6999 - Death - John 1:3d

We have recently opened our study of the book of John’s Gospel. To grasp more clearly the total message John is presenting, we have paused to look at a few other passages touched by his beginning statements.

We have reviewed that original creation was perfect, without blemish or flaw. Mankind and creatures were in harmony. No discord or rivalry disturbed their relationships.

But all this was suddenly and drastically changed one day when man was drawn to commit the first willful sin.

Think for a moment. The quality and strength of a person’s character is appreciated more fully when we observe that they have been tested – that they have been called upon to reject a conduct which is not approved by society.

This principle we observe in the Garden of Eden when creation was being unfolded. There were countless trees in the Garden of Eden. Some of these bore fruit which man was encouraged to eat. The test of Adam’s love for God and his commitment to obey God was that he was never to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was the only tree whose fruit was restricted from Adam. God told him, “When you eat of this fruit you will surely die.” This test had an enduring consequence.

We arte told that under the deceitful temptation by a serpent used by Satan, Eve was enticed to take fruit from this tree and ate it. She also plucked one and gave it to Adam. He knowingly exercised his self-will against the expressed command of God. This sinful act brought great change on all creation.

It caused the creator to alter the composition of nature. New plants were introduced to earth such as thorns, thistles and stickers. The composition of the ground was changed so that people would be required to labor harder to bring forth food.

But the most perplexing change of all was the introduction of death upon the earth. Prior to Adam’s sin death was an unknown experience. The word was known but the depth of meaning – the pain, suffering, and hurt was not fully comprehended.

Friend, the most colossal loss to man was to experience spiritual death.

We must comprehend that there are two different and distinguishable phenomenon called by the term death.

To the people on the world, death brings to mind the vision of ceasing to have life in the body. To have the heart stop, and to have termination of brain waves. It may come upon people in so many violent and painful ways. It can overtake youth and the elderly alike. There are many negative pictures which may pass through the mind when the word “death” is uttered.

All of these images are associated with physical death. To those who do not have a vital relationship with God, physical death is viewed as a sad, negative event.

However, spiritual death introduces the most traumatic and far-reaching effects carried by the word death. Many people have never contemplated this occurrence, and are unfamiliar with its ramifications.

Spiritual death robbed mankind of an eternal, intimate, fulfilling relationship with the loving and powerful, merciful and gracious God who crated him.

The moment Adam sinned the Trinity God departed the human spirit of Adam. The sad fact is, that Pure, Holy God could not return to the inner man until the penalty for sin was paid for and his inner being cleansed.

He sent His Son Jesus to become human flesh, to suffer and die on a cruel cross. This was the earthly mission of Jesus Christ, the atoning sacrifice for the human race.

This story is unfolded in the following pages of John’s Gospel. Study along with us.