In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve believed the serpent’s lie that knowing good and evil would make them “like God,” Genesis 3:5, the best part of which would be the “wisdom they’d gain” (6), which they assumed would be enough to see them through whatever the future held. Wisdom, therefore – sourced totally from within themselves – would be relied on from that point on to how the impossible would become possible.
If, however, this truly was (and is) the means and solution to a utopian world free of evil, then why did God then prevent Adam and Eve from “eating off (the other tree in the garden), the tree of life,” which would have given them “life forever,” Genesis 3:22?
We’ve all been learning the answer to that ever since, as we look back on a long and destructive trail through history of nations and empires always striving, always thinking they know best, always floundering as things go terribly wrong, always trying new things that never work, always creating collateral damage for the innocent, always creating upset, division, polarization and tribalism, and constantly having to lie and deceive to hide their errors – and all because they believed (and still believe) they have the wisdom and ability of gods to solve all, even to assuming to themselves the “god-like” right and authority to decide what is right and wrong, and justify enforcing it with “god-like” authority, crushing and censoring all who dare to disagree, challenge, expose or threaten them.
We’ve been learning by brutal experience, then, what happens when we rely on wisdom sourced from within ourselves. But, fortunately, into our unending mess God has provided the knowledge and the means to making the impossible possible, including total restoration of the planet and damaged lives repaired.
World peace is included in that too, because it was in Jesus’ promise in John 16:33 – of making possible the peace that we’ve never been able to attain – he dropped a vital clue. And in only two words too: “in me” – “so that in me you may have peace.” And that, according to Jesus, is how the impossible becomes possible.
It’s not sourced at all from within ourselves; it is purely sourced in Jesus, Which begs the question – “What does ‘in Jesus’ mean?”….(next blog)
