To understand why we need salvation we need to go back to the beginning when God created humans. He created Adam in His image and likeness and built Eve from his side1. Adam was given a commandment by God that he was not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In the day in which he ate of it the punishment would be death2. Not just physical death, but also spiritual death – dying you will die. Although Eve was thoroughly deceived and transgressed the law, Adam was not deceived and chose to disobey God. The result was spiritual separation from God and now he is subject to physical death. Did God setup Adam and Eve to fail? Absolutely not. He gave them all they needed to success. Satan deceived Eve into eating the fruit from the tree; however, Adam was not deceived at all and of his own free will chose to eat, knowing he was disobeying God3.
So what does this have to do with us and why we need salvation?
Adam was created in the image and likeness of God4, as offspring from Adam and Eve we take on the likeness and image of Adam. However, since no children were born to them until after he sinned, the likeness and image we receive is that of his condition after he disobeyed God5.
Humans are tri-part beings. We have a spirit, a soul, and a physical body6. Our spirit is our rational, intelligent part7, our soul is our emotion center8, and our physical body is the house in which we live9. When Adam trespassed (when he determined to sin even though he knew that his actions would be contrary to God’s law), his spirit became separated from God resulting in spiritual death10. When he sinned, the penalty was physical death11. These deaths were passed on to his children; therefore, even though we are still rational, intelligent beings, we are born separated from God in our spirit, possessing a nature that is bent towards rejecting Him, under condemnation12, and subject to physical death because we are all seen as one creation13.
Since we are all seen as in Adam, his sin is attributed to all14. and therefore all of us sinned and were caused to fall short of God’s proper opinion15. As a result, we are condemned16 in Adam and separated from God. Even though we inherit death and condemnation from Adam, God is not, and has never been, obligated to save us, for it is by our own free will that we continue to disobey and chose separation from God17; yet, He freely chose to express love towards the world by giving His Son18, through whom salvation has come. For God so loved the world that He gave His one of a kind unique Son, in order that all the ones believing upon Him should not perish but have eternal life, John 3:16. God loved when He gave His Son. Although He is no longer expressing love to the world19, the result of this one act is still affecting the world today, for all who take Him at His Word concerning Christ are saved20. Since God chose not to base salvation upon a person’s works, but rather by whether or not that person takes Him at His word, the only means provided today for salvation is by believing that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4. All made possible because of His single act of Love.
Payment for Sin is Required
It is true that God is a loving God, and He is kind, but He is also righteous21. Therefore, sin22 has to be punished23, and the punishment is both physical and spiritual death24. Adam could not just say that he was sorry, repent of his sin and God would forgive him. The debt had to be paid for his sin, which was his life. This penalty does not just sit upon Adam’s head but upon all his offspring. Because of this, we need someone that can serve as an advocate for us before God in order to restore peace with Him by making a sacrifice for our sins. This has to be one who is righteous and able to communicate with God. Since we are all born separated, condemned in Adam and continually reject God, none of us qualify. In addition, the one serving as our advocate could not himself have sinned, or he would not qualify to make such a sacrifice25. The only one who could do this is God. So the Second Person of the Godhead wrapped Himself in the image of a man and died on our behalf26. He has both given a sacrifice sufficient for our sins, not only for our sins but the sins of the entire world27, and now serves as the saint’s advocate before God28, because the Father raised Him from the dead and placed Him at His right hand29.
God Desires that All are Saved
It is God’s desire that all humans are saved30; however, since no one accepts God’s way of salvation He chose to save some, even though He is not obligated to save any. God sends no one to hell, that is the choice of all those who go. Therefore, anyone rejecting God’s offer is without excuse. Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient for all sins, not just for some who are chosen31. Those who are chosen are done so by God’s own free will32, not by self effort or even self desire to be saved – for that desire is always against God’s way of salvation. True, we are all born condemn, but it is also true that God offers salvation to all.
If only we would set aside our pride and self-will and just take God at His Word…
1. Then Jehovah God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and he slept. Then He took one from his side and closed the flesh underneath. Then Jehovah God built the side which He took from Adam into the woman and He brought her to the man, Genesis 2:21,22
2. …but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you will not eat from it because in the day you eat from it dying you will die, Genesis 2:17. Although many of the translations take the statement “dying you will die” as if it is emphasized – “surely you will die” – the Hebrews language uses this phrase to indicate two deaths – there are literally two deaths stated. In other passages of Scripture where this phrase is used it can be taken as emphatic, but still carries the meaning that death is upon a person and as a result they will die. This is not the sole passage that reveals two deaths. Hebrew is a simpler language than the Greek. When we get into the Greek New Testament God reveals in Romans 15:12-21 that two deaths occurred – spiritual and physical. How can Adam die twice? God breathed into Adam the breath of lives in Genesis 2:7 (note: in the original language “life” is plural”). God breathed both physical and spiritual life into Adam – the only two types of life man possesses.
3. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was thoroughly deceived coming to be in [a] transgression, 1 Timothy 2:14
4. “Image” means to look like. God dwells in light; therefore, Adam had a garment of light. “Likeness” means to be similar to something or someone. This refers to our intelligence. We are rational, intelligent creatures in a similar way that God is rational and intelligent, unlike animals that are only emotional or instinct centered. 1 Timothy 6:16 the only One having immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, which no man has seen with discernment, nor is able to see with discernment, to whom honor and eternal strength, amen.
5. …and Adam lived one hundred and thirty years and begat in his own likeness and after his image, Genesis 5:3.
6. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 And may God Himself sanctify you entirely and may the spirit and the soul and the body belonging to you be kept blameless in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The original Greek specifically separates the spirit, soul, and body as three different things. Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword and able to penetrate up to the point both of the soul and the spirit… . Scripture is very clear that the spirit, soul, and body are three different parts of a human.
7. 1 Corinthians 2:11 For what man intuitively knows the things of the man, expect the spirit of the man, the one in him.
8. The soul is directly associated with our physical life and is used to describe both our emotional center and physical life; therefore, it is important to consider context when examining the soul to understand how it relates to our being. Through it we express our emotions, Matthew 12:18 being pleased; Matthew 26:38 grief; Mark 14:34 sorrow; John 12:27 trouble; Acts 2:43 fear; Acts 15:24 cause to be upset (disturbed); Ephesians 6:6 We can serve God out from our soul; 1 Peter 1:22 the soul can be purified in sincere love for the brethren; 1 Peter 2:11 the sin nature wars against the soul (uses our emotions against us).
9. 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2 For we intuitively know that if perhaps our earthly house, the tent, was destroyed, we have a house out from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For also in this we groan desiring to be clothed with our house out from heaven.
10. Death in Scripture always refers to separation, not annihilation. When we physically die we do not cease to exist, but our soul and spirit are separated from this physical body. Spiritual death is the separation from God in the realm of our spirit, which directly affects our ability to receive the things from God. 1 Corinthians 2:14 But the soulish man does not receive the things belonging to the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him and he does not have the natural ability to know them because they are spiritually discerned.
11. James 1:14,15; Romans 5:12, 13; 8:13
12. Romans 5:12-21 Because of this, just as through one man the sin entered the world and through the sin the death, also thus unto all men the death passed, on the basis that all sinned. For until law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed, being no law. But the death reigned from Adam until Moses even over those not sinning upon the likeness of Adam’s transgression, who is a type of the one about to come. But not as the trespass, thus also is the gracious gift. For since by the trespass of the one [man] the many died, how much more the grace from God and the gift by grace by the one man Jesus Christ abounds unto the many. And the gift is not as through one having sinned. For on the one hand judgment out from one [having sinned] unto condemnation, on the other hand the gracious gift out from many trespasses unto justification. For since by the one [man’s] trespass the death reigned through the one [man], how much more the ones having received the abundance of the grace and the gift of righteousness in life will reign through the one Jesus Christ. Therefore then, as through one trespass unto all men unto condemnation, thus also through one act of righteousness unto all men unto justification of life. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were constituted sinners, thus also through the obedience of the one [man], the many are constituted righteous. And law, having entered, in order that the trespass should abound; moreover, where the sin [nature] abounded, the grace super abounded in order that just as the sin nature reigned by the death, thus also the grace should reign through righteousness because of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
13. God only created Adam, the first man. He made Eve from his side and all other humans exist through procreation, so within Adam was all mankind – both male and female created in one act. Genesis 1:27 God created Adam in his own image. Genesis 2:22 God made Eve (she was created in Adam – Genesis 5:2). Genesis 4:1 Adam and Eve produced an offspring. Genesis 5:3 Adam’s offspring is after his fallen image.
14. Because of this just as through one man the sin entered the world and through the sin the death, thus also unto all men the death passed on the basis that all sinned, Romans 5:12
15. Romans 3:23 For all sinned and were caused to fall short of God’s opinion; “Sin” is defined in Scripture as lawlessness, 1 John 3:4; This sin is a single sin at a point in time, which would be Adam’s sin. As a result all men have been caused to fall short of God’s opinion of mankind.
16. One who is under judgment waiting to be sentenced.
17. Humans have a free will, and are free to choose to accept or reject God, but they are not free from the consequences of their choice.
18. “Son” is not referring to being born from, but the place of privilege. The Son of God is the Second Person of the Godhead and therefore is fully God.
19. 1 John 2:14 Do not love the world nor the things of the world, If perhaps anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in Him
20. Ephesians 2:8 for by grace we are saved through the Faith and this is not out from us; a gift from God.
21. Romans 3:25 Christ was displayed to show God’s righteousness as a satisfaction of the righteousness of God through faith in His blood. Revelation 15:3; Revelation 16:7
22. Sin is lawlessness – acting as if God has no standard by which you are to live. 1 John 3:4 Every one doing the sin also does the lawlessness. And the sin is the lawlessness.
23. 2 Thessalonians 1:6 it is right for God to recompense tribulation for tribulation
24. God told Adam that if he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that dying he would die. In Genesis 2:17 He was speaking about the two deaths that man will face. Our English version express this with the translation “surely die”; however, this leaves out some of the meaning of the original language, which actually uses death twice. The first is an infinitive – to die, and the second is an imperfect, which means, “dying”. We have one death that took place right away while another death is incomplete but progressing towards completion. Spiritual separation from God happened immediately, physical death then took some time to fully manifest.
25. For we do not have a High Priest that does not have the natural ability to sympathize with our weaknesses, but having been tempted according to all things according to a similarity, apart from sin, Hebrews 4:15
26. Philippians 2:5-8 For let this frame of mind to be in you that also is in Christ Jesus, who existing in the form of God did not regard equality with God robbery, but emptied Himself, receiving the form of a servant, having come to be in a likeness of man and being found in the outward shape as a man, humbled Himself, becoming obedient up to the point of death, even a cross death.
27. And He is a satisfaction concerning our sins, not only concerning our sins, but the also concerning the sins of the world, 1 John 2:2
28. And because of this He is a mediator of a new covenant, thus death having come to be unto redemption of the transgressions upon the first covenant, the ones having been called should receive the promise of the eternal inheritance Hebrews 9:15; For [there is] one God, and one mediator of God and men, [the] man Jesus Christ, 1 Timothy 2:5; But the mediator is not of one, but the God is One. Galatians 3:20
29. Therefore, having been exalted at the right hand of God; both having receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, He poured out this, which you see and hear, Acts 2:33; Since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God, Colossians 3:1
30. …who desires that all men should be saved and come unto a full experiential knowledge of truth, 1 Timothy 2:4
31. and He is a satisfaction concerning out sins, not concerning our sins only, but also concerning the whole world, 1 John 2:2
32. Therefore then, not of the one desirously willing nor the one running, but of the mercy from God, Romans 9:16.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]