanity’s redemption and restoration in Christ.

Eve in given pain in child birth and a vicious struggle with men. “Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” [Genesis 3:16 NLT] In today’s world we see the results of this in divorce, abuse, assault, slavery, and inequality. None of this was God’s design.

Adam is cursed with the struggle to survive, “And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.” [Genesis 3:17 NLT] Because of Adam, the world is cursed, broken, chained in sin's effects, and unnatural. I think those who are celebrating Earth Day are feeling these consequences and admitting the brokenness of the world. The desire to see renewal and restoration can only be realized in Christ.

Demonstrating the cost of their sin and showing what “death” meant, “And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.” [Genesis 3:21 NLT] God sets a legal precedent for sacrifice to cover the shame and guilt of sin. As David put it, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” [Psalm 32:1 ESV]

Now that we know the toxin, how do we detox? I’m so glad you asked!!! I’ll be tackling that question tomorrow.

Detox for the soul #2

April 21, 2020

Today is Tuesday. I normally take Tuesday off, but I promised a follow up yesterday. (Thank you "K" ;)

To know how to detox from sin, we must understand what the toxin is and how it works. How did the devil lure, entice, and seduce Eve? I am sol glad you asked!!!

Genesis 3:6 describes the divide between eternal life and physical and spiritual death. “The woman saw that the tree was beautiful with delicious food and that the tree would provide wisdom, so she took some of its fruit and ate it, and also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” [Genesis 3:6 CEB] The divide occurs with disobedience.

Eve rated the tree and its fruit as “beautiful.” Another way to put it, “it was a delight to the eyes.” [ESV] The eyes are a problem because what you see is not always what it is. Magicians often fool the eye with repetitive hand movements. They will toss a ball in the air several times, then finally hold the ball while making the throwing motion. The mind will see a ball in the air when there is really nothing. Eve’s imagination kicked into gear, giving her permission to disregard God’s word. Paul advised the carnal minded Corinthian believers to break this habit, “For we live by faith, not by sight.” [2 Corinthians 5:7 NLT, CEB, NIV, etc..]

Eve judged the fruit of the tree as “delicious.” Once the imagination is ignited the cravings of the body can be set in motion. In the world of fine dining there are three keys to making a good meal according to one top chef: “presentation, presentation, presentation.” If the eyes see an ordinary meal dressed up, the mind will elevate the expected and possibly realized taste. Eve fell for a bait and switch, she anticipated what the experience would be, and was conned out of a loving relationship with her world, her husband, and her God. Throughout the Bible, when referring to God, the sequence is flipped. “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” [Psalm 34:8 NIV, NLT, BSB, ESV, KJV, CSB, ISV, etc…] 

Eve, finally, determined the fruit would give her the wisdom she desired. Once the cravings of the body take hold, foolish desires kick into gear. The reasoning process has become interrupted by the desires (craving, lust) of the eye and flesh. The mind is attacked. King Solomon, who learned the hard way, advised, “Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life.” [Proverbs 4:23 CEV]

Our desires (cravings, lusts) expose, measure, and determine the heart’s path. Point them in the right direction and we are safe. Allow ourselves to be distracted, and we are into the ditch. 

The toxin is sin. Genesis 3 is where John came up with the toxin's  formula, “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” [1 John 2:16 NLT]

The power of desire is the destruction of reality. What is left is a construct. Adam and Eve already knew good and evil. To obey God is good. To disobey God is evil. They had each other in a beautiful world, they had rightful stewardship of a beautiful world, and they walked physically with God every day in a beautiful world. What more could one want? The real desire (craving, lust) they fell to was “…you will be like God…” [Genesis 3:5] Ever since this event, humans have either played god or tried to invented a god (or gods). At that moment, in that act, catastrophe struck with one rebellious act.

Notice Adam was “with her” in Genesis 3:6. In the Hebrew, it means Adam was physically present during Eve’s conversation with Satan. Adam failed to correct an error, raise an objection to a lie, or take a big stick to the serpent. When Eve offered him the fruit, he ate. He ate knowing he was violating the one, and only, law God had given him. He ate knowing the consequences. Eve was tricked, Adam sinned willfully. Sin spread like a plague with an 100% infection rate and an 100% mortality rate. “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” [Romans 5:12 NLT] 

The consequences for Adam and the rest of humanity are catastrophic. What are those catastrophic consequences? I’m glad you asked!!! Tune in tomorrow.