We saw last week how the Lord said the earth belongs to the children of men. If that’s true, how then could Satan offer Jesus the kingdoms of the world? Because it was the kingdoms of men he offered. Not the earth itself.
There is a fine line here between the two. And in this message we will look at that line. And what is on either side of it. And how it affects our understanding about the temptation of Christ as it relates to our own temptations.
As the prince and power of the air Satan controls the beast with 7 heads and 10 horns. Because the beast is the world’s system. The cosmos. Something that is what makes up the kingdoms of the world.
What Paul said Satan is the god of in 2Cor.4 saying, “3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
But, the earth itself belongs to the children of men just as God said in Ps.115:16. Which means that after Adam ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And was sent from the garden to reap from the ground by the sweat of his brow. He still had dominion over the earth.
Satan could not take from him what was given to him by God in Gen.1:26. Because as Paul said in Rom.11:29 “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
Now when Jesus was tempted the scripture says He was tempted “in every way just as we are”. And it is because He was tempted in every way just as we are that makes it possible for Him to “deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
But, for Jesus to be tempted in every way just as all men are as Heb.4:15 says He would have to have no help from anything else in or outside of Himself that could make it easier for Him not to sin. Or harder for Him to avoid sinning.
So though He was a spiritual being in that He was and is and always has been indeed God. His flesh had to be the same flesh all men have. Able to be tempted in every way just as all men are.
Because if His flesh was different the way the false sin nature doctrine teaches it was. Then He did not have the same inclination toward sin that the sin nature doctrine says makes it impossible for men not to sin. So believing this both denies free will and the doctrine of Christ.
I had a conversation with a man recently who believes a universalist style doctrine that teaches all men are saved by imputation of Jesus’ righteousness. And because all men have this imputed righteousness he said that all men are saved whether they have believed in Jesus or not. And that the reason Jesus had to die for mankind is because all men have sinned.
So I asked him if he believed all men have a sin nature that governs their choices. He replied saying no they do not. And that he believes that all men have free will.
So I asked him if men can keep the law perfectly. He replied saying that no man could keep the law perfectly and that this is why Jesus had to die on the cross to save men from their sins. And that it is because He did die on the cross that all men are now saved whether they believe in Jesus or not.
As I considered what he said I had to conclude that his belief in imputed righteousness comes from a denial of free will. Making him oppose himself by at once believing all men do have free will. And at the same time believing that he can not choose not to sin by that free will. Which is a denial of the free will he said he believes all men have.
The problem for him is the same one all who deny free will have. He has been blinded by the same spirit of antichrist that John said was affecting those he was writing to in his epistles. A spirit that makes men deny that Jesus came in the same flesh all men have.
It is a blindness that all who deny free will have. Because by denying free will they must believe that for God to be sovereign predestination and foreknowledge means God made a few for heaven. And the vast majority for the lake of fire.
Of course this is the Calvinist doctrine of total depravity. A doctrine Calvin received from the teachings of Augustine. Who taught that when he was made Adam had free will. But, after he sinned he lost free will and was now under the dominion of sin.
None of which is found anywhere in the pages of scripture. But, are the fruit that comes from the fertile ground of the antichrist spirit of Gnosticism to which Augustine and his disciples are taken captive.
This is why it is so important to see the difference between the earth and the cosmos. Because to understand the difference between them we can see what changed between when Adam was in the garden. And after he was sent from the garden. And how not nearly as much as they think has changed has changed.
Whether Adam lost free will and dominion and made subject to sin. Or whether he retained these gifts God gave to Adam as he was sent to live in a world where Satan would tempt men just the same as Jesus was tempted. By using their God given human desires against them.
Trying to talk them into seeking first the fulfillment of those desires. Or if by his free will he will seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness to have abundant life added unto him. As Jesus said in Mt.6:33.
We see then that Adam could not have lost free will. Nor did he lose his dominion over the earth. Rather he has kept all of the things God gave to him when He made him. Save his existence in the garden where he had access to the tree of life. Where he would never have been able to have a personal relationship with God.
The reason for this is found in Gen.2:7 and 1Cor.15:45,46 where we are told that Adam was not made spiritual, but natural. A living soul. And being only natural 1Cor.2:14 says made it impossible for him to perceive the things of the Spirit of God.
And this was the reason he needed to be sent from the garden. That it was actually to set the stage for the blessing from God that would culminate in man’s becoming a spiritual being and child of God. And not a punishment for his sin.
Paul addresses this in Rom.5:13 where he tells us that until the law sin was in the world. But sin is not imputed when there is no law. This is why we know Adam’s being sent from the garden was not a punishment for his sin.
So retaining these gifts God gave to him when he made him means that he kept his free will and his dominion. And that these have always been his to use in his service and love toward God. As he relates to God by the spirit God creates in every man when he trusts in Him that has been made available to him by the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.
So the question is are you participating in the world’s system known in the Bible as the cosmos? The area ruled over by the prince and power of the air? Being deceived as to focus on and do those things that are consistent with that system?
Or are you firmly established in God’s kingdom using the gifts of free will and dominion God has given to us to bring as many to a saving faith as possible before Jesus comes to take us home? Not being deceived by the things of the cosmos that cause men to make choices that are not consistent with the values and principles taught in God’s word.
This relationship is why Jesus came. Because it is this relationship that Jesus in John 17:3 says is the righteousness that is eternal life. A righteousness that is knowing Him that has nothing to do with any works done by ourselves or anyone else.
So it is by choosing of our own free will to join ourselves to Jesus by faith. We have this relationship with Him that makes us God’s children and heir to His kingdom. And also makes us good stewards of the earth God gave to man.
If with our God given free will we will confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus. And believe in our heart that He has raised from the dead. We will have this spirit created in us. And we will be saved from death to life.
If you will do this then you will be born again. No longer only natural as Adam was when he was made, but spiritual. If you will do this then because of that spirit you will have eternal life now. And immortality at the resurrection. If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!
