What if Adam lied?

I have read a number of commentaries and many sermons discussing the fall of Man. In each, it is clarified that God had only given one law that Adam had to follow. Read Gen 2:16-17. The law begins with all that Adam was allowed to do, followed by the one restriction and ending with the outcome to reaffirm the need for the restriction. '

As everyone will tell you, all he had to do was not at from that tree. The question I am asking is what if Adam had lied prior to eating from the tree? Would that have been sin? Would that have resulted in the fall?

In looking at this, the Lord has revealed that my question is wrong or that my understanding of sin and sin nature was faulty. I propose that Adam was incapable of lying prior to the fall because the manifestation of sin, that is lying, requires a sin nature. We commit sin because we are sinful. In the garden Adam did not have a sin nature. He was innocent.

To clarify this, lets look at a possible lie Adam could have told and dig deep into it.

Adam could have told Eve, "I rode a Rhino today" when he had not done anything of the sort. This is a lie where he is trying to get Eve to think he was brave or even to get her to increase her desire for him. We lie like this all the time in small and big ways in our lives. We exaggerate our history to increase our prestige, or we gloat over small victories expanding them to make a better story.

We do this because we want to be respected, to be considered superior. Adam in the garden, did not have this flaw of the sinful nature. He truly loved Eve and his desire for her would have been to lift her up and not himself. He would not have considered lying, because the sinful desires that would have prompted that lie did not exist in his nature.

Their are many types of lies we tell, but the intent and desire that underlies those lies come from a nature that seeks our own glory, our own self preservation, our own rebellion from God. Adam, when he ate that apple, decided to take his life into his own hands instead of trusting in God. God created us in His image. We were intended to be other-focused, other-centric, good creatures of Love. When Adam put himself before God he became unnatural. Thereafter, all humanity became unnatural, corrupted, prone to committing acts of sin from their sinful nature. Each a betrayal of the Love and Goodness of God that deepens the stain of sin and further cements us as separated from God.

We are not good people that slip up and tell lies. We are rebels to God and we lie because it is what we are. Each lie darkening our rebellious nature a deeper shade of evil. We cannot do good because it is no longer in our species. When Adam fell, there was only sin. God must judge that sin. Yet He had a purpose in creating us and no creature in Heaven or Earth will thwart His will. His Love surpasses even our rebellion and at great personal sacrifice, He sent His beloved son, with no regard for His own concern, to take on the penalty for our sin. He experienced the full wrath of God on that cross, a willing sacrifice on our behalf. Now God's judgement has been satisfied and His Love also has been satisfied, in that if we trust in His son, he will give us a new life, the life of His son, eternal. For in Christ we die, yet we live, but not us, Christ lives in us and through us.

If you find yourself lying, look at the source. Are you glorifying yourself, protecting yourself, executing your plan for your life? Stop, confess your sin, repent, and seek the glory of God, trust God to protect you, follow His Will and then surely the goodness of God will follow you.

Thoughts on Love

How can you tell if you love someone?

The truest test of love is what do you want from the one loved? Are they there to meet some need or want that you have? True love wants nothing from the one loved. You seek to find ways to make their lives better, to fulfill their hopes and dreams, to make them happy. When you love someone, you are not concerned with what they can do for you, but what you can do for them. 

Do you love God? He loves you. 

The truest sign of the Christian life is the expression of love. Is it all about what God can do for you or what you can do for God? Do you love the lost? Are they as important to you as they are to God? Is the love of Christ in you? 

These can be tough questions. Our love can never reach the expression of love that Christ showed to us. Yet when we were made new, that transformed new life grafted us into Christ. That love so great now flows in us and through us and this gives us life. 

So love and be loved. You cannot do this on your own. Christianity is not a thing to do or some precepts to keep or doctrines to believe. It is a relationship with the living God. Love God. Seek Him and His glory. Let Him into your secret chambers where you plot and plan your life and let Him rewrite those plans. Seek Christ, Ask for His glory and receive His love. 

So, young man, do you love that young woman? Do you want her for what she does for you? Or do you want to serve her and be a blessing to her. 

So young lady, is he going to be Mr. Right for you or will you be Ms Right for him? Is he your chance for a happy life or your chance to make someone happy?

Wives submit to your husbands...

Husbands love your wives...

Children, Obey your parents in the Lord.