I’m OK, are you?
I recently approached a vehicle and was soon contemplating the prominently displayed bumper sticker that read “Born OK the first time”. That’s strange I thought, apparently this person either believes he is immortal or is OK with what this mortal life has to offer including death. "OK" is a very subjective term. I can think of a few murderous kings and leaders who thought they were OK too. By the way, fortunately for us the villains I had in mind are now dead. But somehow we never quite have a shortage of them.
In reality none of us will escape death. The moment we are born we begin our journey to the grave. Perhaps this "Born OK" person is OK with that and expects nothing more from his existence, in a senseless reality. But what if there is something more? What if there is something that makes sense, which gives us hope? What if there is something that fills the deep longing in our hearts, something that restores us and commands death to release us?
Has this person heard the good news, that eternal life is available and is a choice we all can make? It appears that he has made the choice to decline the offer and live in his reality intent on savoring every desperate attempt to enjoy the journey to the grave. How sad to toss away such a generous offer.
“But what makes you so sure about this offer?” you say.
“After all if something sounds to good to be true it's probably not.” You are a wise skeptic and not easily led astray. Perhaps if our ancient ancestors had been more skeptical we would be in a different situation. I am certain of this offer exactly because our current condition testifies to the fact that we have disobeyed God and very often choose the deception without first verifying the facts.
It is at this point that I begin an explanation of what in the world I am writing about. It is at this point where you decide either to do something else with your time, or invest it in the search for hope, exploring the words of God. The Bible says God will reward those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
The good news of God is as real as the bad news of our current death journey. In the Bible book of Genesis chapter 3, we read about Adam and Eve and the choice they made. Adam had been instructed by God to enjoy all the fruit of the garden but the fruit from one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The choice was simple obey God or disobey God.
But Eve soon heard an offer that was too good to be true. I’ve always wondered about that statement. If an offer is really good, how could it be a lie? Is anything good if it is not real? If the offer is a lie, then it is not good at all! The one making the offer is a liar.
In the book of John 8:44 we read that our enemy is the “father of lies”. He comes to steal and to destroy. In Genesis 2nd chapter, God tells Adam that if you “eat of this tree you will die” The devil, our enemy, calls God a liar and tells Eve “you will surely not die….you will become like God”. So the devil tempts Eve with a new perspective. The choice now appears to be eat and die, or eat and be like God. Hmmmmm looks like Eve forgot one thing when she looked at these options. Both of these statements cannot be true! All truth claims are not equal and or true. She allowed the devil to twist the truth and present her with false options. The original choice was obey God or disobey God.
Perhaps she would have been wise to bring the question to Adam and together bring the question to God. Adam fell for the lie just like Eve did. He should of spoken to his Creator about this new idea that contradicted what God had said. But he did not. Adam took the offer, willingly disobeying God and putting us all in the same predicament. Suddenly, Adam recalled God saying “the day you choose to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is the day you die” Adam certainly must have felt sick in his stomach as he recalled God’s command. The pangs of death already at work in his body made him fearful. It was a long and laborious death but eventually Adam and Eve died. Their descendants have been dying to this day. In fact you might say death runs in the family, it’s in our DNA.
Thankfully, this is not the end of the story. We can put away all thoughts of the inevitable destiny we face for only so long. At some point we must confront reality. The God of reality has provided a means for humanity to be reconciled to Him. Yeah, we still have an appointment with death, that is our present reality. But God, in His mercy will grant us a “do-over” right now! He will allow us to become “born again” into righteousness and everlasting life. Because we are not “Born OK the first time”
Next Post “Good News”
Can’t wait? read John 11:25 then read the whole book of John.
1 Corinthian 15:22
As everyone dies because of Adam, so also everyone will be made alive because of Christ.
Psalm 32:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...
Minnesota 1857,
Preamble: We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:
Oregon 1857,
Bill of Rights, and Article I. Section 2: All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences...
In reality none of us will escape death. The moment we are born we begin our journey to the grave. Perhaps this "Born OK" person is OK with that and expects nothing more from his existence, in a senseless reality. But what if there is something more? What if there is something that makes sense, which gives us hope? What if there is something that fills the deep longing in our hearts, something that restores us and commands death to release us?
Has this person heard the good news, that eternal life is available and is a choice we all can make? It appears that he has made the choice to decline the offer and live in his reality intent on savoring every desperate attempt to enjoy the journey to the grave. How sad to toss away such a generous offer.
“But what makes you so sure about this offer?” you say.
“After all if something sounds to good to be true it's probably not.” You are a wise skeptic and not easily led astray. Perhaps if our ancient ancestors had been more skeptical we would be in a different situation. I am certain of this offer exactly because our current condition testifies to the fact that we have disobeyed God and very often choose the deception without first verifying the facts.
It is at this point that I begin an explanation of what in the world I am writing about. It is at this point where you decide either to do something else with your time, or invest it in the search for hope, exploring the words of God. The Bible says God will reward those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6
The good news of God is as real as the bad news of our current death journey. In the Bible book of Genesis chapter 3, we read about Adam and Eve and the choice they made. Adam had been instructed by God to enjoy all the fruit of the garden but the fruit from one tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The choice was simple obey God or disobey God.
But Eve soon heard an offer that was too good to be true. I’ve always wondered about that statement. If an offer is really good, how could it be a lie? Is anything good if it is not real? If the offer is a lie, then it is not good at all! The one making the offer is a liar.
In the book of John 8:44 we read that our enemy is the “father of lies”. He comes to steal and to destroy. In Genesis 2nd chapter, God tells Adam that if you “eat of this tree you will die” The devil, our enemy, calls God a liar and tells Eve “you will surely not die….you will become like God”. So the devil tempts Eve with a new perspective. The choice now appears to be eat and die, or eat and be like God. Hmmmmm looks like Eve forgot one thing when she looked at these options. Both of these statements cannot be true! All truth claims are not equal and or true. She allowed the devil to twist the truth and present her with false options. The original choice was obey God or disobey God.
Perhaps she would have been wise to bring the question to Adam and together bring the question to God. Adam fell for the lie just like Eve did. He should of spoken to his Creator about this new idea that contradicted what God had said. But he did not. Adam took the offer, willingly disobeying God and putting us all in the same predicament. Suddenly, Adam recalled God saying “the day you choose to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is the day you die” Adam certainly must have felt sick in his stomach as he recalled God’s command. The pangs of death already at work in his body made him fearful. It was a long and laborious death but eventually Adam and Eve died. Their descendants have been dying to this day. In fact you might say death runs in the family, it’s in our DNA.
Thankfully, this is not the end of the story. We can put away all thoughts of the inevitable destiny we face for only so long. At some point we must confront reality. The God of reality has provided a means for humanity to be reconciled to Him. Yeah, we still have an appointment with death, that is our present reality. But God, in His mercy will grant us a “do-over” right now! He will allow us to become “born again” into righteousness and everlasting life. Because we are not “Born OK the first time”
Next Post “Good News”
Can’t wait? read John 11:25 then read the whole book of John.
1 Corinthian 15:22
As everyone dies because of Adam, so also everyone will be made alive because of Christ.
Psalm 32:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord...
Minnesota 1857,
Preamble: We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings:
Oregon 1857,
Bill of Rights, and Article I. Section 2: All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences...
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