This is the gist of some recent correspondence between a man who clearly reads his Bible, and the response of a minister in United. It may hopefully be instructive to some of our readers.
One Man’s View
Did you know that Adam knew what he was doing when he ate the “Forbidden Fruit”? You may not believe it, but he loved Eve so much that he didn’t want her to go through “Death” without him. Whatever happened to Eve, Adam wanted to share it with her — though it would be “Death” as God had promised. (Do you love your wife this much?)
There is a passage (1 Timothy 2:14) that proves Adam was not deceived. It says, “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”
The last Adam (Jesus Christ) did the same thing—and even to a greater extent. He loved us so much that he gave up His life for us and made the first Adam’s transgression null and void. He took away death and offered us an eternal life. He combined “the Spirit of God” with the “flesh of Men” and offered it on the cross. He was in the grave three days, rose from the grave and offered us eternal life if we believe in him. In this way we could be “Joint Heirs” with Him in the “Kingdom of God.”
A Minister’s Response
It is an incredible thing isn’t it, that Christ - through Whom and by Whom we were made - should give up all His power and glory to come and live and die as a man, to pay the penalty for our sins and so rescue us from death!
Poor old Adam never really knew what hit him. He had a marvelous physique and a wonderful brain, and was imbued with great intelligence. He was given a woman who matched him perfectly. He was responsible for her but did not take that responsibility as he should have. Easy for us to say in hindsight, and he probably quickly learned it after the fact.
It was not for love of Eve that Adam accepted the forbidden fruit from her hand and took a juicy bite. There she was standing before him vibrantly full of life, contentedly chewing on a chunk of the fruit that was supposed to kill them, and his immediate response was, “Well now, how about that?” So he took an experimental bite and lived on, but was driven from the Garden of “Easy Living” so to speak, and sent out into the world and labored himself to death thereafter, as Christ explained to him would happen before clothing the pair of them and sending them out.
Adam should have immediately responded, “Eve, what have you done?” Then explained to her what a great mistake she had made. God fully expected them to sin, to go their own way and do their own thing, because that is what freedom of choice is all about, and mankind in general still doesn’t get it. We have all followed in their footsteps, but God will even yet rescue us from the consequences if we will learn the lesson and start doing things the right way.
Jesus Christ will soon return to claim His holy bride, the Church, and subsequently restore Paradise to this long suffering world. There is much for which we may always be thankful. All things will come in their appointed time, as our great God has planned from the beginning.
