(IN A NUTSHELL)

THE TEST

God placed two trees in the garden as a test for Adam to choose between independence and dependence upon God. In order to love someone, you must have the freedom to choose to love them. Forcing love on someone is called rape. Love has to have consent. So, God created man, but gave him the choice to be united to Him or to be his own god, divorced from His life.

God instituted marriage to help mankind comprehend the type of union He desired to have with us. In matrimony, the wife is the helpmate, dependent upon the husband, but the two being one, in the most physical intimate way 1 Co 6:16. Similarly, the believer is God’s servant, dependent upon Him, but one with Him in spirit, in the most personal way 1 Co 6:17.

The tree of life represented dependency upon God Jn 15:5, Gal 2:20 and it would grant Adam eternal life Gen 3:22. Choosing to eat from tree of life would demonstrate Adam’s desire to trust in God, while eating from the forbidden tree would declare Adam’s sovereignty Gen 3:5.

THE FALL AND RECOVERY

Satan deceived Eve with a lie, while Adam knowingly ate 1 Ti 2:14, confirming the choice for independence, to be their own gods, to choose for themselves what was good and what was evil. The Devil believed he had thwarted God plan by alienating man Col 1:21. However, the Lord would restore man with a second opportunity to enter into His love relationship by sending His Son to pay the penalty of sin by His death on a Cross Ro 6:23. Jesus’ death reconciled God to man 2 Co 5:19 and now man has the option to be reconciled to God through the acceptance of the Gospel 2 Co 5:20.

A MODERN ANALOGY

God created Adam by first molding a body out of the dust, then breathing into him the breath of life Gen 2:7. Adam was given a material body with immaterial components called a soul and a spirit 1 Th 5:23.

The soul contained Adam’s personality, the real Adam, formed through a mind, will and emotions. It gave him a psychological and social state. He could communicate with himself (mentally) or with others through speech, writing or non-verbal language. As an example, he could speak the word “hi” to Eve, or he could write the word “hi” in the dirt, or he could wave to Eve. Analogously, a computer has apps for word processing (Microsoft Word), photograph editing (Adobe Photoshop), music creation (Apple’s Garage Band), while God has installed creativity, intuition, conscience and the likes into man’s immaterial being.

The spirit was a means of communication with God through the medium of air waves (the Hebrew and Greek word “spirit” means air, wind or breath). Man and God can communicate thoughts through the interaction of the human spirit with the Holy Spirit 1 Co 2:11,12. Sometimes, this can be through a small still voice 1 Ki 19:12,13; 1 Sa 3:8,9, or through our meditation on His Word Ps 119:15,18.

Now, let’s compare man to a computer. A computer has hardware such as the casing, screen, and keyboard, but is lifeless until a power source charges the battery and the software programs are added inside the computer. Adam’s body was lifeless until God breathed in His life force into the immaterial part of Adam Jas 2:26. The breath breathed into Adam contained the Holy Spirit Jn 3:6, along with the activation of Adam’s personal DNA, which was used to create all necessary material and immaterial parts. The Holy Spirit is the guide to truth Jn 16:13. In likewise fashion, the computer has an app called “Siri” that can communicate information to the owner of the computer.

If it were his intention and he (God) withdrew his spirit (the life force of the immaterial—man’s ability for spiritual life, to know God) and breath (physical life), ¹⁵ all humanity would perish together and mankind would return to the dust. Job 34:14,15 (Adam’s sin provoked the Holy Spirit to depart, changing how He interacted with seekers. He would come upon His anointed, but did not reside in them 1 Sa 16:13, Ps 51:11, Jn 7:39, Jn 14:16,17. Yet, the spirit medium remained—man’s spirit and its ability to know God, if one pursued God Rev 3:20).

and the dust returns to the ground it came from (physical life ends), and the spirit (the immaterial life force) returns to God who gave it. Ecc 12:7

Thus says God the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and its offspring, who gives breath to the people on it (physical life) and spirit to those who walk in it (Holy Spirit—spiritual life to those who seek Him Mt 7:7,8), Isa 42:5 NASB

Furthermore, if the computer power source was disconnected, the computer would be separated from the life source, but would continue to function until the battery was completely drained. After Adam sinned, God’s life force was withdrawn leaving Adam spiritually dead Eph 2:1-3, however, physically he lived for another 800+ years Gen 5:3-5. As he passed on his DNA to future generations the life expectancy was reduced to seventy to eighty years Ps 90:10.

The dormant state of the computer would continue, until the computer was reconnected to the power source. Man remained spiritually dead until Jesus, our Mediator 1 Ti 2:5 reconciled us through His death on the Cross 1 Jn 2:2. Jesus provided the new connection and calls to man to receive Him Rev 3:20. The owner of the computer, then must himself reconnect the cable to his computer Mt 7:8, to confirm the relationship. The Gospel presentation is accomplished through God’s ambassadors, who preach the message of reconciliation to the world 2 Co 5:20. It is through the hearing of the Gospel that man is saved Ro 10:17. Just as the breath of God breathed His Holy Spirit into Adam, it is the ambassadors of God, who through their breath of air waves, allow the Holy Spirit to indwell all recipients.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you (to preach the Gospel).” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit (it is the Holy Spirit who convicts the lost that they are guilty sinners and that a just God will punish all sin Jn 16:8. The Holy Spirit also confirms the Gospel truth that Jesus, is the Savior of the world Jn 16:14). ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven (not meaning that the disciples have the power to forgive sins, for only God can forgive sins Mk 2:7; but the disciples and all future ambassadors of Christ can declare the truth that anyone receiving the Gospel has their sins forgiven); if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven (and those who refuse God’s gift should be informed that they will have to pay for their own sins with eternal punishment Mt 25:46).” Jn 20:21-23