Salvation, strictly speaking, is being saved from “eternal death” as a consequence of sin, that came to the world because of Adam. By extension, it refers to how one gets into the “kingdom of God“. It is synonymous to how to “enter in the kingdom of God“. This is achieved consistent with the narrative regarding the original plan alluded to in the “garden of Eden” (Gen.1:26-28).

The plan is for man to be “like Him” or ”one” with Him in “knowledge of good and evil” as well as in “immortal-body composition”. Not the “same” as Him entirely, but “like” Him in those categories. This is why the Ten Commandments were given as a guide for us to have “knowledge of what is right or wrong” as well as why the Holy Spirit was given to empower us to overcome (Rev. 3:5; 3:21; 21:7), and become “spirit-composed”. All of these would not happen were it not for Jesus.

Notice:
Gen. 2:9 “And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”

Gen. 2:16-17, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

From above 2 verses, God (Creator Elohim) already planned for us to have “knowledge of good and evil as well as immortal bodies/eternal life”. But, Adam wanted to achieve these on his own “works” and violated God’s warning and failed. It is not the man-Adam to fulfill these but the man-Christ Jesus. This generic or common name from Hebrew word Elohim is the Creator God, specifically identified as YHVH Elohim(Lord God) in Gen. 4-9; v15-16;v18-19;v21-26. YHVH is much like the common name Smith but the proper name is John Smith, that specifically refers to no other than John. This YHVH Elohim, the Creator God is the Logos in John 1:1 who incarnated to Jesus. He is the “proximate Creator” or actual creator just by saying the word, things were created. Strictly speaking, he created following the will of the Father (Ancient of Days), see I. Cor. 8:6; John 8:28-29; Dan. 7:13.

How will Jesus achieve these 2 objectives, viz.,
1. For us to have knowledge of good and evil
2. For us to have eternal life (immortal bodies).

Going through the major points of the whole Bible, one can clearly see that the “ten commandments written in tablets of stones” and given through Moses were merely a “type“. When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai” to deliver the Decalogue to Israelites (chosen people mind you), they all promised to follow but failed. There failure was a documentation that the problem was not the Decalogue but “them“(Heb. 8:7-9), i.e., “flesh is weak” (Mk. 14:38; Matt. 26:41) and was made so from the beginning, as it was made from the “dust of the ground” (Gen.2:7).

This is why the Spirit of God has to come down, not from Mt Sinai, but from heaven; not from Moses the mediator but from Christ, the mediator of this New Covenant. And, with that is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Heb. 8:10-13 “…put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts..” and also in 2 Cor. 3:3 “…written with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone but in fleshly tablets of human hearts.” Yes, the Holy Spirit of God has to be in us not only for guidance as to “knowledge of good and evil” but also for the “power to overcome” evil (Acts 1:8; Rom. 12:21;2Pet. 1:3-4;Phil.4:13).

How did we get this Spirit of God?

It was because of the “faith of Jesus“, the Creator God in Genesis and the Logos in John 1:1,. Faith “in” whom? In the Father. Jesus incarnated, died to reconcile us to the Father, and resurrected to claim this Holy Spirit as promised by the Father (John 16:7). Indeed, after his resurrection, we are “saved by his life“( not his death (Rom. 5:10) through an “ongoing creation”. Whatever “works” that emanate from our actions are indeed “fruits of this Holy Spirit” because on “in-dwelling” of this “spirit-power”; not our works but “works of the Spirit” in us…so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8-9).

After following willingly and voluntarily the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus followed the will of the Father (Matt.26:39), we will then be ”one” with Him in “knowledge of good and evil”. Having thus become overcomers, we will have eternal life (Rev. 3:21; 2:26; 21:7). And to be “like him” with “immortal bodies”, at resurrection in “a twinkling of an eye”, we will change from mortal to immortal-bodies.

Objectives then have been achieved, all through Jesus’ faith in the Father and works through the Holy Spirit; all because of Jesus, the “author and finisher“ of our salvation. All of us in the “God-kingdom“, not in a human flesh-kingdom nor animal nor plant kingdom; not even among the “angelic species”.

The “world to come” will not be subject to angels but to the “sons of God”, with Jesus as Head of the Body (Heb. 2:5).

God bless🙏😇.

Original post: August 13, 2015

Hyperlink version 6/25/2020

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