The first three chapters of Genesis contain more theology than any other portion of Scripture that is of similar size. It reveals a lot about us and God. It also reveals a lot about the devil.
One of the greatest things the Bible reveals about us is our origin. God created the human race, and in a manner that was very intimate. He literally formed Adam and Eve with His Own hands (Genesis 2:7, 21-23).
Another great fact of Scripture is that God made Adam and Eve to be in right relationship with Himself. They didn’t have to do anything to be saved. They were created to live forever. All they had to do to maintain their standing with God was to obey God’s prohibition regarding the forbidden fruit tree (Genesis 2:17). Death and eternal condemnation loomed if they disobeyed.
But Adam and Eve did disobey God. We refer to that act of disobedience as, TheFall. It was not only their fall but also the fall of the entire human race because we, their offspring, have consequently inherited their sinful nature (Romans 3:23; 5:12). If we didn’t have this valuable knowledge of the fall of mankind, we would be at a loss to understand ourselves and our race. We are capable of so much good but, at the same time, have an inherent propensity to evil. The Bible explains this dichotomy.
The Bible also makes it clear that God, even after the fall of our race, still loved it and wanted to save it. He promised to send a Redeemer in Genesis 3:15 and later robed Himself in flesh to die on a cross for our sins (Acts 20:28). By His sacrificial blood at Calvary, Christ underwrote all the salvation offered by God in the Old Testament and procured for mankind the ultimate salvation experience in the New, one that involves regeneration of man’s very nature (2Corinthians 5:17). This was first experienced fifty-three days after Calvary on the Day of Pentecost. From that time until now, every person can have his sins forgiven and be filled with God’s regenerating Spirit, which qualifies us to live with Christ forever as His Bride in heaven.
The Bible’s message of salvation sounds almost too good to be true. Dyed-in-the-wool inners can be transmuted into saints. Nothing in all of nature is more dramatic. That, and the promise of eternal life with Christ in heaven, should get the attention of every person. As Paul said, the Bible does not deal in trifles (1Timothy 3:16a). Without controversy, the issue of new birth is great. It is one of the phenomenons of the Gospel.
But, amazingly, and even more than that, sadly, in spite of all the grace that God has shown to our race, Jesus predicted that not many people would be saved (Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:23-28). There must, of course, be reasons for this. Here’s what I offer:
1/ One reason is no doubt the lack of evangelism. Some people don’t get to hear the Gospel message. Jesus’ only prayer request to us was to pray that there would be more laborers in His field of harvest (Luke 10:2). That refers to Christian witnesses who would take the Apostolic Gospel message to their neighbors, cities, and the world. To this day, the need for true Christian witnesses is the greatest need of a lost world.
2/ The second reason for people not being saved is that of personal responsibility. People often do not respond to the Gospel, either through rejection or neglect (Hebrews 2:3). Or, they are not ultimately saved due to failure to continue in the faith (1Corinthians 15:1-2; Colossians 1:21-23).
Perhaps the most perplexing question among angels and the redeemed is this: How is it that someone who hears the Good News does not soon realize it, embrace it, and love it? Is Christ and heaven not attractive enough? I see four inherent obstacles to fallen man surrendering fully and lastingly to God. I’ll address them singly in the next few blogposts. In addition, I think there are four external obstacles to people being saved. I will deal with them later as well. In the meantime, let us follow the practical admonition of James 4:7-8. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Thanks for visiting this site.