Adam was of the Ground but Filled with God’s Spiration
The Genesis 2 garden-narrative begins with the creation of man and his placement in a garden. The narrative indicates that man was “formed . . . from the dust of the ground” but God gave Him spiration, breathing “into his nostrils the breadth of life” making the man “a living being” (vs 7). The word used for ground, אֲדָמָה ‘adamah, reflects the close relationship with man, whose name seems deliberately close, אָדָם ‘adam. According to Gesenius’ Lexicon, ‘adamah can mean the tilled ground, the entire earth or a country/region, showing commonality between man and his occupation as keeper of the garden. The author seems to desire to point to a special relationship of ‘adam who is to keep the ‘adamah of the garden and fill the earth. To care for the earth is to show proper respect to himself and his fellow man. It portends the seriousness of man’s neglect of the earth and his willfully destructive activities against the earth.
Man’s Make Up Hints a Special Relationship
The special relationship is most evident in the covenantal laws of Sinai. Obedience brings blessing to the crops and herds that graze the ground (Deuteronomy 29:4, 8, 11), bringing fructifying rains , (vs 12), but disobedience brings curses upon the crops and herds that feed upon the ground (vs 18), scorching heat and drought (vs 22), the ground will become unproductive and barren without rain (vss 23-24), crop failure (vs 38), worms and locusts will destroy the harvest (vss 39, 42) and eventual exile from the land (and covenant) they abused (vs 63). Their willful destructive acts and neglect of the earth is later seen in the failure to respect the Sabbath of the land. In failing to give the land rest, they had brought oppression upon the land, bringing a judgment of seventy years of exile from the land.
Though formed of the dust of the ground, man was also filled with the breadth of life and became a living being. The word used of breath is נְשָׁמָה nĕshamah. Its later use shows its close connection with life (Genesis 7:22; Deuteronomy 20:16; Joshua 10:40; 11:11, 14), with these particular uses speaking to the commanded loss of life by Yahweh. [1] That Adam is given the breath of life is unexpected, as God had prior created all other lifeforms without drawing attention to any of them being filled with the spiration of God before becoming lifeforms. That man became a living being in such a unique way suggests special meaning. Adam was given dominion over the earth and it seems he has been specially fashioned to serve as mediator between the earth, the ‘adamah, and God, being of the ‘adamah yet filled with the breath of God, bridging the divide between the two. His origin and his assignment, seem to build toward a coming test. Will he properly image God, dominion and subdue the barren land outside the garden?
Implications
Christ is the New Adam of the New Creation
The New Testament points to One who would play a central role in a new garden that would begin as a “seed” garden in a new creation and would also be extended until it filled the earth – but with spiritual sons. The One who holds the central role is the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul draws a parallel that brings Christ’s role front-and-center.
45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.
It is in a resurrection setting that Paul offers this teaching. Adam became a living being through the breath of God. Jesus however, is vastly superior to Adam, as He was not just a living being, but a life-giving spirit. Life does not come through the procreation of Adam, but through the acceptance of the freely given Spirit of Christ. Life is not found in the natural (physical), but in the spiritual. [2]
That the physical came first, points toward another truth – that physical life is a model of spiritual life, much as the first creation is a model of the last creation. In calling Adam “the first man Adam” and contrasting with Christ as “the last Adam”, we know that Paul envisions Christ as the new Adam, the first man of the last creation. His further contrast of the first Adam as “natural” against “the last Adam” as spiritual, points to the fundamental difference between the two men and the resulting two creations. The first man was of the earth, having been formed of the dust of the earth. The last Adam has no earthly origin – He is heavenly.
The contrast between the progeny of Adam, “as was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth”, and the progeny of Christ, “as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven” points to a fundamental difference in nature. One is like his earthly father, bearing “the image of the earthly man”; the other like His heavenly “father”, “so shall we [believers] bear the image of the heavenly man.”
Jesus, as the first man of the new creation is the spiritual father of a new race of spiritual men conformed into the image of Christ. [3] Strikingly, the new creation has a new man with a new mandate to be fruitful. Christ fulfilled the mandate to be fruitful by healing the sick, delivering those under demonic control, stilling the sea, opening the eyes of the blind (both physical and spiritual eyes), raising the dead, and most importantly, becoming a life-giving spirit – wherein the spirit gives true , eternal life.
An Important “Adamic” Contrast
Paul develops a complex “Adamic” argument:
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned— 13 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. 14 Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come. 15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. 17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! 18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. Romans 5
Paul speaks of Adam as “a pattern of the one to come”, Christ, a statement with profound implications. Adam, a physical man, was fashioned to be a reflection of the true man, the heavenly man, Christ! It supports that true life is spiritual, not physical; heavenly, not earthly. Those of the first Adam are of the earth, carnal and thus carnal-minded. Thus they must be “born again” spiritually, daily putting off the carnal, physical and fleshly, ceremonially putting the old man daily to death, always robing themselves in the spiritual, in which true life is found.
Implied is a spiritual exodus from the thinking of the old world that is inherently earthly, and brings death, like that introduced in the first Adam. It was through the first Adam that sin entered the world and with it came death to all men, having since reigned over all men since Adam. The only way out, is to look not to the first Adam, but to the One after whom Adam was patterned.
When one examines this Pauline passage, it is full of surprising contrasts designed to show forth the truth of the One after whom Adam was patterned. Through the sin of one man came death to all. Through the obedience of the One after whom he was patterned, life came to the many.
Though Adam committed only one sin, bringing condemnation upon all, the gracious gift of the One after whom Adam was patterned, though followed by many sins, yet brought righteousness. Adam’s one trespass brought condemnation for all people, so also through the obedience of the One after whom Adam was patterned brought justification and life for all people. As through the disobedience of Adam the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One after whom Adam was patterned, the many will be made righteous.
The contrasts sharpens the consequences of the failure of the first Adam. In his one sin, Adam’s behavior was absolutely opposite the pattern after which he was fashioned. He acted not in the image of the heavenly man, but in his earthly image. The pattern of the heavenly man vanished from view when Adam stepped away from God’s command and followed his own will. The result was not a distortion of the pattern, but a total loss of fidelity. Adam’s actions became an “anti-pattern” of the heavenly man. No wonder then, that a carnal mind is enmity with God.
Relevance for Christians Today
The Heavy Consequences of Sin
A number of implications follow. Adam’s one sin introduced a new “pattern”, an “anti-creative” pattern that would ultimately bring total destruction of God’s entire physical cosmos. Adam’s actions show that even one sin has cosmic consequences to God’s creation and to each of His creatures.
Further, his one sin brought consequences that “reigned” over all men throughout the ages, until Christ’s coming. No wonder then that God made provision for inadvertent sins of His people. Though not explicitly stated, it suggests that God’s provision of cleansing and forgiveness may well have had the purpose that his new spiritual garden-paradise remain unfettered by the consequences of such sins.
For God knew that we are creatures of limited understanding and foresight, and thus subject to inadvertent failures. These should not deter God’s mandate to extend the garden. But it should motivate believers to strive to be unblameable in our lives and to quickly seek forgiveness humbly before the Lord.
It also warns against deliberate willful sins whose consequences may be more far-reaching. While it is wonderful to have forgiveness for sins, it should become license for sinful living. A focus upon righteous living should be every believer’s goal.
The Amazing Consequences of Obedience
The other side of the coin must also be examined. Christ’s actions initiated an entirely new creation with a new race of spiritual men, bringing many to righteousness. His one act of obedience completed negated all the consequences of mankind’s sin, bringing life where there was only death, bringing righteousness where there was only unrighteousness.
These consequences “reign” for all in Christ throughout our inter-advent age. If Christ’s one act could have such far-reaching consequences and if we, patterned after Him, allow ourselves to be conformed to His image, should we not expect that each righteous act we undertake will also have cosmic consequences throughout our inter-advent age?
Christ brought life to many and can we not similarly bring life to many if we imitate Him? Will not our actions show others the marvelous paradisal-garden that awaits those willing to accept Christ? Often we imagine Christ’s actions and accomplishments as somehow unique and thus inapplicable to believers. Yet throughout the church age, many have willingly suffered martyrdom with the belief that it would, like Christ’s martyrdom, bring a great harvest. The meaning of being conformed to Christ is worth careful, consideration.
Conformance to Christ Requires Other-Worldly Thinking
The contrast Paul develops is centered upon an inversion from a physical man to a spiritual man. Those who would follow Christ must be conformed to the spiritual pattern after which God created us. The implication is that our “work” must be performed in the spiritual cosmos and the tools of our “trade” must be spiritual.
It follows the model of Christ who evidenced only a spiritual focus. He had no interest in money, showed no interest in political power, no Jewish religious ambitions. Rather, he was totally counter-culture, as was His forerunner John the Baptist. The Jewish people expected a Messiah with a physical focus, who would reign on earth, overthrow the Roman empire, re-establish the Jewish nation, usher in a period of political and religious greatness and make Israel relevant in the world again.
Yet Christ’s focus was upon an unseen spiritual kingdom. Even the physical healings He accomplished were designed to point people to spiritual life. His declaration to the physical seed of Abraham was “you must be born again”, not physically but spiritually. His people expected an earthly king to lord it over the earth. Christ manifested a view of kingship as servitude, and greatness as being a servant. His entire message was inverted with respect to the world’s thinking. [4] It is the choice each person must make: to follow the first or the final Adam (see Figure 1).
[1] The God who gives life to Adam takes life from all at the flood, and then commands that the Israelites take the breath of life from all the Canaanites in the land, showing the severe judgments of God on intransigent wickedness.
[2] Paul’s claim is not “out of the blue”. While Genesis’ focus is upon Adam’s physical life, Psalm 36:9 says the Lord is a fountain of life. The teachings of the wise (Proverbs 13:14), prudence (Proverbs 16:22) the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 14:27) and a righteous mouth (Proverbs 10:11) are all described as a fountain of life. The unrighteous are blotted out of the book of the living (Psalm 69:28), those with names in the book of life have eternal life (Daniel 12:2) and eternal life is found in Mount Zion (Psalm 133:3), pointing to reinterpretation of life beyond death. Wisdom is a tree of life (Proverbs 3:18) and the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life (Proverbs 11:30); a longing fulfilled is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12) as is a soothing tongue (Proverbs 15:4). Keeping one’s heart is life (Proverbs 4:23), reproof of instruction is the way of life (Proverbs 6:23), the righteous attain life (Proverbs 11:19), pointing toward deepened meaning of life found in God’s presence. With Jesus’ declaration, “I am resurrection and life” we see life is found in Christ, in being born again spiritually (John 5:24-29; 11:25). Matthew 10:39; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33; John 10:11-17; 12:25; Galatians 2:20) introduce inversion – life coming from death. Jesus showed true life is eternal and found in Him (Matthew 19:29; 25:46; Mark 10:30; Luke 18:22, 30; John 1:4; 3:16, 36; 5:24, 39-40; 6:33-35, 47, 53; 14:6). The passages show a consistent meaning throughout both the Old and New Testament. Physical life foreshadows true spiritual life.
[3] Not only is there a new Adam in a new creation, but there is indication that there are new “animals/beasts” that become the focus of the new man’s mandate to take dominion and subdue. These beasts are also spiritual, introduced in the Old Testament as composite beasts, that become a focus of John’s Apocalypse. Christ must take dominion over these heavenly spiritual powers that wreak spiritual and physical chaos upon the earth and subdue them. It also becomes the responsibility of the followers of Christ to partner with Him in taking dominion over these powers and subduing their spiritual evil.
[4] Consider His example that life comes in death, or those who seek to save their lives will lose them but those who lose their lives for My sake will save them.
Adam’s Mandate to Extend the Gardena
The Garden had Borders
When man was first put in the garden, he was given the job to till it. But there is an inference in the Genesis garden-narrative that the garden had defined boundaries, consistent with ancient Semitic thought:
גן “garden” is an enclosed area for cultivation (cf. vss 5, 15): perhaps we should picture a park surrounded by a hedge (cf. 3:23). This seems to be the understanding of the early versions which translate גן as “paradise,” a Persian loan word, originally meaning a royal park. [1]
That the garden of Eden is viewed surrounded by a hedge suggests a boundary separating it from the uncultivated ground outside the garden. If the garden provided the venue for man to commune and interact with God, then the area outside would be viewed as devoid of God. It is why it is barren and without shrub or tree, lacking life.
Hence why it needed a man to till it but there was “no man to work the ground”, portending an intended cooperative relationship between God and Adam, with man’s occupation to work the ground outside of the garden in addition to guarding and keeping it.
Adam’s Special Relationship with the Ground
A secondary relationship is implied in the statement “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground”. It establishes that man is to work the ground benevolently as he is from the ground. Implied is a cooperative relationship between the man and the ground due to man’s origin from the ground.
By properly caring for the ground, man also properly cares for himself. This relationship anticipates the earth as the place where man would tabernacle with God. Man is of the ground yet actualized by the breath of God, a feature unique in God’s creation of man.
It makes man of the earth yet also of heaven, affirming earlier claims that man’s calling is not just kingly (having been given dominion) but also priestly, having the innate ability to properly represent both parties: God’s earthly creatures/creation and God/His spiritual heavenly host. The account is careful to preserve this unique feature of man by inclusion of a reference to the beasts of the field and birds of the air being formed of the ground that excludes any reference to divine breath in these creatures (vs 19).
Adam’s Role in Ruling the Earth by Extending the Garden
Adam was formally put in charge of the earth, with the expectation that he would rule benevolently, imaging God’s rule in the heavens. The garden serves as the backdrop for accomplishing that work. The blessing to fill the earth (Genesis 1:28) anticipated man would not only guard and keep the garden (Genesis 2:15) but work the parched ground outside, enlarging and extending the “seed” garden. In doing so, God’s glory would be increased as the earth would be redeemed from a barren wasteland to a paradisal garden. God’s glory would fill the earth as the boundaries of His garden-dwelling on earth were extended.
This development is not fully anticipated until the second chapter of Genesis, where it is learned that God planted a garden in which he put the man. The garden is where man communes with God. Outside is where man proves he is working in cooperation with God, extending the boundaries of the garden until all of the earth is transformed into a garden-paradise:
In actuality, Adam, as God’s vice-regent, and his progeny were to put “the finishing touches” on the world God created in Genesis 1 by making it a liveable place for humans. The penultimate goal of the Creator was to make creation a liveable place for humans in order that they would achieve the grand aim of glorifying him.
The goal of making the whole earth habitable would appear to be confirmed by Isaiah 45:18: “God . . . formed the earth and made it . . . and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited” (likewise cf. Psalm 115:16). God’s ultimate goal in creation was to magnify His glory throughout the earth by means of his faithful image-bearers inhabiting the world in obedience to the divine mandate. [2]
Genesis 1:27 provides the means by which the commission and goal of vs 28 was to be accomplished: humanity will fulfill the commission by means of being in God’s image. They were to reflect God’s kingship by being his vice-regents on earth. Because Adam and Eve were to subdue and rule “over all the earth”, it is plausible to suggest that they were to extend the geographical boundaries of the garden until Eden covered the whole earth. They were on the primeval hillock of hospitable Eden, outside of which lay the inhospitable land. They were to extend the smaller livable area of the garden by transforming the outer chaotic region into a habitable territory. [3]
Thus, we see man, placed in a garden, given a dominion over the earth with a command to subdue the earth, and an implied mandate to extend the garden-temple to fill the earth. It was a mandate Adam would soon fail.
Recapitulation in Israel’s Mandate to Extend their “Edenic” Garden
With Israel, there is similar mandate to take dominion of a garden, the land of Palestine, subdue their enemies (the Canaanites), and extend the garden beyond their inheritance, which they also failed. Israel was to secure their inheritance in Palestine that God promised. But Deuteronomy 20 details a war command that reflects extending their Palestinian garden:
10 When you march up to attack a city, make its people an offer of peace. 11 If they accept and open their gates, all the people in it shall be subject to forced labor and shall work for you. 12 If they refuse to make peace and they engage you in battle, lay siege to that city. 13 When the Lord your God delivers it into your hand, put to the sword all the men in it. 14 As for the women, the children, the livestock and everything else in the city, you may take these as plunder for yourselves. And you may use the plunder the Lord your God gives you from your enemies. 15 This is how you are to treat all the cities that are at a distance from you and do not belong to the nations nearby. 16 However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. 17 Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you. 18 Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the Lord your God.
The contrast between the cities of the Canaanites who lived in the land of Israel’s inheritance and “the cities that are at a distance from you” points to a secondary purpose of expanding the garden boundaries beyond Israel’s promised inheritance. Those within the boundaries were to be totally destroyed to prevent their detestable practices from infiltrating Israel, leading her into similarly detestable practices.
Those outside the bounds of Israel’s inheritance who live “at a distance from you” are to be treated differently, as forced laborers if they agree. If not, the city is to be taken and the sword put to all the men, ostensibly because they represent opposition (militarily) to the authority of Yahweh’s elect.
Women and children are extended mercy as non-combatants, but together with livestock and valuables within the city serve as booty. If the treatment seems harsh, one must recognize that the passage describes these cities as Israel’s enemies. Thus, Israel is to subdue the cities and kingdoms beyond the bounds of their garden-inheritance, exercising dominion over them in a way that would glorify God.
That the residents would be put to forced labor points toward Israel exercising dominion over them as people outside the covenant. Like the land outside Israel, they are to be subdued. As forced laborers, they would still have opportunity to enter into the covenant, thus becoming Israelites with full rites as Israelite citizens. Thus, God’s mercy is evident, and critically, God’s purpose in these instructions is redemptive, providing opponents opportunity to join Israel, extending the covenant to Gentiles.
However, Israel’s failure to subdue the land of their inheritance points to the secondary failure to extend the bounds of the land God had given them. As Adam was subdued by the serpent, Israel was subdued by the Canaanites and later the Gentile nations.
The Genesis garden-narrative is seen in recapitulation of Israel’s taking the land of Palestine. In each case, lands outside the traditional “garden boundaries” were to be subdued as part of the mandate to take dominion over the earth. Yet with Israel, we see a shift from a physical or agricultural garden to a broadened mandate to subdue both land and peoples.
Realization in Christ
The original mandate to fill the earth is fulfilled in the command of Christ to go into all the world, preach the gospel, baptize and make disciples. In obeying the mandate and making disciples, Christians are spiritually fruitful, filling the earth with spiritual sons of God who, in imaging Christ in their lives, would fill the earth with God’s glory.
Secondarily, in going into all the earth, their spiritual activities of fruitfulness extend God’s seed garden Christ “planted” in Israel. What the first Adam failed to do, and what Israel corporately failed to do as forerunners to the church, would be accomplished through Christ and His spiritual sons.
In requiring that men be “born again”, Christ had initiated a new creation, a new race of spiritual men filled with the Spirit of God to spiritually reproduce other spiritual sons through the spoken testimony of Christ.
In going into all the world, Christ’s disciples would extend the boundaries of Yahweh’s spiritual victory-garden. The process would continue until the Gospel would be preached to all nations, signaling the completion of the church, one unified body comprising members from all nations and languages. Speeding the return of the Messiah requires commitment of His people to evangelizing the uttermost parts of the world.
Implications for the End of the Age
Christ has Re-Opened Access to a New Eden for all Humanity
The first implication regards the “new” garden opened by Christ. Christ “planted” the seed-garden in Israel but it will fill the earth. The garden is not Palestine, the place where Israel lived, but Israel, the people, planted in God’s new spiritual garden.
The second implication is that the garden in which the first Adam was placed had the purpose of being a model for the true garden Christ would “plant” in redeeming Israel. This new garden was always intended to be extended to include Gentile converts. With Israel’s rejection of Christ however, priority has gone first to the Gentiles with Israel’s ingathering last (Luke 13:28-30).
Israel is Pictured Safe in the Wilderness and the Church Under Satanic Attack
The third implication is that Israel are pictured not in the land but in the wilderness. In Revelation 12, Israel is not to be seen in eisodus, but in a new exile “into the wilderness” (vs 6) “by God” so that “she might be taken care of for 1260 days”. That God puts her in the wilderness for her protection is stunning given that the tribulation ends after 1260 days! This is done without mention of an eisodus to the land, one a reader should expect given their exile and promise to return to the land!
The physical seed of Abraham are kept safe in the wilderness throughout the tribulation while the church endures Satanic attack. That the forces of Satan conquer God’s people with many going into captivity and others killed by the sword points unmistakably to an anti-ingathering. It would appear that the expanded Edenic-garden that Christ filled with spiritual sons, is about to be emptied by the Antichrist. It hints at martyrdom of the church at the end of the age.
The Promised End-time Exodus is from Earth to Heaven in Death
The fourth implication is that the promised end-time exodus appears to be from earth to heaven. In Revelation 15, those who have been victorious over the beast are envisioned next to a sea of glass glowing with fire, a strong Mosaic picture of exodus (they sing the song of Moses), but the picture is heavenly, not earthly and certainly not Palestine.
The radical shift strongly supports that the New Testament authors re-envisioned the promised eisodus from a physical to a spiritual ingathering, consistent with the testimony of the great men of the faith, who were all searching for a heavenly country/land (Hebrews 11:16).
John prophesies the destruction of God’s people in martyrdom (Revelation 13:7). It suggests a coming catastrophe that involves a spiritual falling away of God’s people, a separation of those who hold fast to the true testimony of Christ even under threat of death from those whose testimony of Christ is largely lip-service (Revelation 13:15).
Those whose hearts are fixed upon the physical world and its seeming benefits are, like Lot’s wife, at risk of turning back – falling away, from the truth. Those who truly seek to fill the earth with spiritual sons of Christ, will oppose the Antichrist’s efforts to empty the world of God’s glory by giving the most powerful testimony possible – the testimony of Christ, willingly laying down their lives in the most glorious act of devotion possible.
The Church’s Testimony in Martyrdom Likely Brings Israel to Repentance
That John envisioned Israel kept safe throughout the tribulation period portends God’s providential plan for the Jewish people. In marvelous grace, God has brought salvation to the Gentiles “to make Israel envious” (Romans 11:11). But how will Israel become envious if Gentile believers fall away, failing to prove their love for God through standing firm against evil?
Relevance for Christians Today
The Israelites envisioned Palestine as a paradisal garden. It suggests Christians should update their view of “paradise”. Paradise is not an ideological state of perfection in accordance with our understanding. We should re-imagine our theology so that it complies with Scripture. For followers of Christ, we already dwell in a paradisal-garden as long as we hold fast to our covenantal obligations in Christ.
Failing our covenantal obligations brings spiritual barrenness and unfruitfulness. Fulfilling our covenantal obligations brings the outpouring of God’s Spirit, like fructifying rains to restore our fruitfulness. It is a paradise into which we invite those oppressed and downtrodden to enter. It is a paradise in which there should be expectation to bring both physical and spiritual healing to its members. It is an environment into which we can live in constant communion with our Saviour in bliss.
Most important, we are that spiritual garden of fruitfulness in Christ. We are the “plants” God has promised to plant in His garden (2 Samuel 7:10; Ezekiel 17:23). Too often, church mentality seems mired in the false perception that we are somehow oppressed and downtrodden by contemporary culture and a world intent upon evil and corruption.
This does not mean that we will not come under spiritual or physical attack. But even in these circumstances, Christ is already our Victor. The world cannot take our salvation from us. We must only hold fast until the end, whether the end is our personal life, or Christ’s personal Parousia.
Though often under spiritual attack, focus should not be upon the harm our enemy attempts to exact against us. He cannot succeed as Christ is already the Victor. Rather, our focus should be upon the victims of this global spiritual war. Leading others to life, increasing the fruitfulness of those who already experience life in Christ, is enlarging God’s garden. Our focus should inevitably be upon completing that garden through its filling with spiritual sons of Christ. This is our reasonable service.
[1] Gordon J. Wenham, Word Biblical Commentary Genesis 1-15, Waco, Texas, Word Books, 1987, p. 61
[2] Beale, G. K., The Temple and the Church’s Mission, A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God, Downers Grove IL, InterVarsity Press, 2004, p. 81-82
[3] Beale, G. K., The Temple and the Church’s Mission, A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God, Downers Grove IL, InterVarsity Press, 2004, p. 81