Paradise Lost

Adam and God were very close at the beginning of their relationship. Adam was created perfect from the un-cursed earth of God’s beautiful paradise.  The Scripture says: So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Gen 1:27 (NLT). The first two people were very intelligent but the Devil deceived the woman into disobeying God. This ruined their close relationship with God.

Separation of our fellowship caused the earth to be placed under a curse. God told Adam the following: And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. Gen 3:17. This was a paradise lost for all the people of the earth, but sadder still was the loss of their relationship with the Creator. 

Some people still feel as though God has abandoned them on this earth because He returned to Heaven which is not under the curse of disobedience. But God loves the people he created and has a great plan to redeem them. This means that someday we can live together with Him in Eternity. We cannot keep these old bodies because they are cursed. The Bible says: For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” Gen 3:19 (NLT). 

The center of God’s plan is for His Son to recreate us into brand new creatures. We can look back in history and see that Jesus came to earth to accomplish God’s requirements for our redemption. Now it is time for us to yield to God’s Spirit and find a new relationship with God. Today we have the unique opportunity of returning to fellowship with the Almighty. People all fell into sinfulness together but we must be redeemed one at a time.

Returning to paradise is the hope of every Christian. Paul tells us: …we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. Romans 8:23-24 (NLT). Serving God has the reward of a new body and life in the new world forever. 

The reentry of the “new” people to paradise will be a very big event. The Bible says: For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. Romans 8:19-21 (NLT). What great plans God has for the redeemed. 

Even the angels of Heaven look forward to our reunion with God. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. 1 Peter 1:12 (NLT). The Good News is that Jesus has come to redeem people and make them into new creatures. God’s plan for Christians is thousands of years old. 

Everything God has done in human history has had the goal of returning people to Him. Unrighteousness cannot exist in the presence of our Holy Creator. Therefore we must have faith that the Lord can change us into a righteous creature. Our new life can enjoy the Paradise of God’s perfect world. We will certainly enjoy our relationship with God as a new perfect us. Wow! The Gospel of the Scriptures is fantastic.