Through the Bible with Les Feldick
LESSON 1 * PART 3 * BOOK 2
Adam and Eve’s Faith and Salvation
Genesis 3:14-24
Now let’s pick up where we left off last lesson in Ephesians chapter 4, and we’re still dealing with that old sin nature. We’ve left our circles on the board so that we can make a quick review. Remember when we’re born as sons of Adam then we’re nothing more than body and soul. Also remember that the soul is a sin nature, and something has to happen to it in order to get us into a relationship with God.
Now I just had a thought and the word Redeemer came to mind, and if we have time in this lesson, we’ll talk about the Redeemer concept because after all to be redeemed means to be bought back. Well if we’re bought back it also means that something was lost along the way, and we’ll try to look at that in a few moments.
But for right now let’s go back to where we left off, how that as sons of Adam we recognize that we’re sinners according to Romans 3:23
Romans 3:23
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
We’ve all sinned, and we’ve all come short because we’re born of Adam. And now the Holy Spirit has somehow or other, and it’s hard to explain it, but somehow the Holy Spirit opens our understanding so that we can believe that Christ literally, physically, as well as spiritually, died the death that we deserved. In other words Christ took our place on that cross, and we call that substitution. He died in my place! And then in the last lesson we saw back in Romans chapter 6, how He reckons our old Adam now as crucified. That’s the only thing you can do to deal with the old Adam, is to put him to death, and that’s the way God sees our old Adam after salvation.
Then Paul can go on and teach throughout the Book of Romans that now since the old Adam is dead, we don’t have to let him rule and reign in our lives, because now we reckon him dead. Now let’s go ahead and look at Ephesians chapter 4, and come in again to those verses we looked at last lesson.
Ephesians 4:22-24
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation (or manner of living) the old man, (that old Adam) which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24. And that ye put on the new man, (not the old Adam, we’re going to do him out of the way, but the new man) which after God (moves in) is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
When God moves in a new part of us in created in righteousness and true holiness. When that happens you see, Paul can continue to instruct us. What’s going to be part and parcel of the change of our living? Well we’re going to put aside all the things before was rather commonplace, they’re just natural and we won’t take time here to read them in the next verses, you can do that at your own leisure.
Now if you will again come back to Romans chapter 3. You’ll notice that a lot of these references with regard to what God does in salvation come from the Book of Romans. And again the Holy Spirit was so careful in even the alignment of our New Testament books. I’m afraid a lot of people don’t realize that the Book of Romans was actually written after Galatians, and I and II Thessalonians. And yet, when the Church leaders of the years 300 and something, came together and put our New Testament together, the Holy Spirit was so evident that He puts the Book of Romans right after the Book of Acts instead of Thessalonians or Galatians or one of his earlier letters. There is a reason for it and that is because the Book of Romans is so basic in these salvation teachings. And when we come out of the Book of Acts and here we hit this Book of Romans and all the foundation is laid in this letter. And then, as we have been doing, we put all the pieces together from our other epistles. Now let’s go back to Romans chapter 3 and start at verse 20.
Romans 3:20
“Therefore by the deeds of the law (when we see the word “law” what’s the first thing you normally think of? Well, the Ten Commandments. The Law per se was that whole concept of the Law of Moses. It was ritual, their worship, their sacrifices. It was the Ten Commands, the moral law, but it was also the civil law. How neighbor would deal with neighbor and so forth. But here, when Paul refers to the law, he’s talking about the moral law, the Ten Commandments) there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; (why? Because the law only has one purpose in Scripture, and it is what?) for by the law is the knowledge of (not of God but of what?) sin.”
Now when God gave the Ten Commandments, they just literally showed the old Adam how he really operated. And that was all the Law could do. All the Law could do was show man that he was bent to take God’s name in vain, to worship idols, to be envious, to want to steal, he is bent to all these things the Law prohibits. And so all the Law was intended to do was to show man his sin. Now let’s go to verse 21.
Romans 3:21a
“But now….”
What’s the now? We’re not under the Law of Moses. Let’s go over to chapter 6 because there are so many folks that don’t understand the difference between Law and Grace. And there’s all the difference in the world because the Bible delineates it. And here we come now in Romans chapter 6 and verse 14 and what does he say?
Romans 6:14
“For sin (the old Adam) shall not have dominion over you: (he isn’t going to rule you anymore. He’s dead.) for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” (Do you see the difference? And then he comes right back and repeats the statement in verse 15.)
Romans 6:15
“What then? shall we sin (go ahead and do as we please?) because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”
Don’t think such a thing. Grace doesn’t give us license but on the other hand, we’re not under that demand of the Law: Thou shalt, and ‘Thou shalt not’ because that’s a thing of the past. Now come back to chapter 3:21.
Romans 3:21
“But now (since we’re not longer under the Law) the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, (oh people rebel at that. I don’t know how many say, ‘yeah but I’m keeping the Ten Commandments. But God isn’t demanding that we keep the Ten Commandments per se. We have to recognize that now it’s a whole different set of circumstances) being witnessed by the law and the prophets;”
See nothing flies in the face of that which has g one before. It all fits in it’s proper unfolding of the Word of God. Now look at verse 22.
Romans 3:22
“Even the righteousness of God which is by (not by Law keeping, and being religious, but by) faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference:”
Why isn’t there any difference? Because we’ve all sinned. The Law keeping Jew was a sinner, and the non law keeping Gentile were sinners. So we have to recognize that it’s only by faith in Paul’s Gospel that we get to the place that we believe that Christ did indeed died for sins, and rose from the dead.
Now I want to come back again to verse 22 in light of when we go back to the Book of Genesis and we’ll be doing that in the next lesson. But when get back there and talk about Adam being covered by the skins of those animals that were no doubt sacrificed, we’re going to see that it’s fulfilled right here in this verse. Because we are clothed not with animal hides, but rather “Even the righteousness of God.”
In other words again, coming back to our circles. Just as soon as the old sin nature is crucified with Christ, the old Adam is put to death, he’s defeated, and God puts opposite him within each believer a new nature. God literally clothes us now with the righteousness of Christ, so that when God looks on us as a believer tonight, He doesn’t really see me, and He doesn’t really see you, but rather God see’ Christ! And so that’s what it means to be in Christ. We’re just literally clothed with Him. I’m glad God doesn’t see me, because I’m not worth looking at from that point of view. But He doesn’t see me. He sees the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now let’s go back to chapter 6. Now you’ll find that after verse 6 that we looked at some time ago that our old man is crucified with him, and has been put to death. Now verse 7.
Romans 6:7
” For he that is dead is freed from sin.” (The old Adam)
There’s only one way we can get rid of old Adam. He is going to constantly be a sin nature until we reckon him crucified. Now he’s dead and if he is dead, what can happen to the rest of us. It can take over. The new nature comes in and the Holy Spirit is going to take residence with our spirit. That’s the way Paul puts it. Now we’ve got this whole set of circumstances from God’s side, now beginning to put it’s influence on the body and what’s it going to do to our life? Totally change it. And as Paul says, the things we once loved, we now hate. And the things we once hated, now we love. It’s a whole new ballgame, if I may use that expression. Now, let’s go on to verse 8.
Romans 6:8
“Now if we be dead (the old sin nature has been put to death) with Christ, we believe that we shall also (what’s the next word?) live with him.”
What has happened? We have been crucified with Christ. We have died with Him, but now let’s go one step further. When they took Christ from the cross what did they do with Him? Where was He placed? In the grave. He was buried. Then after the third day and third night, what happened? He rose from the dead. Now we’ve got to carry this identification all the way through. If we were with Christ on the cross and He died my death, then when they put the body in the grave and He was buried, who else was in the grave? You and I!! Here we are, in the grave, but Christ didn’t stay in the grave. He rose from the dead and now since He rose from the dead, what can He impart to us? New life!
Okay, let’s follow this concept if you will, to John’s Gospel, chapter 12. Let’s go down to verse 20. Now, get the setting. We’re in Christ’s earthly ministry, but we’re getting right close to the crucifixion. It’s probably just a matter of days away. And there was a great crowd gathering for the Feast of Passover. And you remember the Jews came from every corner of the Roman Empire to these feast days. And here this massive crowd of Jews have been coming from all over the then known world – the Roman Empire – for the Feast of Passover. They are meeting there in that temple complex. And no doubt many Jews had Gentile friends whom they would bring along. After all that was quite a trip to go all the way back to Jerusalem. But whatever the consequences, let’s go down to verse 20 of chapter and we see the account.
John 12:20-21
“And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: (Gentiles). 21. The same (the Greeks) came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, (in other words, one of the twelve) and desired him saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.”
This is interesting and without some in depth teaching earlier you won’t understand it, but nevertheless, do you remember when the Canaanite woman came to Jesus and wanted Him to perform a miracle on her daughter? And what did the disciples say? “Send her away. She is a pest.” And Jesus made no comment and finally after much begging from the woman, He finally condescended to her and granted her wish. But you see, on first glance He didn’t because she was a Gentile. And He told her that.
Matthew 15:24b
“I have not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
Matthew 15:26b
“It is not meet (right) to take the children’s (of Israel) bread, and cast it to dogs. (Gentiles)
And you remember she came back and said, ‘Oh, true Lord, but don’t the dogs eat the crumbs?’ She said, ‘Can’t I at least have a crumb?’ You have basically the same thing here. These Gentiles tell Philip, “We would see Jesus.” But Philip remembers all these things that have been taking place and he says, “I don’t know now, what am I going to do?” And so he goes to Andrew in verse 22 and what does he tell him? “Hey there are Gentiles that want to see Jesus.” And Andrew doesn’t know what to do with it. So it’s just like a hot potato and so they both go in and tell Him. So they go in, and I say go in, because I think that all this took place out there on the pavement in that great crowd and Jesus was very likely in one of the other temple buildings. And so now they have found Jesus and they say, “Lord there’s some Greeks that want to talk to you. Now, here’s what I was driving at in verse 23.
John 12:23-24
“And Jesus answered the, saying, The hour is come, that Son of man should be glorified. 24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn (or kernel) of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.”
What was Jesus referring to? His coming, death, burial and resurrection. And any of you that garden, every time you plant seed in your garden, or a farmer plants his crop, he is rehearsing the whole plan of salvation over and over again. Why? Because you see, as a seed is put into the ground, and it waits for the sunshine and the rain, unless it’s put into the ground, it will never reproduce. You could leave it in the granary or the seed packed and it will never reproduce. But as soon as it’s buried in the soil, then what happens? New life!!! Jesus was referring to His coming death, burial and resurrection. And to these Greeks, these Gentiles, He could not be an object of faith until that had taken place. For the reason is that now in our Gospel, this becomes our salvation. The fact that Christ died in my place. I’ve identified with Him. As He was buried, you and I were buried. But we didn’t stay in the earth, we didn’t stay in the grave. As He rose from the dead we rose from the dead and we have new life.
Now let’s go back again to Romans chapter 8, following up this whole concept, let’s go to verse 10.
Romans 8:10-11
“And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; (the old Adam) but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from thedead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make alive) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”
Now, isn’t it all coming together? I hope it is. All of it comes together in this complete plan of redemption. We’ll look at that in the next half hour. But, let’s review it again. The Holy Spirit somehow makes entrance into our thought processes and convicts us that we’re sinners, we’re sons of Adam and that the Gospel is the only remedy. Then when we begin to understand that, yes, I’m a sinner, I’m without fellowship with my Creator, but Paul’s Gospel of I Corinthians 15:1-4 is the remedy.
Then we believe that Gospel, and we identify with the death of Christ, even though it was 2000 years ago. To the Creator God, what is 2000 years? A snap of the fingers. He is just as aware of us in 1990 as He was in His own time or in the time of Adam. Time means nothing to God so don’t ever get the idea that ‘how can a death 2000 years ago have any affect on me today. So then, as He was buried, signifying complete death, then also as He was resurrected, we also are resurrected to that new life and that’s exactly what Paul is talking about. Now, let’s continue on here in Romans 8.
Romans 8:12-14
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh (not to live just to enjoy living) to live after the flesh. 13. For if ye live after the flesh (in other words, all you’re concerned about is the old Adam) ye shall die: (spiritually, not physically cause that’s going to happen any way.) but if ye through the Spirit (the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives) do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body (the old Adam) ye shall live. 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they (might be? hope to be? No, what’s the verb?) are the sons of God.”
That’s what we call taking God at His word. He said it and we believe it, that when the Spirit of God has worked that work in us, we are the sons of God when we believe. Oh, we may not always behave like we’re His children, because any of us can fail and we can always have our weak moments, but nevertheless God is faithful. Now, come down to verse 16 and here’s where we’re going to kind of wind this up.
Romans 8:16
“The Sprit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.”
Now look at that verse carefully in the light of our diagram. The Holy Spirit beareth witness with our spirit that we are no longer a son of old Adam, but as a result of God’s plan of salvation, we are now what? We’re sons of God. Now, if we’re sons of God, look at the next verse.
Romans 8:17
“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”
I hope you can get a glimpse of what so many over the years have been able to see from just using these diagrams. How that our salvation is not just something that we glibly say, “Yeah, I believe it.” But oh, that we can just enter into it and experience it and know that the promises of God are ours and we place our whole eternal destiny on them, without fear, without any consternation whatsoever. The promises of God. And those promises are steadfast and they are sure and we don’t have to waver or doubt. This is all I want people to do is to study the Word.