We are familiar with the Decalogue - the 10 statements that measure our relationships with God and with our fellowman.
God’s Law is not a declaration produced after sin entered Heaven. God is the Same yesterday, today and forever. His Character, His Principles have never changed.
The determined penalty for taking oneself out of harmony with God is death. Because God is the Source of all life. Separate from Him, and you separate yourself from Life, resulting in death.
Lucifer was convinced of 2 things:
1) God is an arbitrary tyrant forcing laws onto the perfect creatures of Heaven. (Perfect creatures don’t need laws.)
2) God is a bully and won’t really execute judgment-death on those who rebel against Him, His rule, and His laws. (At this time none of God’s creation had any experience with death.)
The Angel beings of Heaven – God’s Capitol since forever – had to make a choice.
Time was granted for God to work with Lucifer toward restoring him to harmony with The Law.
Lucifer used the time - for campaigning and organizing a revolt. And wonder of wonders! One-third of the Angels chose Lucifer to be their Commander – rejecting the only Leader they had ever known. Such is the mysterious power of rebellion.
Death should have been instantaneous with the choice against God.
When it wasn’t, Lucifer bragged, “See! I told you He wouldn’t! There is no such thing as “death!”
And, indeed, it was a mysterious concept.
But, God’s Secret Plan provided for Mercy – a provision that granted time – a delay in the administration of the penalty.
For Lucifer and his followers in Heaven, there was no remedy for the sin they had chosen. They knew the Father first-hand. No additional truth or revelation about God could be presented to them.
With the full Majesty and Love of God on display for them, they had chosen Lucifer’s lies.
As Lucifer and his followers were cast out of Heaven, there was still no evidence of the Plan of Grace. Nor was there evidence of “the wages of sin is death.” All of Heaven and the Universe watched – and trusted that Lucifer’s claims were lies. Trusted God.
Adam and Eve also chose to believe Lucifer over God, trusting the rebel leader, followed by disobedience.
The only remedy for breaking The Law requires blood. The provisions of the Law state: “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.” Hebrews 9:22. (parallel to Leviticus 17:11) Taking the blood of the sinner results in death.
God’s newest creation was doomed to death under the Law.
In the evening of that day when Adam and Eve had broken the bond of trust with God, Jesus came on His daily visit.
Over the next few hours Jesus reminded them of the instructions He had given them. Of what they had had. Of what they had now lost. “You have disobeyed. Now you must pay the penalty,” Jesus explained.
The universe watched and listened.
Then Jesus called a lamb to where they stood. He placed a knife in Adam’s hand.
Adam took it hesitantly, reluctantly, not knowing what was happening.
Grace was happening.
Jesus explained, as much as they were capable of comprehending. As He talked he wrapped His hands around Adam’s, reached down to where the lamb stood, placed the point of the knife in exactly the correct location, and together, Jesus and Adam made a small cut in the jugular vein.
Blood spilled out over the knife, over their hands, and into the ground.
They watched in horror as the life flowed out of the trusting animal, staining the wool, their hands, and the ground a bright red.
Through tears flowing from the eyes of all three participants in this drama, the awful results of disobedience were demonstrated.
The clothes that Jesus made for them - to cover their nakedness in the absence of the robe of Light - was a continual reminder of the cost of disobedience. The blood-stained wool would not let them forget.
Grace also flowed over them as Jesus made clear the connections: their disobedience had brought this death and the future death of all mankind. Plus the future death of multitudes of innocent lambs – each pointing to the Ultimate Sacrifice of a Son who would bruise the head of the serpent.
The Son’s sacrifice would restore harmony in the relationship with the Father and the Law.
Acceptance of the sacrifice of the lamb began the flow of Mercy for all who will accept Jesus’ blood, spilled for us to wash us clean from the defilement of sin.
I am covered by the Grace of God by my choice.
I must choose every day – every moment – to be living by Grace – to be Covered By Grace.
This enables me to obey God’s Law of Love through the merits of Jesus, the Lamb of God.
The Law of Grace is available to every one. But, just as with the angels of heaven at the beginning of the rebellion, each of us must choose.
Grace does not do away with the Law. Any part of it.
God’s 10 Commandment Law is eternal.
Grace imputes to me the perfect obedience of Jesus.
As long as I am in a loving relationship with Jesus, when the Father looks at me, He sees Jesus – His perfect life credited to my account. Grace!
What can you do?
Daily, hourly, moment-by-moment, lift your thoughts to God.
Choose to be covered by The Plan of Grace.
Thank Jesus for doing so.
Begin a conversation with Him by reading His Love Letter to you – The Holy Bible.
Look for a group of fellow believers and study more with them.
The Seventh-Day Adventist church in your community is highly recommended as Bible Believing Christians.
