If you're a religious christian (repentance, confession, and a constant focus on sin is the foundation of your faith) where your faith is all about doing this or that and not doing this or that, then this may be difficult for you to read. On the other hand, if your christian faith is all about relationship, loving God and loving your neighbour, then this should be a pleasant read.
So, why is there such a difference from christian to christian in our understanding of the Gospel? There are many reasons we could draw from, but I think the most logical reason lays in our understanding of the fall. If you have a clear and solid understanding of the fall, then you have a clear and solid understanding of the Gospel. There is so much that is revealed to us about the fall that most of us miss. Most importantly around the death that Adam and Eve experienced in the fall. If you correctly understand this then you will correctly understand the role forgiveness plays and, as I said, have a better understanding of the gospel.
I am sure most of us have been taught that there was no death before the fall. That the fall is the point where sin entered the world and as a result, death. This death that entered the world is most often understood to be spiritual death which would have taken place instantly. And then physical death, which would start to take place from that point on. It is in this understanding that most the confusion arises.
Lets first start with the understanding that there was no sin before the fall. I believe this to be an incorrect understanding. Yes! I am aware of what Paul says in Rom 5:12. But bear with me, because you will see there is a problem with that popular interpretation of what Paul is saying.
If I tell you a lie, or try and deceive you, have I not sinned? Of course I have. Did not the serpent deceive Eve (Gen 3:13, 1 Tim 2:14)? Then we have to acknowledge that yes, there was sin before the fall. Now, if physical death is the result of sin, why did it not come about until Adam's sin? Either Paul missed this, or Paul wasn't referring to physical death. And, if Paul isn't referring to physical death, is it also possible that he wasn't meaning that this was when sin first entered the literal world? Isn't it more likely that Paul was speaking in the context of man's relationship with God? It makes far more sense that both sin and physical death were present in the world, but not present in man's relationship with God.
Say you're in a new relationship. Although there is hate in the world, there is no hate within your relationship. However, given the right lie or deception, that hate could then find it's way in resulting in the end of your relationship.
There is still more to present on physical death. To begin with, physical death is never spoken of as being an evil in scripture. A possible result of evil yes, but not evil in and of itself. "But death is an enemy!" Yes, but so where we. Being an enemy doesn't make us evil, separated yes, but not evil. Remember, we were created in the image and likeness of God. Now, if death is not an evil, then logically, it has to be good. And, if death is good, then it had to exist as part of creation. I am referring only to physical death, not spiritual death.
Let's, for sake of argument, say death is an evil. Hebrews tells us that there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood, Heb 9:22. In other words, something has to die in order for us to receive forgiveness. If death is an evil, then are we not simply exchanging one evil for another? "You sinned, therefore we must commit another sinful act so you can be forgiven!"
When God told Adam he would die when he ate from the tree, it's clear that Adam must have understood what death was.
In Gen 3:19, after God curses the ground, he tells Adam that he will return to the ground from which he came, not as part of the curse, but as a reminder. How did I come to this conclusion? Gen 3:22. If physical death is the result of sin, then it would be impossible for the tree of life to give eternal life. You cannot give eternal life to a sinful being when sin eventually leads to death. This would be a contradiction. Physical death had to have always been a part of God's creation. Why else would there be the tree of life to give eternal physical life?
"No, I disagree. The two trees represented choice! Adam could choose a life independent of God by eating from the tree of knowledge which leads to death, or an eternal life fully dependent on God represented by the tree of life."
If the trees represented a choice given by God, then why did he hand out such sever consequences when they made their choice? In fact, why put the two trees there to begin with? Without the tree of knowledge there would be no possibility of man sinning, and therefore, no death making the tree of life unnecessary.
"Then it was to test Adam to see if he would remain loyal to God!"
That would be circular reasoning. Besides the tree of knowledge and the prohibition attached to it, there was nothing in all of creation that would lead man to stray from God. By placing the tree in the garden and adding the prohibition, God created the only thing that could lead man astray. He created the very problem for which he was testing man.
Recognizing that physical death was a part of God's creation helps us to better understand the fall. Since it is a part of creation, it cannot be what God was referring to when he told Adam he would die in the day he ate from the tree of knowledge. Considering Adam lived to be 930yrs, God had to be speaking of spiritual death. Another very important fact we need to understand here is that spiritual death is not the result of sin, but the punishment for sin. Sin does not result in spiritual death like a terminal cancer results in death. Spiritual death is the punishment handed out by God for sin. God's very nature cannot let sin go unpunished. Furthermore, without divine intervention, death is a final and permanent state. A very obvious but overlooked fact. You see, when Adam sinned, God removed his presence from within Adam leading to spiritual death. That was the punishment. The overlooked fact is that any sin committed by either Adam or Eve from that point on would have been of no consequence. The consequence has already taken place, that being spiritual death. I am speaking here only within the context of man's relationship with God, not man's relationship with his neighbour.
Since we all come into this world in the image and likeness of Adam, spiritually dead (we were all in Adam when Adam sinned Rom 5:12) it cannot be our sin that separates us from God. Please read that again! Eph 2:1,5 We are separated from God because we are spiritually dead! Not even God, who is spirit, can have a relationship with a spiritually dead man.
In order for God to establish the possibility of a relationship, we must first be cleansed of all our sin. This relationship is going to require spiritual life. But the problem is, God cannot give us spiritual life when we will just lose it the moment we sin. And, to make matters even worse (somehow we have all missed this), we cannot even approach God for salvation until we are first cleansed. We see this throughout the old testament. Priests had specific guidelines for purification and rituals before entering the tabernacle or temple to perform their duties. Ordinary people were also expected to adhere to certain purification rites before approaching God in worship or seeking his guidance.
What I am saying is, "Before we can be saved, we must first be forgiven our sins." You read that correctly. They are not the same thing! Our salvation is not found in getting our sins forgiven, because the forgiveness of sins is a separate issue.
In Matt 12:31, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world tells us that all sin will be forgiven. All but the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is simply unbelief, John 16:8-9. What Jesus is saying here is that all sin, at the moment of his death, will be forgiven all men. All but their unbelief. That is the only way this verse can be correctly understood. If, forgiveness is only received at the moment we ask for it, the moment we ask to be saved, then either we are all unsaved, or Jesus lied. How so? Well, since we all come into the world unbelievers by default, and our unbelief will not be forgiven according to Jesus, none of us are saved. Or, our unbelief is forgiven at the moment we ask for forgiveness, and Jesus lied. Of course, neither is correct. When Jesus said all sin will be forgiven, he meant exactly that. Everyone who has come into the world from the cross forward, has come into the world already forgiven of their sins. Their unbelief, however, must be repented of. And until that unbelief is repented of, although they are forgiven, they remain spiritually dead and separated from God. In 1 Cor 15:17, Paul tells us, knowing full well that Jesus died for the forgiveness of sins, that if he has not been raised from the dead, our faith is futile and we are still unsaved.
The good news! When Jesus took the punishment for all sin, which means there is no more punishment to be handed out by God, this cleansed every single one of us. Everyone has been made clean in the sight of God, setting us free from the punishment of sin. Anyone can now freely approach God for salvation, wherever they are at and regardless of what they have done. No repentance of sin required since that would be a redundant act. This salvation, being new spiritual life and a relationship with God, is found in Jesus' resurrection. Jesus' death dealt with our sins over 2000yrs ago. His resurrection, however, gives us life today should we believe. Because there is no more punishment to be handed out, there is no more possibility of spiritual death. We can now have eternal life with no fear of losing it.
"Woah! You can still choose to walk away from God and lose your salvation." Really!? Explain to me how this is possible? If spiritual death is the punishment for sin, and there is no more punishment to be handed out, do you just wilfully spiritually die? Also, why would anyone choose to walk away from God other than say something terrible happens in their life for which they blame God? The emotions experienced from the suffering they are going through would obviously blind them to truth. Do you think God, knowing what they are going through, and when they need him the most, would simply let them walk away? Especially, if it wasn't for said circumstance, God would still be their first love? Would you let your child, who is blind by the hurt they are going through, destroy themselves? Or, maybe said person was deceived and led astray. Is God so small and unloving to just let them walk away? Does love not protect? Is love not faithful, Rom 8:38-39
"No no no, this is all wrong! We must do our part! We must first repent of our sins, then we will be forgiven and saved!" If repenting of your sins gives you a sense of importance and pride disguised as humility, and makes you feel like you're playing an important role in your salvation, then all the power to ya. You can choose to remain under the bondage of sin, from which Christ's death set you free, or you can choose to live by his grace. "Yeah, well that will just give people a licence to sin, wont it!?" Everyone but you, correct? Because somehow you know better than the rest of us? Give me a break! Your sin was hammered into Jesus' flesh. Your unwillingness to accept that Jesus did everything, and your only work is to believe, John 6:28-29, is a mockery of the cross and puts Jesus to shame. It's your hypocrisy that turns unbelievers off.
"Ha! Jesus said the world would hate me because of him!" Jesus told those that were with him the world would hate them, not you. Much of the world today doesn't even know who Jesus is. So, if they hate you, it's because of you.
You want to know what the true deception was that the serpent pulled over the eyes of man, and still to this day? That it's all about you! People today figure that unless they're somehow playing a role in their salvation, then they're not good enough. The result, religious attitudes. Love goes out the window... all but self love that is. The only goal of "religion" is the role you can play in your salvation. Christianity is not about you! This is contrary to what Jesus taught, Matt 22:37-40. Nowhere are you the focus. Religion divides, relationship brings people together. 1 John 4:19, God is always the initiator, we are the respondents. We do not move God according to our faith, God moves us according to our faith.
"But, there is so much in the bible about not sinning and how bad it is." Yes, there is. Much of it, however, was for the chosen people of God, the Israelite. The law was never given to us. It was given to them, but we've come along picking up the crumbs trying to make a name for ourselves. Also, we are still a part of this world in that our actions effect those around us. We don't attract people to God by what we say, we attract people to God by what we do. Our actions will always speak louder than our words. Love thy neighbour is not an emotion, it's an action. Treat your neighbour how you want to be treated is to love your neighbour. It's that simple. Don't focus on what you shouldn't be doing, focus on what you should be doing. If you're doing what you should be doing, you wont be doing what you shouldn't be doing. What is it you should be doing? Loving God and loving your neighbour.
Christianity is, and always will be, a relationship.
So, why is there such a difference from christian to christian in our understanding of the Gospel? There are many reasons we could draw from, but I think the most logical reason lays in our understanding of the fall. If you have a clear and solid understanding of the fall, then you have a clear and solid understanding of the Gospel. There is so much that is revealed to us about the fall that most of us miss. Most importantly around the death that Adam and Eve experienced in the fall. If you correctly understand this then you will correctly understand the role forgiveness plays and, as I said, have a better understanding of the gospel.
I am sure most of us have been taught that there was no death before the fall. That the fall is the point where sin entered the world and as a result, death. This death that entered the world is most often understood to be spiritual death which would have taken place instantly. And then physical death, which would start to take place from that point on. It is in this understanding that most the confusion arises.
Lets first start with the understanding that there was no sin before the fall. I believe this to be an incorrect understanding. Yes! I am aware of what Paul says in Rom 5:12. But bear with me, because you will see there is a problem with that popular interpretation of what Paul is saying.
If I tell you a lie, or try and deceive you, have I not sinned? Of course I have. Did not the serpent deceive Eve (Gen 3:13, 1 Tim 2:14)? Then we have to acknowledge that yes, there was sin before the fall. Now, if physical death is the result of sin, why did it not come about until Adam's sin? Either Paul missed this, or Paul wasn't referring to physical death. And, if Paul isn't referring to physical death, is it also possible that he wasn't meaning that this was when sin first entered the literal world? Isn't it more likely that Paul was speaking in the context of man's relationship with God? It makes far more sense that both sin and physical death were present in the world, but not present in man's relationship with God.
Say you're in a new relationship. Although there is hate in the world, there is no hate within your relationship. However, given the right lie or deception, that hate could then find it's way in resulting in the end of your relationship.
There is still more to present on physical death. To begin with, physical death is never spoken of as being an evil in scripture. A possible result of evil yes, but not evil in and of itself. "But death is an enemy!" Yes, but so where we. Being an enemy doesn't make us evil, separated yes, but not evil. Remember, we were created in the image and likeness of God. Now, if death is not an evil, then logically, it has to be good. And, if death is good, then it had to exist as part of creation. I am referring only to physical death, not spiritual death.
Let's, for sake of argument, say death is an evil. Hebrews tells us that there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood, Heb 9:22. In other words, something has to die in order for us to receive forgiveness. If death is an evil, then are we not simply exchanging one evil for another? "You sinned, therefore we must commit another sinful act so you can be forgiven!"
When God told Adam he would die when he ate from the tree, it's clear that Adam must have understood what death was.
In Gen 3:19, after God curses the ground, he tells Adam that he will return to the ground from which he came, not as part of the curse, but as a reminder. How did I come to this conclusion? Gen 3:22. If physical death is the result of sin, then it would be impossible for the tree of life to give eternal life. You cannot give eternal life to a sinful being when sin eventually leads to death. This would be a contradiction. Physical death had to have always been a part of God's creation. Why else would there be the tree of life to give eternal physical life?
"No, I disagree. The two trees represented choice! Adam could choose a life independent of God by eating from the tree of knowledge which leads to death, or an eternal life fully dependent on God represented by the tree of life."
If the trees represented a choice given by God, then why did he hand out such sever consequences when they made their choice? In fact, why put the two trees there to begin with? Without the tree of knowledge there would be no possibility of man sinning, and therefore, no death making the tree of life unnecessary.
"Then it was to test Adam to see if he would remain loyal to God!"
That would be circular reasoning. Besides the tree of knowledge and the prohibition attached to it, there was nothing in all of creation that would lead man to stray from God. By placing the tree in the garden and adding the prohibition, God created the only thing that could lead man astray. He created the very problem for which he was testing man.
Recognizing that physical death was a part of God's creation helps us to better understand the fall. Since it is a part of creation, it cannot be what God was referring to when he told Adam he would die in the day he ate from the tree of knowledge. Considering Adam lived to be 930yrs, God had to be speaking of spiritual death. Another very important fact we need to understand here is that spiritual death is not the result of sin, but the punishment for sin. Sin does not result in spiritual death like a terminal cancer results in death. Spiritual death is the punishment handed out by God for sin. God's very nature cannot let sin go unpunished. Furthermore, without divine intervention, death is a final and permanent state. A very obvious but overlooked fact. You see, when Adam sinned, God removed his presence from within Adam leading to spiritual death. That was the punishment. The overlooked fact is that any sin committed by either Adam or Eve from that point on would have been of no consequence. The consequence has already taken place, that being spiritual death. I am speaking here only within the context of man's relationship with God, not man's relationship with his neighbour.
Since we all come into this world in the image and likeness of Adam, spiritually dead (we were all in Adam when Adam sinned Rom 5:12) it cannot be our sin that separates us from God. Please read that again! Eph 2:1,5 We are separated from God because we are spiritually dead! Not even God, who is spirit, can have a relationship with a spiritually dead man.
In order for God to establish the possibility of a relationship, we must first be cleansed of all our sin. This relationship is going to require spiritual life. But the problem is, God cannot give us spiritual life when we will just lose it the moment we sin. And, to make matters even worse (somehow we have all missed this), we cannot even approach God for salvation until we are first cleansed. We see this throughout the old testament. Priests had specific guidelines for purification and rituals before entering the tabernacle or temple to perform their duties. Ordinary people were also expected to adhere to certain purification rites before approaching God in worship or seeking his guidance.
What I am saying is, "Before we can be saved, we must first be forgiven our sins." You read that correctly. They are not the same thing! Our salvation is not found in getting our sins forgiven, because the forgiveness of sins is a separate issue.
In Matt 12:31, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world tells us that all sin will be forgiven. All but the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is simply unbelief, John 16:8-9. What Jesus is saying here is that all sin, at the moment of his death, will be forgiven all men. All but their unbelief. That is the only way this verse can be correctly understood. If, forgiveness is only received at the moment we ask for it, the moment we ask to be saved, then either we are all unsaved, or Jesus lied. How so? Well, since we all come into the world unbelievers by default, and our unbelief will not be forgiven according to Jesus, none of us are saved. Or, our unbelief is forgiven at the moment we ask for forgiveness, and Jesus lied. Of course, neither is correct. When Jesus said all sin will be forgiven, he meant exactly that. Everyone who has come into the world from the cross forward, has come into the world already forgiven of their sins. Their unbelief, however, must be repented of. And until that unbelief is repented of, although they are forgiven, they remain spiritually dead and separated from God. In 1 Cor 15:17, Paul tells us, knowing full well that Jesus died for the forgiveness of sins, that if he has not been raised from the dead, our faith is futile and we are still unsaved.
The good news! When Jesus took the punishment for all sin, which means there is no more punishment to be handed out by God, this cleansed every single one of us. Everyone has been made clean in the sight of God, setting us free from the punishment of sin. Anyone can now freely approach God for salvation, wherever they are at and regardless of what they have done. No repentance of sin required since that would be a redundant act. This salvation, being new spiritual life and a relationship with God, is found in Jesus' resurrection. Jesus' death dealt with our sins over 2000yrs ago. His resurrection, however, gives us life today should we believe. Because there is no more punishment to be handed out, there is no more possibility of spiritual death. We can now have eternal life with no fear of losing it.
"Woah! You can still choose to walk away from God and lose your salvation." Really!? Explain to me how this is possible? If spiritual death is the punishment for sin, and there is no more punishment to be handed out, do you just wilfully spiritually die? Also, why would anyone choose to walk away from God other than say something terrible happens in their life for which they blame God? The emotions experienced from the suffering they are going through would obviously blind them to truth. Do you think God, knowing what they are going through, and when they need him the most, would simply let them walk away? Especially, if it wasn't for said circumstance, God would still be their first love? Would you let your child, who is blind by the hurt they are going through, destroy themselves? Or, maybe said person was deceived and led astray. Is God so small and unloving to just let them walk away? Does love not protect? Is love not faithful, Rom 8:38-39
"No no no, this is all wrong! We must do our part! We must first repent of our sins, then we will be forgiven and saved!" If repenting of your sins gives you a sense of importance and pride disguised as humility, and makes you feel like you're playing an important role in your salvation, then all the power to ya. You can choose to remain under the bondage of sin, from which Christ's death set you free, or you can choose to live by his grace. "Yeah, well that will just give people a licence to sin, wont it!?" Everyone but you, correct? Because somehow you know better than the rest of us? Give me a break! Your sin was hammered into Jesus' flesh. Your unwillingness to accept that Jesus did everything, and your only work is to believe, John 6:28-29, is a mockery of the cross and puts Jesus to shame. It's your hypocrisy that turns unbelievers off.
"Ha! Jesus said the world would hate me because of him!" Jesus told those that were with him the world would hate them, not you. Much of the world today doesn't even know who Jesus is. So, if they hate you, it's because of you.
You want to know what the true deception was that the serpent pulled over the eyes of man, and still to this day? That it's all about you! People today figure that unless they're somehow playing a role in their salvation, then they're not good enough. The result, religious attitudes. Love goes out the window... all but self love that is. The only goal of "religion" is the role you can play in your salvation. Christianity is not about you! This is contrary to what Jesus taught, Matt 22:37-40. Nowhere are you the focus. Religion divides, relationship brings people together. 1 John 4:19, God is always the initiator, we are the respondents. We do not move God according to our faith, God moves us according to our faith.
"But, there is so much in the bible about not sinning and how bad it is." Yes, there is. Much of it, however, was for the chosen people of God, the Israelite. The law was never given to us. It was given to them, but we've come along picking up the crumbs trying to make a name for ourselves. Also, we are still a part of this world in that our actions effect those around us. We don't attract people to God by what we say, we attract people to God by what we do. Our actions will always speak louder than our words. Love thy neighbour is not an emotion, it's an action. Treat your neighbour how you want to be treated is to love your neighbour. It's that simple. Don't focus on what you shouldn't be doing, focus on what you should be doing. If you're doing what you should be doing, you wont be doing what you shouldn't be doing. What is it you should be doing? Loving God and loving your neighbour.
Christianity is, and always will be, a relationship.
Last edited:
