Second Adam Comes to the Rescue

Both Adam and Eve failed God in the Garden of Eden. They were disobedient to God’s instructions. Over the ages believers have been arguing whether Adam was to be blamed or Eve was to be blamed for the incident that changed the course of human history. I believe that there is enough blame to go around for both of them. Part of the mystery that has baffled people, and man cannot comprehend let alone understand is why did God allow the devil access into the garden alone with a naked woman? Neither Adam, nor Eve, and God forbid, not the snake took responsibility for what happened. However, only God took responsibility for what happened by paying the penalty for the original sin through his Son Jesus Christ. God is therefore no longer to be blamed for the original sin.

The plan of salvation by God, not only covered the original sin; it also covered all other sins; both past, present and the future. In this process, God pointed out the problem, and also pointed out the solution. The problem was for man to know and recognize that he cannot survive eternally without realizing the need to abide in the Lord. That was why Jesus said, "Abide in me and I in you, for a branch cannot bear any fruit by itself except if it abides in the vine, no more can ye except if you abide in me" (St. John 15:4). The answer was, God the Father pointing to the cross of his Son’s suffering, as the solution to the sins of humanity through the Plan of Salvation. Jesus therefore reconciles man back to God regardless to the tricks the devil played. The devil loses; Jesus gets the victory! We are triumphant in Christ!

Mystery of the Curse

God placed a curse on all those that were involved in the disobedience in the Garden of Eden including the devil. But God said something to Eve that was puzzling to many people today. God said, "Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you" (Genesis 3:16). For many years the assumption was God referring to Adam as the husband of Eve. This assertion was true in the physical world. However, in the Spirit world of the holiness of God, this statement meant something totally different. In this spiritual understanding, we have a better idea what God was saying to Eve. Jesus spoke in parables, and God the Father sometimes speak in parable as well. The mystery was revealed in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. That whosoever believe in him will not perish but have everlasting life." God therefore gave his Son as the bridegroom to the church (the church represents the bride). Genesis 3:16 defines the curse, John 3:16 defines the cure.

Today, the best way to look at this in a spiritual sense is to look at the "husband" in this case as representing "Jesus," and "Eve" representing the "Church." Then the statement will make more sense. God said, "You desires shall be for your husband." How many Christians today will say they do not love Jesus? If you do not love Jesus, you do not love his Father and you are not a Christian. Jesus said, "He that hates me, hates my Father also" (St. John 15:23). The Bible defines Jesus as Lord of lords and the King of kings – ruling over the world when the time comes. God was telling the church that Jesus shall rule over the church. He is the head of the church. Jesus shall also be the husband to the church, as the church remains his bride. This is the more reason why Jesus is referred to as the "Second Adam" fulfilling what the first Adam could not do. Jesus did! In a way, what seemingly appeared to be a curse by God actually was a blessing in disguise. How many Christians do not want Jesus to rule over their lives? How many Christians do not want to love Jesus?

Jesus Came to the Rescue

Only God Almighty knew the exact incident that happened in the Garden of Eden with that crazy devil that led to all these problems today. Evidently there were both physical and spiritual seductions. Without saying anything, we can see all the bad things happening today with the selfishness of romantic love without Jesus, greed, hate, quest for unlimited pleasures, to name a few. Man had completely gone insane with physical pleasure craved from the soul of the devil. Man has developed these insatiable desires for both demonic and unlimited pleasures at the expense of destroying the body. In all these craziness, the human desire for God remain unfulfilled except only through a spiritual relation with Jesus. All the desires of the flesh failed to fulfill the spiritual void for God inside every human. The Good News is Jesus comes to the rescue by being obedient to the Father and paying the penalty of sins. So, no more excuses folks! Only Jesus reconciles us back to God!

To the Prodigal Sons and Daughters

Regardless to your rebellious spirit, Jesus opens the door for you to come back home and see Daddy again. Regardless to how rich you are, you will run out of money someday. Regardless of how much pleasure you’re having now, you will either be tired, or your stuff falls off. Your party friends will soon abandon you. When the music stops, when the cheering ends, will you know your way back home?

Remember you have caused a lot of people pain. Your parents waited many nights wondering you would come home for all those sleepless nights that you stayed outside partying with the gangs, drugs, alcohol, and the devil. You broke your mother’s heart and caused your daddy a lot of shame. Have you had enough! Yet, Jesus is waiting for you on all highways of life, at every stoplight, and God the Father will welcome you back home. If your cell phone is still working, perhaps you are closer to a payphone, or you may borrow a phone from a friend, call home today! Get off the streets and go home! If you do, the Lord will stretch his arms to welcome you home with a giant celebration.

Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to save that which is lost" (St. Matthew 18:11).

Do you know your way home?

By Yinka Vidal, author, Closer Walk With Jesus