Many theologians agree that the first biblical reference to a revealed truth of a coming Messiah is found in Genesis, chapter three, verses 14 and 15, “And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
It is in these two verses we find the first clues as to the coming way of salvation for all humankind and the fate of Satan. God passes sentence. He begins where the sin began, with the serpent. The Satan's instruments must share in the punishments. Under the guise of the serpent, the Satan is sentenced to be degraded and accursed of God, detested and abhorred by mankind. Also to be destroyed and ruined at last by the great Redeemer, signified by the breaking of his head. Thus War is proclaimed between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. It is the fruit of this enmity, that there is a continual warfare between grace and corruption, in the hearts of God's people. But the almighty Christ will literally crush the head of Satan and we look to become among the resurrected to live an eternal life.
Before the fall of Adam and Eve, there was no need for a savior for mankind. Up to that point, only Satan and his fallen angels had rebelled against God. So here in Genesis, we have the first announcement of a Savior for mankind who will be known as Jesus Christ. Now verses 14 and 15 do not mention Jesus Christ by name but when you compare this Scripture with other prophecies in the Old Testament there can be no doubt of this reference of the “enmity and seed” refers to the coming Christ. Here we see the Old Testament Bible contains the truth revealed. Genesis is providing this clue in preparation for the coming of Christ.
The coming of the Messiah is further revealed in the 23rd book of the Old Testament. Isaiah chapter fifty-two, verse 10 tells us, “The Lord will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.” Do you think this passage means all nations will receive salvation? No, not all nations will believe in Jesus but all nations will see the Savior, hear of the Savior, and know of the Savior Salvation comes only to those of faith, to whom the Lord has revealed His grace.
Just a few verses later, we learn of the suffering and glory of the Servant to come. Let's continue with verses 13 to 15, “See, my servant will act wisely he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him, his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness— so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
This provides the explanation of the coming Messiah as someone damaged more than any man to reveal His testimony for the purpose of scattering His word among all nations. We know this prediction of the Jew's rejection of Christ came some 700 years before He was lifted to the cross.
The reasons for Jesus’ suffering is given in Isaiah 53 chapter one, verses 1 to 6, “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
When God sent Philip into the desert to meet a chariot traveling towards Ethiopia, the passenger in the chariot was reading out loud to himself from these exact verses. He did not understand who was the focus of this prophecy, so Philip joined him in the chariot, and began to speak of Jesus to him.
The words from Isaiah are keystones to the gospel. From the crucifixion of Christ, the Christian Church is born and you are born into the body of Christ. Unless someone understands these basic truths and with faith believes they remain under condemnation. You are not condemned because of any individual sin but because you are in sin.
Sin, as a whole, was defeated by Christ. The understanding of this truth is in the scriptures. The Bible paints horrific pictures of sin and the consequences of sin whether by individuals or nations. Sin condemned us through the laws of God.
The Bible is very thorough in explaining this truth, but mankind does not often understand the completed work of Christ. We focus on good works or obeying the law instead of focusing on the justification from the cross. Many acknowledge Christ but then strive for justification by human efforts. Some call it sanctification, but what they are striving for is justification; falsely believing justification equates to Sanctification with equates to Salvation. Justification by good works or lawfulness is not the way to salvation.
God himself has always existed and Christ, sent for us, is the historical physical manifestation of God the Father. The complete conditions of God's law had never been revealed until Christ came to this earth. He told and showed us the way. There was no God given codified law before God gave Moses what Christ was always careful to refer to as "the law of Moses." For even the 10 laws of Moses were not the way to salvation, were they?
True justification must be expressed as sin totally forgiven and this can never be achieved by our own efforts. When we are outside of God’s favor, we are not justified. If you are a nonbeliever, and do something wrong, doing something good is not your way to salvation. That would be striving towards justification by deeds or works. One can not make oneself right within the law by doing good works.
If unbelievers seek forgiveness, they are not justified by Christ. Either you are justified, or not. In unbelief and an absence of faith, their forgiveness can never be found.
When you are justified in Christ you are already right with the law. However, when you are in Christ, if you ask for forgiveness as a spiritual or outward sign of repentance, then you are showing faithful obedience. An act of righteousness. It is only the works of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit that are good. Justification and forgiveness by Christ are simply that straightforward.
Now let's review a different word 'Sanctification', which is the process of being set apart for God. It's us aligned with Jesus, standing with God with our focus on Him. The Bible says we are sanctified (present tense) in Christ. Our new spirit is unconditionally given to us at our new birth in Christ. We can not humanly live sinless in perfect sanctification, but our eternal spirit does. Eternal sanctification of the present and future has nothing to do with past sin yet it has everything to do with Christ's forgiveness of our sin? It is only the unjust who have not been transformed through the cross. For us, in Christ, justification is a completed work.
Yet, to fully understand sin forgiven we must first look at the way the Christians overcome sin which is completely different than other religions. Where does our sin come from? We all sin! But where is the source of our sin. To understand how sin is within us as original sin, let's review Romans chapter five, verses 12 and 13, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.”
We know original sin first entered the world through Adam. His corrupted nature was passed down to us all. That rebelling, ignorant, nature bent us toward sin and it stained all mankind. Everyone has heard, Romans chapter six, verse 23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Since the wages of sin is physical death; therefore, we all must die. When our spirit became dead to God, physical death also entered our earthly realm. Even though original sin later spread throughout all mankind, it was ascribed by a singular law But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eat thereof thou shalt surely die. This law was known to Adam and Eve. As a side note, I believe the Garden still exists on earth. It just will not be revealed to us no matter how diligent or with what modern methods we search. Anyway, back to the non-consequences of sin that reigned abundantly in the times of no law.
Not to be facetious, but until the time of Moses, there were no other laws to break because the God's Laws and Garden of Eden were concealed away from mankind. If we could not find the tree of life we could not eat from it. At that time, no other laws were passed down. Therefore, no one else could have been judged guilty of sin until more of God's laws were given. The Bible speaks clearly to this, “To be sure, sin was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not charged against anyone's account where there is no law. (Romans chapter five, verse 13), Let me rephrase and repeat that. Sin was not imputed when there were no laws.” Nothing was held against a sinner's account.
People committed murder, thievery, and every kind vile acts from Adam to Moses. But God did not condemn humankind for these acts until the law was given. For where there is no law, sin is not judged.
Of course, this changed when the law was provided to Moses. God’s people were in bondage for 400 years, severely oppressed, and helpless. People cried out, “Oh, we wish we had died in Egypt, for there is no food in the desert. We are all going to pass away from hunger.” They showed no faith, no wisdom, even though God gave them manna from heaven.
Instead of judging the people for their unbelief and rebellion, God used their needs to point to the future work Christ. When the water was tainted, the tree of the cross was tossed into bitter, polluted water and made the waters sweet. Later, the people in the desert were again provided watered that flowed from a rock. When hungry, the people were given the bread of heaven.
The cross is often called the tree where Jesus bore our sins. Jesus said He was the bread that came down from heaven. The Bible says the rock that followed them was Christ. The tree is a symbol of the payment of the cross. The manna was a symbol of the given body of Jesus. Each action took the condition of man’s soul and filled it with the provisions of Christ.
Still, the people murmured against the Lord, Moses, and were disobedient to God. Yet their sins were not imputed, for there was no law. They were robbed of peace and joy because their focus was not on God. They were discomfited and frustrated even though all their basic needs were met.
When they were given manna, God gave them simple rules: One was not to keep manna overnight. Only collect one day’s provision and anything left over was to be cast out. When the people disobeyed, there were consequences. The manna rotted and stench filled their tents! But God, still, did not pass judgment on them. They were not judged, yes they suffered consequences, but God’s eternal condemnation? No!
Then we learn in Exodus there were changes. The ten laws were brought down on the tablets. The people promised, “We will keep all God's commandments.” They were self-convinced they could become righteous by human effort. God had provided the law as if to say, “This is what righteousness looks like. If you are going to be good, you have to measure up to my goodness one-hundred percent.” They wanted to prove their goodness, so God provided the law, which defined sin and now produced condemnation. Do you see God's deference to judgment when there was no law?
The people complained constantly from the time they left Egypt until the law was given. And yes, complaining is a sin but God did not criticize them then. He met their needs and led them to His provision. Yet once they were in the law, every sin was judged. From Numbers through the sacrifice of Christ, the Bible is all about God’s judgment against sin. The books of Isaiah and Micah pointed to the future coming of Christ.
Once sin was revealed and judged in Christ, believers come under grace instead of the law! Our God of the Old Testament is the same as our God of the New Testament. The picture of God we see in the New Testament is the same as the picture we see of God from Genesis onward. God hasn't changed but due to humanities shortcomings, the laws were changed. The law was given to reveal sin and drive mankind to the reality that nothing good can come outside of the Lord. People can not become righteous on their own.
Therefore, we all should see that the life given for the remission of all our sin was the life of Jesus the Christ. This is explained in Romans chapter three, verses 19 through 24, Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”
The good news is that a Christian's sins cannot nullify our salvation which is the work of Christ. Why? Remember our earlier passage? Where there is no law, sin is not imputed. Look at Romans chapter ten, verse 4, “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” The law has never made a sinner righteous. But the law makes all men sinners. The law condemns. The law convicts. But the Bible says that those who have died in Christ have been freed from the law. In Christ, the law has come to an end for everyone who is a believer.
Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf so we could be counted as righteous. Our sins are not imputed! For as ones who are in Christ, the law has come to an end. The law hasn’t come to an end for the unbelievers. It is only ended for believers of Christ, for in Him we are credited with His righteousness. He paid the wages of sin through His death, and we are freely given the gifts of righteousness through His life! Once we understand this basic truth, we can fully understand why Romans chapter four, verses 7 through 8 say: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
Why are our lawless deeds forgiven? Because in Christ, our sins are covered. Let’s let Romans chapter six, verses five to eleven speak to us. “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”
Your deliverance comes by grace through faith. You’ve died to the law, and this makes you also dead to sin. Until you believe this, you are under sin and will live like someone still burdened. For the faithful in Christ, your sinful nature inherited from Adam was crucified on the cross. Your new nature, that which is born of God by grace through faith, is raised with Christ. Just as death no longer has dominion over Jesus, death has no dominion over you, for you are no longer under condemnation! You are in the blessings of God’s promise.
What Jesus accomplished on the cross for you, no man nor demon can disengage. The work of Jesus made an everlasting intercession for you against the works of Satan and his minions. There is no double jeopardy. When Jesus paid for our sins, all requirements of the law were satisfied and our transgressions shielded from the eyes of God. Even if wickedness arises in us, Christ merely casts it off while we endure the trials life sets before us. We can never be bound again under condemnation's chains.
Numerous people believe that if they only seek to live a life filled with good deeds and kindness that God will welcome them into heaven with open arms. Yet the Bible clearly states getting into heaven is not something we realize by our own power. Ephesians 2:8-9 distinctly teaches, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Being saved from sin and receiving eternal life cannot take place by any accumulation of our own good works. God's freely offered Grace and our true faith in Jesus Christ as our personal savior are the only elements that open your individual door to heaven.
Why is gaining heaven based on faith? Heaven, as most of us know, is a place of perfection, a place of eternal joy, the realm of God totally free from sin. Yet every person on earth except Jesus has sinned. Romans 3:23 teaches, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Ecclesiastes 7:20 adds, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” No matter how hard you may try, even one sin is enough to keep you from heaven unless you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ.
The good news of the Bible is that, “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus knew we would fall far short of God's Glory by our sin. Christ died in our place, offering His very body as the unblemished lamb to atone for the sin of all mankind. None of our good deeds or good works could ever pay our way into heaven.
John 3:16 Jesus promised, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Are all of us welcomed to freely come to faith in Jesus Christ and receive eternal life? Yes! And never fear that you aren't 'Good enough' to be eligible to believe in Jesus because no matter how hard you try, you keep falling into new sin or repeating 'old' sins. 2nd Peter tells us, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
How can a person place his or her faith in Jesus Christ and receive eternal life in heaven? Romans 10:9 give the simple solution to our way to salvation, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Salvation occurs when we accept Jesus as Lord and believe He rose again from the dead. At that very instance, all of our sin, past, present, and future, are forgiven and erased from the sight of God.
Isaiah chapter fifty-three, tells us what the blood of Jesus means to us; starting with verse 11, “... shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore, will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bares the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
John 1:12-13, "Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God."
My friends, the Bible clearly shows us the works of Jesus Christ, it is a lamp shining towards the path of our justification and salvation eternal only through belief in Him. The choice is yours to make!
