THE FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN

THE FALL AND REDEMPTION OF MAN

In the beginning, God created man in His glorious image and likeness. If a goat gives birth, the baby of the goat is also a goat as it has the parents image and likeness. This only points to one thing; we are Sons of the Most High God as we are in His image and likeness.

'I say you are gods, you are all children of the Most High'

PSALM 82:6 (NLT Bible)

Being sons shows that man originally had the good DNA of God. The image of God in man is not only the physical appearance of God but also the heart or characters of God. This image is clearly stated in EXODUS 34:6-7 (NLT Bible):

''Yahweh! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations (He keeps covenant). I forgives iniquity, rebellion and sin. But do not excuse the guilty(He is a just God)......"

This is the very image that God created the first man with, to be exactly like him in character. The former and original nature of man was like this as described in EXODUS 34:6-7, but something went wrong in time and the nature of man was corrupted. Satan deceived man turning man away from the instruction that God gave to Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil;

'but the LORD GOD warned him,"You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden- except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil...".'

GENESIS 2:16 (NLT Bible) 

When Adam disobeyed God and followed what satan said, the original image of God in man got corrupted and man picked up the image of satan which is full of greed, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outburst of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and many other sins like this. This is why Isaiah said in ISAIAH 64:6 (NLT Bible); "we are all infected and impure with sin..." This corrupted state of man separated man from God. 

Man not just lost the image of the God, but also the likeness of God. Likeness of God here is God's functionality. God is a creator God and He created man to be a creator man; God simply speaks and things happen.

'By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command(spoken words of God)..'

HEBREWS 11:3 (NLT Bible)

 You can see the descriptions of creation in GENESIS 1, how God created the Heavens and the earth, both the things we see and the things we cannot see. God simply issued commands and things existed, this is exactly how God created man, to be able to speak and create things like God does.

'Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground'. 

GENESIS 1:26 (NLT Bible)

This is the point of creation were God transferred all the authority on earth to man. We are actually gods on earth running things using the authority God gave to us. This likeness of God explains that Adam did some astonishing stuffs before he fell from glory. Everything the second Adam(Jesus) could do is what the first Adam could already do. How do you suggest Adam use to cross oceans, seas and rivers; he simply walked over the seas like Jesus did or he divided them just like Moses did (it is very clear there were no canoes in the time of Adam in the garden of Eden).

'the heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth He has given to all of humanity.'

PSALMS 115:16 (NLT Bible)

The original plan of God was for man to rule on the earth as He ruled in the Heavens. But as I have explained earlier in the passages, man messed up and fell from God's glory. Man also handed the glorious authority God gave to man to rule on earth to satan. Through the fall of man, man was subject to satan's cruelty; satan struck man with diseases and other crazy stuffs like poverty and brought destruction into the world. The fall of man brought serious consequences on man. Man lost the ability to control the forces of the earth when man handed dominion to satan. Adam lost the power to control the wind, the earth, the fire and the waters and every other thing found on earth.

Every man born from the linage of Adam is born fallen. Every man is born with that DNA of satan already installed in him, this is why you don't see people going to learn how to lie, steal, kill and commit other sins like that.

'For I was born a sinner, yes from the moment my mother conceived me'

PSALM 51:5 (NLT Bible)

Yes, every man is born fallen, without the image and likeness of God and subject to end up in Hell because of sin in us. Because we are born without the good image of God, we now have to start learning good things like giving, truthfulness etc. This are the consequences of man falling from glory. It is very difficult to please God or do good in this form of sin. This is the main reason Isaiah said:

"We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display are righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags..."

ISAIAH 64:6 (NLT Bible)

This chapter shows that it is impossible to please God through self righteousness. Without divine intervention, man would have ended up in Hell just like any other being that sinned.

Glory to God the Father who creates solutions before problems even look around the corner. Before God even created the earth, he had a plan B to redeem man if man fell because of His excessive love for man.

'Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes.'

EPHESIANS 1:4 (NLT Bible)

Since man is born with the DNA of satan and cannot please God in this form, a man has to be born-again to transform his image back to the original image of God(this is the whole essence of becoming born-again; to obtain that image of God). When we obtain this image, the original functionality(likeness of God) and authority Adam lost to satan is restored.

'And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in Heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in Heaven'.

MATHEW 16:19 (NLT Bible)

..the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven is what Adam lost to satan. Thank God that He had this good plan to send Christ to defeat satan and retrieve this keys in order to restore man to who man is meant to be. We are the ones in charge of the earth not satan. God did not give the earth to satan but to man, but He reduced satan to ashes by sending Him to hell to live among the dead.

'How you have fallen from Heaven, O shinning star, son of the morning (some Translations clearly state LUCIFER {KJV Bible})! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, "I will ascend to Heaven and set my throne above God's stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb to the highest Heavens and be like the Most High. Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead (HELL).....'

ISAIAH 14:12-15 (NLT Bible)

Satan was greatly reduced to nothing; from being a mighty Cherub in Heaven to a crazy citizen of Hell. The earth is for man because God gave it to man and put man in charge of everything on earth and in space (the second Heavens), basically anything that exercises influence on earth; the moon, stars, sun etc. After God in Hierarchy of Authority, man is next in control not angels or any other being. See what PSALM 8 is saying;

'what is man that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority..'

PSALM 8:4-6 (NLT Bible)

This is why Jesus calls satan a THIEF because the guy is interfering illegitimately on earth. It is left for the gods of the earth(human beings) to deal with satan and put him in his place under man's feet.

'the THIEF'S purpose is to steal and kill and destroy....'

JOHN 10:10 (NLT Bible)

The only way to retrieve this control over the earth is by becoming a born-again Christian. Being born-again is one of the best things God has done for man through His love because it pulls us out from the terrors of hell. When man began to sin, the only end product of this was for man to end up in Hell just like every other being that sinned (example the fallen angels), but something is special about man, which is why Job cried out:

'what is man, that you should make so much of us, that you should think of us so often?'

JOB 7:17 (NLT Bible)

God loves man so much that He did not love to see man remain fallen and end up in Hell. To prove His love, He sent His only begotten son (Jesus) into the world to be our High priest and offer Himself a worthy sacrifice for our sins. For someone to be able to redeem man; the person must come to earth in human form(and suffer the punishment of our sins) and must be without sin and must be very powerful to be able to go to hell and beat satan hands down retrieving the authority of man. Jesus was the only worthy being for this task which is why the scriptures write:

'Then I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who was sitting on the throne. There was writing on the inside and the outside of the scroll, and it was sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel, who shouted with a loud voice: "Who is worthy to break the seals on this scroll and open it?" But no one in Heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll and read it. Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "stop weeping! Look the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and it's seven seals...'

REVELATION 5:1-5 (NLT Bible)

This scripture clearly confirms what I said earlier concerning Christ as the worthy sacrifice to redeem man from destruction. Christ was the only worthy person in Heaven, on earth and under the earth. Another part of the scriptures confirms that Jesus came, suffered shame and died for our sins so we may enter into glory,

'My Servant grew up in the LORD'S presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected- a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weakness He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins. But He was pierced for our rebellion, CRUSHED FOR OUR SINS....'

ISAIAH 53:2-5 (NLT Bible)

For redemption of man to be made possible, Jesus had to come to earth as a Human being, the scriptures clearly stated this;

'Instead, he gave up His divine privileges, He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being'

PHILIPPIANS 2:7 (NLT Bible)

Christ came to earth not through the linage of Adam but was conceived by the Holy spirit. 

'This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, SHE BECAME PREGNANT THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.' 

MATHEW 1:18 (NLT Bible)

Jesus born in this way shows that he had the original image God created the Adam with. Christ was without sin during His 33 years on earth which made Him the perfect sacrifice for mankind's sins. God was never pleased with animal sacrifices which is why He sent Christ to die for our sins, a pleasing aroma to the Father. 

'That is why, when Christ came into the world, He said to God, "you did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin".'

HEBREW 10:5-6 (NLT Bible)

HEBREWS 10:10 (NLT Bible) shows it was God's ultimate plan for Christ to sacrifice Himself for man's sins once and for all time.

'For God's will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.'

HEBREWS 10:10 (NLT Bible)

Christ tested Hell for our sake, this is God's good plan that any one who believes that Christ died for his sins and  God raised him from the dead, will obtain salvation.

'If you openly declare that Jesus is LORD and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are save'.

ROMANS 10:9-10 (NLT Bible)

Say this prayer if you are willing to be born-again: "Jesus, I am sorry for living in darkness and not doing your will, please forgive me of all my sins, cleanse me with your precious blood. I denounce satan, disconnecting myself from him. Jesus please come into my life and be my personal Lord and savior. AMEN".

This is the best decision any man can ever make, to become born-again (a decision to accept God's salvation). When you are born-again, the image of God is restored in you and the Spirit of the living God (Holy Spirit) will come to dwell in you. This Holy Spirit will start to transform you into God's image just like you plant a mango seed and it grows into a mature plant bearing fruits. The Holy spirit will grow in you the characters of God which are known as the fruits of the spirit.

'But the Holy spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control..'

GALATIANS 5:22 (NLT Bible)

 The Holy spirit does this by giving you power over sin; meaning you can now start displaying the glorious characters of God.

'And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.'

ROMANS 8:2 (NLT Bible)

Beware, there is only one way to Salvation, anyone who is not born-again still has that DNA of satan and cannot be allowed into Heaven. Many people have been deceived with lies that there are alternative ways to God. Such people, their destruction in Hell is already certain. Christ is the only way to God the father. You come to Christ by becoming born-again and He will lead you to the Father.

'Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born-again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God".'

JOHN 3:3 (NLT Bible)

There might be no tomorrow for you to procrastinate this simple process of becoming born-again. When you are born-again (meaning the image of God is restored in you), you can now obtain that original functionality (likeness) that God gave to Adam.

'.."These miraculous signs will follow those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed".'

MARK 16:17 (NLT Bible)

It is best you make the right choice now, its is better you choose becoming born-again before it is too late. May the Living God help you make the right choice. Amen.

UKEMEKE-ABASI AKPAN EKPO

DOMINION CITY IKOT EKPENE