The first sin of man in the Garden of Eden happened before the tasting of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They had made up their minds to sin before the act of eating ever occurred.
Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden the same day, but their physical deaths didn’t happen until years later. But God’s promise was that they would die the same day that they ate of the forbidden fruit. They died a spiritual death that day. Their physical deaths happened years later. Their bodies were corrupted from the inside out.
From Adam to Moses, sin was not passed to each generation, yet sin still reigned. And folks continued to die.
Once the Law given by Moses was instated, sin was transferred from generation to generation. Every man and woman from then on was born with an evil nature—a corruptible, evil core.
The Law was given to us as our tutor. The Law only made sin more obvious. It was impossible to keep. Truly attempting to keep the Law should prove man’s incompetence and point to his need for a Savior. For sin is not just an outward act, but what comes from within. True righteousness includes every thought, every imagination, every dream, and all desires and intentions.
The sin nature was imputed through the male. This is why it was important for Jesus to be born to a virgin so He would not inherit the nature to sin.
But sin was possible without the nature to sin. Adam and Eve were created in God’s own image without a nature to sin. Yet they still fell. So the sin nature is not the source of being able to sin. The sin nature is the tendency to sin and along with it, the lack of power to overcome it.
Jesus limited himself to that of a human being even though he was God’s own son.
God gambled everything on Jesus, the man.
Sin derives its power from the Law. The harder someone tries to keep the Law, the more obvious sin becomes. Sin is not just external actions, but also thoughts, intentions, and imaginations of the heart.
Sin is internal. The Law is external. There is no amount of external behavior change that will ever satisfy the righteous requirements of the Law or change the internal nature to sin.
All persons are judged guilty because of their internal sin nature. All have fallen short of God’s standard.
This is the setup for the second greatest injustice of all time—you are not judged for your actions, but because you were born with a sinful instinct. And, no amount of good deeds can ever redeem your condition.
No matter how hard you try to do right, you cannot perform. It is because it is no longer you doing the act, but it is sin inside of you. Even though you have the best of intentions you will fail.
What is the solution to this dilemma? It is Jesus.
Jesus existed from the foundation of the world. He came to earth, born of a virgin, Mary. He was of the lineage of King David. He lived a sin free life on our behalf. God made him to become the embodiment of sin—the very nature that has plagued mankind since Moses. And the faultless, spotless Jesus took sin upon himself on the cross—the greatest injustice of all time!
And the power of sin was abolished with Jesus’ death. Mercy took our deserved punishment. Mercy took our judgment. And Grace conquered the power of sin upon His resurrection and gave us a new heart—a new life.
Satan is the Accuser. He’s like a prosecuting attorney. It is his mission to bring condemnation to each of us. He is empowered by the Law—man’s attempt to be righteous. When we fail, he accuses us using the Law. The very thing we thought would lead us to a righteous life actually brings us condemnation because of our inability to live righteously in and of ourselves.
But thanks to Jesus who fulfilled the Law. Because once the Law was fulfilled that Law was no longer in effect. Jesus was the author of a new covenant! So Satan lost his ammunition. He can no longer bring accusation using the old covenant. There is no more condemnation. We are guilt free. Faultless. And we can stand in the Presence of the Almighty God. It is because the New Covenant was established between Christ and God. And we got written in as beneficiaries based on Christ’s accomplishments instead of our own!
Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. And this happened before he received the sign of the Old Covenant, circumcision. So he is the father of all who have faith in God.
The Law was given to the Jews by birth. But faith is for all. True Jews are those who have been circumcised of the heart—those who believe in Jesus Christ the Son of God.
So all those who believe in Jesus, the Christ, are recipients of the blessing of Abraham.
And God blessed Abraham in every way. These are the blessings to everyone who believes in God.
It is by faith that we have a heart transplant. Our stony hearts are removed and we get a new heart of flesh and a new spirit. And God’s Laws are written on our hearts.
Our old sin nature is crucified with Christ, once and for all, for all time. And in its place we receive a complete acquittal before God and the punishment is removed. All guilt and condemnation are gone. Not because of what we have done, but because of what Jesus has done for us on our behalf.
We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. We live every day by faith. We walk in His divine grace. We have absolute confidence. It is no longer us who perform righteous acts, but it is Christ inside of us. Sin no longer is lord over us. Sin has lost its grip. Addictions are broken. Fear is gone. Worries and cares fade away in His Presence. We are free. We are surrounded by His love daily. His power lives within us. As He is so are we in this world. We reign in life because of what Christ has accomplished. Every day. All the time.
When we walk in step with the Holy Spirit our lives will change. We will not fulfill the desires that once bound us. But we will be useful in loving others with the good news of the gospel—the power of God.
Jesus died and rose again to crush the power of the sinful nature within us and give us new insides—a new nature. This new abundant, overcoming life is one of victory. Not because of any deeds we have done but because of what Jesus has done on our behalf. Now we walk in the light of His favor.
Jesus left the earth so He could give us the Holy Spirit. It is the life in the Spirit that allows us to walk in victory every day. The Holy Spirit is God in us. Just as Jesus was Love in a body, so are we. We are to others what Jesus was to the world through the power and ability of the Holy Spirit. We listen to His voice. We can walk in supernatural love and power. And just as Jesus healed many folks and performed miracles and signs, so we too can expect God to move similarly in us. It is not because of any great will power or dedication, it is only by a child-like trusting in the same God as Jesus did.
This is the Kingdom of God—not a bunch of external rules and regulations, but it is comprised of the internal qualities of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit!
This is what our Easter celebration is about. It is not about going to a church (although that is important). Or doing some religious thing. Or feeling sorry for Jesus. Yes, He despised the shame and didn’t enjoy the suffering. He did it for the joy of the reward. It is the reconciliation of friendship between man and God.
So talk to God today. Listen for His reply. Allow Him to encompass you with His Love. It’s not about your love for Him. It is ALL about His Love for you! Enjoy it! Thank Him for it! Give your consent His glorious victory on your behalf. And be glad for the friendship you have in Him.
You are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved by God! Happy Easter weekend!
Duct Tape Rx 