Introduction
It was discussed in our previous newsletter that Adam fell because his lust for the forbidden fruit was activated by the devil. He fell out of the grace of God but God did not give him up to perpetual destruction. This piece of writing continues to discuss the scandalous love that was demonstrated towards Adam and the entire human race.
God Runs After Adam
God continued to look for Adam even after his fall so that He might restore him to his formal relationship with Him (Gen 3:7-23). Lucifer had deceived a third of the angels and had proceeded to deceive Adam and his wife. The souls of men were so precious to God that He would not allow the enemy to take hold of them as he did to the fallen angels. Because of their disobedience to God, Adam and his wife were destined to die but God moved in immediately to redeem their lives with the life a beast (Gen 3:21). That is the beast whose skin was used for their covering.
Driven from the Tree of Life
“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life” (Gen 3:21-24).
The blood of beasts was used to cleanse men of their sins because almost all things were by the law purged with blood and without the shedding of blood, there are no remissions of sins (Heb 9:22). The man was driven from the tree of life after their fall because, if they ate of it, they would live in their condition of reduced glory forever, but God had a perfect plan of salvation for them.
God went to the man and engaged him with a heartwarming conversation. It is believed that God said to man, “Yes, you have sinned, I pardon you, come with me for I still love you. What exactly happened, Adam? Tell me”. God would not allow the devil to possess man that He had created in His own image and likeness. God still loved man though he had fallen. David writes, who is man that thou are mindful of (Psa 8:4, Heb 2:6). The love of God towards man should amaze everyone. For the sake of love, God clothed Adam and his wife with His own righteousness because their effort to cover their nakedness was not enough. Our own effort to deal with our sins and to gain God´s favor would not add up.
Imputation of sin and righteousness
The sin of Adam was automatically imputed unto all those who were born of women until the coming of Christ. Adam´s sin was pardoned in the Garden of Eden but Adam´s sins remained on all men, as it is written:
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come”(Rom 5:12-14).
Thus, Adam´s sin was imputed unto all men until Christ was sacrificed to redeem us from sin and death. The obedience of one man, Christ Jesus, has also conferred His righteousness to all those who believe (Rom 5:15-19). Our righteousness is not of ourselves but of Christ (Jer 23:6, 1Co 1:30). It is written that Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness (Gal 3:6, Rom 4:3, Jas 2:23). Since we have received the blessing of Abraham (Gal 3:14), God imputes the righteousness which comes by faith unto us. We are blessed because God imputes righteousness without works on us (Rom 4:6). Also, because of His Son, and by virtue of our faith in Him, God does not impute sin on us (Rom 4:8) but has declared us righteous.
Conclusion
People who do not believe or receive the salvific work of Christ are still under Adamic sin and, therefore, God imputes sin on them, even the sin that they have not themselves committed. But those who put their faith in God and accept the completed work of Christ, God imputes righteousness without works on them. It is, therefore, imperative to abandon our own righteousness and receive the righteousness that comes by putting our faith in Christ Jesus.
Prayer: Dear Lord, may you help us to abandon our struggles for our own righteousness and help our unbelief so that we could receive your finished work and your righteousness, In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.