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| Vol. 14 No. 6 June 2012 | Page 16 |
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| Vol. 14 No. 6 June 2012 | Page 16 |
God Defined Modesty in the Beginning
Louis Rushmore, Editor
How did the coats God made for Adam and Eve differ from the aprons that they had made for themselves?
How did the coats God made for Adam and Eve differ from the aprons that they had made for themselves? The word translated “aprons” (Genesis 3:7 KJV) or “coverings” (NKJV) means “a belt (for the waist): apron, armour, gird” (Strong’s), “something worn around the waist or hips” (UBS) or “girdle …sash” (Theological Wordbook). Essentially, Adam and Eve fashioned for themselves loin cloths from fig leaves.
God, on the other hand, fashioned for Adam and Eve “coats” (Genesis 3:21 KJV) or “tunics” (NKJV). “Garments [NIV] translates a word referring to a knee-length or longer covering, probably without sleeves. It is referred to in English sometimes as a ‘tunic,’ but ‘a long shirt’ may give a better picture. Of skins means made of animal hides and not of cloth made from the hair or wool of those skins” (UBS). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament defines the original as meaning “tunic, a long shirtlike garment, usually of linen."
Whereas Adam and Eve merely covered their genitals with inconvenient, not so durable fig leaves, God instead covered them from their shoulders to their knees with more durable animal hides. God defined modesty for both men and women in the process of clothing Adam and Eve. Much of the so-called fashionable clothing today falls far short of conforming to God’s definition of modesty. Incidentally, modesty is a biblical subject for both women and men. Remember, God clothed both Eve and Adam with modest attire.
Works Cited
Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. CD-ROM. Seattle: Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, 2006.
Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. CD-ROM. Chicago: Moody, 1980.
UBS Old Testament Handbook Series. CD-ROM. New York: United Bible Societies, 2004.
What Is the Fundamental
Theme of the Gospel?
Louis Rushmore, Editor
What is the fundamental theme of the Gospel? That is an easy question to answer. Jesus our Savior or Messiah is the essential theme of the Gospel. An angel told Joseph (Matthew 1:20) of the baby Mary was going bear, “she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21 NKJV). The Gospel records are all about Jesus and His mission to save humanity from the condemnation of sin. Our Lord said of Himself, “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Further, the New Testament epistles confirm that Jesus Christ left heaven and came to earth for the purpose of saving mankind from the damnation of sin. “…Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…” (1 Timothy 1:15). “…the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). Even more, the Messiah or Savior is the theme of the entire Bible, beginning with the first prophecy (Genesis 3:15) among hundreds of Old Testament prophecies (e.g., Isaiah 7:14).
Our Lord brought about the salvation of souls through His vicarious, sacrificial death upon Calvary’s cross nearly 2,000 years ago.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:8-11)
The heart of the Gospel revolves around the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)
The theme of the Gospel is mankind’s salvation. Through Jesus Christ, salvation is available to every sinner. However, salvation is not universally enjoyed by men because accepting salvation on divine terms is not compulsory. Due to freewill, men and women can opt to obey the Gospel (Acts 5:22; Romans 6:17; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Hebrews 5:9; 1 Peter 1:22) or refuse to obey the Gospel (Romans 2:8; Galatians 3:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17). Summarized, man’s part of the plan of salvation includes faith (John 8:24; Romans 10:17), repentance (Luke 13:3), professing Jesus to be the Christ (Matthew 10:32; Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9-10) and immersion in water or baptism (Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12) for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Baptism is the point at which one is saved (1 Peter 3:21) from past sins (Romans 3:25). Baptism is the point at which one’s sins are washed by the blood of Christ (Revelation 1:5) as we in the process of baptism imitate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord (Romans 6:3-5). The theme of the Gospel is mankind’s salvation.
How Was Jesus Able to
Identify with Humans?
Louis Rushmore, Editor
How was Jesus able to identify with the trial and feelings common to us all? There has never been another being like Jesus Christ. Our Lord is fully Deity (Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23). Yet, Jesus Christ was fully human as well (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4). “…Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh” (Romans 1:3 NKJV). “…God was manifested in the flesh…” (1 Timothy 3:16).
Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)
Our Lord Jesus Christ faced the same type of temptations as we wholly humans experience. He, however, triumphed over them all. Having experienced the temptations common to mankind, Jesus sympathizes with us. “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus Christ is the perfect “Advocate” or Defense Attorney to speak on our behalf before God the Father (1 John 2:1). Only He knows fully well the divine side and the human side of the matter relating to the human condition. If we become Christians and remain faithful, we will receive a crown of life (Revelation 2:10) in heaven.