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 But the crowning point of creation was the man whom God
pronounced as "very good!" When the "breath of life" was breathed
into his nostrils, he became the apple of God's eye and a companion
of the closest kind. Placed in the center of this beautiful new
creation, Adam was charged with the responsibility to keep the
paradise in which he lived, name all the other created creatures and,
of course, walk with God, his Creator. When Adam had completed all
that God had required of him, Adam discovered that he needed
something more ... so God made Eve for him. Such a life they lived,
complete with afternoon talks with God as they strolled through the
garden. This was an intended life that could have lasted forever,
but somehow they saw greener grass on the other side of the garden.
We all know what happened. With the turning away from God, both Adam
and Eve became outcasts from the created paradise that had been
theirs. But their banishment was only part of the consequence of
their actions. Later, the Apostle Paul wrote that the act even
affected the "cosmos" in a very profound way. Everything changed;
all had been lost. The very environment had turned on them by
becoming more hostile. There was complete separation from God. Gone
were the afternoon walks and talks; gone was the love and security
that the Creator had provided in a face-to-face fashion. A great
gulf had been formed that prevented Adam and Eve (and all humans)
from coming into God's presence again. From that very moment, Adam's
kind had lost the relationship once enjoyed, and there was no way to
regain that relationship. Mankind had lost, death reigned, and
separation was embedded forever.
Second creation
But then God worked on His redemptive creation... He made a way when
there was no way!
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Grace was created for mankind. Not any grace, but God's grace. God
had to create a way to build a bridge across that gulf. The only
perfect way to do that was for God to personally do the work
himself. Paul and John explain that redemptive creation like this:
"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that
one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant
provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life
through the one man, Jesus Christ." But God demonstrates his own
love for us in this: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for
us." (See Romans 5)
Therefore, "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ
Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with
God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the
very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being
found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient
to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the
highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth
and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (See Philippians 2)
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. The Word became
flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the
glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace
and truth." (See John 1)
The Word became flesh... Christmas is redemptive!
[By JIM KILLEBREW]
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