THE WAY BACK

When they ate of the forbidden tree, Adam and Eve took upon themselves the responsibility for their own provision. Now they no longer lived by

the provision of the tree of life but must use their life’s energy to provide for their flesh. They could no longer use that energy to keep and dress the garden in obedience to the word of the Lord. They could no longer be sustained by the tree of life. They could no longer use the greatest part of their time in serving God, but must use the time to try and sustain a life that is doomed to pass away (Ye shall surely die! Genesis 2:17)  There is now a surety of death for them rather than a surety of life. They had disobeyed their Father and were cast out of a divinely provided realm of life into a realm of death. Thus were they separated from the Father because they believed and partook of the lie!

And so it was for many generations. In order that humanity might be sustained, God brought in the law. This allowed Israel to have a scapegoat to lay their sins upon but the law “could never take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:4), so it remained that “you shall surely die.”

But now Jesus appears on the scene, and, knowing what lay ahead of him, being fully knowledgeable of the plan of the father because he was that plan, began to proclaim the way back to the father, in reality, the way back to the fellowship and provision of that divinely provided place that the garden had represented. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)  He also said, “Whosoever will save his life will lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save (or preserve) it.” (Luke 9:24)  But now, just as in the garden, we must believe and obey: “Whosoever believes in him… should have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Jesus, being that tree of life, hung upon the cross, taking the sins of humanity upon himself and ultimately he died. But death could not hold him and in resurrection life he defeated death, hell and the grave! Now he has restored our ability to be sustained by the tree of life! Thus, if we believe, we have the privilege of using our time and energy to serve God, and, in reality, to truly live.

We can now be before him with open face, no longer facing a surety of death but a surety of life. Jesus said to Martha that “Whosoever believes on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” (John 11:25)  This he said just before calling Lazarus from the tomb. This is the way of the tree of life!

The downfall of humanity, brought about by believing a lie and disobeying God, is now disannulled!  I can now use my time and energy to obey the father and be provided for by the tree of life.

Ronnie Coleman

November, 2015