Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Genesis 3:15
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

I now will undertake one of the most scary undertakings in my life...the road to humility. This road is the road of my Savior, the road to meaning and happiness, and the road that Christ bids me to travel. My morning devotions will now steer me on this particular course for I know not how long, and I know not where, for the path to humility is foreign to me.

I will begin with the proto-evangelium, the first promise of the gospel found in the Bible. For this should be a good place to start. The reason for this is that the previous to chapters tell me something of my position in this world, and something of the original design for me.

God, in the beginning created the heavens and the earth. He created all things, but no things were in existence before He created them. There was no pre-existing matter, there was no stuff that the world was made out of. The world and the universe were actually spoke into existence by God. His word was the power by which the universe was formed and as John 1:1-3 tells of the creation of the world:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

The Lord Jesus is the Word. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Word of God. Thus, when God spoke, it was Jesus who performed. He created all things, in fact, not a thing that exists in this universe was made without Him.

Thus, it can be seen that the essence of life is not my soul, it is not this physical stuff around me, the essence of life, the thing that keeps all things together is Jesus Christ. This can be seen in Colossians 1:16-17:

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Therefore, the essence of life is held together by the power of Jesus Christ. So this very moment, in this very room, I am not my own, but a creation of the Lord God almighty, and my continuing existence is upheld by the power of Jesus Christ.

So who am I? So what greatness is there in me? Do I have anything that I can offer, anything that I can do? Is there any power or might that is in me? No, I am a created being. I have no strength, power, existence in myself. I am held together by the God of the universe, and thus I am not my own.

So then, when the final analysis comes down, when man was originally created he was created by God, for God and was held together in God. So how in the world did man get created. Well, it was by the fiat of God. It was by God's own will, and pretty much in today's vernacular, He did it because He felt like it. Hear the words of God in Genesis 1:26:

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."


God made man in the image of God, in the likeness of Himself. God did not make man like a brute beast, but endowed Him with the attributes of God. These are knowledge, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. So God makes man as an image-bearer, as a representation of Himself.

But God's grace and power can be seen in this. God makes man with authority and power as Himself. God gives man dominion over the earth. God gives man authority to name the world, to describe it in such a way as to exalt God. God creates man as his vice-regent. This picture is not a picture of servitude and slavery, but rather, a picture of power and authority.

But what then is the nature of this man's power and authority, and what is the purpose of all this. Well, God planned for Adam to be in relationship with Himself. God planned for Adam to be a representation of Himself. God planned for Adam to be a vessel that would perform His will, and live in such a way as to find all delight, satisfaction and joy in God. But in this He would have the power and authority, because God gave man dignity to start.

But what does this have to do with humility? Tons, for man owed God everything. If man were to properly look at his situation, he would determine, rightly, that he owes all to God, and that in all things, he should pour out his soul to God, be God's servant, and give to Him. Well, then, if man owes all to God, and is to live dedicated to God, then it would make sense that every part of man's life should be offered up to God in service. This kind of status should produce all kinds of thoughts of humility and praise.

But now, how do I get to the proto-evangelium? Well, quite simply, the story goes like this...man wasn't content being humble. Man wanted more power and more authority. Man wasn't content to simply be a vessel of God, pouring out his life for God, but wanted more, much more. He wanted full control and power over all things. Man wanted to decide for himself what was good and what was bad. Thus, the plunge out of dignity and delight in God into the mess of going against the creator and the creation design. God's design for man giving himself wholly and completely to God in service and delighting in it was gone. Now, man was plunged into self-deception and self-deprecation.

Man jumped off the cliff, and landed into insignificance and non-meaning. For now, apart from God, he lost his power and authority. Apart from God he lost the created meaning of being an image-bearer, reflecting the goodness and grace of God. He believed a lie, and now attempted to show himself of value apart from his real value.

Thus, destruction, misery, pain, meaningless and all other bad was introduced into the world. Here, Adam stood without hope and without God in the world. Yet, God in His rich grace and power shows the whole point of being made, by giving the proto-evangelium.

God promises to send His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth to pay the penalty and restore the appropriate image of God in man, as one who is subsident in God.

Thus, the path back to liberty and freedom is the path of death. God would send His Son, humiliated, and broken to show what true submission means. This is the first sign on the road to humility. Even God Himself would demonstrate a life of submission and brokenness for the cause of God. Jesus Christ would come to share the fact that through suffering He would submit His will in all things to the will of God.

Oh Lord, I cannot even begin to see the wonder of the gospel in this passage as I should. I do not even begin to see the beauty of holiness and submission to you as I should. I am a proud, arrogant and self-exalting man. Please, oh Father, change my heart, and make me see, as I study your word that the life of a true disciple of Christ is the life of humility and service. The path to you, is the path of Jesus Christ, of being empty of self, and being full of You. Help me today oh God. In Christ, amen.