When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they became aware of their nakedness. Ashamed, they sewed fig leaves together to make themselves aprons or coverings.
It appears that they were comfortable, satisfied with their covering. Yet when it came time to appear in the presence of God, they were afraid and hid. They thought that their own effort had covered their shame but it was not so.
It would take the work of God to clothe them sufficiently to be able to stand before Him. He made them coats of skins.
From where did the skins come? From an animal. What had the animal done? Nothing. It took the death of an innocent one to cover man's sin.
Sin had confused the pair into thinking that their handmade garments would make them acceptable to God (Genesis 3).
Sin had affected their powers of thought and reason. Although aware of their nakedness, they were unable to comprehend their inability to remedy the situation, thinking their own works would do the job. This was an early lesson in faith and works.
Sin has confused man. Man will confuse the truth of God. Not only has it confused his thinking but it has affected man's will.
Jesus says, "No one can come to me unless the Father draws him" (John 6:44). Sin has so depraved man that he cannot come to Jesus on his own but the Spirit of God must draw him. The Spirit convinces man of his need of salvation and then points him to that salvation which is in Jesus Christ.
If Jesus is lifted
up, He will draw all men to Himself (John 12:32).
Since the Bible teaches that all will not be saved, then man has the will
to resist the drawing of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit which
leads man to his forgiveness, even Jesus Christ. If man refuses to be
led, then he has no forgiveness. It is the unpardonable sin, the sin against
the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31; Mark 3:29; Luke 12:10).
Sin has so damaged man's will that he cannot come to Christ unless he is drawn. But enough will remains that he can will to resist the drawing of the Spirit.
Doesn't man have to believe and repent? Are not these man's part in the saving process? Man, the saved man, will believe and will repent. How can he do this if his will is so weakened?
Great truth from the
Bible, the big picture, is put together by a little here and a little
there (Isaiah 28:9,10,13).
Faith comes by hearing the world of God (Romans 10:17).
From where does this faith come? "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that (faith) not of yourselves: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD" (Ephesians 2:8).
Faith, the ability to believe the truth, comes from God. It is a gift. " ... God has dealt to every man the measure of faith" (Romans 12:3).
When Peter was asked who Jesus was, he said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God". Jesus replied, " ... flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven" (Matthew 16:17).
Just as faith is a gift of God, so also is repentance a gift from God.
Why was Jesus exalted to sit at God's right hand and made to be a Prince and Savior? " ... for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:31). And not to Israel only is repentance given but also granted to the Gentiles (Acts 11:18).
Both faith and repentance are gifts from God. Man has no part whatsoever in his salvation. It is the work of God from beginning to end. Nothing man can do will aid in accomplishing it.
It is what man does - resisting the Spirit of God - that causes him to be lost.
He has no part in his salvation, which is 100% God's responsibility.
He has all the part in being lost, which is 100% man's responsibility.
Sin has confused man and man has confused the truth of God.
Man was created in the image of God, who is outgoing, concerned for others, willing to sacrifice and suffer for their benefit.
Sin changed man. He became self-centered, egocentric. Man's inclination to center in on himself leads man to think that he has some part in the salvation process.
Knowing how difficult it would be to teach a fallen, confused, egocentric being that he had no part in his redemption, God began, even before the fall, to teach this to man.
When man was created on the sixth day, every thing else had been made. There was no work left to do in the creation process. All man had to do was to enter into God's rest on the seventh day, when God rested from His work of creation.
Was God tired? No,
it was an object lesson for man.
It was symbolic of man's salvation being the work of God, from beginning to end, and by faith - believing that God had done the work of saving man - man was to enter into God's rest.
"For we which have believed do enter into rest ... For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, AS GOD DID FROM HIS (Hebrews 4:3,10).
God's work 100% + man's work 0 = Salvation.
Let all thank God for the rest we have in Jesus!
In Christ,
Jack D. Walker, 5353
Cane Ridge #115, Antioch, TN, 37013, 615.731.8795