The Work of Christ – Why Doing Business on the Big Blue Marble?

Author: Johan Brand

Introduction

Let’s start at the beginning. The Bible kicks off with Adam and Eve walking with God in the Garden of Eden. Although the Garden was perfect, evil still existed. It was a fatal slip-up on Adam and Eve’s part, and one that certainly led to the global downward spiral of sin. Luckily the story does not end here. After this rebellion, God made a covenant with humanity, promising that everything would one day be restored again – as originally intended. The poet in Genesis 3:15 uses this strange symbol that someday, someone would come strike the head of the serpent (or evil one), but not before the serpent is also able to strike this individual's heel. Now, that’s where Christ’s work enters the story …

The Serpent and the King

Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden, and everything in this garden was perfect – exactly as it should’ve been. However, God forbade them to eat of this one tree, for it could kill them. So that’s it? You might think, “It’s such a simple rule … I would obviously not break it like they did.” Right, it seems pretty simple. Nevertheless, there was also a serpent in this garden, telling quite a different story from the one they’ve heard. Its voice echoed that they wouldn’t die by eating of this tree. In fact, it reasoned, “It’ll make you like the Divine.” And of course they fell for it. Adam and Eve sinned (Gen. 3:1-6). The Hebrew word used for “sin” or hhattah (חטאה) literally translates as missing the mark. (1)

Because of this, the garden’s goodness was now catastrophically lost. Death and evil inhabited God’s good world. Why is there a talking snake in the garden? It’s a good question. Very strange. Even more is that there is no mention in Scripture on why or how it even got there. It simply presents this rebellious being that influences others to doubt God’s goodness. Whatever this serpent is, it represents the birthplace of evil that – to this day – pervades the world and her inhabitants.

All hope is not lost. In the midst of this tragedy, God gives Adam and Eve a futuristic glimpse that one day, a son of Eve will strike the serpent’s head and do away with evil (Gen. 3:14-15). But also, the battle includes the serpent biting someone’s heel. It's an extraordinary, somewhat confusing promise left without explanation … until Abraham enters the story.

God promised Abraham that the world would be restored once again, through his descendants (Gen. 15:5). In following this family, one of Abraham’s great-grandsons, named Judah, also receives a promise that a King would come from his line, destroying evil, and bringing harmony and peace – fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham. You might wonder, “What does all this have to do with the work of Christ?” Just hang in there for a moment, we need some historical context of this to understand that.

The Tale of Potential “Serpent Crushing” Kings

The first king in Judah’s line is King David, a real hero – perhaps even the “serpent crusher” we’ve been notified about earlier. Nonetheless, it turns out that David was also infected with evil, just like everyone else. He did not crush the serpent, he did quite the opposite. However, God yet again repeats the same promise to David … that the King will eventually come from his line (2 Sam. 7:1-17). Yet one by one, the kings of Israel fell short of destroying evil. In fact, evil destroyed them. They chased after money, sex, power, and idols. Things escalated so much that the Babylonian empire completely demolished Israel. There were no more kings to fulfil God’s promise. At this point, all hope seems lost.

The story then introduces these odd individuals, called “prophets.” They kept rambling about this future King’s coming, that he would defeat evil and restore the garden. One of these prophets – Isaiah – elaborated on why this King was bitten. He said that this promised King would be killed because of humanity’s evil. But then, Isaiah continued, he would return again. Because of the King’s suffering, he would now heal others (Is. 53:1-12). Hence, the Old Testament ends with no sign of this “serpent crushing king” everyone was talking about.

Meet the Messiah

After four-hundred years of silence, the New Testament introduces us to Jesus of Nazareth. He wasn’t just some random dude, no. He was the one who would fulfil those ancient promises. Moreover, he was descended from David, Judah, and Abraham. Jesus travelled around Israel, giving sermons on God’s kingdom being here, and now. He confronted the ramifications that evil had on people as he extended his message of healing and forgiveness.

To the Israelites, the Messiah pointed to the promised King who would bring goodness back to earth, and they had been waiting for this King for centuries. Jesus was, in fact, this promised King. Some Jews recognised it; others have not. That’s what most of Jesus’ teachings were about – the coming of his kingdom. He started by telling his disciples how he was going to become King, bringing peace and reconciling all things. And so it leads to the part in the story where the serpent bites the King. Along with the four gospel accounts, numerous extra-biblical resources point out the actual, historical event of how Jesus was brutally murdered on that cross, at a place called Calvary. (2) And so it turns out the serpent won the battle. He did? It would be a tragedy if that was the case … Jesus rose from the dead – as promised – and in doing so, he crushed the serpent’s head. Again, his resurrection is historically proven by dozens of historical works. The Messiah finally has the power over death and evil. (3)

The Ball is In Our Court

The rest of the New Testament writings claim that the same power that Christ had over evil, has been given to humanity. Although evil is still as evident as ever in contemporary times, the Bible concludes by forecasting Christ’s second coming, when he’ll finish the job (Phil. 1:6). Once and for all, the serpent will be destroyed, and the goodness of the garden – here on earth – will be restored. But there is more.

One of Jesus’ first sermons start with, “T’suva, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matt. 4:17). T’shuva (תשובה) is the Hebrew phrase, meaning “to return.” To the individuals God is remaking us into. To “return to who we were originally made to be” you might say. God created humanity in his image. His wonder, creativity, and beauty is reflected through us. Thus, we are called to return to our “true selves.” To return to the pure, complete individuals who God originally envisioned us to be, before we changed course. (4)

In his book 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, Canadian clinical psychologist and professor of psychology, Jordan B. Peterson, puts it this way,

You could help direct the world, on its careening trajectory, a bit more towards Heaven and a bit more away from Hell … You could, in fact, devote your life to this. That would give you a Meaning, with a capital M. That would justify your miserable existence. That would atone for your sinful nature, and replace your shame and self-consciousness with the natural pride and forthright confidence of someone who has learned once again to walk with God in the Garden. (5)

The world doesn’t need a second version of anyone else. What this world needs is for you to be you. That version of yourself will help restore the garden. Find that person. The ball is now in our court. That which we are looking for is not at some distant place – it is right here. We can only find it when we surrender and when we decide to trust. We are invited to trust that Christ can restore our broken image. That’s what justification, the work of Christ, is all about. That’s why he came.

Back to the Garden

As we become ourselves more fully, we will inevitably become more like Christ. Not only that, we will also influence everything around us to become more holy, as originally intended. The theological term for this process is called “sanctification” or, in Greek, hagiasmos (ἁγιασμός). To hagiasmos means “to make holy.” (6)

Many Christians perceive sanctification as just one’s personal voyage to become Christ-like, nonetheless, as much as it’s a personal journey, it’s also a universal journey. And that not only with fellow human beings, but also with the soil – with everything around us. The psalmist exclaims, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Ps. 24:1, NIV). Everything is in this process of sanctification.

In his letter to the seven churches of Asia, John used this metaphor about a beautiful city (Rev. 21-22). Many elements of the Garden of Eden are featured here, such as rivers and the “Tree of Life” (22:2). The Book of Revelation describes this paradisiacal garden, but with additional features, describing a “holy city” (21:1-27). Cities are more advanced than gardens – as described by Augustine of Hippo (7) – and it’s up to you and me to help advance earth to become this beautiful city.

Conclusion

Christ’s work fulfilled God’s initial promise, the one he made in the Garden of Eden. Evil had struck Christ's heel, but Christ would still put evil to an end. Through his resurrection, Jesus gained the ultimate power over evil – giving it to his followers, too. Christ’s work still prevails in the 21st century. The battle has already been won – as promised – however, we all have a part to play in restoring the garden, or in building the city. Paul assures us that “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom. 8:37, NIV). Embrace your true identity – who you are in Christ – and allow this new mindfulness to transform you. That is what God had in mind. When you do that, you will contribute in bringing heaven to earth.

References:

(1) Benner JA 2019. Hebrew Word Definition: Sin. Online source. Accessed from https://www.ancient-hebrew.org/definition/sin.htm, 2020-05-28.

(2) Stein RH 1996. Jesus the Messiah: A Survey of the Life of Christ (pp. 241-258). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

(3) Stein RH 1996 (pp. 259-276).

(4) Bell R 2005. Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith (pp. 150-151). New York, NY: HarperOne.

(5) Peterson JB 2018. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos (pp. 63-64). Toronto, Canada: Random House Canada.

(6) James MA 2020. What is Sanctification? Bible Definition and Meaning. Online article. Accessed from https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/sanctification/, 2020-05-29.

(7) St. Augustine 1958. City of God. Penguin Random House UK: London, England.