Certain things must be settled to us (understatement) according to the understanding and sight of spirit, even the Spirit. We cannot proceed from the faulty ground of assumptions and presumptions. Thankfully, the spirit who is given to reveal the Christ to us, is also given for our instruction. And again, thankfully, there are some who have left us understandings worked out to and in them that we dare not hold as less than vital to us. Of such is this given through brother Paul:
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
There should be for us not only a matter of difference as to form or type, but as to very nature in all. And, that for us, this difference is to be seen as vast and complete in nature. Though both appeared in flesh, in form of fashion as a man, essential substance and that from which all motions of life spring are entirely distinct. One Adam is not called a spiritual being nor life giving spirit, but a living soul. And there is no judgment for his being precisely how God had fashioned him. But there is not to be, and should not be, any confusion about, or equivalence made of the two. Yes, God spoke to Adam, Adam spoke with God. But no where are we told (nor to surmise) this communication is as the communing between Christ and the Father.
Adam as living soul knew God as “outside” and altogether other…to him, Adam…God being sometimes “there”…sometimes not. We are never told of a residence in the bosom of the Father, nor of his “being” in heaven while on earth. Oh, yes, to many his “place” was heavenly; and either a great deal of mercy will flow or the most severe judgement toward his observed action…by not only putting at risk, but losing such a “heavenly place” as Eden. After all, we might say, “he was even told the consequence beyond simply thou shalt not.” For God told him what would happen…”in the day you eat of it…”
But it is here we dare not forget Adam’s nature as living soul. And one will either find Paul knows of what he writes or tend to quibble. And no less (as Paul has also known, and as we may often confess) all things in matter of their truth even the truth of all things, can only be spiritually discerned. Particularly matters of life and death, good and evil. What would Adam know of death or its occurrence, meaning, or entry? Firstly, he had never even himself seen anything die in any sense. And do you not recall that time of your own when death held for you a far different shade than now it does…if indeed you be in Christ? All biological activity ceased as far as one could see summed it up. No heart beat. No breathing or self determined motion…etc…
But now, if there is any understanding of either (or both) life and death…it has come to one only by the work of another…that life giving spirit who is Christ. Can a soul be rightly (by us) condemned for not knowing what it cannot know because of the nature of its forming? We need to be very careful about judging Adam (and Adams) and the consequences of not leaving such in the only hands able to see all rightly. And minister right judgment.
No, it is not being said all must then be either excused or tolerated apart from any judging; but I will not relent from the recommendation of care. Nor will I neglect to say often the best lessons (that leave the most unforgettable “marks”) are to casually engage in such judging or condemning. Yes, God has a way to help us see when we fall into presumption. But I can only testify of how God’s patience and mercy can get a man who is most presumptuous of all through what feels to him as he must surely die under such chastenings. This is my testimony…of God’s patience toward a chiefest sinner. And God’s not slackness in dealing with unrighteousness. And to what feels at the time…too thorough. (And yet…even that shows my presumption as though I have “endured” much, if anything at all…when in truth…I may have merely been thrashed with a feather)
God’s judgement upon Adam is/was enough. I needn’t, nor any, seek to add to it by pointing out anything I cannot see plainly in myself. Ignorance coupled with presumption to pride surely paramount…but also not without that willingness to throw another under the bus for escape, and that’s the one I find a craven soul often willing to be an accomplice in; my own particularly. That the Savior would stop for one so vile is far more than a wonder. But it’s me I speak of, not another Adam. I do not know if there is ‘enough’ appreciation for such a stepping down and stopping, even to His own death. And of course, as it should go without saying, it is only the light he brought in his purchase of me that has allowed me to see who first I threw under the bus…the one I once blamed for all and everything I found unsatisfying…(and O! much was there!) while praising myself for every pleasure found. Every or any gain seemingly accomplished. But fault found? That was always for and due another. And any other would due when handy.
Yes, the reproaches with which I reproached Him were made to fall on a man. And His once being under the bus not only not phased me, and was once ignored by me, but in the grossest of ignorance could not see Him there and there placed…for me. Even by my hand, but yet by the purpose and plan of another. He alone…is the responsible one…yes, in character and all doing. He simply cannot be made subject to blame as “the one responsible” in any sense of saying He is responsible.
Here is what I believe I have been allowed to see of this salvation, this reconciling that is too wonderful and grand to be fully surmised in its glory…by one such as me. But what I have seen and believe, I believe I too have been given the spirit of faith to speak. God, in and through Christ Jesus has so humbled (and shown Himself so) in this reconciling.
In Christ Jesus’ being stretched to this purpose of reconciling He was made willing to take all the blame and blamely-ness of sin’s meritting into Himself. Yes, in every way it is a burying of the hatchet…but in a man, Jesus the Christ. Christ taking into Himself all the wrath of God for sin, and all the accusation, scorn and derision of man toward God for his estate of being “not God”. “The reproaches of those that reproached thee, fell on me”. Yes, Jesus “took it” from both ways as God in man, letting go of neither, finding fault with neither. Not divorcing nor disavowing the race of Adam heaping scorn and shame upon Him, nor His God and Father spending His wrath for sin out upon Him. A glimpse of this convinces a man “something’s gotta give” in the vessel in which this is taking place, truly the only vessel in which such is or has ever been contained.
But what has come out of “this house” in its hosting such a terrible terrible confrontation? Abiding faithfulness to His God and Father with no less a plea of mercy for man who “knows not” what he does. A joining is “in there”…never abandoned, complained of, nor regretted. And all the while more than 12 legions of angels available for the mere asking to put an end to this being thrust into all contradicting.
Listen if you can to the greatest fool of a man. I once thought I knew something about love but was shown, not how little I knew, but that all I thought it was…it wasn’t. Less than “knowing nothing of it”…I was opposed in every way to it. Yet even after confessing Christ Jesus as Lord in obedience to the faith found working in me and being shown I knew nothing of love beyond its being a word…I still thought I was learning better of “what it is”.
But tasting is not at all the same as knowing the fullness of ingredients. Nor do I make any present claim of such other than having learned where the fullness lay. In whom and the only whom in which all fullness is.
Yes, I tasted patience toward me…oh, I saw or tasted as a man might, savoring a mouthful of exquisite wine…”yes, patience is ‘in there’.” O! and mercy…ahh yes…mercy too is in there in abundance…no less truth, and grace and a graciousness of giving that calls no attention to itself. Ahh yes…they are all in there for the tasting. Even for the glorying in as gift from another. And yes, I trust you also know something of this, and quite probably a great bit more. For I am a very slow learner. I am just at the beginning.
But when I came to this, when I saw this place, this truth made plain..and so very plain but waiting for me to endure what little I have endured in Him…I marveled at all He is and all I still do not know. And marvel still. I heard what He was saying with ears now opened slightly to the depths of His sufferings in that taste of sharing with Him.
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
I seem quite unable to get past a frequent mention of this, nor the wonder in me it arouses. For I have come to know a man who, when in or faced with suffering…wants out. I cannot deny it. Whether it be some form of relief, some form of escape, some form of power to exercise or reduce the experience…yes, I know him.
But for the love of Christ hear what our Savior has said. And of His who-ness and how-ness He is in communion and relationship to the Father.
For this will take some exposing, even some exposition that is serviced by mention of what it is not.
It is not nor “was” it a statement that could engender any disposition toward some imagination of hearing the Father answer thus: “OK, son if you really don’t want to go through with it, I’ll do as you ask”
Or any such…”Well you know that’s why I sent you but if you can’t do it or bear it, OK, I understand…here’s the more than 12 legions you ask for”.
No, God forbid. And again no, and God forbid.
There is nothing less in Christ’s stating that either implies (nor God forbid we infer) anything less than “Yes, Son, surely… I’m on it for you!”
And that love, in and of that union, for the bearing of all that none other could or would bear if full escape was also accompanied by no less than already fullest of approval…well, in some knowing of a man who would jump at the opportunity of escape, makes me all the more marvel that such a man would do and be as He is even for such a man so easily tending toward self pity. And escape.
Yes, I marvel. Not only at what He has done and is…but that He makes His union with that Father also ours…and no less in fullness.
You know, there are perks to being an only child. But Jesus the Christ would have none of it.
He cannot deny Himself.
And by that a man is saved…only by Jesus being…who He is. And now we see…even many membered.
And once in a lifetime a man may be awakened to see nothing is as he once thought. And he is not sorry it is so.
https://youtu.be/rqtTINkDH64?si=5YFnjpxX9Hm3xhv7
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