The temple of God: our spirit - part two:

Hello To All:

Let us begin part two by going back to part one; and by stating, again, the revelation of thought contained in the Genesis texts:

"God created man in His own image" - "man became a living soul" - "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" - "she...did eat" - "he did eat" - "Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God" - "God sent them forth from the garden of Eden" - "He drove out the man" - "God created man in the likeness of God...in the day when they were created" - "Adam...begat a son in his own likeness - after his image."

God said (Genesis 2:17): "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Please note: God said "in the day." He did not say at the end of their life. He did not say sometime in the future. He did not say at the end of time. God said: "in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."

In John 5:24, we find written, these words of Jesus: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Please note, that Jesus identifies a believer as one who "is passed from death unto life." This is a present tense reality: before believing, a person is dead; and after believing, a person "is passed from death unto life."

We find a similar statement, regarding the believers condition, recorded at First John 3:14, where we find written: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." Note again, the present tense reality of the believers condition of having "passed from death unto life." It also must be noted, that "brethren" refers to other believers (please see posting of 12/17/09, titled: "Evidence of Discipleship"). It also must be noted that: "He that loveth not his brother abideth in death."

Every person that has ever lived, throughout all of history, from the time of Adam's fall, up to and including the moment that is at hand; and prior to their conversion to Jesus Christ: "abideth in death." We live and move and have our being. We do our work. We marry and have children. We laugh, we cry, we go to war, we have peace; but, in all of these things, apart from Jesus Christ, we: "abideth in death." We look in a mirror; and it seems that we are alive; but, the King's Book tells us, that if we are not converted to Jesus Christ, then we: "abideth in death."

How is it, that a person can appear to be alive; but, the reality is, is that the person is dead? On the day that Adam and Eve "did eat": how is it, that they died? This is a question, that we shall seek to answer, when we next meet.

Until next time, my beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus