A TIME TO DIE
The Three Creations:
Since man was originally or first created, he has been recreated two more times. Even though his first creation was both physical and spiritual, his two subsequent creations or recreations were purely spiritual.
The First Creation:
This was when God created man in His own very image and likeness. Genesis 1 verse 27 states as follows: 'So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.' Man's creation was so glorious that God was willing to commit the earth and eventually the universe into his hands. Man's spiritual and mental capacities were so great that he could easily have ruled the universe on God's behalf. It must not be forgotten, for instance, that the responsibility for naming all other forms of life created after him actually fell on man. Man was, therefore, effortlessly able to name millions of other forms of life by simply being asked to do so by the Almighty. Genesis 2 verses 19 and 20. Even the Psalmist, by inspiration, was able to write in verses 4, 5 and 6 of Psalm 8 as follows: 'What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honour. You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet.' In this state, man was described as a living soul. Genesis 2 verse 7. Man was the envy of all the fallen angels.
The Second Creation:
This was actually a recreation. It was when man was recreated from being a spiritual image of God to being a spiritual image of the devil. The nature of Satan was downloaded into him thereby making him to become obsessed with himself. Genesis 3. Now carrying the sinful nature, this was when man totally lost it. The plan of God had always been for His Word to rule His Creation. Sadly, man became an ally of the devil when he was goaded and deceived into rebelling against God's Word. After his fall, man was now carrying the nature of the devil. In this fallen state man was described as flesh. Genesis 6 verses 3 and 13. He was also described as the old creation or old man. Romans 6 verse 6. Having lost his authority to the devil, he was now a puppet of the devil.
The Third Creation:
This third creation was also a spiritual creation. It is called the new creation. This was when God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the second man. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 47. This was the promised seed of the woman. He was also the last Adam. 1 Corinthians 15 verse 45. The first Adam had failed God. The last Adam, that is, the Lord Jesus, was to be the Federal Head of the new creation. We are here talking of a new race of humans who have taken their progeny from the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5 verse 17 states, 'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.' In this state, man is referred to as spirit. John 3 verse 6.
The Problem:
The problem had always been the second creation, that is, the flesh which was actually a creation of the devil. It must be emphasised that every human that has ever been born (apart from Jesus of Nazareth) was carrying this evil nature, that is, the nature of the devil which is the sinful nature. Every human born into this world, apart from the Lord, was born fallen and was thus a workshop of the Satan.
God's Verdict:
God's verdict, in view of the situation, was that the flesh must die. This was why God sent His Son in the image of sinful man to die on the Cross. By so doing, the Lord Jesus was paying the price for the sins of man. His death was as a substitute for man so that all those who come to God through Him He would save to the uttermost. For those of us who believe in the Lord Jesus, His death was also our death. We died in Him. Romans 6 verse 8. When Jesus went to the Cross, we were in Him. This is also referred to as co-death.
Without Death, There Can Be No Resurrection:
For all those who have chosen to come to Christ Jesus, the old nature, that is, the nature of sin, must be destroyed. Even though the Lord took us to the Cross legally, we need to experience that death in us. The flesh must die. Without death to the old nature, we can never experience Christ's resurrection power. If we fail to put the flesh to death by the Word and the Holy Spirit, that is, if we do not disable the old creation with the help of the Word and the Holy Spirit, we will always revel in the works of the flesh. Galatians 5 verses 19 to 21. This was why Paul, in Philippians 3 verse 10 states, 'That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.'
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