DAY – 15
THE SECOND MAN OF HEAVEN
The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 1Cor 15: 47
Spirituality can be defined as a greater understanding and connection to something unknown but visible. A mortal and an immortal share this mutual feeling. Unlike trusting and validating facts, knowledge, and experience come from within. In a world where everything is judged and accepted based on what can be seen visually, true spirituality stems from trusting things that are unseen to the world but can be seen by one's soul. Even if people try for centuries to discover the origins of everything seen, not every question receives an ideal or logical answer. It’s because a human capacity cannot validate or comprehend everything. And it was at this point that God intervened to assist man in comprehending things that were previously undecipherable to him. He gave humans the ability to comprehend his magnificent and incomprehensible works. Men gradually began to discover and fathom all visible things, time, matter, and existence.
There could be many theories about how, where, and by whom a man is created. And some of it was effective in persuading others. However, the Bible clearly and unequivocally declares God's fantastic role in the creation of everything that is discovered so far. It is written that God formed man from the dust of the earth in his hands. He sculpted Man using his image as a reference. He designed the internal and external organs, as well as their functions. The cells, billions of neurons, the fine lines of fingerprints, the pumping and gushing of blood throughout the body, and the senses in him were all formed by God's indescribable wisdom. This God-created masterpiece succumbed to the temptation of mastering its master and failed miserably.
And it was then that God's eternal kindness was revealed in redeeming mankind by sending His only Son to the world as an atonement. We'll take a quick look at the distinction between the Son of God and the Man.
1. Origin of earth vs origin of heaven
As previously stated, God created Adam and breathed his air into Adam's nostrils, bringing Adam to life. Adam's name means "son of the red earth." God patiently constructed Adam's bodily systems. He taught Adam a variety of things that could be extremely beneficial to him. Adam became a successful landscaper and horticulturist as a result of the knowledge he received from God. Adam was given the knowledge of how to live on earth and use the earth's resources. He had no understanding of where God lived or anything about heaven. His entire attention was focused on the animals and plants that shared his garden with him.
Adam is referred to in the Bible as "the first Adam." Even though he was created perfectly by God, he was susceptible to sin against God. He failed to choose God's side and disobeyed him. As a result, God decided to send his Son, Jesus, to the earth to help mankind overcome the temptation of sin through the power of his blood, which was shed as a ransom for all.
According to John (3:13). No one has ever gone to heaven except the Son of Man, who came from heaven. The birth of the Lord Jesus is a miraculous occurrence. Jesus chose to come in flesh and blood to defeat the power of sin and its authority over the flesh and blood man. However, because the man was conceived from evil (Ps 51) and his origin is sin, God chose to bring his son into the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended on a virgin named Mary, who was conceived with the son of God without the intervention of man, just as the prophets had prophesied. Thus, through God's power, Lord Jesus was born into the world sinless. There was no blame in Him, and no blame was found even when tested.
2. Obedience vs disobedience
Lord Jesus was born and lived a typical human life on Earth. He stayed with his mother and siblings until he was 30 years old, supporting the family's financial needs as the firstborn. He respected and loved his parents and obeyed them. He continued with his father's carpentry work to feed the family. After the death of his father, he became responsible in every way. His mother was comforted by his son's love and care for the family.
At the age of 30, when the appointed time had come to serve God and fulfill the purpose of his life, the spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness to be tested by Satan. Satan intended to deceive him and make fun of God and his plan of redemption. But when Satan came to tempt Jesus, he was defeated three times.
Jesus willingly gave his life on the cross to obey God, his father, fully aware of the purpose of giving his life for humanity. He was humble and remained humble until his death. Being the son of God, for whom the entire world was created and given to rule, Jesus did not consider the throne and its power and equality with God but instead surrendered to the plan of God.
Alternatively. Even if Adam was blameless when he was created, he disobeyed God by listening to Satan's evil schemes. He lacked the strength to resist the devil's plot and thus failed.
Death entered the world as a result of Adam's disobedience to God. And because of Christ's obedience, salvation and eternal life were freely given to mankind.
3. Head of Old creation vs Head of New creation
Adam was the Father of the Old Creation. When a man sins, he, like Adam, loses his relationship with God. When Adam sinned, God expelled him from his presence and the Garden of Eden. His sinful nature made it difficult for him to accept his guilt.
When we accept Jesus' salvation, the old sinful man in us dies and we are born again. The old has passed, and the new has arrived. We are no longer enslaved by guilt. When we tell God about our flaws without hiding them, he readily forgives and accepts us.
Examine the lives of Ananias and Sapphira, the couple who lived in Jerusalem. They were instructed to sell a property and divide the proceeds among all the believers who lived there, as everything was shared among them and nothing was kept for themselves. Ananias, on the other hand, clearly kept a portion of the money for himself. The apostle Peter, who discovered Ananias' cunning, inquired about it through the Holy Spirit, but Ananias lied to him. Peter, enraged because Ananias lied in the presence of God's spirit, cursed him and he died. When his wife came in search of her husband because he hadn't been seen in a long time, she lied the same way she lied when Peter enquired about him. And, like her husband, she lied.
Proverbs (28:13) says, whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
The parable of the lost son was taught by Jesus to the disciples.
A man had two sons who lived with him. One day, the younger son demanded that his father give him his property. He forced his father to give him his share and fled to another country. He lavishly spent all of his money and lost it to people who deceived him. He had nothing and begged a man for a job. The man hired him to look after his pigs. He couldn't even get the food that the pigs ate because they ate well and were healthy. As a result, he recognized his father's affection and remembered how his father's servant ate and was satisfied in his father's house. Desperately, he considered returning to his father, admitting his mistakes, and pleading with him to allow him to live there as one of his servants.
As he got closer to his father's house, his father, who was already waiting for him, stood on the terrace and watched him. As soon as he saw his son, he ran towards him, hugged him, kissed him, and asked the servants to give him new clothes and slippers, as well as to prepare a feast to celebrate his return.
We are new in Jesus, and the old self dies the moment we accept Him into our hearts. According to the Bible, "the wages of sin is death." And it is because of Jesus that we have been forgiven and accepted by our Father.
The only person capable of taking us to heaven for eternal life is the second man of heaven. That is why he ascended from heaven.
The world may not recognize him or refuse his salvation, but God provides an eternity of peace and safety with him to those who seek his grace.
PRAYER: Thank you for coming into the world to save us from the power of darkness, Lord Jesus. Thank you for bearing the cross for us. Thank you for your never-ending love for us. I long to be a part of your kingdom and eternal life. Please give the other members of my family the grace to accept your salvation. In the name of Jesus, amen!
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