Kingdom Come

“The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree.” (Genesis 3:12)

That interpretation is undoubtedly a result of our habitual use of projection, the defense mechanism in which we attribute our unacceptable thoughts and attitudes to others. It’s a reflection of our own sin nature, what the psychologist Carl Jung called our shadow, the dark side of our nature we habitually deny is in our nature, but unconsciously or otherwise, controls us.

Plotted as it was by the Adversary, Adam’s act of eating the fruit was certainly condemned by “the accuser of the brethren” – and legalistic religionists – but it condemned by God?

The fruit law given to the first humans is not a moral law, simply a law of nature – “If you eat the fruit, you die.” No different from “if you drink poison, you die.” Death was a consequence, an unstoppable chain reaction of physical effects, but eating the fruit wasn’t the sin.

Eating the fruit in order to become spiritually independent of God was the sin.

“Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (I Timothy 2:14)

The Reader’s Digest Condensed Version would write that “Adam was not…in the transgression.”

Understanding what is means to have dominion is the key to understanding a hermeneutical version of Adam’s action. Humans are not animals with instincts, or military grunts with orders or robots with preprogrammed responses to circumstances. 

Turns out the priority commandment documented in scripture up to this point is found in the preceding chapter.

“because she was taken out of Man therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:23-24)

“Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning…said, For this cause [because humans are the penultimate full image and likeness of God] shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh [like the Singularity has no divisions]? What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Matthew 19:4-6)

And so Adam simply obeys God’s word to leave his father and mother – which in his case is God – and instead cleave to his wife, and not put her asunder.  

• The woman whom thou gavest to be with me – The woman you entrusted to my care, for whom I am responsible
• she gave me of the tree – she already had it and was doomed
• and I did eat – I couldn’t leave her alone, we are one flesh.

Surely we can recognize the plagiarism in Walt Disney’s Snow White, where the vain ruler who wants to be supreme in the land uses a poisoned fruit to kill the rival young woman, who is however brought back to life by the man who loves her so much he shares the poison with a kiss on her lips.

The Lord of the Rings brings to life a host of biblical concepts, including this one in which an immortal being chooses mortality.

Can we not see that by uniting with the Woman in death, Adam acted as God had – giving life, by connecting her to himself.

When God created humans with freedom of action he only created the potential to love – identify fully with another.

It was by the action of giving his life to his wife that the first human son of God developed his greatest likeness to God, grand-slamming anything the brilliant spirit son of God Lucifer had to show in competition.

“love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth [is one mind with] God… If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” (I John 4:7, 12)

The following dogma, claimed as uniquely Christian, is just as fully applicable to the first mortal human.

“Greater love hath no man that this, that a man lay down his life for his friends [intimate acquaintances]…For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners [like the woman in the Garden of Eden], The Promised One / Christ died for us [like Adam].” (John 15:13, Romans 5:7-8)

The equal and opposite reaction of Adam uniting to his sinful wife is that she was therefore united with him in his righteous relationship with the Father. This is why “Adam…is the figure of him that was to come [the Savior].” (Romans 5:14)

Without having any catechism or religious upbringing in an assembly of believers, Adam nailed it on his first test.

That should send chills down your spine.  This fragile, childishly innocent human countered the most powerful, evil monster in the universe in his first move, simply by choosing to act according to the word of God, even to apparent failure, to death! – instead of leaning on his own understand or acting on his own self interests.

Adam could not have proven his likeness to God without having the opportunity to love the Woman AFTER she needed to be sacrificially loved. Adam’s ultimate likeness to God – and the revelation to all creation of God’s own love – was perfected when Adam took the initiative to act out of consideration for his wife’s welfare instead of his own.

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:” (I Peter 2:24)

This first act of a human Son of God voluntarily sacrificing his life is absolutely fundamental to Christianity and can be recognized as such when we put Adam’s name in the actions quoted by Paul.

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ / The Chosen One / Ha-Adam the Human instead of Lucifer also loved the church / fellowship, and gave himself for her, that he might take away the corruption caused by her action, wiped clean of decay by the power of the word that gave life in the first place, that he might present her to himself a glorious wife restored to perfection.

For this cause Adam separated himself from his heavenly Father, and joined himself to his wife by eating the fruit and experiencing death with her, so they could continue to be united, have the same flesh. This is a great mystery, that is revealed as the story progresses.” (Ephesians 5:25-32)

As you read the following New Testament passage, consider where Paul got his material.

“we ourselves also [like the Woman] were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures.”

“But after that the kindness and love of God [and Adam made in his likeness] our Saviour toward [sinful hu]man appeared”

That describes Adam exactly, “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:” (Philippians 2:6) showing up at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil with, not only a horrified and shocked look on his face, but pity and compassion. 

Love is not a good feeling. It is not feeling attracted to another. It is, in fact, the opposite of lust.

Love is identifying oneself with another through commitment, determination to stay even when things go from bad to worse, willingness to suffer and sacrifice. Every loving parent should grasp this intuitively. We choose to have children, disrupting and even risking our lives, spending our money on them instead of us, because we want to experience unity with them. We choose to stay married for the sake of the children’s welfare rather than leave to find fulfillment of personal desires.

“for he [the LORD and Adam] hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that WE may boldly say, The Lord is MY helper, and I will not fear…YHVH’s Savior – the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:4-8)

What Adam’s commitment to his marriage partner made possible for her was that, when she chose likewise to identify herself with Adam, she was able to be restored to a relationship with God for eternal life.

Every true believer who has merged his/her identity with the Savior can expect to be faced with opportunities to develop love for God and his beloved family, expressed as staying faithful to him just as he stays faithful to us, forgiving trespasses against us and doing good to our enemies, and bringing his kingdom into play within our sphere of influence.

But we must choose voluntarily to act as God chooses to act. This is proven by staying committed despite worsening circumstances, sickness, poverty, even death. This character trait doesn’t get zapped into us at the moment of the new birth, any more than at the physical birth.  It has to be developed as we respond, in faith, to challenging circumstances.

And that is the purpose of remaining in a troubled marriage. Not to maintain social respectability.

“For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?” (I Corinthians 7:16)

What about us believers who stuck it out for years only to feel like we failed when the marriage ultimately crashed?

“every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things [ultimately] is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after…

Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness…They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed…any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” (Hebrews 3:4-12)

“But if the unbelieving depart, let him [not an option but a demand as in let him be crucified] depart…. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.” (I Corinthians 7:15)

If God can’t force anyone to identify with him, we humans certainly can’t. Are we going to compare our success with his? how many of his people did he lose?

“Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

And he said unto him…keep the commandments.

He saith unto him, Which?

Right there we know he’s not serious, he’s being legalistic. He’s acting as his own lawyer in his defense. I tried that once and it did not work. So (probably closing his eyes, taking a deep breath, and reciting in a fast monotone like a high school student being asked to recite the alphabet)

Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother: (so far, so good, with the self-defendant vigorously nodding agreement) and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.

Ah! Make a commitment to unite with me, live in poverty like me giving up your comforts, associate with needy people demanding all your resources, experience loneliness giving up your existing social relationships with intellectual friends who will mock and reject you. Love me as deeply as a woman who has captured your heart.

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:16-23)

Well, Adam was one rich man who did enter into the kingdom of heaven. When Adam willingly gave up everything including his life to give companionship / i.e. life to his utterly impoverished wife, he demonstrated what it means to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33)

“This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends [intimate acquaintances].” (John 15:12-13)

This is the opposite of calculating every decision for what’s only in it for you.

Alfie is a 1966 a box office success, receiving critical acclaim becoming an influential part of British cinema. It tells the story of a young man who leads a self-centred life, using women only for his personal advantage, for sex and for domestic purposes. In the end, he discovers that what he thought was power was in fact loneliness. The title song questions “What’s it all about, Alfie?” and answers that “there is something even unbelievers can believe in.” Love.

Only believers can demonstrate what love is all about.