In the sublime innocence of the Garden, Adam and Eve passed their days in abundant living, lacking nothing, basking in direct, unimpeded relationship with God Himself. In short, in exquisite alignment with God’s Plan ‘A.’ When Eve encountered this alien thing called temptation, she found herself beguiled by a form of questioning she’d never known. In the headiness of the moment, she ignored God’s stern warning and took the bait, offering it to Adam who also ate. The loss of their immortality was instantaneous and devastating! In a flash, with eyes now ‘open,’ they were forced to accept the new ‘seeing’ they had invited into their lives. All freshness withered and darkness felt, for the first time, like something to be feared, something menacing.
Throughout the millennia following that disastrous decision, now-mortal humanity has wearily moaned under the weight of a sin-infected nature. Non-Edenic behavior has haunted every generation. All manner of futile attempts have been made to rise above Adam’s error. Dark, sinister ways have but multiplied. Cries for relief have mounted to Heaven, and two thousand years ago, Heaven’s response came. His name is Jesus.
Because of Jesus, according to Romans 6:4, TPT, we have been empowered to walk in the freshness of new life. New life! Not since mankind’s expulsion from Eden has that been a possibility. God’s Plan ‘A’ has come to us! Our release is a Name. Our freedom is a Name. Our life is now a Name – Jesus. When (if) people say they see Jesus in us, it is proof of God’s faithfulness not just to us but to the world He ‘so loves.’ This new life comes with unspeakably glorious gifts and abilities, again, not just for us, but for the entire waiting, weary world. This new life wipes clean the slate of all that came before, cancelling all guilt and shame and fear. This new life, just like Jesus’ life, is one that finds its center in love. This new life steps up to every new circumstance with Holy Spirit-inspired assurance. It’s in charge when faced with temptation or sickness or demons. This new life is possible because Jesus is the Second Adam. (check out Romans 5! You’re gonna love it!) PD
We are engineered by His design, He manufactured us in Christ (Greek, poeima, we are His poem, God finds inspired expression of Christ in us.) We are fully fit to do good. Ephesians 2:10, MIRROR.
We have become his poetry, a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works we would do to fulfill it! Ephesians 2:10, TPT.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10, NLT.
Don graduated from Regent University in 1988 and moved to France for seven years, coming back to the US briefly to marry Sue in 1990. The work in France included working in a Christian School and helping plant a church before returning in 1995. He’s been pastor of Peninsula Vineyard since 1999. He enjoys counseling, especially married couples, traveling back to France (with Sue), reading, doing Sudoku puzzles and sleuthing out good, dark chocolate. Don serves as the senior pastor of the Vineyard Church Peninsula, in Newport News, Virginia.