The Everlasting Covenant - 3.4 Fall - References

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3.4 Fall of Man References
Hubert F. Sturges, www.everlastingcovenant.com, September 2009

References:
1. Robes of Light
2. Themes of the Bible
3. Is the Bible True?
4. Nature of Sin
5. Man’s Relation to Law
6. Covenant for Sinless Beings?
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1. Robes of Light

We find today that there are cells in human skin that are capable of fluorescence and phosphorescence, thus giving the basis for “robes of light” for Adam and Eve. See Genesis 2:25; 3:7.

Genesis 2:25 states that “they were both naked, ... and were not ashamed.” There is an implication here that they were clothed with something besides fabric or skins. Angelic beings in the Bible are usually clothed in white. When Moses came down from the mountain with the second set of tables of stone, the skin of his face shone so that he had to put on a vail (Exodus 34:35). Do sinless beings always “shine?”

Immediately after they sinned, in Genesis 3:7 “the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” Something had changed. There is no record of their having clothes or of their taking them off. But where they had once been naked and not ashamed, now they were naked and ashamed. While this does not prove the point, it is compatible with the concept of their being clothed with robes of light before they sinned.

Fluorescence and Phosphorescence in human skin.
Cells with auto-fluorescent granules are common in the dermal connective tissue of human skin. The cytoplasmic granules appear to be of lipo-pigment nature. The cells show phagocytic properties and it can therefore not be excluded that the cytoplasmic granular structures are ingested material. There are certain similarities between the observed dermal auto-fluorescent cells (DAF-cells) and chromatophores (melanophages) of the dermis.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/q567n05868276n2r/

Natural fluorescence and phosphorescence of human skin:
Human skin contains cells (specific fluorophores) with the capacity to fluoresce, or reflect light usually in the presence of certain wavelengths of ultraviolet light and to some drugs. Skin cells also show the capacity to phosphoresce, or produce light. This has been found to be a measure of a persons general health, and to his response to certain types of treatment. Fluorescence and phosphorescence are thought to be produced by energized double bonds which effect can be increased or decreased by the use of certain chemicals and drugs.

The above statements are a condensation of several scientific articles. The conclusion is that human skin has the capacity to both intensely reflect and to actually produce light. It is of interest as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden were thought to be clothed in “robes of light.” What happened to those robes of light? The skin still has the capacity, but the activating energy is lacking.

When Moses came down from the mount Sinai, his face glowed. The skin color of a face is hard to reproduce, as photographers well know. When someone is happy, and his face is beaming, there may be something more to it than the happy smile!
http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v115/n4/full/5600851a.html
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2. Themes of the Bible

What is the Bible all about? It seems a jumble of myths, legends, and ancient history that doesn’t concern anyone today. Why should I waste my time reading it?

Would you really like to know why? Would you be interested to know that there is a God? And that He is interested in you? The Bible tells you where you came from and where you are going. Better yet, the Bible gives you a choice of where you are going. All this came about through some decisions made many years ago, but which affect your life every day today.

The Bible tells us that it was God who created this earth. You did not come from monkeys. Rather you were created to be like God, though not equal to Him. The first couple, Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. Everything there was perfect, but they disobeyed God, sinned, and we have been in trouble ever since then. The Bible is the story of how to get back to God again and to avoid all the trouble we have today. This is called the Plan of Salvation, the Gospel.

This was necessary because Adam sold us all to the devil. We have been in trouble ever since and can only look forward to death and hell . . . unless . . .

Satan, the devil, hates God, especially Jesus Christ. He will do all he can to hurt him, but since he cannot reach Jesus, he tempts, troubles, and destroys us. And because Jesus loves us, His creation, this does cause Him trouble. This is called the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan. It is a battle for your loyalty. Will you follow Satan or follow Jesus, the Son of God?

The Plan of Salvation is the Everlasting Covenant. The Gospel is “good news.” It is the preaching of Jesus Christ who lived a sinless life as our example. He died on Calvary as a sacrifice for our sins, removing our guilt, forgiving our sins, and removing the condemnation of the law from us as sinners. He was resurrected on the third day and now lives as our High Priest in Heaven, interceding for us. He makes possible forgiveness and cleansing for each of us.
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3. Is the Bible True?

In years past this question would not even be asked. In a simpler age, people depended on God on a daily basis. Today we have a multitude of answers to our questions and for our problems. And we have the government to keep us from starving. Coupled with this is a “scientific establishment” that largely opposes the concept of God.

So, what do we know about the Bible?

The Bible is a collection of “books” written from about 1600 bc to 200 ad. In spite of the long period of time involved, and at least forty authors, there is remarkable agreement in the message given. There is some “observer error” as different people will see the same event in different ways. But this never detracts from the message.

There are detailed prophecies in the Bible that have been fulfilled to the letter. There are a number of prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and some prophecies found to be conditional which were either not fulfilled or else projected to a later time.

No other book ever written has been so effective in changing the lives of people or affecting the affairs of nations.

In the Bible is found a history of God’s dealings with men, good and bad. The great truths of the Bible are declared, not proven. You cannot “prove” the Bible or the presence of God. The proof comes in experiencing Him in your life. Thus a person is urged to study the Bible to become acquainted with the living God, and to personally experience His blessings.
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4. The Nature of Sin

Sin is defined as transgression of the law (1 John 3:4). The moral issue of sin is shown by the ten commandment law (Romans 3:20; Exodus 20:1-17). This is condensed into the two commandments of love to God (Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:30; Deuteronomy 6:5) and love to your neighbor (Romans 13:8-10; Leviticus 19:18).

Lacking love for God leads to ingratitude and pride. Men will think that the good things of life are attained by their own efforts. They may feel that God is not needed and that one may do what he wants to do with his life. Pride was the original sin of Lucifer that made him Satan. Lacking love for your neighbor leads to selfishness. This leads to greed for wealth, power, and pleasure. These basic sins of pride and selfishness are so deeply ingrained that many even good people will do good things out of the motives of pride and selfishness. It is only by the grace of God that we can truly be lifted out of pride and selfishness.
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5. Man’s Relation to Law

The basic issues are man’s relation to God and his relation to other men. Our relation to God is based on the fact that He is Creator of all we see and Creator of each one of us. We owe everything to Him. Knowing that He is a God of love, this is a relationship of beauty and hope. It is the duty and privilege of men to discover the will of God. In knowing the will of God we find purpose and meaning in life.

It is common observation that any organization must be governed by law. We use other terms – rules, policies, job descriptions, agreements, etc. but they all express the concept of law. This universe, created and sustained by God must also be subject to law. The law of God is a perfect complement to His Creation. Created beings who observe that law will live and flourish. Those who break that law will die.

Since God is a God of love, and His created beings exhibit this same quality, all creation is motivated to pattern life after the life of God. To keep the law was natural, and was done largely on an unconscious level. Intelligent beings did not focus on the law, they patterned their lives on what they saw of God.

Considering this, how could sin arise? For this there is no explanation, only observations. Sin was the result of misusing the gift of free choice. Sin was totally unnecessary. To sin was to rebel against God, to break the pattern He had set and to begin to live for self. Through pride and attributing the gifts of God to himself, Lucifer sinned and made himself Satan. Others who sin “choose another master” and take on the same characteristics.

Sinless beings will keep the law naturally. After sin, this was no longer possible. Man had taken sinful pride and selfishness into his makeup. Even doing good things could only come from a selfish motive. Only by the grace of God could sinful man be lifted out of the pit of selfishness. And worse, in gaining the “knowledge of evil” sin had now become an option, and to sin was now easier.

To keep the law on a superficial level is not hard. Most “civilized” people will do this much. But Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount showed that true obedience must come from the heart. When the rich young ruler came to Jesus, he was a man who had kept the law “from his youth up.” But in his selfishness, he did not love his neighbor as himself; and he loved his possessions more than he loved God, who stood before him in the person of Jesus Christ!

Today, we do not know even his name.
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6. Covenant for Sinless Beings

Sinless beings were placed under law. The laws of science are directly observed and generally not challenged. There was also a moral law. This was an “understood law” as sinless beings naturally patterned their lives after what they saw of God. Nothing is recorded about a covenant with sinless beings. The “Creation Covenant” if there is such simply recognizes the loving benign law of God.

Specific provisions of this "covenant of Eden" were:

(1.) The contracting parties were
       (a) God the moral Governor, and
       (b) Adam, representing all his natural posterity (Romans 5:12-19).
(2.) The promise was "life" (Matthew 19:16, 17; Galatians 3:12).
(3.) The condition was perfect obedience to the law.,
(4.) The test was to abstain from eating the fruit of the "tree of knowledge."
(5.) The penalty for disobedience was death (Genesis 2:16, 17).

On the other hand, the everlasting covenant, as we understand it is the Plan of Salvation. Even before the creation of this earth, the Father and the Son made this plan to be used IF man should sin. Sinless beings did not need a “covenant” of redemption. It is better to understand that they were under law, and in their sinless state, they were able to keep that law.

After sin, men were unable of themselves to keep the law from the heart. God gave Adam and Eve the covenant of redemption which now offered salvation on the condition of faith. It was based on the promised Redeemer, who would give His life that men might live. By His sinless life, Christ won the victory over evil and showed that by grace men might keep the law.
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