by James Thomas Lee, Jr. 12/01/95 Copyrighted 2001 by James Thomas Lee, Jr. Copyright Number: TXu 713-027
Chapter 5 - Recognizing Our Need for a Savior {812 words}
Chapter 5a - The Seven Head-to-Head Confrontations {524 words}
Chapter 5b - Four Spiritual Facts {1,719 words}
Chapter 5c - Applying These Four Spiritual Facts {2,537 words}
Part I of this book shared many of the steps of my own twenty-plus years of investigative study. No longer content with just a surface-level understanding of the important, spiritual matters of this life, I have for these past twenty or so years committed myself to a higher understanding of what really happened to me on that cold night in December 1967, when I came to the Lord. If God were real, then I knew and have known that I could never be satisfied with just knowing Him from afar. I also knew and have known that I would have to learn all that was possible, if for no other reason than just to make sure that all of the pieces of that whole spiritual, transformation process really did fit.
Consequently, after a careful examination of Scriptures and of the apologetic processes which have been used to verify those Scriptures, I am now and have been for some time completely convinced that the biblical teachings about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are totally accurate and genuine. I do not think that God has left a single stone unturned in guaranteeing that we have absolute access to the truth. Therefore, if one lives this life and never learns what is actually correct about spiritual matters, the reason in my opinion will not be because the Lord for some reason has failed to do something. To the contrary, the reason will be because of a personal neglect or disinterest on the part of that individual.
As we come to the final part of this book, two important matters still need to be considered, namely that of presenting the truth about and the logic in God's Salvation Plan and also that of sharing how to actually "come" to Him. In our society, there is a great ignorance about spiritual matters. Because young people are not trained about God in a strong, positive manner, many or most grow up knowing very little about Him. As a result, many individuals either stumble into false religions or cults, or they simply stay away from religious affairs altogether. Of those who do find Christ and embrace Christianity, many often do not even know what or why they believe as they do. Therefore, the purpose of Part II of this book will be to clean up this obvious spiritual mess and to show how this mess has been literally produced and orchestrated by our very real adversary, the devil. As we shall see throughout, the devil has used and still uses his two principle devices to overwhelm and afflict humanity. These are deception and distraction, and he uses both to perfection. Because of that, a person needs to realize that our evil, demonic enemy will disguise the truth in whatever fashion he can. Moreover, concerning the things of God, many have already been deceived, and many have also already been distracted!
As this discourse begins, however, one should note from the start that every word of the Old and New Testament has been verified and is authentic, not just because I say so but because many qualified analysts have studied all of the evidence and correctly drawn this right conclusion. With the Bible, we are not dealing with a book which contains a lot of errors and contradictions or even with one which has many different interpretations. The biblical references that will be used in this and the following chapters are mostly factual and historical, not vague, symbolic, or in any other way ambiguous. Wherever symbolism or a double meaning might apply, an explanation to the same will be presented. Hence, in every instance, the messages of Scriptures should be clear! Whereas the devil seeks to deceive and distract, the objectives of these final chapters, as with that of this whole book, will be the exact opposite. From the very outset, our objectives have been and will be to explain and to educate, as well as to exalt and uplift our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
In the coming pages, we will endeavor to openly and clearly consider four key topics about God's Salvation Plan. These topics are:
(1) Our need for a Savior;
(2) Jesus as our Savior;
(3) Meeting the requirements for a Savior; and
(4) What all of this means to us.
After covering each of these topics, the logic of God's Plan should be clear. Then, with that understanding intact, we will close everything out with a short, but succinct prescription for right living. As we begin this fact-finding, spiritual journey, a simple truth is worth noting. It is that in a world where there is little or no peace and joy, one can only have true, absolute peace and joy through the Lord Jesus Christ! As we proceed, that truth should become abundantly obvious to all.
a. The Seven Head-to-Head Confrontations
Before addressing the first key topic, though, that of our need for a Savior, we first need to realize that our adversary, the devil, does not want any of us to know the "Gospel" truth! In short, he does not want either of us or any of us to know the truth about God or about God's Salvation Plan for humanity. Thus, while these statements may sound like overstatements or even exaggerations, such words, if anything, actually understate the lengths to which he is willing to go. As one examines all the facts, it becomes clear from Scriptures that the devil will go to any length to get at God, that very little is beyond him, and that he does have a fair amount of power. The Bible, in fact, reveals seven clear, direct confrontations between God and Satan, and as can be seen below, each one either was or will be very real!
In Isaiah 14:12-14 and Ezekiel 28:14-18, the first confrontation was in Heaven when the devil tried to overthrow God. The second confrontation, recorded in Genesis 3:1-24, occurred in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. The third was during the time of Noah, in Genesis, Chapter Six, and resulted in the Great Flood. The fourth, shared in Genesis, Chapter Eleven, happened at Babel. The fifth confrontation was at Calvary with Jesus dying on the cross. The sixth, which has not yet happened, is recorded in Revelation 19:11-20 and shows the Antichrist being overthrown, and the final confrontation, in Revelation 20:1-10, will take place after the one thousand year reign of Christ. This seventh confrontation also has not yet occurred. Thus, with the discovery of all of these direct conflicts between God and Satan, it should be obvious that the devil, like any genuine adversary, opposes God and that he does not want God's creation, people like you and me, to know all the facts about the Lord.
Therefore, if an individual is to know the truth about the truly important, spiritual matters of this life, then that person must start at the beginning and do some real digging. To a great extent, this has already been done! In Part I of this text, the main tenets of the Christian Faith were presented and then shown to be valid. In the current discussion, the seven confrontations between God and the devil have been identified. Now, the intent will be to back up and take a more thorough look at Confrontation Number Two, the same battle which was just presented above that involved Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. As we do this, each of us should be able to more clearly see and understand our own spiritual need for a Savior. In addition, we should also be able to see, if one might employ some colorful, descriptive language and still not sound too dualistic in their theology, that God is the "good guy" and that Satan is the "bad guy"! As a matter of fact, God was a friend to Adam and Eve from the beginning, while the devil only pretended to be.
b. Four Spiritual Facts
Thus, in looking at Confrontation Number Two and in trying to more clearly recognize our personal need for a Savior, we must next consider four assorted and seemingly unrelated spiritual facts. These facts are not only important to the story about Adam and Eve, but they are also critically important to one's overall understanding of the significant spiritual aspects of this life. Alone, each fact has only a measure of value, but when put together, they combine to show each of us exactly what we are up against when we try to deal with the spiritual, eternal realm of our existence. Therefore, as we continue with this part of the analysis, each of the four facts will be briefly presented, followed by an explanation of how these facts apply to each of our individual lives.
Fact Number 1 - Humans Are Different Than Other Life Forms
The first fact relates to the spiritual breath which was breathed into the first man by God. The Bible says, in Genesis 1:26-31, that God created man in His own image and that He placed him in the Garden of Eden. Verses Seven through Nine of the Second Chapter in Genesis reinforce these same teachings by saying the following:
The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil [1].
Notice that these verses indicate that God created man from the dust of the ground and also that He breathed a special life into him. This "life" was special because Moses does not record the same type of breath as having been breathed into any of the other animal or vegetable life which was created by the Lord. Therefore, by this act alone, humanity is forever set apart and distinguished from animals and plants. Next, though, these verses also show that the Lord planted the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden. As we shall discover later in this chapter, these two trees, which lead to the second important spiritual fact, are also very significant to the whole story!
Fact Number 2 - Silly Sounding Scenarios Can Still Be True
In looking at this specific account of Adam and Eve, it is important to realize that the fairy tale names, which were given to each of the trees mentioned above, revealed their unique purpose. For example, Adam and Eve could eat from the tree of life and essentially not die. Somehow, this tree of life magically gave them life. Similarly, they could eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and know many amazing things, some good and some not so good. Hence, this latter tree magically gave them a kind of dramatically increased, special knowledge. On the surface, I know that such mysterious by-products from a couple of trees sound silly, that is being able to eat from a certain tree and then by some strange happening actually acheive some unique result. Nevertheless, the second important spiritual fact in all of this is that fairy tale names and silly sounding scenarios, alone, do not mean that they are untrue! Remember that the analyses of the first four chapters of this book have already shown that the Old and New Testaments, and specifically the writings of Moses, are trustworthy.
Therefore, just because descriptive, fairy tale names were given to those trees, it does not mean that this account is either untrue or allegorical. And just because people during current times expect to physically die, this does not mean that it was always so for Adam and Eve. The Bible, which can be trusted as truth, clearly implies that the first man and the first woman each had the unusual ability within their grasp to never die. Yet, they let it slip away, both for themselves and for all humanity. Consequently, as we shall see in a few moments, all must die because of the transgression committed by these first two individuals in the garden. But as we shall also see, there are two forms of death, and these deaths, as presented and described in Scriptures, are not exactly what many people believe them to be.
As we continue with our examination of this second spiritual fact, one can quickly see from Revelation 4:11 that God had created Adam and Eve for His own pleasure. Then, from Genesis 3:8, it is clear that Adam and Eve had, at one time, even enjoyed a friendly, casual relationship with Him. This latter reference from the Book of Genesis shows, in fact, that the Lord had on occasion even visited with them in the garden. Moreover, it was during one of those visits, a visit which is recorded in Genesis 2:15-17, that God had warned Adam to not eat fruit from a certain tree. The particular tree in question was one of those two just mentioned, and according to Moses, the basic conversation went as follows:
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden: but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die" [2].
As these verses indicate, Adam was instructed to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Not only that, but he was even warned that the penalty for any disobedience on his part in that regard would be death, certainly a penalty or punishment which was quite severe and very final, also a penalty which leads to the next important, spiritual fact.
Fact Number 3 - God's Judgment Will Be According To His Standards
On the surface, death for eating fruit from a forbidden tree sounds absurd and seems to be pretty drastic. As a result, many are quick to protest. How dare God kill Adam and Eve just for eating fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil! This penalty is too harsh. It does not fit the crime. Many are prone to express their dissatisfaction toward this Deity Who would enforce such an extreme punishment for such a seemingly, insignificant act. Yet, because of the third spiritual fact, none of these types of objections are really important or even valid! The third of the four important spiritual facts is that an eternal God can and does set His own standards for our judgment, and we have no choice but to go along! There is not a heavenly Supreme Court where one can go to obtain a higher ruling. God cannot and will not be overturned in this or any other matter. Therefore, no protests, even if they were valid, are of any value. They mean nothing, and they for sure change nothing!
Fact Number 4 - Death Is Only A Form Of Separation
Having now made the point of Fact Three clear, what exactly then is this death? Above, mention was made of two deaths and also of death as being different than most believe. How does the biblical definition or description of death differ from common belief? The evolutionist would say that death is a final cessation of all vital human functions. They would characterize such a state as ceasing to be, no longer capable of participating in earthly activities, and many would readily assume that this is the case. But how does the Bible describe death? Is it really a state where one ceases to be? The answer according to Scriptures is no, and the reason that this is true is because of that special breath, shared in Fact Number One, which was breathed into Adam by God. Because God's creation, people like you and me, were given this special breath by our eternal Creator, we never really die, at least not like the evolutionist would suggest.
To carry this thought a little farther, one can begin to comprehend the spiritual definition for death and in the process understand the fourth important spiritual fact simply by using a slightly different terminology. In the Bible, death is better described by the word "separation". When a person dies to this world, he or she does not cease to be. To the contrary, such an individual is merely separated from those of us who have continued to be in this world. Thus, while these people are, in fact, separated from all earthly inhabitants, that part of them which was made eternal by God still continues to exist. Hence, physical death is not a final cessation of all vital human functions, at all! It is really only a form of separation from this life as we know it. Another indication that death is not actually a state of finality can be seen by examining the words of Jesus, as they have been recorded in the Gospel of Luke:
The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him [3].
These verses, written by the physician Luke, clearly verify the point just made. Both men had died. Yet, neither were actually dead, at least not in the manner that many would normally think! They had only been "separated" from the everyday happenstances of this life. As a result, the conclusion is both alarming and inescapable! Based on the authority of Scriptures, one must acknowledge, as Fact Number Four declares, that dying to this life is not the end. It is really only the beginning - the beginning of eternity!
c. Applying These Four Spiritual Facts
Therefore, after having considered the above four spiritual facts, that is this special breath which is breathed into humans by God, the fairy tale names given to a couple of trees, God's absolute control and authority in judgment, and death as a form of separation, let us now return to the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve so that we can put all of these assorted pieces of information together and better understand the real consequences of Confrontation Number Two! According to the opening verses of Genesis, Chapter Three, the devil came to Eve and tempted her with the beauty and power of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. After a few moments of his persuasive handiwork, she, then, ate of that fruit. After that, she convinced Adam, and he also ate. Later, when they were discovered, the Bible points out in Genesis 3:17 that it was Adam who had really sinned because he was the one to whom the order not to eat had specifically been given. Recall the earlier reference to Genesis 2:15-17! In like manner, we can see in Romans 5:12, 17-19, since Adam was acting on behalf of all humanity, that it was also he who has brought this same penalty of death upon all, a fact which is additionally supported by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15:22.
Now, though, remember from the fourth spiritual fact how the Bible speaks of death and insert that modified meaning into this story! What we see when we do this is that when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit that they were not done away with or in some other way physically destroyed! Their life was not immediately snatched away, as some might suspect. Instead, they were merely "separated" from something, and that something, or more appropriately Someone, was God! As Genesis 3:22-24 shows, they were cast from the Garden of Eden! They could no longer have direct face-to-face interaction in the garden with their Creator, and they could no longer eat from the tree of life. However, while clearly revealing this separation, the Bible does not say that either of them had to leave that special life behind which had been breathed into them. Hence, it is true that they did have to leave, but it is also true that they retained that part of them which had been breathed in by God, that part of them which will never cease to be. The Bible describes what happened in the following passage:
And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life [4].
In considering this passage, one should note the statement about man not living forever. These words seem almost contradictory! How can one rationalize that there is life after death if God did not want man to live forever? What does this tricky phrase in the above excerpt really mean? The answer to that question brings us back to the earlier statement about death, namely that there are two deaths - a first death and also a second death. The above reference is talking only about the first death, meaning that God would not allow Adam and Eve to remain in the Garden of Eden forever, at least not in their tarnished, fallen state. So, Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden, separated from God and the tree of life, and at the same time, placed in an environment where they would experience physical death. Later, in Revelation 20:14-15, the Apostle John refers to the second death and indicates that not everyone will die or be separated a second time, but more will be shared about this second "separation" in a few moments.
First, however, there are three specific comments or observations to be made about this whole episode with Adam and Eve which are significant and worth noting. The first is that after eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve really did know some things which they had not known before, just like spiritual Fact Number Two indicated. Hence, in this regard, about their eyes being opened and about their knowing good and evil, the devil had been absolutely correct! Their eyes really had been opened, and they could see that they were both naked! Moses recorded this fact in Genesis 3:7:
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves [5].
However, more important than their new discovery was their new attitude. They knew that they were naked, but notice also that they both felt ashamed! Doing wrong almost always makes the guilty feel guilty, and it should! Plus, it does one more thing. It makes the person feel unprepared!
I have had occasions in school when I have felt a shame or a sense of unpreparedness which I think is very similar to that which was probably felt by the first man and the first woman. In my situation, the teacher would have given a homework assignment, but for one reason or another, I had not done the work. Then, in class the next day, I would feel anxious and nervous because I knew that I was not prepared. I knew that if the teacher called on me or if he or she decided to collect the work, then I would be found out. In the same manner, Adam and Eve, and especially Adam, had not done as they had been instructed. So, like I in the homework example, they also knew that they had done wrong and were not prepared. Consequently, they felt embarrassed and very fearful about what might come next. For them, two mighty forces were at work. First, their conscience was telling them that they had misbehaved, and second, they knew that their sin would carry a penalty. As a result, they were understandably afraid!
But then, they tried to do what most of us attempt to do when confronted with such a predicament. They tried to cover their tracks, a manuever which brings us to the second noteworthy comment about this story. Notice again the above excerpt! They recognized their nakedness, something which they had never before considered. Then, as a result of their shame, they tried to cover themselves and hide that which was not pleasing. However, they should have realized that they could not hide from God! In like manner, we should realize the same about ourselves. We can often fool each other. We can sometimes even fool ourselves. But we will never fool the Lord! In the next few verses of that same passage, when God came to the garden, He knew instantly all that they had done.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from" [6]?
Because He knew everything and they could not hide, their next strategy was to shift the blame. This is the third observation to be gleaned from this Garden of Eden incident. Adam blamed Eve. He told God that he would not have eaten the fruit had the woman not told him all the wonderful things about it. Then, she blamed the serpent by saying that he had first told her all of those same enticing words. Note that both Adam and Eve were telling the truth! Adam really had been coerced by his wife, and she really had been tricked by Satan. Note also that even though both had originally tried to cover up their state of unpreparedness that neither could deny their condition before God. They tried to blame each other. But neither could deny their own behavior when confronted by the Lord, and the same will be true for each of us when we stand before Him in judgment! There will not be any cover ups, blame shifting or buck passing when we give an accounting to God our Creator. Just like with the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, He will know all that we have done, and we will not be able to fool Him! Accordingly, the Bible warns of that time of final judgment:
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment [7].
Mention of this final judgment brings us back to the biblical teaching of the second death. Remember once again, though, as proclaimed by Fact Number Four, that we are ultimately talking about a second "separation", as opposed to a literal death and cessation of all vital human activity! Concerning this second and final separation, the Bible paints a very grim picture. In the Book of Revelation, as one example, the Apostle John says that the cowardly, unbelieving, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, those who have practiced magic arts, idolaters, and all liars will be placed in this intense lake of fire. To go along with that, this fire is described in other places in Scriptures as a state and place of unimaginable, never ending torment. John, then, in his passage goes on to call the whole ordeal of this separation and this torment as the second death [8]. Yet, to actually understand the complete meaning of his words, one must realize that while the Apostle is talking about a literal lake of fire and a real place of eternal suffering, he is also and more specifically talking about a place of final, absolute "separation" from God for all of those who are not prepared for the final judgment.
Had Adam and Eve not stumbled, then neither the first nor the second death would have occurred. But the reality of the situation is that Adam's disobedience, just like any other inherited character trait, has passed from one human being and one generation to another. Thus, the result is that, like Adam, we have all disobeyed and rejected God, both in our heart and also by our actions. Adam was guilty first, but each of us has followed in his footsteps! As a result, the real issues of this life have nothing to do with the normal, temporal pursuits of living. Instead, the real "issue" of this life actually concerns getting oneself prepared for the final judgment! By inheritance, we are already separated from God. We are already in a state of unpreparedness. And we need a way to close that gap between ourselves and the Lord. Otherwise, if we go through the second separation, hence the second death, we will forever be separated from our God and Creator. Therefore, the conclusion at this juncture is rather simple. We need a champion to restore for us what Adam lost for us in the Garden of Eden. We need a Savior! We need the Lord!
But before closing out this chapter, a final observation must be made relative to this need for a Savior. Many would like to think that they can be real good and somehow close this gap on their own, without the help of another. Unfortunately, such an expectation or hope is not very smart. As can be seen from Isaiah 64:6, Jeremiah 17:9, Ephesians 2:8-9, and others, expecting to eliminate the gap between oneself and God by one's own good deeds is just not realistic. Good works is not the key, and good works will not get the job done! Note, though, how the devil seeks to deceive and distract. Whenever the discussion turns to salvation and to one's need for a Savior, most individuals automatically change the subject and shift into a good works mentality.
They share how they have been good to their neighbor, how they have obeyed all the laws, and how they have basically been pretty good individuals. Hence, their communication is turned from a conversation about their own salvation and about their individual need for the Lord into a personal defense of their lifestyle. In considering such a rapid, radical shift in topics, one might conclude that the devil is especially crafty, and such a conclusion would not be inappropriate or inaccurate! Remember, as was pointed out earlier, that he is a master at keeping people off guard and on the wrong subject! Also recall, as could be seen from this Garden of Eden episode, an episode which has already been referred to as Confrontation Number Two, that he does have a fair amount of power.
One should note that those who resort to such a good works mentality usually do so for one of several reasons. Sometimes, they do not understand what the Bible says, so they naturally and without intent come up with the wrong answer. Other times, they are somewhat familiar with Scriptures, but they do not wish to bow and submit to a Savior! There seems to be an unwritten belief among humanity, in general, which implies that embracing Christ is for fools and goodie-goodies. This belief is not true! Nevertheless, many fall for it, and many reject the Lord because of it. Lastly, there are those who intellectually understand about Christ, but they just cannot or will not bring themself to believe with their heart.
Yet, for the sake of this or any other analysis, the actual reason why one might not accept Christ is really immaterial. The point being that without Him, a person cannot find true peace and happiness in this world. Moreover, if one again considers the reality of the third spiritual fact from above, then it should be clear that no one can refuse God's plan for humanity and still be prepared for the final judgment and eternity. This statement is not just wild speculation or a crazy stab in the dark at the truth. It is a biblical fact based on biblical principles! Therefore, as earthly inhabitants and as human beings, our chief goal in this life should not be to chase all of the seemingly worthwhile, earthly pursuits imaginable. Instead, it should be to find a way to close that gap which exists between each of us and God. However, we cannot do this on our own. For that, we need a Savior!
ENDNOTES
1. Genesis 2:7-9.
2. Genesis 2:15-17.
3. Luke 16:22-24.
4. Genesis 3:22-24.
5. Genesis 3:7.
6. Genesis 3:8-11.
7. Hebrews 9:27.
8. Revelations 21:7-8.
CHAPTER 6. JESUS AS OUR SAVIOR
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