The curse of
Genesis 3
If the fossil record reveals death, disease, weed, thistles, and even cataclysmic destruction of animal life long before 4004 BC, what did the curse on creation that resulted from sin produce in Genesis 3?
It’s a good and fair question — and the fossil records does not reveal a dramatic change in animal disease or the fertility of the soil in about 4004 BC. And yet the curse of Genesis 3 is a major part of Paul’s theology, especially as discussed by him in Romans 8. Let’s see —
(Rom 8:18-23 ESV) 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
Paul interprets the curse foremost in terms of the anticipation of creation for God’s children to be revealed as such when Jesus returns.
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
But the creation itself was “subjected to futility.” “Futility”? This is mateistes, the word often translated “vanity” in Ecclesiastes. Thayer’s translates “devoid of truth and appropriateness.” Moulton-Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek New Testament translates “either absence of purpose or failure to attain any true purpose.”
Maybe “frustration” would be a better translation, as in the NIV. The point is that the creation is suffering from a failure of God’s intended purpose.
23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Paul concludes by returning to Christians, who like the Creation, eagerly wait for the resurrection at the end of time and our “adoption as sons.” This is hard to understand if we imagine the Creation being destroyed and Christians’ souls wafting off to heaven. What would the Creation have to look forward to other than destruction? Creation would go from purposelessness to nothingness! But God has better plans for this world.
(Rev 21:1-3 ESV) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
“New” here is kainos, not neos, meaning renewed or refreshed or repurposed, rather than “made from scratch.” The passage describes the New Jerusalem now in heaven descending to earth, joining heaven and earth so that God will dwell with man — just as he once did in the Garden.
Now, this is something the Creation could groan for in anticipation of the return of Jesus — a purification followed by a new function. Heavens and earth will be joined into one!
But there’s another key point. What does it mean to become “sons of God” other than to be saved? It’s not that salvation isn’t important, but it’s not really the point Paul is making regarding man’s relationship to the Creation.
(Psa 2:1 ESV) 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you.”
Psalm 2 is one of those double-fulfillment prophecies. It was originally considered a coronation psalm, perhaps for David or Solomon. But the apostles repeatedly quote from this psalm as prophesying the Messiah.
Amazingly enough, it also speaks of the coronation of God’s people, God’s sons. “Begotten” is the same word found in —
(Joh 3:5 ESV) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
In the Greek, “born” and “begotten” are the exact same word, with the distinction being made based on the sex of the parent under consideration. The child of a man is begotten. The child of a woman is born. (Compare Phil 1:10; 1 Cor 4:15.)
Who is the parent in John 3:5? Obviously, God himself — our Father. The better translation would be “begotten of water and the Spirit.” When we are saved, we are begotten — re-conceived — as sons of God. And this is the language of kingship.
David beautifully interprets Genesis 1:26-28, where God gives mankind “rule” or “dominion” over the earth —
(Psa 8:6-8 ESV) 6 You have given [mankind] dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, 7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.
So what does this tell us about Genesis 3? Well, the first and most important element of the curse is the resulting separation of God from Adam and Eve and the heavens from the earth. And this does not show up in the fossil record — and is far bigger and more important than a universe at least 13.82 billion light years in radius!
Next, Adam and Eve were charged with care of the Creation. Dominion was given not to use up and throw the earth away but “to work it and keep it” (Gen 2:15 ESV).
Moreover, Adam and Eve were charged as priests in God’s temple and as the images of God in his temple to lead others to worship and serve God — and to demonstrate the nature and character of God to the world.
(1Pe 2:9 ESV) 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Why can I cite New Testament texts to interpret the Old Testament? Because Christians have be begotten again as sons of God to fulfill the roles of Adam and Eve and work toward the restoration and re-creation of the world and its people.
Finally, the resurrection of the saved declares Jesus’ defeat of the final enemy: death. Eternal life was promised to Adam and Eve (and surely to their descendants and anyone else — if there were other humans ) who served and worshiped God in the Garden. They threw it away — destroying that opportunity for everyone. Jesus brought us that same opportunity in a very different way — with the Garden to be rebuilt at the end of time by the merger of heaven and earth.
And Christians, through evangelism and the power of the cross, restore the promise of life and immortality to the world, which lost that promise through Adam and Eve.
Now, obviously, Genesis 3 speaks more exactly about childbirth and farming and marriage, but as we can see, Paul sees the curse in much more cosmic terms [1]. Those are but symptoms of a much deeper problem. When Adam and Eve were evicted from the Garden, they were not only separated by the cherubim from their perfect communion with God, they left the Garden which provided the Tree of Life, ideal food, the blessing of being in God’s very presence — and most importantly, their role as God’s priests and images and rulers over the Creation for God.
Of course it was harder to farm. They were no longer in God’s perfect Garden. Of course childbirth was more difficult. God was not as close as he’d once been. Of course spouses would find themselves in conflict. They could now see the sin in their mates.
In short, the curse is really a curse, but it’s best understood in terms of relationship with God.
So in what sense do humans suffer from the curse today? Well, there’s a separation between man and God, which Jesus came to heal. And there is a lost opportunity for immortality, which Jesus came to heal. And we are no longer in the Garden, no longer walk with God, and no longer eat from the Tree of Life, which Jesus came to heal.
And we forget that the Creation is also cursed because it’s lost its rightful rulers. (Think The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.)
One final point. The Curse is not because God got mad and punished all of humanity for Adam’s and Eve’s single sin. The Curse is the natural consequence of sin. Sin separates from God, because God is holy, and so requires that Adam and Eve leave the Garden. Becoming aware of good and evil makes it possible — unavoidable, nearly — to judge others, without the grace of God and power of the Spirit (and even then it’s hard). Leaving the Garden means having to do your own gardening. It’s harder. And you can’t be king over the Creation for God if you’re in rebellion.
Adam and Eve threw away an unspeakable gift. God did not cause this problem. Man did.
Oh, and one even more final point. If I were the Creation, I’d be very unhappy about how mankind treats me. I’d feel dirty, used, and used up. And I’d be looking forward to the day when God cleans me up and returns me to my pristine glory — and even better.
And I’d be amazed at the patience God has shown to man as he tries to help man overcome the problems that come with leaving the Garden.
________________________
[1] For an intriguing, contrary (or supplemental?) view, see this article regarding the similarity of Jeremiah 4 to Romans 8.
This fits well with my opinion of entropy entering the world once Adam sinned and “closed the loop”, separating us from the creative power of the Word of God and leaving us with an increasingly entropic universe. The nature of Terra II is presaged in just what has been restored to us– Jesus, the Word of God. The creation will once again live, not merely on the declining power of inertia, but with the Lamb –the Word– as its power source.
Jay said: “Amazingly enough, it also speaks of the coronation of God’s people, God’s sons. “Begotten” is the same word found in – (Joh 3:5 ESV) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
The word “born” used in John 3:5 translates the Greek word “gennao” which means conception, to beget, to produce through birth. When used of a male, begotten is usually the time of conception, when used of a female it is usually to produce through birth.
Matthew 1:20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem.
Matthew 2:4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
Matthew 19:12 For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.
Matthew 26:24 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.
Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
Luke 23:29 For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!
John 16:21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.
Acts 7:8 Then He gave him the covenant of circumcision; and so Abraham begot Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.
Romans 9:11 For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls.
The phrase “only begotten” translates the Greek word “monogenes” that means unique, one of a kind, or only. Jesus Christ is also the “only begotten” Son of God. None other can claim hold to this title, no other person can lay claim to the title of “only begotten” Son. Jesus is God’s “only begotten” at His incarnation in the womb. The phrase “only begotten” has not only to do with Christ’s virgin birth, but also His eternal place within the Trinity.
Luke 7:12 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city was with her.
Luke 8:42 For he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.
Luke 9:38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:18 No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.
(Isaac was Abrahams only begotten son from Sarah.)
1 John 4:9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.
Jay
tell me please,
that you are not going to Skip over the cosmic battle of the deceiver and God’s hero of deliverance from the curse of the law,and sin.
Who walked into the purified temple in the restored kingdom,
9:23 So it was necessary for the sketches25 of the things in heaven to be purified with these sacrifices,26 but the heavenly things themselves required27 better sacrifices than these. 9:24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands – the representation28 of the true sanctuary29 – but into heaven itself, and he appears now in God’s presence for us.
Romans 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, but8 the Spirit is your life9 because of righteousness. 8:11 Moreover if the Spirit of the one10 who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, the one who raised Christ11 from the dead will also make your mortal bodies alive through his Spirit who lives in you.12
8:12 So then,13 brothers and sisters,14 we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh 8:13 (for if you live according to the flesh, you will15 die),16 but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are17 the sons of God. 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery leading again to fear,18 but you received the Spirit of adoption,19 by whom20 we cry, “Abba, Father.” 8:16 The Spirit himself bears witness to21 our spirit that we are God’s children. 8:17 And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)22 – if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him.
1.
3:4 The serpent said to the woman, “Surely you will not die,11 3:5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open12 and you will be like divine beings who know13 good and evil.”14
2.
3:15 And I will put hostility40 between you and the woman
and between your offspring and her offspring;41
her offspring will attack42 your head,
and43 you44 will attack her offspring’s heel.”45
P.s.
if i am not mistaken Satan The word means “adversary” or with the article “the adversary”
witch goes with gen 3:15
The Greek word for “begotten” used in Hebrews 5:4-5 is “ginomai” citing Psalm 2:7 which the Hebrew translation of begotten is yalad that means bring forth.
Hebrews 5:4-5 And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You.”
The Messianic prophesy of Psalm 2:7 speaks of God bringing forth the Messiah, “I have brought you forth.” God proclaimed that Jesus is His one and only unique Son, the Messiah.
I believe Romans 8 harkens back to both Isaiah, Jerimiah, and ultimately Genesis 3!!! As when God sanctified the 7th day, creation was perfected. When he rested within this cosmic temple, his sustaining presence kept the whole physical realm from ageing and decaying(what the 2 law of thermodynamics or entropy would have otherwise done). Within the beginning of that day, The whole Universe was perfectly regulated.
Until Satan fell from grace, tempted Eve who sinned, and caused Adam to do the same. Suddenly, day seven was interrupted! Creation is once again subjected into that which it was freed(of 13 billion years) by God’s sanctifying presence. God punishes our primal descendants. But not without hope.
Another Adam would soon walk the face of this Earth to reverse that curse the fist one(and his offspring) had caused in his rebellion. He would send His Spirit to regenerate the hearts of fallen humanity through genuine faith. This Arch Adam promises a day of restoration(resuming the 7th day) that’ll bring Heaven and Earth back to their heavenly perfection(any wonder why scripture calls it “That Day”?)! From chaos to creation, God will once again liberate the elements from futility! Jesus will be consummated as a benevolent universal emperor at the end of time!
I PRETTY MUCH LIKE THIS PHRASE…JAY
‘Covenantal substitutionary atonement’
what is interesting, in the wilderness all the people were not circumcised.
gen.17:14 Any uncircumcised male33 who has not been
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off34 from his people –
he has failed to carry out my requirement.”35
Joshua 5:7 He replaced them with their sons,12 whom Joshua
circumcised. They were uncircumcised; their fathers had not circumcised them
along the way.
the conditional covenant is cut with the people and their forthcoming generations
deut.27:10 You must obey him7 and keep his
commandments and statutes that I am giving you today.” 27:11 Moreover, Moses commanded
the people that day: 27:12
“The following tribes8 must stand to bless the people on Mount
Gerizim when you cross the Jordan: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and
Benjamin. 27:13 And these
other tribes must stand for the curse on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher,
Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
this helps me to understand Paul’s usage,Rom 7
7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin?
Absolutely not! Certainly, I14 would not have known sin except through the
law. For indeed I would not have known what it means to desire something
belonging to someone else15 if the law had not said, “Do not
covet.”16
7:8 But sin, seizing the
opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of wrong
desires.1
THIS CARRIES over to the his underling problem
Gal.3:10 For all who20 rely on doing the works of the law are under
a curse, because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on
doing everything written in the book of the law.”21 3:11 Now it is clear no one is
justified before God by the law, because the righteous one will live by
faith.22
ROM
7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from
this body of death? 7:25
Thanks be25 to God
through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then,26 I myself serve the law of God with my mind,
but27 with my flesh
I serve28 the law
of sin.
CHRIST RESOLVES THE {FAITHFUL] and cursed people of god born under the LAW.
GAL
4:4 But when the appropriate
time7 had come, God
sent out his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 4:5 to REDEEM those who were under
the law, so that we may be adopted as sons with full rights.8
SO WHAT MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED
GAL
3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by
becoming26 a curse
for us (because it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a
tree”)27 3:14 in order that in Christ
Jesus the blessing of Abraham would come to the Gentiles,28 so that we could
receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.
THE END RESULT
ROM.
8:1 There is
therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.1 8:2 For the law of the life-giving
Spirit2 in Christ
Jesus has set you3
free from the law of sin and death. 8:3 For God achieved what the law could not do because4 it was weakened
through the flesh. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and
concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 8:4 so that the righteous requirement of the law may be
fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the
Spirit.
THE COSMIC CLINSEING THROUGH THE FAITHFULNESS OF CHRIST
THE PROBLEM
rom.
1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people39 who suppress the
truth by their40
unrighteousness,41
1:19 because what can be known
about God is plain to them,42 because God has made it plain to them. 1:20 For since the creation of
the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have
been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So
people43 are
without excuse. 1:21 For
although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but
they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts44 were darkened.
the trial that has come upon the whole of this creation (which started
out very ‘good”.) is the result of a cosmic deviation that suppress’ the
truth/word of GOD, knowingly in unrighteousness.
The cosmic powers of evil are warring against the faithful people of God.
This was true in the Garden,”with The deceiver”being unfaithful and disobedient to gods truth.
It was true at the Red Sea. It was true at the cross.
IT IS STILL TRUE TODAY
EPH
6:10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the
strength of his power. 6:11
Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand
against the schemes21 of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle22 is not against flesh and blood,23 but against the
rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness,24 against the
spiritual forces25
of evil in the heavens.26 6:13 For this reason, take up the full armor of God so
that you may be able to stand your ground27 on the evil day, and having done everything,
to stand.
THE FATHER’S VICTORY THROUGH THE FAITHFUL SON
HEB
9:20 and said, “This is the blood of the
covenant that God has commanded you to keep.”24 9:21 And both the tabernacle and
all the utensils of worship he likewise sprinkled with blood. 9:22 Indeed according to the law
almost everything was purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood
there is no forgiveness.
9:23
So it was necessary for the sketches25 of the things in heaven to be purified with
these sacrifices,26
but the heavenly things themselves required27 better sacrifices than these. 9:24 For Christ did not enter a
sanctuary made with hands – the representation28 of the true sanctuary29 – but into heaven
itself, and he appears now in God’s presence for us.
THE PROBLEM OF DEATH RESOLVED BY GOD’S RIGHTEOUS ACT…
5:18 Consequently,26 just as condemnation27 for all people28 came29 through one
transgression,30 so
too through the one righteous act31 came righteousness leading to life32 for all people. 5:19 For just as through the
disobedience of the one man33 many34 were made sinners, so also through the
obedience of one man35 many36 will be made righteous. 5:20 Now the law came in37 so that the
transgression38 may
increase, but where sin increased, grace multiplied all the more, 5:21 so that just as sin reigned
in death, so also grace will reign through righteousness to eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord……THEN CH 6-7-8
Christ the man-god is the atonement. on the cross saying father ,father why ? have you forsaken ME… i really don’t think it was about anything other than pleading for and end to the separation. THE CURSE OF THE LAW BECAUSE HE WAS HUNG ON A CROSS.
“THE RIGHTEOUS ACT”
FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE TO THE FATHERS WORD
Isaiah 53.3-6
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.
Isaiah 6.13
And though a tenth remains in the land,
it will again be laid waste.
But as the terebinth and oak
leave stumps when they are cut down,
so the holy seed will be the stump in the land
Isaiah 10.2-23
In that day the remnant of Israel,
the survivors of Jacob,
will no longer rely on him
who struck them down
but will truly rely on the Lord,
the Holy One of Israel.
A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob
will return to the Mighty God.
Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel,
only a remnant will return.
Destruction has been decreed,
overwhelming and righteous.
The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
the destruction decreed upon the whole land.
Isaiah 53.8-9
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
Isaiah 53.11-12
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
ALSO…..I KNOW I NEVER STOP
there are so many facets to the diamond in the rough” CHRIST”
ACTS
45 2:24 But God raised him up,46 having released47 him from the pains48 of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power.49 2:25 For David says about him,
But God raised him up,46 having released47 him from the pains48 of death
NET BIBLE NOTES
48sn The term translated pains is frequently used to describe pains associated with giving birth (see Rev 12:2). So there is irony here in the mixed metaphor.
49tn Or “for him to be held by it” (in either case, “it” refers to death’s power).
“VINDICATED BY THE SPIRIT”
HANGING ON A TREE PRESUPPOSED THAT JUDGEMENT HAD BEEN DONE RIGHTLY
AND SO
“VINDICATED BY THE SPIRIT”
He24 was revealed in the flesh,
vindicated by the Spirit,25
seen by angels,
proclaimed among Gentiles,
believed on in the world,
taken up in glory.
NET BIBLE NOTESsn This passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.
25tn Or “in spirit.”
Redemption and the Goel
Posted on 5.12.2014
What does redemption mean?
That was a question I was dealing with the other night out at the prison bible study.
It’s an interesting question as other than a vague sense that redemption is synonymous with “salvation,” I don’t know if many Christians have a ready definition for “redemption.”
What I pointed out in my study was how redemption has strong associations with Christus Victor views of salvation, the notion that “salvation” is fundamentally about deliverance, liberation, freedom and emancipation from dark enslaving forces.
JAY
RICHARD BECK
EXPIRMENTAL THEOLOGY
DON’T GET HOW TO SHOW LINK
RICH
I JUST LOVE THIS
4 The one enthroned15 in heaven laughs in disgust;16
the Lord taunts17 them.
2:5 Then he angrily speaks to them
and terrifies them in his rage,18 saying,19
2:6 “I myself20 have installed21 my king
on Zion, my holy hill.”
Rich,
“Redemption” is being freed from slavery by the payment of a price or “ransom.” The language parallels Christianity with the Exodus. God frees his children from the realm of sin just as he freed the Israelites from the realm of Egypt.
To enter a link, just type, starting with the http:// Should show up as a link in the comment. To bury the link in text is too complicated to bother with.
Readers,
A number of readers have spoken of Genesis 1-3 in terms of the law of entropy, as though entropy did not exist before the Fall. I confess to having held the same view several years ago. But I’ve since learned that entropy is at the heart of what makes the Creation tick. For example, time flows from our past to our future largely because that’s the direction of entropy. It’s nearly the only law of physics that can only go in one direction with respect to time.
Just so, digestion requires entropy, and therefore so does making a baby or, quite literally, thinking.
Obviously, God may have established a very different set of laws of nature pre-Fall, but if so, it’s beyond human imagining — and there’s no evidence in astronomy or geology that entropy was suspended. I can’t begin to tell you what a world without entropy would be like, because I can’t imagine it, but it would be so far different from our present world that it wouldn’t produce animals, insects, and rocks in any sense similar to what we experience. I mean, why have teeth when you can’t digest food? Why have body parts designed to dissipate heat when heat is a by product of entropy?
I’d be much more inclined to agree that entropy and a body of special laws existed in the Garden — due to the intense, personal presence of God there. That’s entirely possible. It was obviously a very different kind of place and I would put no more limits on how God might have made it than how he might renew the heavens and the earth.
PS — Entropy often comes up in the these conversations because entropy seemingly makes our universe finite — and it does, absent miraculous intervention. But the Big Bang is an exception to entropy because hyper-inflation is a likely means by which God created much of the matter in the universe, with an extremely high degree of organization that gives gazillions of years for entropy to wind the universe down. God could inflate the new heavens and earth at will, within current physics, and entropy would always happen and do so infinitely. I think. This is pretty complicated stuff and I’m above my pay grade on this kind of speculation.
Rich asked,
Rich, my present plans are to skip over the cosmic battle of the deceiver and God’s hero of deliverance … It’s not a critical part of Christian evidences and I’ve only got so many weeks to cover this ground.
But we talked about demons in some depth — not that much — back in the Atonement series a few years ago. Search under “demons.”
Grace,
As you quoted in Hebrews 11:17, Isaac is said to be “only begotten” of Abraham, but Ishmael was born before him and Abraham had other sons later. Therefore, we can be “begotten” of God and not in any sense contradict the only-begotteness of Jesus. As you point out, monogenes refers more to uniqueness as a class than having no siblings.
BLESSINGS AND CODOS (YA KNOW LIKE YA KNOW THE RIGHT WING POLITICAL FANATIC)
THE NAME ESCAPES ME….
🙂
JAY
RICH
My dream, with regards to the New Heavens and New Earth, is that entropy would indeed be done away with — as chaos (complete disorder and the utter opposite of the endpoint of entropy, a cold and completely ordered and inert cosmos) is finally defeated by love, entropy would be taken up and transformed into something more harmonious and less brutal.
Hmm… what if the image-bearers were created in order to limit the power of both entropy AND chaos to ruin the very good creation, and thus their fall into sin (collusion with the powers that seek to destroy that good creation) still marks the time of *subjection* to futility?
Ishmael was begotten by Abraham. Abraham also had several other sons. However, Isaac was the only or unique son of Abraham. Isaac was the son of God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah.
Isaac was the only or unique son of Abraham (monogenes), not only a son of Abraham. Jesus is the only or unique Son of God (monogenes), not only a Son of God.
The word “born” in John 3:5 which the Greek translation is “gennao” that means conception or to produce through birth, does not have the same meaning as “begotten” is used in Hebrews 5:4-5 which is the Greek translation “ginomai” that means proved, to appear or to show, citing Psalm 2:7 which the Hebrew translation of “begotten” is “yalad” that means bring forth. The phrase “only begotten” translates the Greek word “monogenes” that means unique, one of a kind, or only. Jesus is not only a Son of God, but is the only begotten Son of God.
Jesus was already born “gennao” at His incarnation in the womb. In Psalm 2:7 God wasn’t proclaiming that Jesus had been conceived that day. God was proclaiming that Jesus is His only begotten Son, the Messiah.
The Messianic prophecy of Psalm 2:7 speaks of God bringing forth the Messiah. None other can claim hold to this title.
Hebrews 5:4-5 Another thing to remember is that no one can be a high priest just because he wants to be. He has to be called by God for this work in the same way God chose Aaron. That is why Christ did not elect Himself to the honor of being High Priest; no, He was chosen by God. God said to Him, “My Son, today I have honored You.
Nick asked,
I tend to use “entropy” in the sense used in physics, and so those references to entropy as a synonym for futility or frustration throws me off.
However, I agree. I think the sins of Adam and Eve ended one effort by God to bring light to the world and so left the world without rescue or redemption — and subject to the abuse of unredeemed humans who hunted many animals to extinction and otherwise created environmental havoc.