April 2010Genesis 2b, The Birth of MankindGenesis 2 tells the story of the formation of the first man, Adam, which provides a foundation for the rest of the Bible. If we believe that “thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11), then we know man’s purpose for life. Otherwise, we are left adrift on a sea of unknowing. No Christian should have to wonder why he is on this earth, because God has told him in the Scripture. Nor should he have to wonder what his purpose in life is. Genesis 2a, In the Garden of EdenA story tells of artists who were asked to paint a picture of what they considered “peace.” One painted a picture of a lake in the mountains, while another painted a picture of a raging waterfall, with a bird almost in the spray serenely enjoying its nest. This illustration has been used as an example of Biblical peace. However, while our peace here on earth will be found in the midst of obstacles, there is an even higher form of peace that Christians will find when with Christ, that peace is a restoration of the sinless closeness to God that man enjoyed before the fall. Genesis 1c, By Thy Great PowerThe first verse of the Scripture declares God’s creation of the earth, a manifestation of God’s great power. Many times, studying or reading the Scriptures, we tend to focus on our responsibility and position in the world; however, the Scripture gives an abundance of information about God, and we need to understand God and His character if we desire to fully grasp our responsibility toward Him. Genesis 1b, Light and DarknessScripture uses the division between light and darkness, which literally, physically happened in the Creation, to bring out what may be the most important division in the world today. This is brought out clearly in the first chapter of John. “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) Here we have the contrast between light and darkness. The light, which is life in Jesus according to verse 4, is separate from the darkness, but the darkness does not recognize the light. Genesis 1a, The Creation AccountGenesis 1 tells the story of how God created the world. This, the first chapter in the Bible, lays a foundation for what will come after. If we take God’s creation out of our doctrine, we have opened ourselves to doubts about the authority of the Bible, because this truth is stated clearly in Scripture, and if it can’t be understood, it’s probably impossible to understand many other important truths which are not stated in clearer language. When we try to build a house without a foundation, we are making an awful mistake. ForgivenessForgiveness is essential to the Christian. “But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” (Mark 11:26) When we forgive someone, we give up our bitterness and our desire to get even. In our heart, we release the person who hurt us. “To forgive is to grant pardon without harboring resentment.” (American Heritage Dictionary) When we consider the entire scope of the Bible, we can realize that when we don’t forgive other people, we are the ones who are being “unfair.” This is because, due to our own sins, we owe a debt to God that all the offenses in the world will not be sufficient punishment for—we deserve every offense that people give to us, and it’s not “fair” at all for us to be upset about something that we truly deserved. |
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