The Almighty is always in the business of giving humans a second chance. However, the all-important question is : Do humans always seize the chances given to them by God?
God's Original Plan For Man:
God had always desired for someone to rule the universe on His behalf. However, for anyone to be able to rule the universe on God's behalf, he must have the attributes of God. He must be like God. As no angel qualified for the job, the Almighty had to specially create someone who would fit the bill. This was exactly what He did when He created man and put him in the garden of Eden to start with. Genesis 1 verse 26 states, 'Then God said, ''Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.'' The Psalmist also writes in Psalm 8 verses 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, '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, All sheep and oxen-Even the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, And the fish of the sea That pass through the paths of the sea.'
Details Of The Package Of The First Chance:
Even though man was made from the dust of the earth, he was meant to live forever. If man had not sinned, no disease would have been able to enter his body. Also, if not for the fall, there would have been nothing like the ageing process. Moreover, he was given authority to rule God's Creation. This was the dominion mandate. The bible says in Genesis 1 verses 27 and 28, 'So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ''Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.''
Man was to live in the presence of God and to enjoy the Almighty for ever. God visited Adam and Eve in the garden on a daily basis because He loved to have fellowship with humans. God also honoured man. Even though God made every beast of the earth and every bird of the air, He accorded man the honour of naming them.
How Man Blew It:
Sadly for man, he never knew that danger was lurking around the corner. He never knew of a person called Satan, neither did he know of Satan's fall out with God. The truth of the matter however was that Satan was real. He used to be an archangel in heaven where he was known as Lucifer or son of the morning. This archangel fell out with God and was cast out of heaven with his fellow coup plotters. He was now on earth and knew about God's mandate to Adam. Considering Satan's problem with God, he was prepared to resume hostilities with the Almighty or with any plan that God might put in place for planet earth. Satan wanted rulership. As far as he was concerned, if he could not rule, no one else would. His plan therefore was to take man out, thereby putting a separation between Adam and God. He achieved his goal through deception.
Man After His Encounter With Satan:
Man's encounter with Satan in the garden of Eden left Adam and his posterity deprived of their heritage. It was a sad development. It was sunset at dawn. Everywhere one looks today, man's situation on earth is a clear evidence of his fall. Even though things are covered up with materialism, fallen man knows he is an enemy of God who is beset by fear and uncertainty. He is depraved and hell bound.
God's Plan To Give Man A Second Chance:
However, it was God's plan to give man a second chance. Man had to be bought back from Satan and from the slave market of sin. This had to be done legally. Due to the holiness of God, it was important for justice not only to be done but to be seen to be done. A sinless person must die as a substitute for man so that man could be forgiven and then be given another chance. As no one qualified for this job on earth, the Almighty had to send His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to do the job. It is a historical fact that a baby boy was born of a young virgin in Bethlehem of Judea about 2000 years ago. 33 years after his birth, He died a violent death on the cross of Calvary.
Details Of The Package Of The Second Chance:
1. Forgiveness - Acts 3 verses 19 and 20 state, ''Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before.''
2. Everlasting Life - John 3 verse 16 states, ''For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.''
3. Sonship - John 1 verse 12 states, 'But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.'
4. Joint Heir With Christ - Hebrews 2 verse 10 states, 'For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering.'
5. Power - Acts 1 verse 8 states, ''But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..................''
6. Victorious Living - John 10 verse 10 states, ''The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.''
7. Rapture - 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 17 states, 'Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.'
8. Glorious Resurrection - For God's children who die before the Rapture 1 Thessalonians 4 verse 16 applies. It states, 'For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.' 1 Corinthians 15 verse 43 also applies, 'It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.'
9. Glorious Body - Philipians 3 verse 21 states, 'Who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.'
10. To Inherit New Heavens And A New Earth - 2 Peter 3 verse 13 states, 'Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.' The saved will rule and reign with Christ in the glorious new dispensation.
Man's Part In Actualising God's Plan For Him:
1. Acceptance Of The Plan
2. Repentance
3. Faith
4. New Birth
5. Growing Into Spiritual Maturity
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