For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you. 1 (John 3:11-13)
Herein lies the message of the Bible from the very beginning. It is also the message today for this mess-age. In this passage of scripture lies the core of the eternal perspective. Cain and Abel represent the two spiritual natures and lifestyles of man, the givers and takers AND the enmity between the two that God talks about in (Genesis 3:15). If you wonder why there is so much hate in the world, it is because of the emnity of the way of Cain. This is part of the overall theme and eternal perspective of the Bible. Humans think in terms of good and evil, but God divides all mankind into two camps; the wicked and the righteous, the unbelievers and the believers, the living and the dead, those who live do things their own way for the pleasure of self and those who strive to do things God’s way for His pleasure. We are all in one camp or the other. We are either dead or alive unto God. The wicked value things, use people and live for SELF, while the righteous walk with God, love people and live for the good of all. Sad to say, most humans prefer the way of Cain to live for Self, be their own gods and do things their own way. Cain and Abel are God’s divine pictures to us of the two spiritual men, Adam and Christ, and the difference in the spiritual natures of their offspring on planet earth. Cain lived to please SELF and Abel lived to please God. These are the two spiritual natures of man. We are all born with Cain’s spiritual nature and we must be born again of the Spirit to receive the divine nature of Christ. The question goes, “wherefore slew he him?” The answer follows, “Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” What does that mean that Cain killed Abel because his works were evil. To me it is saying that even though Cain did good works to try to impress God, Cain’s spiritual nature of living only for SELF was evil to God and his brother’s spiritual nature was righteous. That statement displays the disparity between two spiritual families of man; those that live by the self-program of the SIN nature only for self and those that live by the divine program of the SON nature unto God. Herein lies the eternal perspective. I call it the S.E.L.F. program vs the Son-program. S.E.L.F. stands for Satan’s Everlasting Love of Folly. God calls that divine tension and hatred of the sinner towards the son, “the enmity.” It started with the firstborn son called Cain against the second-born son called Abel and has continued down through the eons of time until the present hour. (Matthew 24:6-8) We call it racism now, and the world calls the solution “social justice, but the Bible calls it the enmity and the real answer is God’s kind of LOVE.
There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)
All throughout the Bible, the eternal perspective judges between the two natures of man, the death program, and the life program. We are born spiritually dead and trained by the self-program of the world to walk in the ways of death. We are all born with the death program. That is why we all physically die, becasue we are spiritually dead thanks to our father Adam. His spiritual nature of living for self without God has been passed down to all of us as his progeny over the centuries through the bloodlines of our fathers. It is the human nature of being his own god, doing his own will, going his own way, living for self. (1 Corinthians 2:14) We all live for self and that is the nature Adam received when he submitted to Satan’s lie in the Garden of Eden. It seems right because that is the way we are born, but the truth for eternity is this, life without God is death and being your own god is evil. (Proverbs 14:12) Even though we do good works, the program we live by is still under the evil Satanic principle of living without God and it produces in us the ways of death. No human qualifies for Heaven with the self-program of the SIN nature. SIN stands for Satan In Nature. That is why Jesus came from Heaven to earth to destroy Satan’s dominion and powers of death over mankind and pay our death penalty to redeem us back unto God so we could receive His divine nature. If you don’t include God in your life, you are on your own and eventually that lifestyle ends in death. That is the way of Cain. This is part of the theme of the Bible. We talk about it in more detail as we discuss the three levels of death in our book, “You Can Be A Son, Secret of Eternity.”
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this comes the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)
But there is a God in Heaven and He is the God of the whole earth. The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof and all that dwell therein. (Psalm 24:1) The time will come when we all will have to give an account unto God. That day could be today. We know not the moment, nor the hour, nor the day that will be our last, but it is painful to think, I am going to die and then I’m going to get judged, ouch! We will be judged for the lifestyle we have lived and we will answer to God for the things we have done. In that day, you will come to God by God’s way, or you will come to God your own way. There is a way that seems right unto man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 16:25) Notice the way of man seems right in his own eyes but ends in death. That’s quite a paradox. How many times have you thought something was right but it wasn’t. In small things it may turn out ok but when it comes to your soul, you don’t want to take a risk in being wrong. At least listen to God before it is too late. We always think we know what we need, but we don’t. God knows what we need. The Good News is that there is a way to escape from Satan’s dominion and power of death, the grave and Hell. Jesus is the way. There is only one way to Heaven and God sent Him to us. Jesus said He is the way. (John 14:6) Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people. Heaven is God’s home and the home of His eternal family. No person is allowed into Heaven unless they come unto God the right way and with the right attitude through Christ in us. We must lay down our life of SELF and take it up again with His divine nature. (John 10:18, 2 Peter 1:4) We do that by faith. Before we could go to Heaven our souls had to be redeemed. Jesus was the perfect man fulfilled the Law of God for us and who didn’t deserve to die, but He laid down His life and paid our price to redeem our souls from destruction. But the only way you can appropriate God’s provision of eternal life for your soul is by faith or your redemption will never become your salvation. If we live our whole lives for self and die satisfied, but we are rejected by Heaven, we will wish we were never born. God has provided a way of escape from the powers of death for us, yet the Bible says few will recieve God’s heavenly gift. (Matthew 7:14)
The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. (Luke 12:53, Matthew 10:35)
When I was growing up, I wasn’t that happy with my parents. They did the best they could to put food on the table and pay the bills, but as the oldest child, I always felt very limited in what I could accomplish as a kid. You know that all kids want to do is to have fun. My parents both worked to make a living and as the oldest kid in the family, I was a good babysitter, but I wasn’t having that much fun as a kid. There was enmity between me and my parents. However, one thing I can definitely say about my parents’ generation is this, they believed in respect, good manners and common sense. They tried to train me to behave in the same manner, but kids just want to have fun. These days manners are not as normal or common as back then. Kids today are being trained and indoctrinated by the world through TV, the media, the movies and the news, etc. to fit in with the crowd and if you aren’t in with the crowd you are despised. The Bible calls it the enmity.
There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12)
I walked the way of Cain just like everybody else. When I left home I was on my own and I was free from the restrictions of my parents, and nobody could tell me what to do. I hit the street with my future in my head, only I didn’t really know what to do next, except have fun. I wasn’t a bad person. I was a good person. I never wanted to hurt anybody. I purposely shut down a couple of wonderful relationships to avoid hurting them and ruining their lives. I loved them enough to not allow my badness to destroy their goodness. As a young man, I wrote poetry and as a songwriter, I did a record in the ’70s. My best music was never published, and it is spiritual music. One of my songs perfectly described the way of Cain. Here are some of the lyrics;
I was a stranger, All Alone,
Could not cope, was evil prone,
By nature, I was a child of wrath,
Had no hope my heart was stone,
And then the hands of time began to turn,
Truth of Life and Death was my concern,
So Jesus Christ revealed Himself to me,
Abundant life I saw in Him you see,
And then the light burst into my night
And all His glory shone,
God’s love made known within His only Son!
And to my surprise, God opened my eyes,
To watch Him die and then arise,
Oh glorious power I saw in that hour
As He ascended to heavenly skies,
And then the hands of time began to turn,
Truth of life and death was my concern,
So Jesus Christ revealed Himself to me,
Abundant life I saw in Him you see,
And then the light burst into my night,
And all His glory shone,
God’s love made known within His only Son!
I was young and dumb, but somehow I knew I was lost and separated from whatever it was I was searching for, and I could feel eternal danger approaching. I had a few close brushes with death and began to be concerned about my eternal destiny. I knew if I didn’t connect with the one true God, I would surely perish. It seemed like I was walking the right way, but eventually, I could feel the powers of death closing in on me and I wanted my life to count for something. I came to realize deep down inside my heart that I was lost and without hope and only God could save me. I am truly blessed just to be alive. I began to search for truth. I studied just about all the religions of the world, but I couldn’t find what I was looking for and it was wearing me out. My heart groaned for truth. One day I was as down and as lost as I could be I knew that I wasnt going to last much longer and I cried out from my heart to God and asked Him to save me. I was all alone in that moment. I didn’t know what to do, but deep down inside, I knew if I didn’t connect with God I would be lost forever, and I didn’t want to die and perish. I wanted to live forever. I knew if I could connect with God I would be safe forever. All by myself, I cried out to God with all my heart and asked Him to save me. God heard my cry and manifested Himself to me right then and there. Laying on the bed talking to God, I just kept telling God that I need His help, that I was tired of all these dumb religions. The next thing I know I was thinking about my past all the way back as far as I could remember as a child. I remembered the one person that really loved me; my Grandma. I always liked going to her house. In my memory I saw my grandma and remembered how she loved me. Then I saw her as a beautiful person, then I saw her eyes, then I saw the love of Jesus in her eyes and then I saw Jesus in her and then I saw Jesus in my room! Jesus flashed me in my room and I knew that He loved me. In my shock and amazement He was gone. That is when I realized that Jesus is real and that He loves me. From that time on, all I wanted to do was learn more of the Bible. To my amazement the truth of eternity was the truth of my grandma’s God, the God of love, found only in the Bible. I can’t explain that. I was searching for Truth and that is how my journey went. I was without God in the world but all of a sudden I am on fire for God. That’s how fast things can change when you come to God.
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3)
That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: (Ephesians 2:12)
These passages of scripture described me accurately. When I cried out to God, Jesus revealed Himself to me and I knew that He was what I was searching for. From that day on I’ve been studying the Bible and now I know and teach Truth for Eternity found only in the Bible. In all my studies of the religions and philosophies of the world, for some dumb reason I never consdered the Bible. It was probably the enmity principle working in me. All the religions told me what I must do for God, which is impossible, but the Bible told me what God has done for me. Now I realize that what my heart was looking for was the love of God because our hearts know that nothing in the universe can separate us from God’s love. (Romans 8:35-39) Your spirit knows things your mind doesn’t know. Your heart knows that he is God’s throne room. My spirit knew that if God loves me and if I connect with Him, I am safe forever. If your heart ever cries out to God, He will answer you also. I no longer walk the way of Cain, but now I walk with God through Christ in me and no matter what happens, even if I am in danger, I am safe. Ever since that time I have noticed the enmity that some people in the world have towards me. It is a wicked hate towards believers for no real reason. It was one of the first things God began to teach me about. It is a vital lesson of the Bible. They don’t like me, and they don’t know why but their hatred is strong against me. They do things to make me suffer and they try to alter my destiny, but I know God walks with me now. Jesus said, “I’m not alone, but my heavenly father is with me.” (John 8:29) I understand how that works now, but the enmity from others will remain and give you plenty of opportunities to forgive them for they know not what they do. The enmity is mentioned in God’s first promise of the Bible. Jesus said, “Marvel not if the world hates you. It hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18)
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)
Cain and Abel are examples of the two types of humans and the enmity between the two. There are those who live for the good of self and those who live for the good of others. Kids grow up into adults and as adults, they go beyond their enmity between them and their parents and into enmity with others who differ from them. There is enmity in families, in communities, in countries, and in cultures. It is the source of all wars. There is also enmity between those that are natural and those that are spiritual. That is the war between Heaven and earth that God talks about in (Genesis 3:15). It’s part of the theme of the Bible. It all boils down to the two groups of humanity, those that do things God’s way and enter into His eternal family, and those who do things their own way and ultimately perish. Included in God’s first promise of redemption is the warning about the enmity that separates men spiritually from God and from their brother.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:7-8)
Enmity towards others begins in humans when we are kids. It is part of the Self-Program. As we grow older we become bolder about our enmity. We naturally feel we don’t need God or other humans to limit our freedom to be our own gods and we decide it’s my way or the highway. In the Bible, the way of Cain is our example. Cain came to God his own way. God was not pleased with his attitude. Cain came to God by good works and he gave it all he had and that wasn’t good enough for God. Cain came to God with his very best but God was not impressed by Cain’s grand presentation. Yet many of us try to do that today. We all have attitudes that are not acceptable to God. The carnal mind is enmity against God and those who believe in God. It is part of the spiritual nature of the flesh. They that are in the flesh cannot please God and cannot go to Heaven. (Romans 8:7-9) The world is full of wrong attitudes towards man and wrong beliefs about God. Behind the evil act is an evil thought that flows from the attitude of pride. Behind the act of the first murder was the evil attitude of hate. That is still the truth, and we can see it clearly in the world today in families, in friendships, in marriages, in groups, in politics, in cultures, and in nations. It is the unholy war between believers and unbelievers, those that are in Satan’s family and those that are in God’s family. (Ephesians 6:12-20)
Whoever does not do what is right is not of God, especially the one who does not love his brother. This is how God’s children and the devil’s children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God. (1John 3:10)
Many people, like Cain, come to God with their very best, in all their strength, and think there will be a reward. Religion is fine with that; however, man’s best is not good enough to merit Heaven and none of us deserves Heaven. Deceptions abound about the way to God. For example, there are those that teach that if you give money you will receive a blessing. Most of the time it is more blessed to give than receive, but giving doesn’t earn Heaven. There are those that teach you can give money and get healed. There are even ministries that you can call and for a certain donation, they will give you a prophecy. That kind of attitude is no better than buying something or negotiating to get a better deal. It is part of the way of Cain.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts. (Proverbs 21:2)
In Cain and Abel, God demonstrates the two types of man, the natural man, and the spiritual man. The natural man comes first. He is the firstborn. His inheritance is natural and temporary. He lives for himself and for this natural world. The spiritual man comes after. He is the second-born. He lives to please God. His inheritance is spiritual and eternal. The way of Cain is lived to please SELF, and the way of Abel is lived to please God and there is always enmity between the two. (Genesis 3:15) God isn’t impressed with the natural man who lives to please himself in defiance of God, but God responds to the spiritual man who lays down his self-life for the good of others. Jesus was our perfect example. Jesus did nothing for Himself. He came from Heaven born of the virgin and only obeyed God for us, which qualified Him to be our redeemer. The natural man tries to impress God with good works, but the spiritual man lives to love others in obedience to God. These are the two classes of man, the two spiritual families of Adam or Christ, the living and the dead, and we are all in one family or the other. God loves everyone and wants everyone to live and come to Heaven, but God’s goodness and blessing in your life has nothing to do with your good works, but comes by natural or spiritual birth. All through the Bible God warns us of the way of Cain.
The way of man is froward and strange: but as for the pure, his work is right. (Proverbs 21:8)
The man that wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead. (Proverbs 21:16)
Cain’s attitude was I can do it my way and earn God’s respect. You’ve probably heard the song, “I did it my way.” That is the theme song of the world, but God’s way is the right way. As a farmer, Cain was good at what he did producing fruits and flowers. Those things were his type of income. I would imagine his presentation to God was fabulous and might have even won the trophy at the World’s Fair, but the Bible calls God the father of spirits and His concerns are with the motives or our hearts. The Bible says Cain gave God a good offering with a wrong attitude. Cain felt the works of his hands and the fruit of his labors were enough to earn God’s respect, but God corrected him. You see, the nature of man is both good and evil, which isn’t accepted in Heaven. There are good and evil people who won’t be going to Heaven. The earth nature we are all born with isn’t fit for Heaven. God teaches us through Abel and many others all the way through the Old Testament that our goodness can never make up for our badness, but rather “something must die so we can live.” Each historical event in the Old Testament was God’s way of showing us pictures of His heavenly provision through His only Son, who came from Heaven to earth to die for us and take our death penalty to redeem our souls so we could live forever with Him. Abel’s faith demonstrated by his sacrifice that he trusted in the innocence and the goodness of the one that would come and die for him, and God was pleased. That is all God asks us to do is to trust in the innocence and goodness of Jesus who shed His precious blood and died as your substitute upon the cross to bear your death penalty. Jesus said, “If you will believe in me, even though you were dead you shall live, and he that lives and believes in me shall never see death.” (John 11:25-26)
But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not from where you are; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. (Luke 13:25)
Jesus said, “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” (Matthew 7:23).
These two passages of scripture show Jesus’ response to those that expected to get into Heaven because they thought that they were good people like Cain. That is the core of all earthly religions. God told them “There is none good, no not one. (Romans 3;10-12, Psalm 14:1-3, Psalm 53:1-3) Jesus told the good people, “Depart from me. I know you not because your nature is wrong.” (Matthew 7:21-23) Then Jesus told the evil people, “Depart from me. I never knew you because your nature is evil.” I meet people and work with people every day that think they are going to Heaven because they are good persons, and they are good people until the evil side kicks in and ouch. But their spiritual nature is to live only for self, and the spiritual goal in life for them is that their good works outweigh and outnumber their evil deeds.
But he that does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are worked in God. (John 3:21)
It isn’t your goodness that will save you, but it is Christ’s goodness that will save you if you believe in Him. Christ did everything He did for us, and God is pleased when we have faith in the work of Christ. The Bible challenges us to believe in the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ and His punishment for our sins as God’s way of saving us and giving us His divine life. Our believing in Jesus changes the spiritual nature of our hearts and in our hearts, we begin to enjoy doing good and hating evil. We can’t go to Heaven by our own goodness, but we can come to Heaven by His goodness. But first, we must come to God His way. Like Abel and unlike Cain, we must believe in the goodness of God who has provided an innocent savior for us that pays the death penalty for our sins and makes us right with God. Faith in Christ changes us as a person and fits us for Heaven.
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 11)
Money has nothing to do with God accepting us. The love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10) It is human nature to think “if I do good I will be rewarded.” Eternal Life in Heaven isn’t a reward, but rather it is God’s gift to all those who believe in Him and obey Him. This world system operates by money but in Heaven, there is no need for money. In Cain’s day there was no money. All he could give to God was the works of his hands. That is part of the natural mind that can’t see the eternal perspective. Many of us today follow the way of Cain. We think that we can do good, work hard, and give to the poor or to ministries, and God will bless us, and He does. Some think giving money to charities will save them and open the doors of Heaven, but it won’t. I have heard people say, “I have given God this much and God owes me back this certain amount.” I’ve even heard sayings such as “live to give and give to live” or “give to get and give more to get more.” However, that is not the Truth of the Bible. God doesn’t owe anyone anything. That is the way of Cain and the error of religion. In the end, it is still doing something for self. It’s not the quality of our good works nor the number of our good works, but it is the nature of love in our hearts that determines our citizenship in Heaven. Yes, it is more blessed to give than receive, but God fellowships with those who love HIm, who have put their faith in the work of Christ and trust in the lordship of Christ.
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaks. (Hebrews 11:4)
God uses Cain and Abel to teach us the Truth that good works won’t create faith, but faith does good works. Abel came to God by faith. God’s picture of Abel in the book of Genesis shows us how to come to Him through Christ, the Lamb of God. Abel demonstrated his faith by shedding the blood and sacrificing an innocent lamb and God was pleased. In this way, Abel expressed his faith in God’s promise to his parents in (Genesis 3:15), that God would one day provide a savior that would become his innocent substitute in death, pay his death penalty and destroy Satan’s power of death. Believing in Jesus makes us right with God and changes us in our spiritual nature. Jesus became our substitute on the cross and He took our death penalty so we might be forgiven of all our sins and go through a change of spiritual nature that makes us right with God and fit for Heaven. That is the good news of the Bible. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him, might not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:15,16) All God asks us to do is to walk in the obedience of faith and He will take care of the rest. That is the goodness of God. We don’t deserve God’s goodness, nor can we earn God’s goodness, but that is what we receive the moment we believe in Jesus and learn to live by Him. Heaven is not a reward, but a place for those in God’s family who live by Jesus.
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4:4-5)
The Bible says, in the fullness of times, God sent Jesus from Heaven, born of the virgin, Mary, to fulfill His promise to man. (Genesis 3:15) Jesus was the perfect man, the spotless lamb that was sacrificed for us. Jesus came from Heaven to take our death penalty and give us His divine nature. He was punished for our sins and died in our place so we could come back into fellowship with God and truly live. When we come to God with all our hearts, believing in Jesus as our innocent sacrificial lamb, who died on the cross for us, God is pleased with us. Not all roads lead to Heaven. Death is a problem only God can solve that requires a supernatural solution only God can provide. God’s way is the only way that produces resurrection. God sacrificed His only son as the Lamb of God to take our place in death so we can live forever. (John 3:15-16) God’s gift of eternal life activates within our hearts the moment we believe in the Operation of God through Christ Jesus. (Colossians 2:12) The resurrection of Christ is historical proof of the one true God and His love for man. It is also God’s demonstration of that same supernatural power that is wrought in us when we believe in Christ.
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:9-10)
In the Old Testament, there was one entrance into the Tabernacle that one could enter and experience the forgiveness of all their sins. That door was called the way. This was an Old Testament picture of Christ, in the natural perspective, as the door into Heaven. The world offers all kinds of ways and attitudes without any power. All through the Bible and in the teachings of Jesus, there is one way, one door, and one gate that activates the power of God. That way is God’s appointed way, which is through His only Son. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes unto the Father but BY ME. John 14:6-7 All through history many have arisen saying, “this is the way and there is the way,” but Jesus said, “I Am The Way.” They said, “No man has ever spoken like Him.” (John 7:46)
Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, then you do even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in therein: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matthew 7:12-14)
Jesus said the way that leads to eternal life is straight and narrow. That means the way is straight to God and the door that opens is so narrow, only Christ in you can get through it. The door is perfectly contoured for Jesus Christ. What does that mean? It means that the Spirit is the way of life which is what Abel represents. It also means that the flesh is the way of life that Cain represents. Those that come straight to God through Jesus Christ will be born again and receive God’s Spirit while those that continue in the ways of death will die, no matter what good works he does. Just as it was with Cain and Abel, so it is with every human being. There is the way of Self that seems right unto the natural man. It is the way of Cain, and it ends in death. However, there is also a way that leads unto life for the spiritual man, and few there be that FIND it. It is Abel’s way of obedience, pointing us to Christ, the one who came and gave His life for us.
For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22)
Jesus said “Ye MUST be Born Again! (John 3:3-7) Here’s how the new birth works. The Bible says the death nature came by man, not God. So also the resurrection power of God comes through a man also, who is Jesus Christ. We were all in Adam when he died spiritually and began to die physically. Adam’s death nature was passed unto all his progeny. That includes you and me. That is why Jesus left Heaven and was born of a virgin so he could become man outside the bloodline of Adam and destroy death for us so we could live,
Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (Hebrews 2:14)
He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
God wrote the whole Bible with the purpose of teaching us what Death is and what Life is. Death was never a part of God’s original plan. Death is an enemy of God and man. Death came into the race through Adam’s obedience to Satan, which caused man’s separation from God. Death then is separation from God and that is why we die because we are born separated from God. Adam’s spiritual nature and separation from God is ours by inheritance. God sent Jesus to earth to become the last Adam, one in whole the whole race partakes. Through Jesus, the resurrection power of God has been provided unto us as the gift of God. Herein lies the difference between religion and the Bible. Religion tells man what he must do for God, but the Bible tells man what God has already done for him. God has provided resurrection power for you. It’s yours for the asking. God loves everyone and wants everyone to win in life and live forever. The Bible shows us the way back home through the Spirit of Christ in us.
In this was manifested the love of God toward us because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. (1 John 4:9)
In Truth, we all spiritually died unto God through Adam. That is why we die physically. But in due time, we were all made alive unto God spiritually through Jesus Christ, the last Adam. That is the gift of God. However, we must receive God’s gift of eternal life through Christ by faith. When we come to Jesus with all our hearts, God quickens us by His Spirit, and we become alive unto God through Christ in us. Something happens inside the very core of our beings. The moment we believe in Jesus and call upon Him, He quickens us supernaturally. The Bible says we receive eternal life and become a new species of being that never existed before.( 2 Corinthians 5:17)
We know that we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren. He that doesn’t love his brother abides in death. Whosoever hates his brother is a murderer: and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. (1 John 3:14, 15)
There is a supernatural power from God that quickens our hearts, in the very center of our beings, causing us to be born again. when we come to Him, Jesus imparts His Spirit unto us and we become partakers of His divine nature and share in His resurrection. Just like in marriage, two become one by divine design. We pass from the death camp over into the life camp. That is the power of God and the good news of the Bible. By the Spirit of Christ in us, our behavior begins to change. We begin to live for God and for others also. This change of spiritual nature is what makes us compatible with God and fit for Heaven. The historical resurrection is all the proof we need to show us the right way unto God and Jesus’ victory over death on our behalf. Believing in Christ causes us to pass from the camp of the takers into the camp of the givers and God freely gives us all things in life, richly to enjoy.
Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38)
All our giving should be out of an attitude of gratitude for what God has already done for us. Because of Jesus our sins are gone, and God is with us in our lives and our natural response is to give our hearts for the good of others. The Bible says it is more blessed to give than receive. God, Himself is the greatest giver of all. Abel believed in the goodness of God. In Old Testament times, they looked forward to the Cross having faith in what God was going to do. In New Testament times, we look back to the cross having faith in what God has already done.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so, must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:15-16)
In Truth, all our fruits and flowers (good works) do not justify us (make us right) before a Holy God. Our believing in Jesus as savior and Lord makes us right with God. Just as God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, even so, God has accepted Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf, signifying this fact by a historical resurrection. Jesus voluntarily became our innocent sacrificial lamb of God, the just for the unjust. Faith in Christ makes us right with God. God declares us righteous in His sight just like He did Abel when we believe in Jesus. The Bible is clear. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we shall be saved and while we’re here, our lifestyle becomes the lifestyle of walking with the Heavenly Father, like Abraham, the father of faith.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him. (1John 4:18)
Are you a giver or a taker, a believer, or an unbeliever? Do you still live by the firstborn or the second-born? Do you even know? Here is a clue! Adam chose for you, but Jesus also chose for you. Adam gave you the death problem and Jesus gave you the solution to the death problem. You must decide and your decision is eternal. The theme of the Bible is the goodness of God. In Christ God gives us the opportunity to come over from the camp of the wicked into the camp of the righteous through the new birth. Through Christ in us we receive His divine nature, making us right with God. Jesus has already paid the price for you to be forgiven of all your sins. Just as Jesus gave all for you, so you will give your heart to live for the good of others. The Bible says God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) and He hangs out with those who live by faith in Him. (Matthew 18:20)
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother. (1 John 3:10)
If a man says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he hasn’t seen? (1 John 4:20)
The Truth of the two Adams is clearly seen in the Bible and the two camps of mankind are evident throughout history. To all unbelievers who live for self, the world may love you and reward you, but you will die. To all believers in Christ, the world may hate you, but you will love them and bless them, and God is your reward. Jesus said, “Marvel not if the world hates you. It hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18-19) The world may despise and reject you, but God will walk with you and bless you because you trust in Him, and you share in the divine nature of Christ. You will live forever in Heaven, God’s home, and the home of His eternal family.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the Operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead. (Colossians 2:12)
Do You Believe in Jesus? Do you believe in His way? Do you believe in the goodness of God, that caused Jesus to die for you on the cross, to be punished in your place so you might be born again into God’s heavenly family? Do you believe that Jesus’ death as your substitute to remove your badness and give you his goodness, makes you right with God? Is Jesus your Lamb, your savior, your Lord, and your King? Jesus is the King of Heaven and He has made it possible for you to come there and live forever. (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8,9) Is Jesus the King of your heart? The Bible says whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but will have eternal life. (John 3:16) The Bible says all who call upon Him shall be saved. (Romans 10:13) All you have to do is open your heart to Jesus and pray. When you pray to Him, the Bible says He will answer you and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free. (John 8:32, 36)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hears my voice, and opens the door, I will come into him and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)
Receiving eternal life is so easy it is almost hard to believe, but God will do the impossible if you will believe. (Mark 10:27) Eternal life is the gift of God. It is as easy as praying a simple prayer with your heart. It is the most important decision you will make in your lifetime. Jesus is alive. You can talk to Jesus easier than you can talk to me. Just do it. You may not be here tomorrow. Talk to Jesus! If you open the door of your heart, Jesus will not have died in vain, and He will bless your life from now on and forever, but if you go the way of Cain and refuse God’s gift of eternal life through Jesus’ as your substitute upon the cross, you will have lived in vain, and the curses of the world shall continue.
Dead or Alive, You Decide
Now Tell Me! Are you dead or alive? Have you made your decision? Did you come to Jesus with all your heart? Can you tell a difference now? If you called out to Jesus and asked Him to save you, I would like you to email me and tell me about it and I will respond to you.
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Books by Steven and Bonnie Moore
You Can Be A Son, Secret of Eternity
The Operation of God, Secret of Redemption
Death and Life, Secret of the Bible
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