My Gospel Project (a compilation of notes and articles)

Hey to all,

I just wanted to let you know that I will use this thread to post some articles and notes in preparation for some upcoming audio recordings I hope to share online via my podcast page. Some of the things I post will be complete articles, while other things may just be partial notes.

I am going to paste something I recently shared on my Facebook page, this will give a little bit of insight as to what this is about.

After 20 years, I am now ready to put all the pieces together. Ten days ago I received one more revelation. That revelation was the capstone to all I have be taught so far. This one revelation took all the bits and pieces I have been given over the last several years and gave them their full context. All that is left now is put these pieces together in one place. If all goes well, I hope to assemble all these bits and pieces on my (podcast name deleted) podcast. I hope to have this project finished by the end of the month. Then, if all goes well, I will get to put this all behind me.

I have been held captive by God for the last 20 years of my life. Folks, I have not been writing and speaking because it was a fun hobby. I have not spent thousands and thousands of hours with a bible (via computer) on my lap because I am a super religious guy. I have not voluntarily subjected my family to a net worth that is a bit embarrassing by the standards of most because I lack the ability or desire to provide good things for those I love. Instead, I have simply done these things because I have had no choice. I know that is hard to understand for those who have not been in my shoes, but it is the truth. When God sets his heart on accomplishing something, he knows how to get it done. When God wants to teach a man, God will fill that man with a desire that the man cannot reject. This desire will hold the man prisoner to that desire until the desire has served it purpose.

Now, unless I am badly mistaken, I am quite certain that the desire has served it's purpose. I am quite certain that this desire that holds me captive will be removed before this month is over. However, at this very moment, the desire is still present. As of now, I have one mission, and that is to clearly express these amazing things I have learned inside my captivity. I now have one last assignment.... SPEAK IT OUT. And that is what I intend to do.

All that I might share over the course of the next few weeks will not actually be my attempt to speak, rather, it will be my preparation to speak. My final act of speaking will be reserved for my podcast, but until then, I will prepare by writing out some of the good things I hope to share.

I am so... So.... SO very ready for this to be done. I am so ready to throw this burden into the fires of Mount Doom so I can enjoy life in the Shire again (sorry, a bit of a Lord of the Rings expression thrown in there). I am a regular guy with regular passions and I desperately long to simply LIVE and ENJOY. However, until God is finished, I will stay seated in my broken down recliner as I read and type, read and type, read and type. However, I will not do this with complaint, I will do it with expectation. This labor of God has not been in vain. Through his effort I now have a full grown tree of life buried in my heart. All that remains now is speak out about this tree God planted inside me. Once that work is finished, I will have permission to finally sit by the tree and eat the fruit it will naturally produce day after day, year after year, age after age, world without end... amen.

[I guess I should clarify - this is all under the assumption that my message will go unheard and unnoticed in this world. At this present time, I assume that this work of God has been for my benefit alone, however, if by chance God has raised me up for the purpose of others, then, this burden will likely continue as I will be compelled to speak for the sake of those that God will send my way. If that happens, then so be it, it will be a joy to share these things with hungry hearts. But, my current expectation is that these things will go unnoticed. And, if that happens, I know that I will have permission to finally put this all behind me...... Yeah!!!]

Just to warn you, much of what I share might appear like new and radical ideas. However, from my point of view, they will contain nothing that is contrary to scripture. If the things I write are judged by what is most commonly accepted, then I suppose that one would call them questionable. However, if they are only judged inside the full context of scripture, I don't see any reason they would cause alarm.

As I mentioned in the clip I shared via FB, this really has been a twenty year journey. If you are interested, you can read something I shared here on Sermon Index just as this journey was starting out. Right as God was beginning to call me to himself, I stumbled across Sermon Index. I quickly signed in and started and account as PJ (lost password long ago). Those early days on SI played a critical role in my life. Even though I am far removed from many of the ideas I held during those early days, I still can't help but to be thankful for a few of the things that served as a catalyst during those days. The hour plus interview with Leneord Ravenhill was one of those catalyst, and the other was the Revival Hymm. Oh how God used that one compilation to shift the entire course of my life.
Anyway, during those early days (back in 2003) I wrote an article called Keep the Fire Burning. It was more or less an expression of my intent to guard God's work that he was has begun. Well... Here I am twenty years later having never swerved from the course he set out for me. Only now, I clearly recognize that it was all of him. It was he who called me, it was he who sustained me, and it was he who kept me afraid of veering off course. I can see now that I didn't just suddenly become a super, disciplined guy by my own power, rather, all that happened in me was by God's power alone (and I mean that will all my heart).

Here is a link to that original thread if you have any interest. FYI, I would not advise you to bog yourself down with my UPDATES that are hidden towards the end - they are just not relevant.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=340&forum=35

If you choose to read any of it, do so only as a point of interest. Please don't read it to gain any spiritual insight and please don't use it to form an opinion about me. So much has changed in my life since writing that article that it wouldn't be fair to you or me to use it as source for forming an opinion. I am mainly sharing it to convey that I am not as new here as it might seem. I know it can be a bit off putting when someone "new" shows up and begins to jump right into things as if they have been here forever. Well, in all honesty, I have more or less been here forever. So, while my intrusion might seem a bit awkward on your part, it does not really feel awkward to me.

Please feel free to comment on the things I share in this thread. However, please know in advance that I will likely not enter into much discussion. Mostly, I will take note of what is said to see if I should attempt to edit things for greater clarity. I can assure you that your comments will be seen, but what I can't assure you is that I will be able to respond. So, please forgive me for my lack of response in advance.

I will share my first article in the comment below.

Thanks for putting up with me!
Jason

Entry #1 - My Understanding of Eternal Life

The Holy Bible often talks about a prize that is called Eternal Life. This most wonderful prize is the entire theme of scripture.
Every word that is recorded in the bible was specifically placed there by God to help his elect obtain this prize.

This promise called eternal life is a veiled reference to a most wonderful thing that is called "The Love of God.” Though this may not be a truth this is understood and acknowledged by others at this time, the "love of God" and "eternal life" are the same thing.

When the Bible speaks about the promise of eternal life it is not a promise that men will one day live for tens of millions of years in a place called heaven. While there is certainly a glorious, physical future that is in store for God’s people, the actual promise of eternal life has nothing to do with living for a large "quantity” of years. It is instead a reference to the indescribable joy that a person will experience when all hate towards others and the potential to hate all others has been destroyed.

At this present time, mankind is physically alive, yet spiritually dead because hate abounds their hearts. This is true for every descendent of Adam.

Because men have never known an existence without the presence of this hate, they do not recognize that this hate is inside them, nor do they recognize that their soul is dead because of this hate. This death that men abide in can only be recognized once God chooses to move that man out of his death and into the life that comes from love. Once a man tastes the life of love, his eyes will be opened to the truth that he was once dead. After a man has escaped the death that is caused by his hate, he will recognize the misery he was in before his salvation. He will also recognize the absence of life should he ever return to the place of death. Those who do not taste life will never recognize that they are dead.

Until a person is transferred from the place of death into the place of life by the power of God, they cannot fathom the joy that abides inside of life. This inability of others to understand this joy of which I speak is the fatal blow to any hope I have of being seriously regarded by others. Until a person tastes the good fruit of this "life"I proclaim, it will remain an abstract concept. For this reason, men will likely insist that I am talking about nothing, or they will insist that they already have this life of which I speak. This fact does not make me angry, but it does certainly frustrate. I have tasted a most glorious fruit called life. Also, I can now clearly point to the path that leads to this life. I have all this wealth, and no ability to share this wealth because those who desperately need my wealth do not even know they are poor. I can show all men the path to life, but without first recognizing that they are dead, my good news cannot be recognized for the good news that it is.

Despite the despair that smothers me under this reality, I will attempt to preach about this life I have come to know. I will continue to speak because I must. I do not speak because it is a fun hobby; I speak because I have no choice. I have no hope of finding the peace I long for until I have preached this gospel of life and made it available to the world. Preaching this gospel of LIFE is the only way I can shed this burden that keeps me in chains. I want to be free, and for that reason, I will preach unto a world that cannot possibly understand this thing I am preaching about.

I preach in the hope of gaining my freedom. However, I also preach because I believe that God can convince a heart I am speaking the truth. Though it is impossible to recognize the death you are in until you have tasted life, it is not impossible for God to convince your heart that I am telling you the truth. I am confident that God can create in you a determination to find this LIFE that you do not yet understand. God can persuade you that this man named Jason is not a liar, and he can make you jealous of me in a way that is good.

May God do this good thing in you. May he stir your heart to lust after this prize of which I speak. May you become angry that I have something you seem to lack. May God stir in you a determination to obtain this good thing even when you do not understand the beauty of the thing you seek.

Though I can’t convey to you what it is like to be alive, I can give you some things to compare this ETERNAL LIFE to. Even though I was dead for my first 29 years of life, I have some memories during my days of death when life and joy seemed to briefly manifest themselves to me. I will use these moments of fleeting joy to help you understand in part the goodness that comes with life.

The most notable to me is when my first child was born. I was very excited once I learned my wife was pregnant. However, I was convinced that those nine months would NEVER pass by. It was an agonizing wait until the call finally came. I was called to leave work early so I could drive my wife to the hospital. Once at the hospital, the agonizing wait continued as nothing seemed to happen for hours. But then…. Oh yes…. the crown of a hairy little head appeared. All my Lamaze training proved futile as I could do nothing but tell my wife with giddy excitement that I could see the head. The moment the top of the head became visible my joy became full. Once my little girl was placed in my arms, my joy and satisfaction was every bit as good as I expected it to be. Now, imagine that kind of joy multiplied by ten. Then, imagine those few hours of joy carried into every minute of your existence. That is the best way I can convey the beauty of this thing called ETERNAL LIFE.

Imagine receiving a report from the doctor that death was imminent only to later get a call revealing that they gave you the wrong report. According to the correct report, you are perfectly fine. Think of the glorious moment of relief and then multiply it by ten and imagine walking in that kind of ecstasy day after day.

Once God places you inside of eternal life, you will recognize that my description did not come close to doing it justice. But until you are blessed to experience this good thing for yourself, this is the best way I know to convey the glorious joy and life that one will experience when God removes all hate towards others. It is something you cannot fathom.

Now, let me be clear about something - I do not yet permanently abide in this place of joy, however, through the power of God, I have been blessed to taste it. I have lived inside this joy for months at a time. But, because God had some things to teach me, he removed that joy from me so that I would begin to seek it again. In my pursuit of finding that joy again, I have come to learn and understand some things that will enable me to abide in that joy forever and ever.

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Let me now say again - when the scripture speaks of eternal life, it is the promise that a man can forever live in the joy of loving all others instead of hating all others. To have hate in your heart is to be dead. To have that hate removed is to LOVE, and to love is to have LIFE.

Though it is often taught by tradition that "eternal life” is about a QUANTITY of years, the Bible teaches no such thing. If you read the Bible with the assumption that "eternal life” is about going to a place called heaven when you die to live forever and ever, I suppose I can see how one might come to believe that that is really what it means. I guess it can be understood to indicate a quantity of years in a place called heaven if that is the assumption you place upon it. But once you come to recognize and accept the truth that eternal life has nothing to do with a physical resurrection from physical death, it is easy to see that the writers of scripture never attempted to say that it did. The writers of scripture often conveyed the idea of ETERNAL LIFE as a substance to inwardly possess, but never did they describe it as a large number of years to physically live. Once you recognize the truth about eternal life, it is easy to see that the writers of the New Testament almost always presented it as a state of being.

For example: Consider the words of Jesus that are recorded in John 17:1-3. In this prayer of Jesus, he defines the substance that is called eternal life. His definition in no way indicates that eternal life is about going to a place called heaven when you die. He instead refers to eternal life as both "knowing God,” and "knowing Jesus Christ that God has sent.”

[John 17:1-3 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: (2) As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. (3) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. ]

It is important to recognize that this is the ONLY time in all of scripture that the substance called eternal life is expounded upon and defined. According to Jesus, eternal life is the fruit of knowing God and the fruit of knowing Jesus whom God did send.

Jesus did not indicate that eternal life had anything to do with going to some faraway place called heaven when we die. In addition, no New Testament writer after Jesus will indicate that it is about going to heaven when we die. This idea only exists by assumption.

We only imagine the idea that ETERNAL LIFE is about going to a place called heaven to live again after we physically die because we cannot imagine anything else. Sadly, to my frustration, for a person to understand the truth that "eternal life” is a reference to being free from the death that comes with hate, they have to first TASTE the heavenly gift. Only by tasting the gift for yourself can you recognize the true wonder and magnitude of the gift that God is trying to give. But until that happens, the only way to interpret the term "eternal life” is inside the context of what we can presently relate to. Since we can all relate to the truth that we will one day physically die, we can also relate to the hope of avoiding that dreadful fate. This is the reason we just naturally assume that the hope of gaining eternal life is the hope of one day being raised from the dead to live in another world. Until a person can taste the gift of eternal life, there is just no other way to understand the term as it appears in scripture.

Once we understand that the biblical terms "death” and "eternal life” are connected to the reality of hating others versus loving others, we can see that the writer of 1st John plainly stated this exact thought. However, due to our mistaken assumptions, we miss this truth that John established with clarity.

1st John 3:14-15 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. (15) Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

In these verses, John establishes the connection between "loving the brethren,” and having life. He also draws a connection between hate and death.

Because we view the scripture through our wrong assumption that eternal life is about going to heaven and that death is about literally dying, we just naturally assume that John is trying to say that those who love one another will one day get to inherit eternal life as a reward for loving one another. And then we assume he expresses the opposite by saying that those who hate each other will not inherit eternal life as a consequence of hating one another. But, once it is understood that death and life are references to hate and love, you can see that John is simply making that same connection with his statements. He is not saying that we know that we will get to live again after we die BECAUSE we love each other, rather, he is saying that WHEN we love the brethren we are abiding in LIFE already. To have true love in your heart for the brethren is to have the joy of LIFE present inside of you. And just the same, he is not trying to say that those who HATE his brothers will not be allowed to live again because they committed the sin of hating his brothers. He is just stating the obvious truth that you can’t have ETERNAL LIFE inside of you if you hate your brother because the idea is a contradiction. You can’t enjoy the LIFE of loving your brother when you are trapped in the death of hating your brother. It is just not possible.

There are 26 uses of the term "eternal life” in the New Testament and 10 uses of the term "everlasting life.” Not one of the verses that use these expressions offers any indication that these things are referring to some future state of unending physical existence in a place called heaven. We only believe it is so because we assume it is so. Since most have not tasted the good blessing that is called ETERNAL LIFE, you can’t imagine that it is anything but a reference to a literal, physical state of being in a place called heaven.

Let me close this segment by saying this: There is a reason that birds sing for joy. There is a reason that calves bound with delight when released from their stall. There is a reason that cats purr with pleasure as they lay across a lap. There is a reason that dogs wag their tails and dance with excitement in the presence of their masters. There is a reason that the entire animal world is filled with unceasing expressions of joy while humans are filled with anger, despair, Prozac, and Paxil.

Animals are perpetually filled with joy because they have no awareness of good and evil. For this reason, they have no capacity to judge others as wicked and wrong. This lack of ability to judge makes it impossible for them to hate. And since they cannot hate, they know nothing but the joy that is present when love is present. Even though they cannot recognize the joy that is inside of them, it is there all the same.

Animals cannot hate; as a result, animals have "eternal life.” As long as the animal is alive it will know nothing of hate. For this reason, the animal will remain alive with joy as long as it exists.

Humans are not so lucky. We know good and evil. We have the ability to make judgments. As long as we do not sin our ability to judge will not create harm. But after our first sin, our ability to judge will put us to death because judgment towards others will rise out of our sin. Once dead, every attempt of man to escape death will do nothing but increase the power of death that holds us. Without the intervention of God, there is no hope of life. But through the glorious plan of God, those who are dead can one day live again.

[Note: A sin is a work of the flesh. In the next session, I will explain what I mean by that term and I will explain how a work of the flesh compels us to judge others, and how judging others then leads to death.]

Hi Jade -

BTW, I notice that you had also posted under another user ID besides PJ.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=54621&forum=35

I admit that I have not yet worked up the nerve to click on this link. Yes, I have had a few other ID's over the years after I lost track of the PJ ID password. And, more likely than not, anything I posted with those other ID was a bit controversial in nature, and I am sure that I abused the intended purpose of this forum. Maybe the link you shared will not reflect that, so maybe I am paranoid about nothing, but, I am well aware that I have post hiding in the archives that I would just rather forget about. At various points over the last several years I sought to take advantage of the forum for my own gain. I used it to share links to my own material, and I came preaching AGAINST things that others were actively a part of. I had no business doing that, and I was wrong. I even sent Greg an email last night to clarify who I am so he can decide whether or not he wants to close out my account. And if he does so, I will respect his wish and never attempt to return by opening a new user ID.

Now, like I said, since I am a bit afraid to open the link you shared, this might be a bit of an overreaction. Maybe you found something good and decent that I shared (I don't think everything I shared was controversial). But, just in case it is something that would make me feel ashamed, I wanted to acknowledge that I do realize that I had no business using this forum to promote my message when I realized that it would be contrary to the desires of those who run it.

Take care,
Jason

Edit: I have since checked the link.

My Understanding of the Gospel ”“ Part 2: The Wages of Sin is Death

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; ...

Imagine this: You tell your child to not touch the stove. You then continue to inform them that if they choose to ignore your command they will get burned. Now, let me ask - are you threatening to burn the child as a punishment if they disobey your command and touch the stove? No - of course not. You were merely stating the natural consequence that would occur if they did not obey your advice. You are not going to burn the child if they touch the stove, however, if they touch the stove, they will most certainly get burned.

Keep this in mind as we look at Paul’s statement in Romans 6:23

According to the traditional understanding of eternal life and eternal death, most assume that Paul is stating that God is going to punish those who sin by taking away their life. Most assume that the death Paul is speaking of is a punishment rather than a natural result, but this assumption is wrong. This wrong assumption then spoils our ability to understand the true heart of God, and it ruins our ability to understand the true glory and beauty of the gospel.

When God commanded Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, he followed his command by stating the consequence that would occur if Adam did eat from the tree. God told Adam that he would die very soon after eating from the tree. If we understand correctly, it appears that God was indicating that Adam would die within 24 hours of eating from the Tree of Knowledge.

[But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Genesis 2:17]

Despite what we have learned from tradition, this warning that Adam would die after eating from the Tree of Knowledge was not a threat from God that he would personally punish Adam by taking away his life if he ate from the tree. First of all, if that is what God was implying, then God did not follow through with his word. The scripture makes it clear that God did not kill Adam that same day nor at any point soon after Adam ate from the tree. If physical death was the death that God was speaking of, then God’s word did not prove true. But once we come to understand that the death God spoke of was the death of hate, we can see that Adam did die very soon after eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

God’s warning to Adam that he would die if he ate from the Tree of Knowledge was not a threat of punishment, instead, it was simply God’s loving warning to Adam of what would naturally occur if he were to gain the knowledge of good and evil.

God understood that the joy Adam was blessed to walk in would immediately vanish if he were to sin. The moment Adam sins, he is going to move from the place of life/joy that comes with love to the place of hate/death that comes out of sin. It is impossible to sin and continue to love. Sin will always lead to hate. Because God recognized that this was true, he warned Adam of the consequence that would naturally occur if Adam ate from the Tree of Knowledge.

To understand how this is true, we need to understand the nature of sin. In my days of ignorance, I believed that sin was the result of us not working hard enough to do the right thing. In my old way of thinking, I believed that sin was an action of human weakness. For example, you stub your toe. According to your conscience, you believe that it is wrong to use four-letter words. However, in that moment of pain, you blurt out the words that you are convinced you should not say. According to my previous understanding, to say a curse word when you stubbed your toe would have been a sin. In my old way of thinking, to have controlled your mouth to please God would have been the right thing to do. But I now understand that we have it completely backward.

Before I dive into this, I need to first say that it is never a good thing to violate your conscience towards God. To knowingly and willfully do something that you believe is contrary to the will of God will never lead to life. This is the truth. However, it is equally true that using effort and carefulness to do the right thing will always lead to death.

I recognize that this can be confusing. But what must be understood is that the scripture speaks of two different kinds of death. Neither of these two kinds of death are physical in nature.

The first death is the death of feeling condemned in the eyes of God.

The second death is the death of hate.

If the first death of condemnation does not become present, the second death of hate will never follow. But once the death of condemnation becomes known, the death of hate will also be known. [It is ok to be a bit lost. I will shed some light on this as we move forward].

The sin that leads to hating others is a kind of sin that is referred to in scripture as "works of the flesh.” A work of the flesh is anything we do solely for the purpose of making God happy or keeping God happy. This kind of sin leads to hate because it automatically compels us to judge and look down on others who are not putting forth the same effort we put forth to please God. A work of the flesh is an action towards God that requires mental effort and motivation to produce. A work of the flesh is performed for one of two reasons ”“

A: The work of the flesh is performed to MAKE God happy because you feel like he is presently disappointed in you.

B: The work of the flesh is performed to KEEP God happy because you don’t want to lose his glory that you presently feel upon you.

[Note: These actions are referred to as "works of flesh" because we are only tempted to do them while we are ignorant of God's provision of righteousness. This ignorance of God's righteousness is naturally present inside all men when we first come into this world. This ignorance is present in our physical (fleshly) mind. We cannot trust in God's provision of righteousness until we LEARN about it. Until we learn about it and come to trust in it, we will assume (because of this ignorance that is present in our flesh) that pleasing God is dependent upon our effort to do the right thing. This assumption will then be the root of our temptation to do these works that destroy our souls with hate. Once God leads a man to understand the righteousness of God, and once he leads that man to trust in the righteousness of God, that man will no longer be tempted to put forth EFFORT to please God. As a result, he will have no reason to boast over his brothers and sisters. This man will be able to remain in the place of love forever and ever (hence - ETERNAL LIFE.)]

On the surface, a work of the flesh might seem like a good and noble thing, however, it is never a good thing because it will always create in the doer of the work a sense of superiority over all others who do not put forth this same effort. A work of the flesh will always lead to a place of judgment and hate. A work of the flesh will always lead to a loss of love and the joy that comes with that love. A work of the flesh will always result in death (as the misery of hate invades the soul).

As long as a person does not feel condemned in the eyes of God, and as long as they are confident in the righteousness of God (I will explain later) they will never be tempted to do a work of the flesh and will never lose the joy that comes with loving all others. As long as a person is not inside the first death of condemnation, the second death of losing their ability to love others will never be a threat. A person who is confident in their relationship and standing with God will never feel the NEED to exert effort to sustain that relationship. They will instead live a natural life of walking by their natural spirit. As long as they walk by their natural spirit, they will have no reason to hate. Hate is the product of judging others as inferior to ourselves. Judging others as inferior is the result of WORKING to please God. So, a person who is never compelled to WORK for the sake of pleasing God will never experience the misery that comes with judgment and hate. The person who is saved from the first death of condemnation towards God will forever be saved from the second death of hating others.

[This is the meaning of Revelation 20:6 - Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

The first resurrection is a reference to obtaining a perfected faith in God’s provision of righteousness. This righteousness of God is found in Christ. Those who come to fully trust in the righteousness that is in Christ will never be in danger of feeling condemned again. As a result, they will never be compelled to commit the sin of TRYING to please God (a work of the flesh). And because they will never do a work of the flesh, they will never know the misery of judgment and hate that flows out from that sin. Those who take part in the first resurrection (by obtaining a perfected faith in Christ) will never be hurt by the second death that comes through hate.]

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Let us now look at the story of the first man Adam in light of what I have shared so far.

When Adam was first created, he was alive. He was untouched by both the first death (condemnation) and the second death (hate). Adam entered this world with a clear conscience towards God. He also entered this world untouched by any kind of hate.

Because Adam was newly born, he did not yet understand that God had provided him with righteousness. Adam did not trust in the righteousness of God. However, even though Adam did not personally trust in the righteousness of God, he was still confident before God because he walked faithfully before God. Because Adam was faithful to obey God's command to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, he could walk in confidence that he was accepted in the eyes of God.

Because Adam felt accepted by God, Adam was under no compulsion to atone for anything. He felt no need to make things right with God because he had no feeling that something was wrong.

Even though Adam had peace with God, since he did not yet understand that his righteousness was of God, Adam believed that it was up to him to keep God happy. Adam believed that he could accidentally mess things up and disappoint God as a result. However, as long as Adam did not recognize good and evil, Adam could not be affected by his belief that it was up to him to keep God happy. If Adam did not know what God liked and disliked, he could not be careful to avoid the things God disliked. And this was very important. If Adam were to exert effort to keep God happy, then that effort to keep God happy would also give him a reason to boast over others. As a result, Adam could essentially have a clean conscience before God, but not benefit from that clean conscience because he would still come to hate others through his effort to keep God happy. Adam would be free from the first death of condemnation towards God but forever bound to the second death of hate.

That is why it was so important for Adam to remain ignorant of the knowledge of good and evil during his days of ignorance to God’s provision of righteousness. This is why it was so important for him to obey God's counsel to not eat from the forbidden tree.

Because Adam felt accepted by God, and because he was ignorant of the desires of God, Adam could not be tempted to walk carefully before God. Adam could not be tempted to WORK to please God. This left Adam free to just walk by his natural spirit. Adam simply lived as the Adam that God created. Adam felt no pressure to be false. Adam felt no pressure to WORK. Adam felt no need to make God happy (because he was confident that God was already happy) and he lacked any ability to put forth the effort to KEEP God happy (because he didn't even know what God liked and disliked).

This blessed situation of Adam ensured that Adam could enjoy the joyful fruit of loving others. With no compulsion to WORK for the sake of pleasing God, Adam had no reason to feel superior over others. Adam had no grounds to boast over others through his pride. How could Adam boast if he had nothing to boast about? As long as Adam would continue to live a life free from work, Adam would continue to walk in fellowship with all men. Adam would continue to love and rejoice in all men.

The key for Adam to continue abiding in this place of joy and life was for Adam to not disobey God’s command to not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God gave Adam this command because God recognized that Adam would certainly die if he did disobey God’s command.

If Adam chooses to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, two fatal blows are going to occur. The first thing that is going to happen is that Adam is going to lose his clean conscience. As long as Adam does not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam will remain confident before God. However, if Adam does eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and blatantly disobeys the command of his God, then Adam is going to become condemned. He will become guilty before God and this guilt will compel him to seek atonement. This pursuit of atonement will then compel Adam to use the knowledge he gained from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil as a means to make himself right again with God. Because he ate from the Tree of Knowledge, Adam now recognizes the will of God. This knowledge combined with Adam’s need to atone is going to push Adam into making an EFFORT of his FLESH. Because Adam feels condemned, Adam can no longer just relax and walk by his natural spirit and truth. Adam will now have no choice but to seek justification and righteousness. In his pursuit to be justified, Adam will make an effort of his flesh that will give him a reason to boast over others. And with this first sin of TRYING to please God, Adam is going to die. Adam will lose the joy in his life that comes from loving others and will be invaded by the hate of judging others.

Consider this hopeless situation that Adam is now in ”“ Adam now has a guilty conscience before God. To rid himself of this guilt, Adam goes to God and asks God what he must do to be restored to fellowship with God, but no matter what answer God gives to Adam, Adams's attempt to obey God’s counsel will give him another reason to boast. Anything that Adam will do from that point on will do nothing but keep him in a place of feeling superior. Even if Adam can regain his clear conscience with God, it will come at the expense of loving others. So even though Adam may undo his death of condemnation, his act of removing his guilt before God will do nothing to restore his love for others. Adam will be alive to God, but still lack the joy that comes through loving others.

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I am now going to tell you a bit of a secret. The guilt that Adam felt when he disobeyed God’s command was completely imaginary. Adam felt guilty because he believed that God was displeased with him. Adam was certain that God must have been upset with him for such blatant disobedience. However, Adam was quite wrong. God was still as pleased with Adam as he was before Adam disobeyed. This is because God’s pleasure with Adam had absolutely nothing to do with Adam and Adam’s behavior. God’s pleasure with Adam was based upon a righteousness that God spoke over Adam. Even before Adam was created, God declared his entire creation as VERY GOOD. This declaration of God is the LAW of God that will stand for all eternity. This declaration of God is the WORD of life that enables men to forever walk in the life of love. This WORD of righteousness is the Christ. This WORD is the LAMB that was slain at the foundation of the world.

Even before God created man, he had already placed men inside his provision of righteousness. For this reason, God could not see Adam as anything other than a child who was faithfully doing the will of God. When God looked upon Adam, he could see nothing but the righteousness that God had spoken over him. In fact, when God looked upon Adam, he didn’t see Adam at all, he instead saw his righteous son Jesus. Adam was safely hidden in Christ.

For this reason, God was not disappointed with Adam when he ate from the tree. He might have been disappointed in recognizing Adam’s loss, but he was not disappointed in the sense of feeling angry or betrayed. He could not feel betrayed because Adam couldn't betray him. God could see nothing when he looked upon Adam except a man who was faithfully doing the will of God.

The fact that God was still pleased with Adam did not matter to Adam since Adam did not believe it was true. Adam was not aware of God’s provision of righteousness. Adam did not understand that he could not disappoint God. If Adam had come to understand that he was protected by God’s righteousness, he would not have felt condemned by his action.

And if he had not felt condemned, he would have had no reason to atone. And with no reason to atone, Adam would never do a work of the flesh and he could remain alive inside of LOVE forever and ever. But since he was not yet aware of God’s righteousness, Adam became condemned through his ignorance. Adam imagined a condemnation that did not exist. However, even though the condemnation was imagined, the deadly effect it had on Adam was very real. The condemnation was imagined, but the hate that would seize Adam’s heart would not be imagined. Because Adam is condemned, he WILL do a work of the flesh. And once he does that work of the flesh, Adam WILL die. Adam will lose all joy and become infested with hate. The condemnation that led to his hate is imagined, but the hate that will fill his soul will be very real.

More to come…..