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Part 3 - The Fall and the Restoration
Restoration in Jesus Christ
The knowledge of good and evil that Adam and Eve suddenly received in the
Fall did as God intended it to do. It showed them their lack in their fallen
condition. They immediately tried to cover themselves in their own efforts.
Their efforts were not good enough as demonstrated by God Himself who later
provided them with clothing from the skin of a slain animal. This is
symbolic of the covering of God Himself that can be our only righteousness.
Christ was to be the "lamb that was slain," an atonement for sin and means of restoration from the
Fall, and
these skins testified to that.
The knowledge of good and evil
Yahweh tied together the act of rebelling against him with the giving of
the knowledge of good and evil. The sin of pride separated man from God.
This pride is an empty pride. There is nothing to back it up. Man was
designed to be in union with his Creator, with God Himself freely providing
all that man needed. To be separate from God is to be in a place of lack and
need. So Yahweh, in His love, provided that man should know of his lack and
of his need should he remove himself from God. This would then be the
beginning of a restoration that God would provide. There is a knowledge
given to fallen mankind, first through conscience, then through the law.
This is the knowledge of sin and of what is right. This knowledge is
designed by God to show the fallen condition of the human race and the need
to be in union with Him. It shows man that he is lacking. And
so the tree by which man could separate himself from God was named "the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil."
Paul speaks of the knowledge of good and evil
in Romans 7:18-21. He says, "For I know that in me (that is, in my
flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how
to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I
will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I
practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present
with me, the one who wills to do good" (emphasis added). The
knowledge that Paul speaks about showed him "that sin dwells in me." This is
the law (or principle) of sin. This law went into effect when mankind was
separated from God in the fall. This principle of indwelling sin is made
manifest by the law of Moses, which sets God's standard of righteousness.
1 Timothy 1:8-10 states, "But we know that the law is good if one uses it
lawfully, knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but
for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the
unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for
manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for
perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound
doctrine." The law of Moses brings the knowledge of man's sin nature.
A tutor
That the purpose of this knowledge is to lead one back to God is shown in
Gal. 3:21-24, "Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not!
For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly
righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all
under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those
who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law,
kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was
our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith."
The purpose of the law is to reveal sin and lead the way to Christ, who
said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father
except through Me" (John 14:6). Yet Jesus also said, "For assuredly, I say
to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no
means pass from the law till all is fulfilled" (Matt. 5:18). The law is a
description of Christ, and only through Him can the love that the law points
to be fulfilled. "If anyone desires to come after me"
The law was given not
so that one could become righteous by keeping it but rather to show the
sinful state of fallen man. To find salvation man must renounce the lifting
up of self that caused him to fall by choosing the way of the cross of
Christ. Thus, we read of Jesus in Matt. 16:24, "Then Jesus said to His
disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross, and follow Me.' " At first this saying might seem like
Jesus is saying that one must live a very austere life, one of refraining
from indulging in any luxuries or pleasures. One must deny himself this
or deny himself that. But in the context, Jesus is saying that one
must deny himself, period. It is the fallen nature of man, a nature
totally corrupted in sin, that must be denied and brought to the cross.
Jesus categorized the self into four areas: the heart, the soul, the mind,
and one's strength (Mark 12:30). Each of these areas is
to be brought to the cross. God judged sin when He put all iniquities upon
Christ and slew Him on the cross. In order to come after and follow Christ,
one must count that his fallen self is with Jesus on the cross, being put to
death. This is the renunciation of that which caused the fall of mankind,
the lifting up of self above God.
Paul the Apostle said, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to
those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of
God (1 Cor. 1:18). The message of the cross is not only foolishness to the
rebellious, but it is also an offense. Fallen man glories in his own soul,
in that which his soul possesses. He glories in his own mind, his wisdom and
understanding. He glories in his own strength, his capabilities and
self-standing. The message of the cross is a testimony that these things are
vanity. It is a deflation of his pride. This is the offense that Paul refers
to as "the offense of the cross."
"He who glories, let him glory in the LORD"
Paul writes, "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God
has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God
has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are
mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised
God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things
that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Cor. 1:26-29). Not
many rich (noble), wise, and strong will be reconciled to God through
Christ, for they choose to glory in their own soul, mind, and strength. To
come to Christ is to renounce self and to glory in who God is. Those who
recognize their own emptiness and need has God chosen, for these will glory
in the fullness of God.
Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God in bringing salvation to fallen man.
Jesus Christ is the answer to the error that brought about the fall of
mankind. Paul continues in his letter to the Christians in Corinth, "But of
Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption; that, as it is written, 'He
who glories, let him glory in the LORD' " (1 Cor 1:30-31).
The answer to the rebellion of fallen man's heart, soul,
mind, and strength is found in Christ, where one denies
oneself, takes up the cross, and walks in the lordship of Christ, the life of Christ, faith in
Christ, and rest in Christ.
The following four pages present these four aspects of the restoration
from the fall that are in Christ. The "next page" sequence will present
these in reverse order, for the foundation of a restored relationship with
God is based upon rest in the person and work of Christ. Upon this
foundation sits faith in Christ and a life lived in Christ by the Holy
Spirit. These three aspects form the all-encompassing aspect of the lordship
of Christ.
Rest in Christ: "I am the way ..."
Faith in Christ: "... the truth ..."
Life in Christ: "... and the life ..."
The Lordship of Christ: "... No one
comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6)
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