From Curses to Kingdom

I was reading today and considered the implications of something I hadn't thought through quite enough.  In Genesis 3:14-19 we see four curses:

1.  on the serpent:     “Because you have done this, cursed are you among all animals and among all wild creatures; upon your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.  I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

2.  one on the woman:          “To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.” 

3.  one on the man:               “And to the man he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’…. in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18     thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19     By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 

4.  and one on the land        “…cursed is the ground because of you;”

As I read these, I got to thinking about Christ’s sacrifice and what it means for these curses and a question popped in my head—“Didn’t Christ’s sacrifice undo the sin of Adam and, therefore, undo these curses?”

In Romans 5:12-21 we get a reasonably clear view of this:

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. 

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16 And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17 If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. 

18 Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19 For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 But law came in, with the result that the trespass multiplied; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 so that, just as sin exercised dominion in death, so grace might also exercise dominion through justification leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

To me, according to this passage, it would seem that Christ’s sacrificial work reverses the effects of Adams sin.  Ok, so we understand that while we still die a physical death (if not only temporarily), we do not suffer separation from God in eternity through a Spiritual death because of the perfecting work of salvation through Christ. 

But what about the rest of the curses?  What about the enmity between the serpent and humanity, the birth pains and the conflict of power between men and women, the curse on the land and the hard labor of making a living on the land? 

Well, it’s right in front of us!  It’s not an immediate transformation, but a gradual one—much like the gradual degradation of civilized nations as they progress (i.e. Rome and potentially the U.S.). 

How bout a brief history lesson?  Consider the history of peoples who have adopted Christianity as their faith.  As Christianity progressed northward through Roman territories into Europe, we see it left a wake of transformation.  The desire for spreading the gospel and maintaining its orthodoxy, and thus authority, led to the founding of groups intent on its proper handling, copying, interpreting and distribution into other languages.  These groups also found the importance of applying the scriptures through mission work by providing for the needy and the sick.  Gradually, Christianity blossomed into a force of nature with seminaries popping up all over the place.  Within the walls of these establishments, theology was developed, and the sciences and medicines began being investigated more thoroughly so mission work and the betterment of mankind could be promoted. 

A good example is in America’s Ivy League schools that were once Seminaries themselves.  As you can see, these organizations, with a calling for the fulfillment of the Great Commission and Great Commandment changed the face of this planet.  Because of these early beginnings we now have highly sophisticated understandings of the sciences, mathematics, and medicines (the sciences may have since abandoned their Christian heritage, but they cannot deny their ancestral relationship). 

Now, if you look back to the passages, we can put two and two together.  The ripple effect of Christ’s life is a movement for the betterment of life on earth which leads to these things. And thus, we find America, a nation founded on Christian values, that has continued this tradition of seeking the betterment of life and has succeeded immensely. 

Because of these efforts, the serpent is now studied, protected, and kept as pets.  Its venom is even used in medicine.  Granted, many are still afraid of snakes, and they do still cause harm, but time is whittling down that enmity.  And the pain of pregnancy and childbirth, because of modern medicine—a great-great-great-grandchild of missions and seminaries—can now decrease the majority of those pains.  And the power struggle between men and women, because of a growing understanding of Christ’s plans for marriage (i.e. Ephesians 5:21-33 that orders both partners to be submissive to one another in love) is being eroded and replaced with a more beautiful vision of marital harmony with Christ at the center.  And this struggle to scratch a living from the ground? Well, in America and many other Christian nations humanity has developed technologies that have enabled us to live more easily, and more comfortably.  And the curse on the ground, our chemistries and technologies are constantly improving methods for cultivation and harvest.  Even the curse of death is being pushed back by medicines, and the physical life is extending. 

So, as you can see, the power of Christ to restore humanity and undo the consequences of Adam’s sin is quite an eye opener. 

But there is always a corollary to such an investigation and revelation.  One must step back and ask an important question—what happens when we stray from this faith in Christ and secularize our institutions and push God and His values and ethics out of our lives and enterprises? 

The result? A refreshing of consequence.  For example, when Godly ethics are driven from corporate leadership, corruption takes hold leading to the selfish misuse and mismanagement causing the catastrophic meltdown of powerful pillars in the community.  As we have seen over the last few decades, such events hurt the entire community. 

Or what about industry—when conservative ethics (or conservation) are not employed in our attempts to solve our growing energy needs corners are cut, accidents are caused, lives are lost, and ecosystems are poisoned causing further economic downfall in other adjacent industries. 

And then there’s the importance of appropriate ethics in chemical engineering, biomedicine, and agriculture.  Once again, when Godly leadership and integrity are lacking people take shortcuts and foods, drugs, crops, and other important resources are tainted with toxic chemicals and carcinogens. 

How about education itself—Godly principles, ethics, and morals can be held within government systems without necessarily having to blur the lines between church and state.  If such principles were maintained, how would that affect our public educational systems?  Our standards for teachers?  Our standards for behaviors and dress?  Our standards for curriculum and testing?  Or within the higher education realm:  how would these things affect college dorm life, partying, etc.?  It’s been shown that when higher expectations are set, higher expectations are reached. 

As you can see, when the focus of a nation loses a heart for godliness, it loses out on the blessings and rewards inherent in the consequences of godliness.  One cannot create heaven on earth without seeking the face of the maker of heaven itself.  It is in His face that one finds the blueprints for such an earth. 

Many like to point to recent events and cry, “God’s wrath is poured out on an iniquitous people!”  According to Old Testament Tradition, they would be correct.  But as humanity and its relationship with God through Christ has matured, we see God’s character through the lens of the New Testament, Love (John 3:16, I John 3-4), Mercy, and Grace.  And thus, through the process of contextualization, we realize that God’s wrath is equivalent to a natural order of cause and effect in which God gives humankind the freedom to fail as well as the freedom to follow.  In failure, humanity reaps the consequences due its actions through the pain it causes.  In following, humanity reaps the rewards of the wisdom granted it by the One who directs its steps. 

The difference is a direct causal relationship.  Instead of automatically assuming “God did this to me to punish me for what I did,” I now instead assume, “I earned this because of the decision I made.”  The former overshadows my participation in my failure as well as God’s love, mercy, and grace and strikes the wrong kind of fear and animosity in my heart towards a “vengeful” God.  The Latter highlights my guilt and directs me to seek forgiveness and rescue in a God who Loves me and would rather die on a cross for me rather than see me spend an eternity out of His presence. 

Some would take what I’ve said and turn it into another mandate for legalism and legislated morality. This is not that!  This is a call to Christ—a call to see that the Cross has more in store for us than simply an eternity in Heaven.  The Cross of Christ also offers a restoration of that beautiful Garden.  We are still here because Christ has given us the great honor of participating in the building of His Kingdom.  The Kingdom is here and now—we just haven’t built it yet!

20 Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”           Luke 17:20-21

To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father.          Revelation 1:5-6

Am I saying that if we could only work hard enough that we can accomplish this kingdom?  No.  That would be naïve.  Imperfect beings cannot create perfect community.  Instead, think of it as clearing the land to prepare the way for the building of the kingdom.  Each stone and each tree moved is a soul saved, a life changed, and a heart transformed.  This compounds to put people on the same page, and in doing so challenges us to learn to be more cooperative, more compassionate, more selfless, and more serving.  Such a heart is void of violence and seeks only the good of the Kingdom. 

Please realize, IT’S NOT ABOUT STOPPING SIN! At least not the sins of commission (things that we do that are wrong).  Sin is simply a symptom of a greater condition—a condition of being separate in heart and mind from the One who makes us new (II Corinthians 5:17-21).  Legalism only deceives one into believing there’s still a battle within—the battle has already been won.  It’s up to us to claim that victory through the power of Christ’s blood and hold onto that hope in faith. 

If anything, the building of the kingdom is about the sins of Omission (things that we don’t do that we are called to do).  Not the Laws of “do not,” but what you could call Christ’s “to-do” list for humanity—our callings in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. In Matthew, Jesus says,

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that produces the fruits of the kingdom.          Matthew 21:43

He doesn’t say, “the kingdom of God will be taken away from those who bear bad fruit” but “those who don’t bear the fruits of the kingdom.”  NO FRUIT IS AS BAD AS BAD FRUIT!  If we are producing the fruits of the kingdom we’ll have no room on our vines and branches for the bad fruit, and we’ll be rooted in the proper soil making it impossible to bear bad fruit.

In short—Christ’s Cross undoes more than just our sin.  It undoes our curse, and in undoing our curse, it frees us once again to cultivate the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:5) here on Earth; a Garden of Reconciliation (Romans 11:13-16, II Corinthians 5:16-21), a Garden of New Creations (II Corinthians 5:17-21), a Garden of Love (Matthew 22:37-40, I Corinthians 13, I John 3-4).  Live in that Freedom!  Love in that Freedom! Cultivate in that Freedom!  It’s what you were made to do!