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From the Garden of Eden to the New Covenant
When I was a young child, I once discovered pimples on my skin that were later diagnosed as chickenpox. This symptom was evidence of a deeper problem - a virus invading my body.
Adam and Eve's rebellion in the Garden of Eden was also an indication that something more fundamental had happened. Original righteousness existed before original sin. Adam and Eve were originally created as good creatures (1. Mose 1,31) and maintained an intimate relationship with God. Under the influence of the serpent (Satan) in the Garden of Eden, their heart's desires turned away from God and sought what the fruit of the tree of good and evil supposedly could offer them - worldly wisdom. “The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and that it was a delight to the eyes and attractive because it made one wise. And she took some of its fruit and ate, and gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate" (1. Mose 3,6).
Since that time man's natural heart has turned away from God. It is an undeniable fact that man follows what his heart desires most. Jesus reveals the consequences of a heart turned away from God: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness . All these evils come from within and make people unclean" (Mark 7,21-23).
The New Testament continues: «Where does strife come from, why war among you? Doesn't it come from that: from your lusts that fight in your members? You are greedy and don't get it; you murder and envy and gain nothing; you argue and fight; you have nothing because you do not ask" (James 4,1-2). The Apostle Paul describes the consequences of man's natural lusts: "We too all once lived among them in the lusts of our flesh, doing the will of the flesh and of reason, and by nature were children of anger, as were others" ( Ephesians 2,3).
Although we by human nature deserve the wrath of God, God addresses this basic problem by declaring: "I will give you a new heart and a new spirit in you, and I will take away the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh soft heart" (Ezekiel 36,26).
The new covenant in Jesus Christ is a covenant of grace that grants forgiveness of sins and restores fellowship with God. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, who is the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8,9), human beings are reborn into new creatures, possessing hearts turned anew to God.
In this renewed communion with the Creator, the human heart is transformed by the grace of God. The previously misguided desires and tendencies are replaced by a quest for justice and love. In following Jesus Christ, believers find comfort, guidance, and hope for a fulfilling life based on the principles of the kingdom of God.
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the lives of those who follow Christ are transformed. In a world marked by sin and separation from God, faith in Jesus Christ offers salvation and a life-changing relationship with the Creator of the universe.
by Eddie Marsh
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