To till (toil) or not to till (toil)

Genesis 2:5, states that “there was not a man to till the ground” yet all the flora grew. This implies that God’s creation was designed to grow, irrespective of man’s work/action, for every herb of the field, that was given to man to eat (Genesis 3:18) grew, until man disobeyed and brought a curse on the ground and the need to till the ground and toil (sweat) for it to bear fruit/yield (Genesis 3:19).

In order to reverse this mishap, Jesus had to come and toil (work) for our Salvation (as creation itself groaned in sin and in error pinned (Romans 8:22)). He finished the work (John 19:30). The ground yielded thorns and thistles as a result of man’s disobedience (Genesis 3:18). A crown of thorns was placed on Jesus’ head as a result of his obedience (Philippians 2:8) and by being pierced, Jesus annulled the curse on mankind. Now, anyone who abides [is planted/rooted] in Jesus Christ, shall bring forth much fruit (John 15:5), by God’s doing, for he gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:7), and without him, we can do nothing (John 15:5).

Points to ponder:
Without Jesus, we need to till and toil. In Jesus, we need not till and toil.
He said, ”Come unto me, all of you, who till (labor) and are heavy laden (toil) and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Do you need to till (toil) or not to till (toil)? In other words, Are you without Christ or are you in Christ Jesus?

Genesis 2:5 (KJV)
⁵ And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.

Matthew 11:28 (KJV)
²⁸ Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Generations of the heavens and of the earth

Genesis 2:4 states “These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.” While many would read this merely as a restatement of God’s creation as mentioned in Genesis 1:1, close scrutiny of this verse reveals certain hidden truths that are intriguing for sure, but more importantly should not be overlooked.

In the article, “Heaven” or “Heavens” or “Heaven and Heavens”, we first learned about the singularity and the plurality of heaven and the singularity of the earth. Here let us look at another phrase from this same verse. The phrase is “generations of the heavens and of the earth“, implying that these creations of God, are not inanimate as one would expect them to be.

The primary definition of the word “generation” in the Merriam-Webster’s dictionary is “a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor.” Generations of the heavens – what could that mean? Before we get to that, let’s first look at the generations of the earth – what is that? The body of living beings (including you and me) constituting a single step in the line of descent from the first Adam make up the generations (children) of the earth for God fashioned man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, making man a living soul (Genesis 2:7). In fact, God then commands man to be fruitful and to multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it. (Genesis 1:28).

Now coming back to the question, what does the generations of the heavens mean? The Bible makes it clear that no man has ascended into heaven unless he has come down from heaven (John 3:13) and it continues to clarify that no man can receive anything, unless it is given to him from heaven (John 3:27). Jesus is the last Adam, the Lord from heaven who has come down from heaven (1 Corinthians 15:45) and he ascended into it after finishing his work of redeeming all mankind unto God (John 19:30) by willingly sacrificing himself (John 10:18) and giving his life as a ransom (1 Timothy 2:6) to bring many sons unto glory (Hebrews 2:10). Because of Jesus, the Son of God who was born the Seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 3:16,19,29), man who was an enemy of God (James 4:4) has now the provision to be called the child of God (of the heavens and of the earth) and can get included in the genealogy of God when man believes and receives Jesus Christ for to them that believe and receive him (John 1:12), is granted the Spirit of Adoption, by which we can call God, Abba Father (Romans 8:15).

Points to ponder:
Everyone who is born in the line of the first Adam is of the generation of the earth. Everyone who is born again in the line of the last Adam (Jesus Christ) is of the generation of the heavens. We are born on earth and when we believe in Jesus; the One man, who is from heaven, who came to earth and ascended to heaven ; the last Adam, we are born again in heaven. We are of the generations of the earth, but are we of the generations of the heavens?

Genesis 2:4 (KJV)
⁴ These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

John 3:13 (KJV)
¹³ And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:45-52 (KJV)
⁴⁵ And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
⁴⁶ Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
⁴⁸ As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
⁴⁹ And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
⁵⁰ Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
⁵¹ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

No more, Nothing more :: It is finished

Jesus’ sixth saying from the Cross is recorded in the gospel according to apostle John in chapter 19 verse 30. It reads, “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.“

Jesus said, “It is finished” to not only imply but also affirm that, that which was needed was indeed completed. The price that was necessary to redeem mankind from the power of sin and its wages, which is death, was paid in full. There is no more debt remaining. This also meant that there is nothing more necessary to save one’s soul because Jesus’ willing sacrifice was pleasing to God and was accepted by God, once and for all (Hebrews 10:12).

Points to ponder:
It is finished means there is no more debt; it means there is nothing more needed. In other words, it means it is all grace and no works that is necessary to save mankind (Ephesians 2:8-9). All works and no grace will keep the state of man’s soul unredeemed. All grace and no works will redeem the soul of man. We can confidently sing “Jesus paid it all” because he victoriously declared “It is finished.”

John 19:30 (KJV)
³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Professional Speaking :: Jesus The Businessman

Jesus Christ is known by many different names to many, but we often don’t view Jesus as a Businessman. So was Jesus a Businessman? At the age of twelve, Jesus asked his parents who thought that he was lost, when he was in the temple, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s (God’s) business?” (Luke 2:49). In other words, Jesus treated the work that God had sent him to do, which was to become the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14), as a business, and Jesus himself said, that he had come to do the will of God who had sent him and not his own will (John 6:38).

A business runs on the premise of being profitable and businesses that don’t make of profit become bankrupt and non-existent. When Jesus willingly offered himself to become the sacrifice that is acceptable to God, he could boldly proclaim from the Cross that “the business (work) that God had sent him to accomplish is now finished.” (John 19:30) In other words, Jesus The Businessman, ensured that by his life and death and resurrection, God, his Father, would profit to gain the whole world if they belief in his Son, that he had sent, for the redemption of mankind.

Points to ponder:
Jesus The Businessman was all about God’s business? Are you and I the same like Jesus? Has God profited with your soul? In other words, have you believed in Jesus The Businessman, who brings about reconciliation with God when you believe, and the sealing of your soul for eternal life.

Luke 2:49 (KJV)
⁴⁹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

John 19:30 (KJV)
³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

1 John 4:14 (KJV)
¹⁴ And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Related posts: Let’s talk business :: From the Cross (A view of the Seven sayings of Jesus on the Cross from a business perspective)

Let’s talk business :: From the Cross – 6th Saying

When Jesus was twelve years old, he questioned, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49) and on his crucifixion, he spoke seven sayings that are often expanded upon on Good Friday services, all over the world. This series, ‘Let’s talk business’ is a look at the seven sayings of Jesus Christ from the Cross, from a business perspective. Today we shall look at the sixth saying from the Cross, “It is finished” as recorded in John 19:30.

According to BusinessDictionary.com, the term “Paid in full” is used to describe the situation when debt is satisfied in its entirety.

When Jesus prayed, he prayed that he had finished the work that God had anointed him to do (John 17:5) and now on the Cross, he reaffirmed it by stating “It is finished.” But what is it that has been finished? The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), but Jesus’ death satisfied our debt of sin in its entirety. This means there is no longer any lien on our soul if we believe in Jesus.

Points to ponder:
Does your soul have a lienholder or have you believed in Jesus Christ? In business terms, Jesus paid in full; he paid for us all with his life. Now can we in response, offer and pay our lives in full back to him. 

John 19:30 (KJV)
³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

The first man Adam and the last Adam

The first man Adam refers to the one who was fashioned from the dust of the earth by the very hands of God and into whom the breath of life was breathed by God (Genesis 2:7). The last Adam is Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten (not created) son (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:45) who was made a quickening spirit.

There are similarities and differences between the first Adam and the last Adam.

Similarities:
The first Adam was given a will to obey (not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; Genesis 2:17). The last Adam (Jesus) was given a will to obey (and it was the will of God the Father, that he should be the lamb of God to take away the sins of the world;  Isaiah 53:10)
The first Adam was given a work to do (to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it; Genesis 1:28). The last Adam (Jesus) was given a work to do (which was to lay down his life for the salvation of all mankind and on the Cross he affirmed that his work was completed, when he cried “It is finished.”; John 19:30)
The first Adam was given a woman to love (Eve was her name; Genesis 2:20-25). The last Adam (Jesus) is given a woman to love (The Church is her name; Revelation 19).

Differences:
The first Adam was shameful when he sinned and he needed to be clothed (Genesis 3:10). The last Adam (Jesus) was shamed (Hebrews 12:2) when he was made sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) and they stripped him of his clothes (John 19:23)
The first Adam lost the presence of God as flaming swords were placed to prevent him from re-entering the garden and have access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24), where he communed with God. The last Adam (Jesus) restored the presence of God to all men as the veil that separated the Holy of holies was torn into two, from top to bottom, and access to commune with God was now made possible (Mark 15:38).
The first Adam had to labor on the land which was cursed to bring forth thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:18). The last Adam took the curse upon himself, and thorns were place on his head (John 19:2).

Points to ponder:
The first Adam brought death. The last Adam (Jesus) brings life and all who believe in Jesus Christ, shall have life, eternal and abundant. Have you believed?

1 Corinthians 15:45-47 (KJV)
⁴⁵ And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
⁴⁶ Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
⁴⁷ The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

God repents – It is Enough cause It is Finished

Did you know that even God repents? He does not repent in the same manner as we do, because He is sinless, blameless, pure and Holy, but he repents when he has to chastise us for our sinfulness. 1 Chronicles 21 records the incident of how David was enticed by satan to do the evil of numbering his people, which was an expression of his own abilities, and not his dependence on God. So God sent forth an angel and seventy thousand men were killed. God’s disciplining arm was actually an expression of his justice. But when God’s judgment fell on his people for the sin of David, God said, “It is Enough”, which was an expression of his forgiveness and love. In this account we see the just and loving nature of God.

Points to ponder:
God prefers our repentance over his retribution; our confession over his chastisement. The chastisement that brought peace to mankind from the wrath of God was on Jesus Christ (Isaiah 53:5) and Jesus finished the work of redeeming and reconciling mankind to God, by paying with his life. When God sees the sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ, he can say, “It is Enough” because Jesus said, “It is Finished.”

Before the throne of God above, I have a strong and perfect plea
A great high priest whose name is Love, who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on his hands, My name is written in his heart
and while I know in heaven, he stands, no tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within, 
upward I look, and see him there, who made an end of all my sin.
Because a sinless savior died, my guilty soul is counted free
for God the just is satisfied, to look on Jesus and pardon me. 

1 Chronicles 21:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

Jesus in the NT :: Mark

The book of Mark gives us a glimpse of who Jesus is in the  New Testament (N.T).

Attributed to be written by John whose surname was Mark (Latin Marcus) (Acts 12:25), the book of Mark has a dual focus on the work of Jesus; His SERVICE and SACRIFICE. The crux of the message of Mark can be found in one verse, in Mark 10:45, which reads “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Mark portrays Jesus to be the Servant and the Savior.

In the vision that Ezekiel had, one of the faces of the creatures with four faces is that of an Ox (Ezekiel 1:10). For those who have been raised in India, the sight of oxen being yoked with one another and plowing the field in servitude is a common sight. Jesus said I am the Father are one (John 10:30), meaning that he was One (yoked) with God (1 Timothy 2:5), in God’s mission of reconciliation of man to Himself and He came to serve unto Salvation (1 Timothy 2:6). In other words, Jesus was yoked and serving God.

In Mark, Jesus is The Servant of God, who came to SERVE and to SAVE. He is THE perfect Servant, with whom God was well pleased (Mark 1:11) for His great faithfulness in finishing the work of Salvation that God has ordained unto Him (John 19:30).

In Mark, Jesus is The Servant-Savior!

Points to ponder:
We have to be yoked in carrying the Cross with Christ and and we must serve Him. I believe the account of Simon the Cyrene carrying the Cross with Christ, along via dolorosa (the way of suffering) is to demonstrate to us that we are to share in the suffering of Christ and carry the Cross with Him. Simon the Cyrene, in the recorded account is said to have been compelled (forced) to carry the Cross (Mark 15:21). In the movie, The Passion of the Christ, the actor who played the part of Simon the Cyrene says the following words, when he is forced to carry the Cross of Christ: “Let everyone know that I am an innocent man forced to carry the Cross of a condemned man.” How ironic? It is we (and Simon the Cyrene) who are all condemned, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but it was Jesus Christ, an innocent man (2 Corinthians 5:21) who carried our Cross, not the other way around. We are the condemned and our Cross was carried by an innocent sinless man.

Now the turn is ours to repay that kindness and grace as we are called/commissioned, not compelled, to carry our Cross and follow Jesus. (Mark 8:34)

There are many Christians who want to serve, but not carry the Cross. As Christians, i.e., followers of Christ, the cross should be on our shoulders as we are co-laborers with Him (1 Corinthians 3:9) plowing the field to receive the seed and be fruitful, i.e., preparing the hearts of those who hear the good news of Jesus, the Servant-Savior. We are called to SERVE Christ as he served and become his voice to SAVE others from condemnation by sharing the good news of Jesus’ SERVICE and SACRIFICE.

Our duty is to be yoked with Jesus Christ and be a faithful servant of The Perfect Servant so we can receive the accolade “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord” (Matthew 25:23) when the Lord returns.

It is Finished

The sixth saying of Jesus Christ from the Cross of Calvary was “It is finished.” (John 19:30) Jesus had mentioned that He had come to do the will of God the Father (John 6:38) and now in His status report, He was affirming that the task of saving mankind and reconciling man back to God was complete. God’s will for Jesus was to be the substitutionary acceptable Sacrifice, by drinking the cup of God’s wrath as a means of judgment against sin, so that each of us would not have to. This was the “Saving” will of God and It is Finished.

But God also wills that each one of us are Holy as He is Holy (1 Peter 1:16). In other words, God wants us to be perfect. His will is for us to be blameless before Him. The Only One who can present us blameless before God is Jesus Christ (Jude 1:24). This is the “Sanctifying” will of God for us through Jesus Christ. But you and I are far from being blameless and in our fraility, many times we disappoint God with our willful disobedience.

The Bible says that we ought to work out our own salvation (Philippians 2:12). This does not mean that we need to or can earn our salvation of eternal life by living a life of piety or penance. Though some religion mistakenly prescribe a life of piety or penance, no one can earn his/her own salvation. It is a free gift of God that is granted to all who believe in God’s Only Son, Jesus Christ. Then what does the Bible mean by “work out your own salvation”? The first thing to realize, as someone mentioned, is that “Salvation must be worked in, before it can be worked out”. In other words, we must first trust and believe in Jesus to SAVE us (working IN of Salvation) and then we must trust and believe in Jesus to SANCTIFY us and make us perfect/blameless (working OUT of Salvation).

Points to ponder:
For the “Saving” will of God, Jesus said, “It is Finished.”
Now for the “Sanctifying” will of God, wherein we must conform to His image and be Holy as He is Holy, can Jesus say to God the Father, when He presents you and me before God’s Holy and Just throne, “It is Finished.” as well? Think upon it and act.

John 19:30 (KJV)
³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Christian Acronym :: T.G.I.F

The Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines the abbreviation TGIF as “Thank God It’s Friday” highlighting the celebration of the completion of the work week.

Many years ago, on one Friday (Luke 23:54), Jesus Christ, the innocent and sinless Son of God was murdered on a cruel Cross to pay for the redemption of mankind from their sins. On that Friday, Jesus affirmed to God the Father, by crying out “It is Finished (Tetelastai)” indicating that His sacrifice was the completion of God’s work of providing for man, The Way of redemption. Those who awaited the Salvation of the Lord could finally say, “Thank God It’s Friday (T.G.I.F)”

Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Master?

Luke 23:39-54 (KJV)
³⁹ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
⁴⁰ But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
⁴¹ And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
⁴² And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
⁴³ And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
⁴⁴ And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.
⁴⁵ And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
⁴⁶ And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.
⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
⁴⁸ And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
⁴⁹ And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.
⁵⁰ And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just:
⁵¹ (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
⁵² This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.
⁵³ And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid.
⁵⁴ And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.

John 19:30 (KJV)
³⁰ When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.