Freedom from the fear of death

The first consequence of evil, when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, was a sense of guilt and separation from God. In the Old Testament God instituted an animal sacrifice ritual to atone for the guilt of the people. This was a temporary remedy pointing to the coming of Christ.

The Bible teaches us that sin results in death.”The wages of sin is death….” (Romans 6:23). The ordinance of sacrifice was instituted as a reminder that there was a great price to pay for sin, but the blood of goats and lambs could not take away sin indefinitely.

With the coming of Christ, animal sacrifices for sin were done away with. Jesus, God’s Son, born of a virgin and without sin, died and rose from the dead. He was the, “spotless lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29).

Because Christ was without sin, death could not overpower him and keep him in the grave. Similarly, everyone who believes in him and accepts his gift of “salvation” from sin will experience the resurrection power of Christ. They will live with him for eternity.

This gift of salvation and eternal life is offered to everyone. However, people do not automatically receive forgiveness of sins. We must acknowledge Christ as our “Saviour.”

It is really very simple, but surprisingly difficult at the same time. The reason is that it is not just a matter of praying a prayer asking for forgiveness. If you believe that Christ is the Son of God who takes away the sins of the world, it follows that accepting his forgiveness also means you are committed to his kingship in your life. The Son of God deserves no less than our surrender and worship.

The prayer of acceptance of salvation and commitment to Christ may go something like this,

“Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus died and was raised from the dead. His life was sacrificed for the sins of the world. I ask you to forgive my sins, in Jesus’ name. I give my life to you. I invite your presence to indwell me and empower me to live for you. Amen.”

When you have prayed this prayer you will want to tell someone about it and you will also want to find a group of people who have come to a similar faith. You may encounter resistance from those who do not believe. This is not uncommon. There are many groups of believers, some meeting in churches, some in homes, some in schools or other facilities.

If you do not find a group of believers immediately, you can still have a growing relationship with God by praying, talking to him daily about all aspects of your life, and by reading his word, the Bible. I encourage you to start reading the New Testament, that is the second section of the Bible. It is easier to understand and more relevant for daily living. It also begins with accounts of the life of Christ.

If you desire you may email me at: friesentina@gmail.com.

The consequence of evil

The first consequence of evil Adam and Eve experienced was a sense of guilt and shame. They were ashamed and hid. Instead of  becoming like God, as the Serpent had told them, they became different from and distant from God.

Shame is a natural by-product of guilt. Our society has tried to recondition people and remove shame and guilt but it is not possible because we are programmed to desire unity with our Creator. Distance from God makes us uneasy.

The ultimate end result of evil is death. If Adam and Eve had not sinned, death would not have been introduced into the world. Since that time we all find ourselves living a life that is out of harmony with God.

When Adam and Eve sinned God removed them from paradise. He told them that life would be difficult. They would continue to strive against the cunning of Satan, the deceiver. But he also promised that one day Satan would be crushed under their feet. This was a prophetic word concerning the coming of Christ.

In the Old Testament we have numerous stories of how men and women encountered God. Some of them chose to obey him in faith and did great exploits. Others sank into deeper and deeper degradation. The Bible does not white-wash sin. God did not edit the bad parts out of the Scriptures.

Evil robs, kills and destroys. Christ offers the alternative–life, hope and peace with God. But don’t be fooled into thinking that by becoming a Christian a person is taken out of the battle against evil. The Christian can be identified as the one who is on God’s side in the fight against evil.

What is evil?

According to Genesis, mankind was created perfect in every way, even in his thoughts. But humans were endowed with the ability to desire. Misdirected desire can cause us to sin.

Adam and Eve had no understanding of evil. It was the unknown and the unexperienced and this made it mysterious and intriguing. Satan, in the form of a serpent, dangled the knowledge of evil before them.

Satan also introduced the notion of being “like God.” Remember that Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. They may never have thought of themselves as anything but “like God.” However Satan, the serpent, twisted the truth to his advantage.

Satan made them consider for the first time the possibility that they were ignorant and incomplete. He insinuated that God was holding out on them, that they were missing something.

He also made himself look like an authority. He implied that he had something more to offer than God when in reality all he was doing was subtracting from all that was God. He was introducing deficiency.

The serpent deceived Adam and Eve. He had nothing to offer that God had not already given. All he could offer was the experience of something less than godliness. Their sudden self-doubt and their doubt of God made them vulnerable. They had no experience with recognizing or resisting temptation. Their desire became overwhelming and they decided to accept Satan’s lies in place of God. That was the evil. It wasn’t the apple.