2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
The comparison that is made between Adam and Christ in RO 5: 12-21 lets us see the blessing brought to those willing to repent and come to faith in Christ in a special way. When we look at these verses, God is revealing Himself to us as compassionate and wholly unselfish. It is a given that sin came into this world by means of the original sin committed by Adam and Eve. This had to impact all of us, because we are all descended from Adam. Our Lord’s compassion for mankind is seen in providing an escape route from the evil consequences of the sin which we inherit this way. First He gave us the Law, so that mankind could at least recognize what is sinful and what is not. While the Law doesn’t provide salvation, it is an important first step toward it. Before that, there was no fairness in holding man accountable for sin, because he had no way to identify what it was. Before the Law was given death ruled, because in accordance with RO 6: 23, “The wages of sin is death.” God’s compassion is in granting us a way out of the stranglehold that sin had on us. His unselfishness came in sacrificing His only begotten Son to provide that pathway of escape from this evil for us. There was no easy way for God to carry this out, or I believe He would have taken it.
The extent of God’s grace is also revealed in this passage. To be convinced of the importance of coming to faith and remaining in Christ, God chose to let us see the strength of grace verses that of sin’s power. RO 5: 15 shows this, “But the two [Adam-the source of sin and Christ-the Source of grace] were not the same, because God’s free gift is not like Adam’s sin. It is true that many people died because of the sin of that one man. But God’s grace is much greater, and so is His free gift to so many people through the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ.” When a person accepts Christ as His Savior, he is justified. That means that he is deemed acceptable in God’s eyes and is given a judgment by God of “not guilty.” In view of mankind coming to God with sin imputed to his account and then his justification, it can be seen that this verdict by God of “not guilty” is totally undeserved merit; it is grace. Without this grace, the judgment would be “guilty” and the sentence would be spiritual death. So, as RO 5: 18 asserts, “As the one sin condemned all mankind, in the same way the one righteous act sets all mankind free and gives them life.” We can all take great comfort in the message of RO 5: 21, “So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also God’s grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Handel, inspired by God, chose 1 COR 15: 21 as the basis for the next section of the Easter portion of the “Messiah.” “For just as death came by means of a man, in the same way the rising from death comes by means of a Man.” With this in mind, the chorus sings #46, “Since By Man Came Death,” with great gravity. Here are the words actually sung: “Since by man came death, by Man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
My early training was in science and not with an emphasis on matters of faith. In a way, that was beneficial, because it appealed to my inquiring mind and gave a method of investigation which has stood me in good stead throughout my life. When the Lord first called me to faith, He presented me with a belief system that demonstrated both the strengths and the weaknesses of the scientific method. I mention this because the next topic that is taken up in Handel’s great musical work cannot be explained by the scientific method and can only be dealt with as a matter of faith. My faith was tested by it when I first became aware that at the time of our glorification, we will be given something called a resurrection body. Frankly, the thought of losing my present body with all its faults is cause for celebration. In understanding what happens here, we can see another facet to the incredible unmerited grace that our loving Abba grants us. 1 COR 15: 51-52 sheds light on what is to happen to believers when this time for their glorification comes. “Listen to this secret truth: We shall not all die, but when the last trumpet sounds, we shall all be changed in an instant, as quickly as the blinking of an eye. For when the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised, never to die again, and we shall all be changed.” This amazing fact is brought to light in the #47 recitative for bass, “Behold I Tell You A Mystery.” Here are it’s words that are sung, “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.”
God, through Paul, grants us even more enlightenment on this issue in 1 COR 15: 53-54. “For what is mortal must be changed into what is immortal; what will die must be changed into what cannot die. (54) So when this takes place, and the mortal has been changed into immortal, then the Scripture [IS 25: 8] will come true: ‘Death is destroyed; victory is complete!’ “ For the sake of completeness, let me also cite IS 25: 8, “The sovereign Lord will destroy death forever! He will wipe away the tears from everyone’s eyes and take away the disgrace His people have suffered throughout the world. The Lord Himself has spoken.” The use of the words, mystery and secret truth, above signal for us that God’s revelation of His truths is on His time table, done gradually as He feels the world is ready to receive this enlightenment. An example in my own life is that God undoubtedly knew that if I had read I COR 15; 51-54 before I came to faith and while I was being trained as a scientist, I would have laughed the whole thing off as a fairy story based on nonsense. In His wisdom, He waited until He knew I was ready to receive this precious truth, until knowing it could act as fuel to help me endure in my faith. This passage is the basis for #48, an air for bass, “The Trumpet Shall Sound” and #49, a recitative for alto, “Then Shall Be Brought To Pass.” The words for # 48 are: The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption; and this mortal must put on immortality.” For # 49, these words are sung: “Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, ‘Death is swallowed up in victory!’ “
PRAYER: O Lord, there are times when You ask us to understand revelations that defy the physical laws of our world. It is then when You take us beyond them and challenge us to apply our faith. There is nothing that You do without a righteous reason or that is not in our best interest. When You reveal to us the truth that we will be given resurrection bodies, bodies that belong in Your Kingdom and not of this world, You also reveal Your compassion and love for us. Our response to these revelations should never be rejection or scorn. Instead, it should be loyalty, obedience, humility, and faithfulness to You. All of this should be grounded in our gratitude for the sacrifice of Your Son, providing this pathway to salvation, and for the granting of the unmerited favor, which is Your grace. To You, Dear Father, belongs the glory! In Christ’s name, amen.
We are blessed by the wisdom, timing, and faithfulness or our Abba in heaven. He watches over us, challenges us to grow in our faith, and presents us with heavenly solutions to painful earthly problems caused by sin. He loves us enough to provide a way out from under the consequences of sinfulness by the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son. He reveals to us that we too will be resurrected following “the First among many brothers.” With all of this in mind, I hope you feel as loved by Him today as I do. Peter and I send you our love too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn