In the last module, we established the fact that when God instructs a thing, it becomes law as we saw in the case of Adam.
Initially God had told him he could eat of all the trees and herbs in the garden (Gen 1:29). Later we saw how God upgraded this instruction by showing Adam a particular tree he couldn’t eat from (Gen 2:16-17).
This is consistent with what we see in several other scriptures.
For example, God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. At the point he was to kill Isaac, God spoke again and told him to stop (Gen 22).
If Abraham had continued with what he was initially told, he would have killed Isaac in disobedience to God.
Can you imagine that!
He would have thought he was obeying God but in truth he wasn’t!
God had changed the rule!
We also saw how God instructed Moses to strike the rock to get water for the Israelites (Exodus 17:6).
However when they needed water again, God told him to speak to the rock (Number 20:8-12).
Moses struck the rock as he did it before and he was punished for that act of disobedience.
The moment God commands a thing, it becomes law!
This is why we must learn to follow God by learning to hear what He is saying now, not what He said yesterday.
All of this however will always align with the writing word and we are bound to follow as He leads.
The moment God told Adam about the tree of knowledge of good and evil, it became a law or governing rule he was to live by.
After Adam ate of the fruit of that tree, he acquired a knowledge: the knowledge of good and evil.
Inherently in man, a seed was sown deep down in him that tells him what is good (right) and what is evil (wrong).
This became the foundation on which man can sincerely look at issues and be able to tell what is good and what is evil.
Apostle Paul spoke along these lines in the book of Romans the second chapter, in the fourteenth and fifteenth verses.
Romans 2:14-15
14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
15 Which shew the work of THE LAW WRITTEN IN THEIR HEARTS, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;).
Note that Paul was speaking about Gentiles here.
He spoke about a law written in their hearts and their conscience bears witness with or agrees with this law.
Their conscience either accuses them or excuses them by comparing what they do with the law written in their hearts.
Can you see that?
The moral laws of God which enables man to distinguish between good and bad (even without being specifically told) is now in every man’s heart.
Every man has the knowledge of what is morally good and the knowledge of what is morally evil.
However, man can choose to continue to suppress the voice of the conscience which bears witness with this knowledge.
If this continues for some time, such a person can become hardened such that his conscience doesn’t feel the rebuke of his conscience as it agrees with the law written in his heart.
1 Timothy 4
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience SEARED WITH A HOT IRON;
Titus 1:15
Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and CONSCIENCE IS DEFILED.
When a man continues to disregard the moral laws of God in his heart, God gives him over to a depraved mind which becomes dull to discern good and evil.
Such a man can do evil without feeling bad about it even though God’s moral law is still written in his heart.
The conscience is already seared or hardened hence it doesn’t agree with the law of God in the heart and it is not willing to subject itself to that law.
The carnal mind can’t please nor subject itself to God.
Rom 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
Apostle Paul gave us a good discussion on this in the book of Romans chapter one.
Romans 1:18-32
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish HEART WAS DARKENED.
22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
24 Wherefore God ALSO GAVE THEM UP TO UNCLEANNESS through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
26 For this cause God GAVE THEM UP UNTO VILE AFFECTIONS: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
28 And even as they DID NOT LIKE TO RETAIN GOD IN THEIR KNOWLEDGE, GOD GAVE THEM OVER TO A REPROBATE MIND, to do those things which are not convenient;
29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: note
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Did you notice scripture here used the phrase ‘God gave them up’ twice and ‘God gave them over to’ once.
This is letting us know, their hearts is already hardened and unwilling to submit to God.
Man can get to this point because after Adam sinned all of creation (over which Adam was having dominion) became corrupted and are more prone to disobedience than obedience.
We see this in the events that kept unfolding as man increased in population.
Man being a spiritual being was supposed to function spirit, soul and body but the fall altered that and man began to function body, soul and spirit.
This was a distortion that God would have to fix.
To be continued.
Shalom Greetings!
Oghogho Ikponmwosa
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