Why The Christ?

Guest Post by Niebo

“Thou shalt not surely die,” is a declaration of assurance, the acceptance of which offers proof that Eve does not choose to die. Because death is the promised consequence of sin, we may likewise declare the logical congruence that she does not, therefore, choose to sin, an inference which is supported by the fact that, neither at the time of the encounter nor at any other does Eve stand at the foot of the Tree of Knowledge and desire to experience the forbidden fruit; it is established fact that the adversary asks of her, that is, he approaches her to query, “May you eat of any tree in the garden?” We concede that the destroyer knows the answer but asks in order to deceive the woman, in order to ensnare her in his trap, the culmination of which is the statement, “For He knows that you will be like Him, knowing good and evil,” which is to say, “You will be like God,” and, “You will know good and evil.”

While the LORD is not flesh, He, as He wills, manifests as such, and Eve knows Him, walks with Him, and loves Him with all of her heart; He is glorious to behold, beautiful, kind, loving, and we must consider, “Why would Eve not want to be like God?” To her, a simple and obedient child, to be like her Father is a wonderful idea, and if that means knowing good and evil, so be it. Of course, we realize the flaw in her perspective, that, because she does not know good and evil, she is unable to cognify that she is innocent and perfect, just as He created her, which is to say that she has no idea that she is like God already, as much as she might ever be as a creature of flesh. Because she is pure, she is honest and trusting; she is not cognizant of dishonesty or wickedness, so, by default, she is not able to recognize a lie. Thus the serpent uses her innocence to deceive her, to destroy her and, through her, all of mankind.

Now, for the sake of argument, let us ignore both logic and semantics in order to proclaim that Eve, regardless of cause or reason, chose to sin and chose to exist in the state of sin. Let us suppose that her inexperience and her innocence are no excuse, and that she deserves, without qualification, to bear the consequences of her actions. (She was, after all, forewarned of the punishment for disobedience.) Her death, then, is justice. Yet this conclusion invites another question: is the same statement true of her children? Do they, in turn, deserve to bear the same consequences for her actions? That is, do they deserve to die for sins which they did not commit? For, through no fault of our own, we are, to this day, born into this nature of sin, so we are born into physical mortality, into physical separation from the presence of God, and no mere human, in spite of his desire to the contrary, is able to change this reality, this fate.

Evidence suggests, however, that the will of the LORD is mercy for His people, for, throughout the scriptures, there are numerous passages that foreshadow the solution to this conundrum of sin. In the account of the patriarch Abraham (Genesis 22), for example, the LORD tests the faith of Abraham and commands him to take his beloved son Isaac onto a mountain in Moriah in order to sacrifice him as a burnt offering. During the journey, when Isaac asks his father, “Where is the lamb for the offering?” Abraham tells him, “God will supply the lamb.” When they arrive, he obeys the command that he is given, but before he initiates the sacrifice of Isaac, an angel intervenes and forbids it; a moment later, Abraham sees a ram that is caught in a nearby thicket. He releases Isaac, and they offer the ram that God provides.

Likewise, just prior to the exodus from Egypt, the children of God are instructed to sacrifice a lamb and to mark their doorposts with blood, in order that they be passed over during the plague on the firstborn. Thus the people are saved by way of blood (Exodus 12:3-13).

Later, when He presents the Law to Moses, the LORD establishes the rituals of service, among which are numerous rituals of sacrifice. The offering for sin may include one of five animals in which are found no spot or blemish, a young bull, a lamb, a ram, a pigeon, or a turtledove, “for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life.” Thus, forgiveness of sin is attained by blood (Leviticus 4 and 5).

In the book of Exodus, chapters 23 (verse 19) and 34 (verse 26), and in Deuteronomy 14:21, we see repeated a peculiar commandment that forbids boiling a goat in its mother’s milk, which is to say that it is forbidden that a mother be (or be caused to be) an accomplice in the consumption (that is, death) of her child, for such an act is of unnatural cruelty. For Eve, the mother of mankind, to introduce sin and death upon humanity (to be our mother and our destroyer)is an abomination.

In Deuteronomy 24 (verse 16), the LORD forbids that children be put to death for the sins of fathers. In Ezekiel 18 (verses 20 and 30) the same declaration is echoed. In Jeremiah 31:30, the punishment is again forbidden. So, that the children of Eve die because of the sins of their mother (and father, Adam) is also an aberration. Yet, in regards to His warning, “On the day that you eat of it, you shall die”, the LORD keeps the promise, even though, in consequence, it violates the Law which He will give; no doubt, He also foresees this paradox, the end result of which is that the blame for the injustice lies with Him: His children are born into death for decisions that He makes, for He knows the consequences of the fall of mankind but allows it to happen, regardless. [Of course, He establishes the resolution when He declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), before any humans are formed and made, but in the interim, while humans live on earth, separation reigns.] So, why did the LORD do this?

The book of Genesis, chapters 37 through 50, records the account of Joseph, a beloved son of Israel (Jacob) who falls victim to the treachery of his brothers; he is sold into slavery in Egypt, but through his faith in the LORD, he becomes a trusted steward in the house of Pharoah and over Egypt itself. Through him, his trials and accomplishments, the LORD saves the nation of Israel. Joseph is akin to the “suffering servant” of Isaiah 53 (“Immanuel” or “God with us” in Isaiah 7), who is the Messiah. His purpose is to save.

The consequence of atonement is absolution from sin. When sin is absolved, it is undone, uncommitted, as though it never existed. So, if sin is disallowed, then Eve is not prey to the hostile deception of the Destroyer, because the Destroyer, in essence, does not approach her in the garden. And she is passed-over by death, as is all of mankind with her. (“I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” Isaiah 43:25)

Thus, in order to free mankind from the injustice of death, the LORD establishes justice: He repents. And His subsequent atonement resolves the quandary; He absolves Himself and mankind with one sacrifice. Immanuel, then, is the sin offering of God, the lamb without spot or blemish. Through his blood, Eve is released from the deception; mankind is loosed from the sin that we did not choose and are, thereby, reconciled to our former state (purity); we are free. And the LORD proves to all mankind that His love is stronger than the Adversary, that His love is stronger than a lie, that his love is stronger than death, and, most of all, that His love is stronger than sin.

But, again . . . why?

Before the fall, Adam and Eve were innocent and pure; they walked with the LORD, but they had no rational choice in the matter. In a sense, they were “doomed” to perfection, to obedience, and, due to their access to the fruit of the tree of life, to immortality. After the adversary’s manipulation, however, the children of Eve were doomed to separation from God and to death, yet we, also, had no rational choice. In either state, humans have no free will. But, thanks to the blood of Christ, we who were born into darkness are free, instead, to choose to live in the light. We are neither destined to perfection nor doomed to separation but will be held to account for our own actions, our own choices. Chief among them, the choice to accept the truth (or not), to accept absolution (or not), to accept reconciliation (or not), that is, the choice to accept the love of God – or not – is for each of us to make.

Come, Lord Jesus!

-----------------------------------------------------
It is my sincere desire to provide readers of this site with the best unbiased information available, and a forum where it can be discussed openly, as our Founders intended. But it is not easy nor inexpensive to do so, especially when those who wish to prevent us from making the truth known, attack us without mercy on all fronts on a daily basis. So each time you visit the site, I would ask that you consider the value that you receive and have received from The Burning Platform and the community of which you are a vital part. I can't do it all alone, and I need your help and support to keep it alive. Please consider contributing an amount commensurate to the value that you receive from this site and community, or even by becoming a sustaining supporter through periodic contributions. [Burning Platform LLC - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal

-----------------------------------------------------
To donate via Stripe, click here.
-----------------------------------------------------
Use promo code ILMF2, and save up to 66% on all MyPillow purchases. (The Burning Platform benefits when you use this promo code.)

Click to visit the TBP Store for Great TBP Merchandise