Christ Is The Remedy For The Brokenness Of Sin

When sin entered the world, an avalanche of pain and suffering came with it.  Adam and Eve’s sin brought about immediate consequences:

“ Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.  (17)  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying … cursed is the ground for thy sake… (19)  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return” (Genesis 3:16-19).

The Apostle Paul clarifies the death penalty imposed in the Garden of Eden as a result of the first human sin.  Even though this sentence removed all hope for all mankind, because of the sin of one man, we see the remedy of sin that comes by another man.  Adam brought death, but Jesus Christ brings grace and life.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12)

“For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17)

From the very first family, sin began to increase upon the earth.  The very first murder took place when Cain killed his brother Able.  The voice of Able’s blood cries out for justice.  Hebrew scholars believe that the word for blood in verse 10, is actually in the plural and should be read; “the voice of your brother’s bloods cry out from the ground.”  This more accurately clarifies just how profound the impact is when a person is murdered.  It is not just that one person, but every generation that was to come out of them.

“And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground”  (Genesis 4:10).

When God asked Cain what he had done and where was his brother; Cain asked a question that continues to be asked down to our time today.  “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  Imagine the kind of world we would live in, if everyone looked out for each other!  God intended us to live in that kind of peaceful world.  The Devil deceived Eve and then Adam just blatantly disobeyed and sinned.  God came to earth clothed in flesh as Jesus Christ, in order to restore that which was lost in Eden.  We are indeed our brother’s keeper.  Jesus makes this very clear that when we look out for our fellow man, we are doing that service to Christ.  If we neglect the needs of fellow man, we neglect Christ and the penalty is everlasting punishment!

Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

(Matthew 25:45-46)

If we are to care for fellow man’s physical life, how much more are we to look after his soul?  Truly the Church has a burden to seek and save that which is lost.  We carry salvation to the world!  In our world we carry the only hope for 9.5 million people in greater Chicago!

Prayer:  Lord you have called me for a mission; to be part of the Great Commission.  Help me not to just hide the gift of eternal life, but to share it and spread the word that there is hope!  Put a burden upon me to be my brother’s keeper, body and soul.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.