Sunday, November 8, 2015

The Rest of the Story

In the first blog, I drew upon Genesis 3 and highlighted on the section in which God says to the Serpent, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”. Out of this passage I presented the idea that there is a Cosmic War that began here and rages on to this day. Although this is a great truth, I; however, did not tell you the whole story. I addressed the first part of this passage, but did not speak to the second part: “it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel”. In this short phrase, God gives us one of the most wonderful promises of all time and since I found it so very significant, I thought it would be appropriate to explore this section in a separate blog.

In these few words spoken by God, there is an abundance of things that we can learn.

First, it is imperative to understand that the seed of the woman here is Jesus Christ himself. God would send His only Son, the One who does His will perfectly, to destroy the Devil. Jesus was the seed of Eve through genealogy, but more importantly He also was born into the world by a virgin woman a true seed of the woman. (Gal. 4:4- “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,”) Here in Genesis, after sin has just entered the world, God reveals His perfect solution to redeem His creation. This is the very first presentation of the Gospel—the Good News of salvation from death.

Second, many attributes of God's character are evident in this passage. We find that our God is a God of promises. And most importantly, as time has testified with the life, death and resurrection of Christ, we find that our God is a promise-keeping God. Next, God hates sin and those who entice others to rebel against Him and He takes punishment very seriously. God pronounced eternal damnation on Satan for his sin of tempting and indeed, God will have his head for his actions. This passage testifies to the total sovereignty of God as God shows His power over all his creation, even the prince of Darkness. We also see the power of God's spoken word. God commands this to come pass and in his perfect timing it does! That which God begins, he brings to completion. Finally, it is clear that God is merciful and gracious. Just after the crime is committed that brings the sentence of death upon mankind, He has mercy on His creation and reveals to them His gracious plan that would allow them life eternal.

The questions now remain: How does this apply to us? How did this affect the Cosmic War?

In discovering the answers to these questions, we will find the most important and exciting truths that we could ever find.

To answer the first, this applies to us on a very personal level! Christ came unto earth, born of a woman only and took on the whole humility of a human nature. The humiliation Jesus underwent when He willingly walked as a man, the tempting He was subjected to by Satan and the physical abuse He endured were all a part of his “heel” being bruised. However, it was in His death and resurrection that He crushed the head of the Devil and conquered the death penalty that all mankind faced for their sins. Heb. 2: 14 says, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”. It is in the fleeting breath and the death of Christ that we can individually find life from sin since Christ was a perfect man whose death was an acceptable offering to God. After Jesus was subject to death three days, God raised his Son out of death for it is Him alone that has complete control of the grave. This resurrection symbolizes the resurrecting work that God does in us as a new man is birthed in our life in Christ that is quickened by the Holy Spirit! Because of this amazing work of salvation done by our loving and merciful God, three persons in one, He no longer looks on us in our sinfulness but instead sees His pure, perfect, righteous and beautiful Son. This, my friends, is the rest of the story; the part that is so very important to each and every Christian! We would be damned to eternal death if it were not for Christ suffering and dying in our place.

To answer the second question, we must remember that the Cosmic War is a war between life and death. Now, here is the exciting part, the war has already been won! When Christ conquered the Devil and death, He won the war; however, that does not mean the fighting is over. It is our duty to fight for our Savior! Many people will hear this and think, “Well, I am not going to fight in this war because Jesus obviously doesn't need my help”. This, on the contrary, should be taken as a huge encouragement to us as soldiers in this war. If one really stops to think about it, “What more awesome privilege could one have than to be asked to fight on the side that has won?” Oh, how this knowledge should cause us to be ever so more bold a soldier because we know that it is a fight we will not lose! How amazing a promise!

Jesus is leading His army on a victory campaign, are you marching behind him?



Colossians 2:6-15 (ESV)
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

1 comment:

  1. (I thought I posted this last night...)
    I was so inspired by this article this morning, Justin! :) I was encouraged to be reminded of that oh so beautiful promise. I love how you said that, "What more awesome privilege could one have than to be asked to fight on the side that has won?”. You made it so sensible. Because, yes! It should make us want to follow and fight for our faith, Jesus Christ all the more. :)
    Thanks for the great post!

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