God sends Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden to prevent them from eating from the tree of life and living forever in their sinful state. This passage introduces key elements of salvation: Adam and Eve have faith in God's promise of a savior who will crush Satan; God provides atonement through killing an animal to cover their shame; and God ensures their security by guarding access to the tree of life, preventing them from remaining in the garden in their fallen state.
How Adam handed over all authority he had over all creatures to the devil.
What is the Secret behind Salvation?
How the Law of the Redemption of Land is related to Salvation
This document discusses passages from the book of Malachi about the Day of the Lord and the second coming of Jesus Christ. It covers several key points:
1) Malachi describes the Day of the Lord as a time when the wicked will be burned like stubble in a furnace, while the righteous will be healed and find joy.
2) Elijah will return before the Day of the Lord to turn people's hearts to God and call them to repentance, just as John the Baptist fulfilled this role before Jesus' first coming.
3) God calls men to develop a "father's heart" by knowing God as their heavenly father, in order to strengthen families and pass on faith to future generations
The document is a liturgy that references light shining in darkness and love never dying. It includes prayers, readings, hymns and a blessing. The overall theme is finding light and strength through faith.
The prophecy in Daniel 9 outlines a 70 week (490 year) timeline from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the final battle at Armageddon. Gabriel revealed to Daniel that there would be 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 final week. Using biblical calendar years of 360 days, this equates to 483 years from the decree in 445 BC until Christ's death in AD 32, fulfilling the first 69 weeks. The final 7 year period is yet to be fulfilled and will begin with the Antichrist signing a peace treaty with Israel, breaking it after 3.5 years. This suggests the final 7 years could begin in 2026 with the battle of Armageddon in 2033. Understanding this prophecy is key to comprehending
A simple explanation of the good news
-Zac Poonen
INDEX
1. The Real Truth About Evil
2. The Real Truth About Sin
3. The Real Truth About Our Conscience
4. The Real Truth About Forgiveness
5. The Real Truth About Repentance
6. The Real Truth About Faith
7. The Real Truth About Salvation
8. The Real Truth About Eternity
CFC, Christian Fellowship Church, Christian Fellowship Center, Christian Fellowship Centre
Reform your life according to quran and sunnah by dr abdel majed muhammad ali...docsforu
This document provides a table of contents for a book on guiding believers in their relationships. It includes chapters on a believer's relationship with their household, wife, children, themselves, neighbours, and avoiding bad behaviours. The introduction discusses the characteristics of true believers and obeying Allah. It then discusses kindness to parents, citing hadith about obeying and caring for parents, even after their death. The chapter on a believer's relationship with their wife outlines living honourably with one's wife, treating her with love and affection, showing her respect, and being gentle with her.
This document contains the text of a Catholic mass. It includes prayers, readings from scripture, and hymns. The mass focuses on celebrating God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit through song, prayer, and communion. It includes standard parts of the mass such as introductory rites, liturgy of the word, liturgy of the Eucharist, and concluding rites.
This document describes various spiritual encounters and visions. It discusses spiritual husbands, dream catchers with occult meanings, clones of famous people inhabited by aliens, and witchcraft being buried in the author's yard by supernatural creatures. Various spirits are exorcised, including those of a Tanzanian man astrally projecting. Bags of occult items are removed from the property over weeks. The authors face intense spiritual warfare and attack during this process.
How Adam handed over all authority he had over all creatures to the devil.
What is the Secret behind Salvation?
How the Law of the Redemption of Land is related to Salvation
This document discusses passages from the book of Malachi about the Day of the Lord and the second coming of Jesus Christ. It covers several key points:
1) Malachi describes the Day of the Lord as a time when the wicked will be burned like stubble in a furnace, while the righteous will be healed and find joy.
2) Elijah will return before the Day of the Lord to turn people's hearts to God and call them to repentance, just as John the Baptist fulfilled this role before Jesus' first coming.
3) God calls men to develop a "father's heart" by knowing God as their heavenly father, in order to strengthen families and pass on faith to future generations
The document is a liturgy that references light shining in darkness and love never dying. It includes prayers, readings, hymns and a blessing. The overall theme is finding light and strength through faith.
The prophecy in Daniel 9 outlines a 70 week (490 year) timeline from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem until the final battle at Armageddon. Gabriel revealed to Daniel that there would be 7 weeks, 62 weeks, and 1 final week. Using biblical calendar years of 360 days, this equates to 483 years from the decree in 445 BC until Christ's death in AD 32, fulfilling the first 69 weeks. The final 7 year period is yet to be fulfilled and will begin with the Antichrist signing a peace treaty with Israel, breaking it after 3.5 years. This suggests the final 7 years could begin in 2026 with the battle of Armageddon in 2033. Understanding this prophecy is key to comprehending
A simple explanation of the good news
-Zac Poonen
INDEX
1. The Real Truth About Evil
2. The Real Truth About Sin
3. The Real Truth About Our Conscience
4. The Real Truth About Forgiveness
5. The Real Truth About Repentance
6. The Real Truth About Faith
7. The Real Truth About Salvation
8. The Real Truth About Eternity
CFC, Christian Fellowship Church, Christian Fellowship Center, Christian Fellowship Centre
Reform your life according to quran and sunnah by dr abdel majed muhammad ali...docsforu
This document provides a table of contents for a book on guiding believers in their relationships. It includes chapters on a believer's relationship with their household, wife, children, themselves, neighbours, and avoiding bad behaviours. The introduction discusses the characteristics of true believers and obeying Allah. It then discusses kindness to parents, citing hadith about obeying and caring for parents, even after their death. The chapter on a believer's relationship with their wife outlines living honourably with one's wife, treating her with love and affection, showing her respect, and being gentle with her.
This document contains the text of a Catholic mass. It includes prayers, readings from scripture, and hymns. The mass focuses on celebrating God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit through song, prayer, and communion. It includes standard parts of the mass such as introductory rites, liturgy of the word, liturgy of the Eucharist, and concluding rites.
This document describes various spiritual encounters and visions. It discusses spiritual husbands, dream catchers with occult meanings, clones of famous people inhabited by aliens, and witchcraft being buried in the author's yard by supernatural creatures. Various spirits are exorcised, including those of a Tanzanian man astrally projecting. Bags of occult items are removed from the property over weeks. The authors face intense spiritual warfare and attack during this process.
This document contains the text for a Catholic mass. It includes opening prayers, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, preparation of gifts, communion rites, and closing blessings. The mass involves prayer, scripture reading, reflection, and receiving holy communion as central aspects of Catholic worship and community.
This document contains prayers asking God to release His fire against the works of darkness and enemies. It includes prayers to release God's fire to burn up demons, idols, occult works, sins, and strongholds. It also includes prayers asking for God's fire to be on the believer to heal, deliver, and equip them to preach and do works against the kingdom of darkness. The prayers call on scriptures about God answering by fire and His fire consuming enemies to support asking for God's fire to be released.
The document outlines the order and prayers for a Catholic mass, including an entrance antiphon, opening prayers, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, and concluding rites including the Lord's Prayer, breaking of bread, and final blessing. It provides the structure and elements of a typical Catholic mass.
The document contains prayers asking God for blessings and favor. It references several Bible verses describing how God desires to bless His people with peace, prosperity, forgiveness, revelation, and being satisfied. The prayers ask for blessings on one's life, to be made like Ephraim and Manasseh who were blessed, for God to turn curses into blessings, and for all nations and generations to consider the person blessed. The overall message is that God wants to shower believers with blessings according to His promises in Scripture.
The series of Booklets that have been produced is
to remove misconception on Islam, and see ways
and means to nd the similarities in the Great
Masters Teachings, through the available
Scriptures, and to prevent Mischief.
This document contains prayers and reflections on Christianity. It discusses Jesus Christ and how he is everything. It references Bible verses and prayers like the Lord's Prayer. It also discusses theological concepts like salvation coming through Jesus, the importance of faith, and becoming one in Christ. The document reflects on life events and receiving messages from God.
This document contains the liturgy for the beginning of Mass on the first Sunday of Lent. It includes opening prayers and hymns, readings from Deuteronomy and Romans, a Gospel reading about Jesus' temptation in the desert, prayers of the faithful, and preparations for the Eucharist. The liturgy focuses on Lenten themes of temptation, fasting, and drawing closer to God.
This document discusses practicing the presence of God through spiritual mindfulness. It argues that living with an awareness of God's constant presence allows one to engage with daily life from a "sacred" perspective rather than a "secular" one. It encourages the reader to believe that God is always near, caring for them, and working things out for their good, and to see evidence of God's love everywhere. Through faith, one can know God's presence and love even when not physically seen.
This document provides an overview of a book about spiritual warfare and redemption. It includes:
1) A vision the author had as a child where Jesus healed them and they pointed to a photo of Jesus in prayer.
2) Experiences as a child where they heard voices and had visions, and how their mother supported them.
3) An encounter as a young adult where they were tormented by demons for 3 years until calling out to Jesus for help.
4) A frightening vision where demons entered their bedroom and one powerful demon grabbed them and flew with them through a doorway into what seemed to be Hell.
Change of lineage through Jesus and the Holy SpiritWilliam Haines
The document discusses the concept of lineage and how it relates to identity and fallen human nature. It explains that true parents must change the satanic blood lineage inherited through generations by embodying God's love. The lineage can be changed through living for the sake of others and enduring struggles against satanic love. Jesus came to change the lineage from Satan to God by providing spiritual and physical salvation through his life and teachings.
The document outlines the parts of a Catholic mass, including opening prayers, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, preparation of gifts, consecration of the Eucharist, and closing prayers. It includes prayers, passages from the Bible, and responses from congregation. The mass focuses on remembering Jesus' life and teachings through scripture, prayer, and sacrament of Holy Communion.
Focus on the Godhead: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Prayers of the Heart to lift up to God in Praise and Thanksgiving. Filled with boundless, overflowing Love towards God with over 70 Prayers of the Heart to meditate on and to lift up to God in Praise and Thanksgiving.
The document discusses the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, which commemorates when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem in accordance with Jewish law. It references passages from 1 Samuel, Hebrews, Luke, and Psalm 84 that describe how God gave the gift of Jesus to destroy death. The key events summarized are Hannah presenting Samuel at the temple in response to God opening her womb, Mary and Joseph presenting the infant Jesus at the temple as was customary under the law, and Simeon prophesying that Jesus would be a light of revelation for Gentiles and glory for Israel.
The document provides an overview of spiritual warfare based on the biblical account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It summarizes that God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge but the serpent tempted Eve, contradicting God's word. Eve then ate the fruit and gave some to Adam. As a result, their eyes were opened, they felt shame, and hid from God. When God questions them, they blame each other. God then curses the serpent and humanity. The document explains that Adam's sin caused spiritual death for all humanity and discusses how believers now face spiritual warfare and must choose to follow God and the Holy Spirit rather than live according to human desires.
This document discusses ways to gain love for Allah. It begins by reflecting on the vastness of Allah's creation, from planets to the sun. It then lists different groups that Allah loves, such as the pious and those who put their trust in Him. In contrast, it lists those Allah does not love, such as disbelievers and corruptors. The document provides advice on how to gain love for Allah, such as remembering death and judgement day, desiring martyrdom, avoiding focusing on others' faults before introducing them to Allah's love, reading the Quran and hadiths, and following the path of those Allah has guided. It emphasizes living one's life for Allah and seeking His mercy and guidance.
Abraham's family line includes his sons Ishmael and Isaac. God promises Abraham that he will be the father of many nations. Abraham has many tests of faith, including being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's command before an angel intervenes. Isaac's sons are Jacob and Esau, but Jacob deceives his father Isaac to receive the blessing meant for Esau as the elder son. This causes conflict between the brothers and Jacob flees, receiving God's blessing as he leaves.
This document contains the order of service for a Catholic mass, including opening prayers, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, and concluding prayers. The mass focuses on preparing for the coming of Jesus and remembering the marvels God has worked. It includes prayers, scripture readings, and call-and-response portions to engage the congregation in worship.
Mass Sequence PowerPoint - Bicol for AdventGerome Arcilla
The document appears to be an outline for a Catholic mass. It includes sections for prayers, readings, and hymns. It lists the order of the mass and includes the text for prayers and responses. The document suggests silencing cellphones for the solemn mass and thanks people. It then outlines the various parts of the mass and includes the words to prayers, responses, and hymns.
God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took one of his ribs. This represents mankind's "spiritual sleeping sickness" and dormancy in a state of duality. However, Christ is the remedy and victor over this sickness. As Adam was lowered, Christ has raised mankind up to sit with him. Likewise, Lazarus' sickness and death represents mankind's condition, but Christ calls him forth from the tomb. God has locked all of mankind in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.
This document provides an overview of the first introduction of salvation and redemption in Genesis 3:20-21. It describes how Adam became a believer in God after being deceived by Satan and exercised faith in God's promise that Eve's offspring would defeat Satan. God made coats of skin for Adam and Eve, representing the first sacrifice and foreshadowing of Jesus' sacrifice to cover mankind's sin. The document explores how salvation requires faith from man but atonement from God's side, and how God graciously provided the covering for Adam and Eve's sin through an innocent sacrifice.
This document provides an overview of the first introduction of salvation and redemption in Genesis 3:20-21. It describes how Adam became a believer in God after being deceived by Satan and exercised faith in God's promise that Eve's offspring would defeat Satan. God made coats of skin for Adam and Eve, representing the first sacrifice and foreshadowing of Jesus' sacrifice to cover mankind's sin. The document examines how salvation requires faith from man but atonement from God's side through the substitutionary death of an innocent victim to cover sin.
This document contains the text for a Catholic mass. It includes opening prayers, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, preparation of gifts, communion rites, and closing blessings. The mass involves prayer, scripture reading, reflection, and receiving holy communion as central aspects of Catholic worship and community.
This document contains prayers asking God to release His fire against the works of darkness and enemies. It includes prayers to release God's fire to burn up demons, idols, occult works, sins, and strongholds. It also includes prayers asking for God's fire to be on the believer to heal, deliver, and equip them to preach and do works against the kingdom of darkness. The prayers call on scriptures about God answering by fire and His fire consuming enemies to support asking for God's fire to be released.
The document outlines the order and prayers for a Catholic mass, including an entrance antiphon, opening prayers, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, and concluding rites including the Lord's Prayer, breaking of bread, and final blessing. It provides the structure and elements of a typical Catholic mass.
The document contains prayers asking God for blessings and favor. It references several Bible verses describing how God desires to bless His people with peace, prosperity, forgiveness, revelation, and being satisfied. The prayers ask for blessings on one's life, to be made like Ephraim and Manasseh who were blessed, for God to turn curses into blessings, and for all nations and generations to consider the person blessed. The overall message is that God wants to shower believers with blessings according to His promises in Scripture.
The series of Booklets that have been produced is
to remove misconception on Islam, and see ways
and means to nd the similarities in the Great
Masters Teachings, through the available
Scriptures, and to prevent Mischief.
This document contains prayers and reflections on Christianity. It discusses Jesus Christ and how he is everything. It references Bible verses and prayers like the Lord's Prayer. It also discusses theological concepts like salvation coming through Jesus, the importance of faith, and becoming one in Christ. The document reflects on life events and receiving messages from God.
This document contains the liturgy for the beginning of Mass on the first Sunday of Lent. It includes opening prayers and hymns, readings from Deuteronomy and Romans, a Gospel reading about Jesus' temptation in the desert, prayers of the faithful, and preparations for the Eucharist. The liturgy focuses on Lenten themes of temptation, fasting, and drawing closer to God.
This document discusses practicing the presence of God through spiritual mindfulness. It argues that living with an awareness of God's constant presence allows one to engage with daily life from a "sacred" perspective rather than a "secular" one. It encourages the reader to believe that God is always near, caring for them, and working things out for their good, and to see evidence of God's love everywhere. Through faith, one can know God's presence and love even when not physically seen.
This document provides an overview of a book about spiritual warfare and redemption. It includes:
1) A vision the author had as a child where Jesus healed them and they pointed to a photo of Jesus in prayer.
2) Experiences as a child where they heard voices and had visions, and how their mother supported them.
3) An encounter as a young adult where they were tormented by demons for 3 years until calling out to Jesus for help.
4) A frightening vision where demons entered their bedroom and one powerful demon grabbed them and flew with them through a doorway into what seemed to be Hell.
Change of lineage through Jesus and the Holy SpiritWilliam Haines
The document discusses the concept of lineage and how it relates to identity and fallen human nature. It explains that true parents must change the satanic blood lineage inherited through generations by embodying God's love. The lineage can be changed through living for the sake of others and enduring struggles against satanic love. Jesus came to change the lineage from Satan to God by providing spiritual and physical salvation through his life and teachings.
The document outlines the parts of a Catholic mass, including opening prayers, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, preparation of gifts, consecration of the Eucharist, and closing prayers. It includes prayers, passages from the Bible, and responses from congregation. The mass focuses on remembering Jesus' life and teachings through scripture, prayer, and sacrament of Holy Communion.
Focus on the Godhead: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Prayers of the Heart to lift up to God in Praise and Thanksgiving. Filled with boundless, overflowing Love towards God with over 70 Prayers of the Heart to meditate on and to lift up to God in Praise and Thanksgiving.
The document discusses the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord, which commemorates when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem in accordance with Jewish law. It references passages from 1 Samuel, Hebrews, Luke, and Psalm 84 that describe how God gave the gift of Jesus to destroy death. The key events summarized are Hannah presenting Samuel at the temple in response to God opening her womb, Mary and Joseph presenting the infant Jesus at the temple as was customary under the law, and Simeon prophesying that Jesus would be a light of revelation for Gentiles and glory for Israel.
The document provides an overview of spiritual warfare based on the biblical account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. It summarizes that God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge but the serpent tempted Eve, contradicting God's word. Eve then ate the fruit and gave some to Adam. As a result, their eyes were opened, they felt shame, and hid from God. When God questions them, they blame each other. God then curses the serpent and humanity. The document explains that Adam's sin caused spiritual death for all humanity and discusses how believers now face spiritual warfare and must choose to follow God and the Holy Spirit rather than live according to human desires.
This document discusses ways to gain love for Allah. It begins by reflecting on the vastness of Allah's creation, from planets to the sun. It then lists different groups that Allah loves, such as the pious and those who put their trust in Him. In contrast, it lists those Allah does not love, such as disbelievers and corruptors. The document provides advice on how to gain love for Allah, such as remembering death and judgement day, desiring martyrdom, avoiding focusing on others' faults before introducing them to Allah's love, reading the Quran and hadiths, and following the path of those Allah has guided. It emphasizes living one's life for Allah and seeking His mercy and guidance.
Abraham's family line includes his sons Ishmael and Isaac. God promises Abraham that he will be the father of many nations. Abraham has many tests of faith, including being willing to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's command before an angel intervenes. Isaac's sons are Jacob and Esau, but Jacob deceives his father Isaac to receive the blessing meant for Esau as the elder son. This causes conflict between the brothers and Jacob flees, receiving God's blessing as he leaves.
This document contains the order of service for a Catholic mass, including opening prayers, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, and concluding prayers. The mass focuses on preparing for the coming of Jesus and remembering the marvels God has worked. It includes prayers, scripture readings, and call-and-response portions to engage the congregation in worship.
Mass Sequence PowerPoint - Bicol for AdventGerome Arcilla
The document appears to be an outline for a Catholic mass. It includes sections for prayers, readings, and hymns. It lists the order of the mass and includes the text for prayers and responses. The document suggests silencing cellphones for the solemn mass and thanks people. It then outlines the various parts of the mass and includes the words to prayers, responses, and hymns.
God caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took one of his ribs. This represents mankind's "spiritual sleeping sickness" and dormancy in a state of duality. However, Christ is the remedy and victor over this sickness. As Adam was lowered, Christ has raised mankind up to sit with him. Likewise, Lazarus' sickness and death represents mankind's condition, but Christ calls him forth from the tomb. God has locked all of mankind in disobedience so that he may have mercy on all.
This document provides an overview of the first introduction of salvation and redemption in Genesis 3:20-21. It describes how Adam became a believer in God after being deceived by Satan and exercised faith in God's promise that Eve's offspring would defeat Satan. God made coats of skin for Adam and Eve, representing the first sacrifice and foreshadowing of Jesus' sacrifice to cover mankind's sin. The document explores how salvation requires faith from man but atonement from God's side, and how God graciously provided the covering for Adam and Eve's sin through an innocent sacrifice.
This document provides an overview of the first introduction of salvation and redemption in Genesis 3:20-21. It describes how Adam became a believer in God after being deceived by Satan and exercised faith in God's promise that Eve's offspring would defeat Satan. God made coats of skin for Adam and Eve, representing the first sacrifice and foreshadowing of Jesus' sacrifice to cover mankind's sin. The document examines how salvation requires faith from man but atonement from God's side through the substitutionary death of an innocent victim to cover sin.
This document discusses the revelation of the "man of sin" or the "lawless one" within each person. It argues that this refers to our own lowered consciousness or mistaken identity that sits in the "temple" of our own being and claims to be God. It says we are moving from understanding based on the "outer court" and "holy place" to a "third realm" where this man of sin within will be revealed and overcome through Christ. The goal is for each person to realize their true identity as the temple of God and to overcome the false identity that has reigned since the fall, reconciling the divisions between people and bringing the "feud" within to an end.
Part 84 blessed are the eyes that can really see me! Ralph W Knowles
Part 84. Swallowed Up! As The Father Is Self Existent, So Has He Given To The Corporate Son! Releasing And Claiming Our True Birthright! Life In Himself! Blessed Are The Eyes That Can Really See Me! Sons Of Abraham, Come Out And Look Up! A Divine Intervention! A Metamorphosis Of Love! Blessed Are The Eyes That Can Really See Me!
Week 14 - Lectures on Faith Overview.pptxGlenMartineau
The three lectures on faith provide a general overview of God and the principles of faith. Lecture one discusses what faith is and how it is the first principle of the gospel. It establishes that without faith it is impossible to please God or receive eternal life. The lecture also touches on how mankind comes to know God through the exercise of faith.
This document discusses the antidote to death that is found in Christ. It argues that the solution to life's difficulties is found within through faith in God, not in external circumstances. It references several Bible passages about having faith and not fainting in prayer. It discusses how the true identity of man is spiritual, not physical, and is found in Christ within. It challenges the idea of praying "if it be thy will" regarding healing, arguing that God's will as expressed in the atonement is already for healing. It quotes John G. Lake saying that sickness has no power if seen as unreal and not part of our true spiritual nature in Christ.
The document discusses the problem of sin and the need for deliverance. It begins by establishing that the gospel of Jesus Christ, as revealed in the Bible, is the only source of true salvation and victory over sin. It then examines common misunderstandings around the nature of sin, clarifying that sin is not just outward actions but something deeper - it is a condition of the heart. Finally, it emphasizes that God's desire is for complete freedom from sin, not just repeated confession, and outlines how believers must understand both their own role and God's role in the process of overcoming sin.
This document contains a summary and analysis of a Bible passage from 1 John 3:2 about believers being children of God. It discusses how:
1) Believers have a glorious present experience of being God's children through sharing in his life and resembling him morally.
2) The future condition of believers is currently a mystery, but they know they will be like Christ when he appears and they will see him as he is.
3) Believers can be assured of future moral assimilation to God through seeing him, and this hope purifies them in the present as they strive to be as pure as Christ.
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On the Incarnation of the Word
-Athanasius
Chapter 1
Creation and the Fall
(1) In our former book11i.e. the Contra Gentes. we dealt fully enough with a few of the chief points about the heathen worship of idols, and how those false fears originally arose. We also, by God's grace, briefly indicated that the Word of the Father is Himself divine, that all things that are owe their being to His will and power, and that it is through Him that the Father gives order to creation, by Him that all things are moved, and through Him that they receive their being. Now, Macarius, true lover of Christ, we must take a step further in the faith of our holy religion, and consider also the Word's becoming Man and His divine Appearing in our midst. That mystery the Jews traduce, the Greeks deride, but we adore; and your own love and devotion to the Word also will be the greater, because in His Manhood He seems so little worth. For it is a fact that the more unbelievers pour scorn on Him, so much the more does He make His Godhead evident. The things which they, as men, rule out as impossible, He plainly shows to be possible; that which they deride as unfitting, His goodness makes most fit; and things which these wiseacres laugh at as "human" He by His inherent might declares divine. Thus by what seems His utter poverty and weakness on the cross He overturns the pomp and parade of idols, and quietly and hiddenly wins over the mockers and unbelievers to recognize Him as God.
Now in dealing with these matters it is necessary first to recall what has already been said. You must understand why it is that the Word of the Father, so great and so high, has been made manifest in bodily form. He has not assumed a body as proper to His own nature, far from it, for as the Word He is without body. He has been manifested in a human body for this reason only, out of the love and goodness of His Father, for the salvation of us men. We will begin, then, with the creation of the world and with God its Maker, for the first fact that you must grasp is this: the renewal of creation has been wrought by the Self-same Word Who made it in the beginning. There is thus no inconsistency between creation and salvation for the One Father has employed the same Agent for both works, effecting the salvation of the world through the same Word Who made it in the beginning.
(2) In regard to the making of the universe and the creation of all things there have been various opinions, and each person has propounded the theory that suited his own taste. For instance, some say that all things are self-originated and, so to speak, haphazard. The Epicureans are among these; they deny that there is any Mind behind the universe at all. This view is contrary to all the facts of experience, their own existence included. For if all things had come into being in this automatic fashion, instead of being the outcome of Mind, though they existed, they woul ...
Who is responsible for our problems by dk ansahdkansah
This document discusses who is responsible for problems - God or humans. It argues that the idea of Satan or the devil causing problems and sin is incompatible with the Bible's teaching that God is all-powerful and sin originates from within humans due to their sinful nature. The words "Satan" and "devil" simply mean adversary or accuser and are used in the Bible to refer to humans opposing God or each other, not an evil supernatural being. God creates both good and evil/disasters, and uses problems, trials and adversaries to spiritually develop believers, so ultimate responsibility lies with God, not a devil figure. Humans are responsible for their own sins due to inherent sinfulness, not an
The document discusses the meaning and message of the gospel. In Jesus' day, "gospel" meant an important message of "good news" proclaimed on behalf of a king. The basic gospel message is that all people are sinful and separated from God, but Jesus lived a perfect life, died on the cross to pay the penalty for sins, and rose from the dead to offer salvation to all who repent of their sins and put their faith in Him. To receive what Jesus did requires repenting from sin and believing in Him through faith in order to be restored to God and receive eternal life.
FROM THE GARDEN TO THE CRADLE TO THE CROSS AND GLORIOUS RESURRECTION OF OUR L...Nkor Ioka
CHRISTIAN SUPERNATURAL TEACHINGS, BIBLE CLASS LESSONS, GOSPELS BY LEADER OLUMBA OLUMBA OBU, THE SUPERNATURAL TEACHER AND SOLE SPIRITUAL HEAD, BROTHERHOOD OF THE CROSS AND STAR
The document summarizes key points from a teaching on Genesis 3:1-15:
1) Satan questions God's authority and prohibition in the garden, challenging the terms of the covenant between God and Adam.
2) Satan convinces Eve to doubt God's motives for the prohibition.
3) God promises enmity between the serpent's seed and Eve's seed, referring collectively to believers and non-believers who will be in conflict, but also narrowing to a singular confrontation between Christ and Satan.
4) Christ, as the second Adam, will obey God and defeat Satan by his death on the cross, reversing the effects of the fall and allowing humanity access to the tree of
The document discusses several topics related to experiencing loss and maintaining integrity as a Christian:
1) It's normal and okay for Christians to grieve and weep when experiencing sudden personal losses, as David did when he lost his family.
2) When facing troubles, Christians should take responsibility for their own faults rather than blaming others.
3) All Christians are vulnerable to sin and temptation, so they must remain continually vigilant through studying God's word and avoiding rationalizing sinful behaviors.
4) Psalm 15 outlines God's standard for how Christians should maintain integrity and fellowship with Him in their daily lives through righteous works prompted by the Holy Spirit. Breaking this fellowship through ongoing sin can result in lost
Jesus And His Seventh Miracle! The Seventh Trumpet! You Are god's! The Tabernacle Of David! Buried In The Field! Who Before Has Seen God Face To Face And Lived? Our Consciousness Is Being Raised Into A Davidic One! The Simplicity Of Spiritual Truth Will Always Be A Difficulty To The Natural Man! Who Has Despised The Day Of Small Things! A New Walk That Consists Of Wholeness! Destroy This Temple And In Three Days!
Part 80. The Veil! No One Will Be Banished From Their True Identity! A Star From Jacob And A Sceptre Out Of Israel! The Glory Of The Latter! What Is A Paradigm-shift! Coming Out Before Going In! The Casting Out Of An Age Old Delusion! Must God Have An Opposite! For God So Loved That He Gave! The Veil Has Been Rent!
1) The document is a transcript of a sermon by Prophet Dr. Owuor about wearing the garment of God.
2) He references Genesis where God covered Adam and Eve with garments after they sinned, and Revelation about keeping one's clothes on until Jesus returns.
3) The main point is that through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, believers can be covered by his blood and clothed with Christ to be saved from shame and nakedness before God.
This is a study of Jesus being the true God. He is both the true God and eternal life. We can know Him and have what only God can give, and that is eternal life.
Similar to Creation The Promise Of Redemption Part 2 (20)
This document discusses Charles Whisnant's method of studying the Bible since 1982. It lists various books and tools he has used for Bible study, including commentaries, concordances, and study Bibles. It provides examples of how to use cross-references when studying a passage, such as looking at related concepts and words in other parts of the Bible. The document emphasizes allowing Scripture to interpret itself using cross-references and considering the context of the passage and book.
Jesus returns to Galilee and his fame spreads throughout the region. On the Sabbath, Jesus goes to the synagogue in Nazareth where he was brought up and reads from the prophet Isaiah, proclaiming that the Scripture has been fulfilled. However, the people reject him and drive him out of the city wanting to throw him off a cliff. Jesus then goes to Capernaum to teach.
The document provides background information on Luke 4:14-30, which describes Jesus preaching in the synagogue in Nazareth. It summarizes Jesus' ministry in Galilee prior to this event, which had grown popular through his preaching and miracles. At the synagogue, Jesus reads from Isaiah and claims the prophecy is fulfilled in him, but the people reject this due to misconceptions. Jesus corrects their thinking that a prophet is never accepted at home. The document analyzes each section of the scripture passage and provides historical context.
1. Jesus returns to Nazareth where he was brought up, following his time in the desert. As was his custom, he attends the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stands up to read from scripture.
2. The passage describes Jesus now being led fully by the Holy Spirit after emerging from the desert, rather than being at his own disposal. Though in a familiar place among those he knew, he was empowered to proclaim the scripture in a new way under the Spirit's guidance.
3. Jesus faced the challenge of proclaiming a higher calling in a familiar community, but having fully submitted to the Spirit's leading, he was able to see Nazareth and its people in
This document provides commentary on Luke 4, which describes Jesus being tempted by the devil in the wilderness for 40 days after his baptism. It discusses various interpretations of the temptation and provides analysis on key aspects, including:
1) Jesus was tempted as a human being to undergo moral probation, though without sin.
2) The wilderness location emphasized his solitude and desolation as he faced this spiritual conflict at the start of his ministry.
3) The temptation confronted Jesus on the nature of his messianic role and how he would fulfill God's purpose, testing his identity and use of power.
4) Even the holiest are still subject to temptation, though the form changes based on one's
The document provides commentary on 1 Peter 1:18-19, discussing the concept of redemption. It summarizes that believers should know they were not redeemed by perishable things like silver or gold, but by the precious blood of Christ. It explores the biblical concept of redemption, citing passages that discuss God redeeming his people from bondage through payment of a price. The commentary notes that in the New Testament, redemption requires the payment of a moral debt through Christ's atoning death, liberating humanity from sin.
1) The document provides five commands for believers: have hope in God, keep holiness, always revere God, learn to love one another, and crave the Word of God.
2) It explains how to crave the Word of God by remembering it is our life source, getting rid of sin like malice and deceit, and admitting our need for nourishment like newborn babies need milk.
3) Believers are encouraged to pursue growth through regularly reading and studying the Bible, and to be thankful for God's grace by reflecting on the blessings of their salvation.
1) Believers are urged to abstain from sinful desires and conduct themselves honorably among non-believers.
2) Christians should live excellent and upright lives so that non-believers have no reason to slander them as evildoers.
3) Through observing Christians' good works, non-believers may come to glorify God when he judges at the final day.
Francis Schaeffer argues that evangelicals must take truth seriously and preach and practice biblical truth, even when it is costly. He makes three main points:
1. Evangelicals must accept and preach propositional biblical truth rather than viewing religious truth as only psychological. They must take a stand for truth and against what contradicts God's word.
2. Evangelicals must carefully consider the purity of the visible church and what church discipline and living according to doctrine means.
3. If evangelicals practice "latitudinarianism" or compromise central truths, they will lose credibility with a skeptical world that does not believe truth is possible. They must practice what they preach about truth.
The document provides guidance on properly understanding and interpreting the Bible. It discusses that the Bible should be read with faith in order to truly understand God's message and purpose. While it does not contain a complete knowledge of God, it can develop understanding and trust through the Holy Spirit. It also cautions that experiences should be tested against what is found in Scripture and discusses several methods and attitudes for properly studying and applying the Bible.
1) To understand the Bible, one must first become a believer in Jesus Christ through salvation.
2) Read the Bible starting with the Gospels of Mark and John to understand Christ. Read the rest of the New Testament then move to the Old Testament.
3) The Bible was written by human authors but was directed by God. It is not just a book but gives the message of Jesus Christ and salvation from sin.
The document discusses the importance of preaching Christ and focusing sermons on the gospel message. It provides numerous quotes from Charles Spurgeon emphasizing that sermons must have Christ at the center and that leaving Him out is unacceptable. The document also discusses the benefits of the lectio continua method of preaching, where the preacher works verse-by-verse through entire books of the Bible. Finally, it addresses what it means to preach the whole counsel of God, which involves proclaiming the message of the gospel of the kingdom and balancing all aspects of Scripture.
This document discusses the pastor's perspective on altar calls and invitations to salvation given at the end of church services. The pastor does not believe altar calls are an effective or wise approach to evangelism for several reasons. First, it can lead people to falsely believe they are saved based on a brief moment of prayer, without sufficient time to test the credibility of their profession of faith. Second, the church service is primarily for believers, not evangelism of non-believers. The pastor believes the best approach is for believers to have gospel conversations with non-believers outside of the church service and allow the Holy Spirit to bring them to salvation.
This document provides summaries of and commentary on several theological topics. It discusses the doctrine of divine impassibility, or the idea that God does not experience emotions or change in the way humans do. It presents the view that while Scripture describes God with human emotions, these should be understood metaphorically rather than literally, to preserve God's immutability. It also summarizes critiques of this view and alternatives proposed by open theists, who believe God experiences emotions and can change in response to creatures.
This document summarizes and critiques John Calvin's arguments against the use of icons in Christian worship. It outlines Calvin's view that any depiction of God is forbidden as it distorts our understanding of God's transcendence. The document argues that Calvin overstates his case and ignores evidence from Scripture and history that supports a limited use of religious images. It examines Calvin's failure to adequately address the decisions of the Seventh Ecumenical Council that affirmed icons, and his flawed assumptions about the aniconic nature of early Jewish and Christian worship.
God's plan of salvation is meant to produce holiness in believers. Salvation rescues people from sin, its guilt, power, and eventual presence. While salvation provides forgiveness, it also places believers in union with Christ to be transformed into his moral likeness through the Holy Spirit. The purpose of salvation is because of human sin, which is any lack of conformity to God's law and rebellion against him. God saves people so they can be increasingly conformed to Christ's righteousness, love, humility, and other virtues. Ultimately, God is in the business of holiness - he disciplines believers so they can grow into full Christ-likeness.
The document discusses the importance of expository preaching, providing 4 reasons why failing to do exposition is problematic.
1. It usurps the authority of God over the mind and soul by not explaining God's word. God's truth and word should reign over people's lives, not the preacher's insights.
2. It usurps the lordship of Christ over the church. Christ can only exercise his authority as head of the church by being the one who speaks to the church through preaching.
3. It hinders the work of the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit only uses the word of God as the means of salvation, sanctification, instruction, and comfort. Where script
The document outlines the theological beliefs and positions of Charles E. Whisnant. It begins by stating that Whisnant identifies as a Calvinist, Reformed, and Reformed Baptist, but does not fully agree with certain views within those traditions. Whisnant affirms that he is a Baptist and has closely followed the teachings of John MacArthur, Charles Spurgeon, and George L. Norris for decades. The document then lists Whisnant's core beliefs, including the doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone, a future for Israel, a rapture of believers, a seven-year tribulation, and a literal 1,000 year kingdom of God. It concludes by outlining 17 specific beliefs around
The document summarizes key aspects of orality and linguistic description and prescription. It defines orality as thought and verbal expression in societies where writing and print are unfamiliar to most of the population. It describes linguistic description as the objective analysis and description of how a language is spoken by a group. Linguistic prescription seeks to define standard language forms and give advice on effective language use, drawing on descriptive research and subjective aesthetics. Prescriptivism is the practice of championing one variety of a language over others, implying some forms are incorrect or improper.
This document provides an overview of spiritual gifts as described in the Bible. It discusses the seven motivational gifts mentioned in Romans 12: prophecy, serving, teaching, exhorting, giving, organizing, and mercy. For each gift, it provides a biblical example, guidelines from Romans 12, and a life principle to apply. It also discusses how spiritual gifts work through the Holy Spirit's empowerment and should be used to demonstrate God's love. Spiritual gifts come in three categories: motivational gifts which shape perspective, ministry gifts which involve serving the church, and manifestation gifts which demonstrate God's power. All gifts are valued as each member is important to the body of Christ functioning according to God's will.
More from Rivers of Joy Baptist Church, Pastor/Teacher Charles e Whisnant (20)
1. The Promise of Redemption--Part Twoby Genesis 3:20-24 WHY DID GOD PUT ADAM AND EVE OUT OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN? Complaining<br />In the third chapter of Genesis we basically are dealing with the subject of the origin and impact of sin, and we have done many messages in this chapter. We now come to the end of the chapter, where the theme is the promise of redemption. <br />We have studied the origin of sin, the impact as far as the curse, and now the impact as far as redemption. <br />Let me read Verses 20 to 24. <br />quot;
Now the man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. And the Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. And the Lord God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; now, lest he stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever' -- therefore, the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.quot;
<br />Now as we approach these verses, the five verses that end this great chapter, I want to remind you that God is by nature a Savior of sinners. In fact, God bears that title. 1st Timothy 1, He is called, quot;
God our Savior.quot;
Titus 1:3 and 4; Titus 2, and then again in Titus 3, God is called quot;
God our Savior.quot;
First Timothy 4:10: quot;
God is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.quot;
<br />And when God came into the world in human form, Jesus Christ, He also is called our Savior: He came quot;
to seek and to save that which was lost.quot;
And one of the things that is very clear in scripture is that God has a disposition in his nature to save sinners; to save them from sin, to save them from the consequence of sign, to save them from the power of sin, to save them even from the presence of sin. This is not foreign to the nature of God. This is true to His nature. And I've told you in the past there is no other deity in the pantheon of human and demonic religions, there is no other deity that has ever been invented who is by nature a Savior of sinners. <br />This is the utter uniqueness of Christianity; that our God, the true and living God, the only God, is a Savior of sinners by nature. And we are first introduced to God as Savior in the five verses that I just read to you. This is the first time in the Bible that God is presented as a Savior. <br />Right after the fall, early in the chapter, following immediately upon the curse that comes in the middle of the chapter, God is introduced to us as a Savior. Here in that amazing fullness that God can put in a few words, we find him being introduced as the Savior. We find here the introduction of his plan of redemption. We find here the indication that he is bringing salvation to sinful people. Now, all of the components of salvation are present in the text that I read. And I admit they're not immediately present at the first reading. You're probably wondering where I see those things. Well, I'll tell you in a moment. But everything that is essential is here. <br />From man's side there are essentially two things; faith and hope, faith and hope. <br />Those are the two things that are necessary with regard to man's side of salvation. We have to believe in the Lord to be saved. We have to believe His word, put our trust in what He has said and what He has promised. And then, having believed, we live in hope for something we have not yet seen or received. And so it is required that we be characterized by faith and hope. That's on our side. <br />On God's side, two things are necessary; atonement and security, atonement and security. <br />God has to provide a suitable atonement to cover our sin, and then He has to hold onto us to keep us saved until we get to glory. So from man's side, faith and hope; from God's side, atonement and security. Those are the essential elements of salvation; that is the necessary mix in the plan of God. And you find all four of them in this text. The salvation of sinners, their deliverance from sin, their deliverance from death and hell has always been by faith and in hope, and always been through divine atonement and security. Now not all the fullness of those great truths is here. But the first glimpse of those truths is here. This is the first glimpse of what is progressively revealed in scripture and perfected in the coming of Christ and the New Testament. <br />Now, let's go back to what we've looked at and just do a brief review. <br />First of all, salvation or redemption requires faith, and we see that in V 20. quot;
The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.quot;
Well, at the time he called her Eve, which means life, she wasn't the mother of anybody. That was an act of faith. Now, what is it that caused him to put his faith in God and believe that she would be the mother of all living, when in fact God said the day you eat of that tree, you will die? They had eaten, and they had already begun to experience the physical as well as the moral effects of dying. <br />Why would he name his wife Eve, as if she was to be the mother of all the living when, in fact, the curse was that if you eat, you die? <br />Well, the answer comes in Chapter 3 Verse 15. God had made one great promise. And the promise was that Satan would be at enmity with the woman, and that her seed would engage in battle against his seed, and her seed would triumph by quot;
bruising Satan on the head,quot;
and Satan would only be able to bruise her seed on the heel. God promised then that the woman would have a child, and that out of the loins of that woman would come one who would defeat Satan, literally crush Satan's head. That is the first promise of a Savior. <br />Adam and Eve know that Satan is a liar. Satan said: You'll not surely die, God is hiding things from you, he's not a good God, he didn't tell you the truth, I'm the good one, I'm telling you the truth, et cetera, et cetera. They for the time believed Satan would then catapulted into a cursed environment. They were cursed themselves. They now know Satan lied and God told the truth. And God made one promise: I'll give that woman a seed. Out of that woman will come one who will destroy Satan, who will crush his head, destroy the enemy, destroy the one who brought sin into the human realm and give back paradise to the world. When Adam named his wife Eve, because she was the mother of all living, he was stating by that name that he believed God would fulfill his promise. As I said, at the time she wasn't the mother of anybody. He was naming her Eve by faith. They had believed Satan and not God, but no longer. They now know Satan was a liar and God told the truth. Faith was planted in their hearts. They believed God and, consequently, he names her Eve, which means life, and she accepts the name. <br />Also, there is built into that penitence or repentance. <br />They were sorry that they had ever followed Satan. <br />They were sorry that they had ever turned to disobedience against God. <br />They were sorry that they had ever fallen to that temptation. <br />And there was remorse, and <br />there was certainly a deep sense of penitence. <br />They both repented for their trust in Satan, who destroyed their paradise and destroyed their lives. <br /> Though the promise was death, he believes there would be life, because God said there would be life out of her womb; life in the form of one who would come to destroy Satan. They now believed God. Salvation comes to those who believe God. <br />Now, what did they have to believe in? <br />Anything and everything God said. God hadn't said very much. He'd only given one promise really, one great promise with regard to salvation. And that is that Satan would be defeated, he would be destroyed, he would be destroyed by someone born of woman. And they believed that. And as far as they could then, they believed in the Savior who was to come. They believed that God would provide a Savior, a deliverer, one who would overturn the fall, crush the serpent's head and bring back paradise. That was their part. <br />We also saw that the first element on God's part is atonement.<br />Doesn't do any good for a man to believe unless God provides a means for salvation. <br />Man's faith and repentance mean absolutely nothing without God's provision for sin. <br />And so you come to V 21 and you see here in a beautiful picture God's provision.<br /> quot;
The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.quot;
Now, back in 2, we found out at the end of the V 25 that they were naked and they weren't ashamed. There wasn't anything to be ashamed of. They didn't have any evil thoughts, no wicked intentions or motives; there was no lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes. There was nothing evil at all. And they were naked, and it was perfectly fine. But after the fall, they were naked, 37, and they were ashamed and immediately they moved to cover themselves, because they began to feel the impulses of evil. And there was embarrassment. Sin brought guilt. Sin brought shame. Sin brought all kinds of illicit feelings. And so they, feeling guilty, tried to cover themselves. But that's inadequate. No man can cover his own shame; no man can cover his own guilt. No woman can either. <br />And so God, here in a symbolic action, says: If you're going to be covered, if your shame is going to be covered and your guilt is going to be covered, I'm going to have to do it. And here I'm going to have to do it by killing something. And who does he kill? Well, he kills an animal, obviously. You can't take the skin of the animal without killing the animal. And here is the first time you have death in the Bible, first time in history. Up to this point, they were vegetarian. They only ate of the fruit of the ground. They didn't eat any animals. There was no food chain in terms of animals eating other animals. The whole creation was vegetarian up to this point. This is the first death there is, and God is the first killer. And God takes one of the innocent animals who -- doesn't tell us what the nature of that animal was. God takes an animal, guilty of absolutely nothing, an animal who could not violate the law of God at all, who could not be disobedient, who in that sense is an innocent animal. And God picks the animal, kills the animal, takes the skin and covers Adam and Eve, and introduces to us the nature of atonement. <br />Atonement is a covering for sinners provided by an innocent substitute. <br />I'll go beyond that: A covering for sinners provided by the death of an innocent substitute. <br />And here we're introduced then to the biblical concept of atonement, which is death of a substitute by which a sinner is covered. <br />And that pictures Jesus Christ. <br />And introduces to us the great doctrine of substitutionary atonement; that God kills a substitute. <br />And that substitute ultimately was His own son, the Lord Jesus Christ, whom God killed by his predeterminate counsel.<br /> Even though it was by human agency, it was the purpose and plan of God that He, the spotless lamb, without blemish, without spot, the sinless one, the innocent one, should die as a substitute for sinners to provide the covering that would hide forever their shame and their guilt. <br />That's why that great Isaiah 53 says:<br />quot;
He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peacequot;
with God was laid quot;
on Him.quot;
And by his stripes, His death, quot;
...we are healed.quot;
That is the great chapter of Isaiah 53 on Jesus as the substitute for sinners. This is atonement. Why? God requires death for sin. Sin brings about death. quot;
The wages of sin is death.quot;
The soul that sins, it shall die. But rather than kill Adam and Eve, which God had every right to do instantaneously, because God is by nature a Savior, merciful and gracious, he brings a substitute, slays the substitute and covers the sinners' shame and guilt by the death of a substitute; His judgment, His justice, His wrath being satisfied by the death of the substitute. <br />Now, the animal didn't do that. No animal did. And there were millions of animals slain from this first slaying up until the New Testament, up until the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. There were millions and millions of animals slain in the Jewish sacrificial ceremonies. None of them ever was the substitute. All of them pictured the one substitute, who was Christ. <br />And so here is that picture. God clothes the naked, exposed, guilty, shamed sinner with a covering provided by the death of an innocent substitute. And that is exactly what the death of Jesus on the cross means. He is innocent. He is spotless. He is without blemish. He is perfect. He is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. And yet, God takes Him and puts Him on the cross. quot;
He ...who knew no sin,quot;
2nd Corinthians 5:21, became quot;
...sin for us.quot;
He becomes our substitute. <br />So the first element of salvation introduced to us is faith; faith in the fact that God has provided a deliverer. God will provide one who will destroy the serpent, who will crush Satan, and who will overcome sin and bring back paradise. But that kind of faith is pointless, even if it's penitent faith, unless God has provided an atonement, and He has. <br />Let's go to the third element that's here, still looking at God's part. <br />Salvation requires not only faith on man's part, atonement on God's part, but literally on God's part salvation requires security. <br />This is a very important point. Salvation requires security.<br /> Look at Verse 22: quot;
Then the Lord God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live foreverquot;
-- We've got a problem here, folks; we've got a problem. A serious problem. <br />quot;
The Lord God said.quot;
Again, divine initiative is taken to act graciously toward the sinner. <br />God knows that now the man has the knowledge of good and evil experientially. Not in the way that God knows it. It says here: quot;
The Lord God said, 'Behold, the man has become like one of Us.'quot;
Well, not in the sense of knowing good and evil outside of oneself, as God knows it -- God knows evil outside of himself -- but in the sense of knowing good and evil inside. He knew it, man did, because he experienced it. <br />Man knows enough now to be in danger. He's experienced good and he's experienced evil.<br /> He doesn't like evil. He doesn't like it. And he would like to mitigate its circumstances. <br />Wouldn't you? I mean if you were Adam, you'd be immediately looking for some way to get out of the mess you'd gotten yourself into, right? You were feeling things you never felt before. You were dealing with attitudes and impulses and lusts and desires you've never experienced before. You felt shame; you knew you were dying; you knew there was a moral, spiritual consequence as well as a physical consequence to what you had done. <br />And you now understood the impact of that consequence. And you would want to do anything you could to rectify that, to turn that around, to reverse that. You were headed toward death. So the natural inclination if you were headed toward death would be to spin around and head toward the tree of life, right? <br />You'd say to your wife, you know, we've got to get back to that tree of life, because if we can get to that tree of life, we won't die. We just get back to that tree of life, we'll be okay. You eat of that tree; you live forever. We -- that's a -- that's a -- maybe that's why it's here. Isn't that great? We'll just get back there to the tree of life. <br />Now, they knew enough to realize that goodness was better than evil. And feeling the tremendous impact of evil, they would want to run back to what they might perceive as the source of mitigating that evil. They knew evil by doing it. <br />God knows evil by seeing it. They knew it by doing it. And what the serpent had promised them had to some extent come true. It's is true; they did know good and evil. Made in God's image but utterly unaware of evil, either in thought or experience, now they have evil all through them. It's in every thought and every experience. It's pervasive. And the image of God is defaced and the image of God is scarred, and everything in the world is different. And they start down the path toward death. And they would want to mitigate that. <br />WHY DID GOD TAKE ADAM AND EVE OUT OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN?<br />So Verse 22 says: quot;
'The man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, lest he stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live foreverquot;
– <br />And the Hebrew never finishes the sentence. There's an introductory clause, but there's no completing clause. It's God just saying: I know exactly what he's going to do; he's going to go right to the tree of life, and he's going to reach out and he's going to say if I can just get that tree of life, and eat it, I'll live forever and I'll mitigate all the consequences of my sin. Well, can't let him do that; just can't let him do that. Verse 23 says: quot;
Therefore, the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden.quot;
God sent him out. <br />Now, what this indicates, first of all, is that Eden existed for some time after the fall. <br />It was still there. I mean it took a while for all that perfection to feel the effects of the fall. <br />The tree of the knowledge of good and evil was still there. <br />The tree of life was still there. <br />All of the rest of the paradise of God was still there. <br />The rivers that flowed through it were still there. It existed for some time.<br /> We don't know how long it existed. <br />It would have been destroyed ultimately at the time of the flood, but it could have died off long before that. <br />We don't have any way to know that. <br />But at this particular time after the fall, the tree of life was still there. And if they ate of it, they would live forever. <br />Now, remember this: The eternal life in the tree of life is not in the botany of the tree. It's not in the -- it's not in the DNA of the trees. It's not something in the chemical of the fruit. It is simply by divine decree that the tree would give life. It's simply because that's what God said it would do and, therefore, that's what it would do. <br />They said well, isn't that a good thing? I mean, wouldn't it be great? They could just run over there and they could just eat, and it would neutralize the effect of death, and they would live forever. <br />Problem? They would live forever -- listen to this -- as wicked, depraved, fallen sinners. Do you see that? That's not good. That's not good. It's tough enough to get to your 40s and your 50s and into your 60s, and you get pretty sick of it. But to live as a fallen, wretched, wicked sinner forever, that is not a blessing.<br /> God has something much better. Do you know what He has? Just go die, and I'll raise you in a new kind of life without sin. Then you'll live forever. Better? Much better. <br />You know, eternal life as a fallen sinner, that's what hell is. <br />No hope of deliverance from decay, no hope of deliverance from wretchedness, in a condition where the worm never dies, the fire is never quenched, where you are weeping and wailing forever and gnashing your teeth because there is never any end to your wretched wickedness. <br />And if Adam and Eve had remained in the garden, the temptation to overpower death by eating would have been overwhelming. <br />And they would have gone straight to that tree, thinking they could neutralize the effects of death by eating from the tree of life. And they would have sentenced themselves to the most gruesome kind of living. <br />Now they knew what death was. They knew what death was because they saw it one time. When did they once see death? When God did what? Killed the animal; bloody, ugly, watch that animal die; never seen anything like that. And they knew what was in their future.<br />And that would have compelled them all the more to pursue the tree of life.<br /> Oh, they would have done anything if they could have lived forever. <br />Now God didn't want them to do that, not in that condition. It would have been a just punishment, yes. <br />It would have been a just punishment if God had said okay, have at it, and sentence yourself to a hell of perpetual, eternal wretchedness. <br />But He wouldn't do that. Do you know why? <br />I believe He wouldn't do that because they belonged to Him. It's an affirmation that his atonement had been applied to them, even though Christ hadn't, of course, yet died. But the effect of Christ's atonement was applied to them upon the evidence of their faith in the promises of God. And now, they belonged to God. God had applied the symbol of His covering in the skins that He made for them. <br />And here is further evidence of their regeneration, further evidence of their justification, further evidence of their salvation. God prevents them from ever going to hell. He prevents them. <br />Better that you get out of the garden and never touch that tree and go ahead and die, and I will raise you again in a new kind of life. And that way you can live forever, but not in wretchedness, in holy perfection. That's better. Instead of eternal sorrow, you can experience eternal joy. <br />You get the point? So, Verse 23: quot;
Therefore, the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden.quot;
<br />They would never have left voluntarily anyway. I mean that was the paradise of the earth. <br />And I think another thing. But -- listen to this thought. <br />They knew that the garden was the place of fellowship with God. I think they wanted fellowship with God.<br /> I think, you know, that lapse when they plunged into rebellious unbelief and turned their affections and their trust towards Satan, that was over.<br /> They saw the truth of Satan, and now they were prepared to believe in God. They were God's now. And they had repented, and they had put their trust in God. And God had covered them. <br />And they knew that God was true and Satan was a liar and a destroyer, and they wanted fellowship with God. <br />And they desired God's presence, and they wanted to see God's glory. And the garden was the place where they had always known that. God says: <br />You're not suitable for my presence. Out. I accept your repentance; I accept your faith; I cover you with my atonement. <br />But you are not suitable for my presence. I'm going to protect you from eternal hell. I'm going to secure you by throwing you out of the garden, because you would do such danger to yourself, and because you're not suitable for the fullness of my presence. <br />And that's how it is with us, isn't it? <br />You believed and you repented, and the atonement of Jesus Christ, a substitute on your behalf, provides a covering, cloaks you in righteousness, covers your guilt and shame. <br />But, folks, we are covered and we have repented and we have believed. But we aren't fit for His presence, are we? We aren't proper. <br />I mean only once a year on the Day of Atonement, after a whole lot of ceremonial folderol, could one man, the high priest, walk into the Holy of Holies just long enough to go in there, sprinkle the blood and get out. <br />Because there isn't anybody alive in this world, even the redeemed, even the covered, the justified, the forgiven, who belong to the Lord. Those who have exercised penitent faith, there isn't anybody who is suitable to enter into His presence.<br /> And so He says: Out. You can't come into My holy presence, and you can't come into My garden because if you do, you'll take the tree of life and you will damn yourself to a hell of wretchedness forever and ever and ever. <br />This is a wonderful picture of security. <br />We aren't yet ready for His presence, but He prevents us from ever being damned. Do you understand that? We aren't yet ready for entering into the Holy of Holies. We can't go into His presence the way we are. But believe me, <br />He will never let us fall. quot;
Now unto Him,quot;
Jude 25, quot;
...who is able to keep you fromquot;
falling. <br />Psalm 97:10: quot;
He preserves the souls of his saints.quot;
quot;
Great is His faithfulness,quot;
<br />Lamentations 3. <br />Or if you like Romans 8:31, wow, that is the great passage on security, isn't it? quot;
What shall separate us from the lovequot;
of God quot;
in Christ Jesus?quot;
What? Nothing. That's security. quot;
We are sealed unto the day ofquot;
promise. John in his gospel Chapter 10 Verses 28 and 29 records the promise of Jesus that every believer belongs to Christ and he is in the hand of Christ, kept by God. quot;
And no one is able to pluck them out of My hand.quot;
Because quot;
My Father,quot;
of course, quot;
...is greater than all.quot;
And one of the great doctrines of the scripture is the doctrine of security. <br />We don't have what it takes to save ourselves, and we certainly don't have what it takes to keep ourselves saved. <br />Do you comprehend that? The only way you will ever get to heaven is if God in grace saves you, and God in grace keeps you. You would throw out your faith. You would plunge into sin, and you would fall victim to Satan, if it were left to you. He guards His own. <br />John 17, He prays to the Father and he says: quot;
I have kept those you have given me.quot;
<br /> In John, 6 He says: quot;
All that the Father gives to Me will come to Me, and all that come to me Iquot;
will receive, and of all that I have received, He says, quot;
...I will lose none of them. But I will raise them up on the last day.quot;
That's the great doctrine of security. There it is right there. Right there. <br />So what does the sinner need? <br />The sinner needs atonement to satisfy divine justice and cover his sin, and the sinner needs security. <br />We not only have to have someone who paid the price of our sin, but we have to have someone who keeps us from what would otherwise destroy us, because in ourselves we are utterly incapable of protecting ourselves.<br /> You know the picture of Adam and Eve in the garden in perfection, and they couldn't protect themselves. There they were; innocent, sinless, and they couldn't stay that way. <br />How could we, who are saved and covered and sinful, hope to protect ourselves from a fall, were it not that we were held by the power of God? <br />There's one last essential in the gospel that's given here. <br />I think this is just a great truth.<br /> On our part, salvation calls for faith, which is a repentant faith, and hope. Hope. Salvation requires hope. <br />Look at Verse 23 again. He sends them out of the garden: quot;
To cultivate the ground from whichquot;
they quot;
were takenquot;
or quot;
he was taken ...to cultivate the ground.quot;
This is an echo of back in Verse 19, when he said to the man: You are going to go out and you're going to: quot;
Toilquot;
in the ground, Verse 17, quot;
...all the days of your life.quot;
You're going to have to work hard to eke out your food; fight thorns and thistles. You're going to work,quot;
Verse 19: quot;
...by the sweat of your face. You are going to eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.quot;
<br />So he says: I'm sorry; that's all for paradise; you're out of here for your own good, because I have to secure you by keeping you away from what would damn you. And the Lord will do that. <br />He protects us from what would destroy us. That's how He secures us. <br />And he also throws man out into a very difficult life. He has to toil on cursed ground. <br />And we could also include here the woman, whose pain in child bearing is greatly increased. We talked about all that women suffer in the world, along with all that men suffer; women suffering in the whole process of conception and birth and the rearing of children, <br />and men suffering in the whole process of trying to provide a living and sustain the life of their families. <br />So He throws them out. And He says: Sorry, you're going to have to live in sorrow; you're going to have sorrow in child birth; you're going to have sorrow in tilling the ground; you're going to have to have sickness; you're going to have to have suffering; you're going to sweat. And in the end, you're just going to die and turn back to a pile of dirt. You're going to have to live your whole life feeling the weight of sin; your whole life bearing this pain and sorrow and suffering. <br />And by the way, you say, YES, it's hard, it's rough. <br />Well, you're going to live 60, 70 years. Adam lived 930. 930! I mean when he was -- when he was 360, he was a teenager. He was in the peak of his energy. But when he was 700, he was really still rolling, working. How would you like to work -- maybe he retired at 918. Who knows? <br />I mean that's a lot of sweat and a lot of toil. Because if you live that long, simple, you have to eat for that long. And everybody around you has to eat for that long. And you can have lots of babies in 930 years who all have to eat, too. And do you know what? They have babies in 930 years. You're talking about being a grandfather. How about being a great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather? And when you have a family reunion, I mean this is a painful thing for this man. I mean the consequences of sin are mitigated by a short life, aren't they? I don't know about you: I wouldn't want to live 930 years in this world. <br />You say, oh, think of all the joy. Think of all the sorrow. Think of all of -- it's enough to have a few kids and try to cope with that, and all their problems. And then they have kids, and their problems. And in a world like that world before all of the things that we have today, it's unimaginable how you would accumulate suffering and sorrow, to say nothing of the strain on you economically. Mind boggling. <br />Can't imagine what it must have been like when Adam was about 600, people started coming to him for a few bucks. This is a terrible thing. I mean he probably was willing to die at any point along the way. <br />By the time he hit 600, he would have done anything to get back in there and get to that tree of life if he thought it could mitigate the suffering. <br />That's why God wouldn't let him do that, because all it would do is perpetuate his sorrow and his sinfulness. <br />And so he had to wait to die, and death was a long, long way off. And so he was suffering and suffering through all of these elements of life. <br />And guess what would well up in his heart? One great attitude: Hope. Right? Hope. <br />O Lord, when will it be over? <br />When will the sorrow end? <br />When will the suffering end? <br />When will paradise be restored? <br />I have seen the effects of sin in my life, and I have seen the effects of sin in Eve's life, and I have seen the effects of sin in our children's lives. I have seen my son kill his brother, and I have seen reprobates coming into this world in rapid-fire succession through all these hundreds of years. When, O Lord, when does it end? <br />Paradise regained then became a hope for him, as it is for us. The Bible says we are saved in hope. <br />We don't have yet what we have been promised, do we? I haven't had all my problems eliminated. Neither have you. But we're hoping. We live in hope. <br />Sometimes, people in the world look at us and they say: You people must be crazy. You make all these sacrifices; you follow Jesus; you say no to this and no to that, and no to the other thing, and all the things that we like to do that are fun and et cetera. You don't do them. <br />And you do this for some pie in the sky. You do this for something down the road. And then when you get ill and something happens to your kids and somebody dies, and you get cancer or heart disease, they say well, it's ridiculous. <br />Where is God, you know? How can you live like this? <br />Well, we live like this because we believe the word of God, right? And so did Adam. And you know the worse it gets, the more you hope. I can imagine by the time he was over 800, his hope was very strong. Lord, please, please, I've seen enough of murder; I've seen enough of rebellion; I've seen enough iniquity; I've seen it; I've seen it; I've seen enough trouble. Lord, please. <br />And we know the world was getting increasingly more wicked, wasn't it? <br />Because by the time you get to Genesis 6, what does God have to do? Drown the whole world. And he was watching this and it inspired hope in his heart, hope in his heart. And I think that's what God wanted. <br />And that's why Verse 24 says: quot;
He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden he stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.quot;
<br />For however long that garden remained, the temptation would have been greater and greater in the mind of man to run back in there and try to sort of reverse the power of death by eating the tree of life. That would have been a witless act, could he have done it, because all it would have done, as I said, was make him permanently wicked. <br />So the Lord stationed cherubim there.<br />Wherever you see cherubim -- this is the first time angels are mentioned in the Bible; a lot of firsts in this section, the first time angels are mentioned -- but wherever you see cherubim, they're always associated with the throne of God. They're always around the throne of God. Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel 10, 2nd Samuel 6:2: quot;
The Lord of hosts dwells between the cherubim.quot;
That's why the cherubim were put on the ark of the covenant; a symbol of His presence. So they are the angels that protect the presence of God, that protect the glory of God, the throne of God. <br />And all that Adam could do was hope for the day when he could go into the throne of God, when he could go back into the presence of God, when he could go back to paradise and commune with God as he once did. <br />2nd Kings 19:15 says: quot;
The Lord God of Israel dwells between the cherubim.quot;
He wanted to go back to the presence of God, and he hoped and he hoped and he hoped. When would that day come? When could we go into the presence of God? The angels, these angels, cherubim are guarding that Holy of Holies. They're guarding that place of God's presence. That's the place that Adam and Eve wanted so much to be. They couldn't go there. They had to sweat, suffer, struggle, and live with hope that some day -- they couldn't do it in their present condition -- but some day, they would be able to enter into God's presence again. <br />There's a double protection, kind of interesting in Verse 24. The flaming sword also was there quot;
turning every direction.quot;
<br />In other words, no matter where you would go, the flaming sword was there. There was absolutely no access to God's personal presence. You can't enter into His presence, the fullness of His presence. Oh, of course, His spirit is there, and we'll see that later. And God is appearing from time to time to man. We see that in the early part of the Old Testament, as well as later on ultimately in Christ.<br /> But you can't get into His presence, because in this case going back into the garden, end of Verse 24, would mean they would go right to the tree of life, and that would quot;
destroy themquot;
forever. They just -- He protects them. This is security. <br />And He makes them live in hope.<br />Even though they were believers,<br /> even though they had repented, <br />even though they had been forgiven, <br />even though they had been covered, <br />they were still sentenced to live a life of suffering and sorrow and pain and death. So they had to live in hope. <br />That's the way we live. We hope for heaven. We hope for the fullness of the presence of God. <br />God sent them out and said: I want you to feel the curse. I want you to feel the blast of sin, and I want you to feel that so hard that you begin to have a deep longing for heaven.<br /> Keil-Delitzsch, the Hebrew commentator, says:<br />quot;
Man must till the ground in which he will, after a short span, decay in the soil which he turns over with his spade. He has before his very eyes his origin and his future. You will die, you will suffer and you will die. But that suffering and that death which will free him to enter the presence of God becomes the source of his hope.quot;
<br />Why does God want us to live in hope?<br />Because 1st John 3:3 says: Hope purifies. quot;
Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.quot;
This purifying hope is our anchor. <br />In the words of Hebrews 6:19, this hope is quot;
an anchor for the soul.quot;
You know, I look forward to heaven, don't you? And the longer you're in this life and the longer you suffer, and the longer you long for an unruffled life, a peaceful, tranquil, joyous life, the longer you desire communion with God uninterrupted and holy and perfect, the longer you live and desire that, the more heaven appeals to you. <br />You can say with the Psalmist in Psalm 39:7: quot;
My hope is in You.quot;
<br />Romans 4 says about Abraham that he hoped. He hoped. <br />quot;
Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God,quot;
says Psalm 146:5. <br />So here you have it in the end of this chapter, the essential mix of the elements of salvation.<br />From man's side, faith is the point of entry and hope sustains him.<br /> From God's side, atonement is the point of entry and security sustains him. <br />We believe and we hope. <br />And God atones and God secures us. <br />And so, the most tragic Chapter in all the scripture ends with a glorious introduction to the good news of salvation. <br />Sinners, God has provided atonement. He will cover your sin and keep you secure until you reach eternal glory. It is available to you who believe and persevere in hope. That's what Adam had to do for a long time. And then one day, hope became reality. He left that human flesh and entered in a perfect, regenerated spirit into the presence of the creator. Eve, the same. And there was awaiting them the communion they had so long wished for, and the end of all sin. And so it is for us as well. <br />Father, this Chapter is monumental in so many ways, and with it we have the time to even go more deeply into its profound depths. But what a glorious, glorious way to tell us what You are like. Then to see how rapidly You acted in grace toward cursed sinners. O, what a Savior is mine. We are utterly unworthy of such mercy and grace as has been bestowed upon us from Adam and Eve on. We are no better than they. We are under the same curse. But for us has been provided the atonement and the security, and to us has been granted, as to them, the faith and hope that takes hold of that atonement. Faith for the atonement, and persevering hope alongside your securing power. And in this, we find our salvation. And we thank you and we praise You. Amen. <br />