Made Alive

Have you ever been in a situation when you discovered that the reputation you have built does not match the reality of your life? There have been times in my life when I sat for an examination, took part in an assessment or went through a testing time, and the outcome showed that I am way off the mark.  We all need a regular reality check, so we don't build our lives on false reputations and an inflated sense of self validation. Only to receive a shocking verdict from the most reliable Judge you'll ever know - God! The Church in Sardis got a reality check from God when He said to them "I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead." (Rev. 3:1b, NIV)

For someone or a group of people to be physically alive, yet declared dead by God is a paradox that needs further exploration. In Genesis, the first time God talks about death in this way was when He warned Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He said, "when you eat from it you will certainly die". (Gen. 2:17b, NIV). Other translations of the same verse, (like NKJV and ESV) put it more bluntly, "In the day you eat of it, you shall surely die".  However, Adam and Eve ate the fruit, and what we immediately observe does not look like death at all. "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." (Gen. 3:7, NIV). It looks and sounds like "The Enlightenment", an improved sense of awareness, knowledge and wisdom. An independent man who now thinks himself capable of improving on what God has done. 

Immediately Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, their perspective changed. Were they always naked and only became aware of the fact after they ate the forbidden fruit? Before they ate of the fruit, they seemed perfectly fine with their "nakedness", or did they become naked as a result of their rebellion? The Bible did not directly answer these questions, but we have clues or indirect answers. After they ate of the fruit, they lost the comfort they enjoyed in the presence of God. They hid from and were afraid of Him. This is the same person they enjoyed fellowship with prior to their rebellion. The reason Adam gave for being afraid is telling... "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked..." (Gen. 3:10, NIV). Can you see that their "enlightened" state bred fear?  What was sold to them by the crafty little serpent as better is - a state of nakedness that leads to shame, fear and a need to hide. How can that be better?   

Their act of rebellion against God, which we inherited, is the actual state of every person who has not experience the "New Birth".  Notice that they only became conscious of the problem after they heard God? Immediately after they ate the forbidden fruit and before God called them, they must have felt, even for the briefest of moments that they were okay. They are not dead, but alive, with improved knowledge and understanding. They must have felt, "aha, we know better, let's make fig leaves to cover our nakedness". A human solution to a human problem, which as we see always proves inadequate. Later, God gave them "garments of skin" instead of "fig leaves"; a better temporary covering for their naked bodies. In His mercies He "clothed them" with "garments of skin" in place of "figs leaves". (Gen. 3:21). Which is better for clothing? Skin or leaves? The fig leaves represents the best of human innovation at the time, and the garments of skin represents God's merciful providence, for a rebellious creation. 

Here is my main point. Adam and Eve did not know they were dead while still alive, until God showed up. To be dead is to be helpless, unaware that you need help, unable to help yourself, hopeless, empty, and stone DEAD! This was my state and yours until Jesus made us alive in Him. This is the state of everyone who is not yet a Christian. "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient...But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved." (Eph. 2:1-2, & 4, NIV). What a miracle! God's saving grace is one we must never take for granted. We who were dead have been made alive in Christ Jesus. We don't only have eternal life now, we will reign and rule with Him for eternity. Glory be to God. Amen!

Life without Jesus is an empty, non-fulfilling life. The invitation is still open to be made alive in Christ Jesus. This means a recognition that you are a sinner who needs God's salvation. This Salvation comes only through repentance from sin and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. When you do that, God will fill you with His Holy Spirit, who will reside in you and begin to guide you for the rest of your earthly life. He will also serve as guarantee and witness within you, that you now belong to God and will live with Him forever. You will be made alive, not just in the physical sense but in the spiritual sense. Do you want to be made alive? Talk to a Christian friend, come and visit us at The King's Church, or attend an Alpha course near you to learn more. 

If you are already a Christian, don't revert to a lifestyle that enslaves you again to sin. Heed God's warning to the church in Sardis... "Wake up!...Remember...what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent". (Rev. 3:2-3, NIV). Spend the rest of your life listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit of God within you. The life you have only comes from your union with Christ. If you go rogue and solo, you'll not feel the loving, gracious and merciful life that God has given you. The condition and position Jesus secured for you and I on the cross is life at its fullest. Be thankful for it and worship Him with it. 

"And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not of works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph. 2:6-10).