July, 2022 - United In Christ Jesus

If Clothes Make The Man by Shane Sands

They say clothes make the man. Well, if that is true, then the very first set of clothes man had is the best! It is a foreshadowing of CHRIST JESUS and HIS sacrifice on the cross. Let’s go back to the beginning and see where this first set of clothes originated from.

21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

Here we are in the garden of Eden, immediately following the judgments of GOD on the serpent, Eve, and Adam. But, in order, for us to get a good understanding of what the above verse says, let’s travel a bit further back and do a quick recap.

GOD creates. GOD, creates the light, darkness, day, night, stars, earth, seas, dry land, sea creatures, birds, land animals, vegetation and man. GOD puts Adam in charge of the garden and over everything on the earth. This Adam is GOD’S representative on earth. You have to get that! Adam is created in GOD’S image. This same Adam is the only creation created in GOD’S image. GOD gives Adam authority to name all the animals on the earth. To use a modern euphemism, “Adam was the man”! GOD gave Adam only one negative command – do not eat from the tree of good and evil or you will die. Afterward, when GOD saw Adam was still without a suitable helper, GOD caused Adam to go into a deep sleep, took one of his ribs, and fashioned Eve from it. A little later on we have this interaction between the serpent and the woman (Eve was actually named after the judgement):

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” (Genesis 3:1–3).

Did you notice the underlined portion? Hopefully, the first question which comes to your mind is, “where did she get this information”? GOD never said they could not touch the tree. Adam and Eve could have slept in the tree, made swings, carved their initials in the tree, and I guess you could have even argued, cutting the tree down. What is implied is Adam told her not to touch it. Because Adam cared so much for Eve and did not want her to die, he made a rule that went beyond what GOD had said. Which, incidentally, would be the very opening that would lead to Eve being deceived! Just a side note: never add to or take away from GOD’S Word!

What happens next is an investigation and then judgement pronounced. What is interesting to me is the order of the investigation and then the order of judgement. The first party GOD asks a question of is Adam. Adam’s reply was to blame GOD for his sin (the woman you gave me…). What Adam said to GOD was “Had you not given me the woman I would never have eaten, so basically its YOUR fault, GOD. GOD does not reply to Adam, but addresses Eve and she blames the serpent for deceiving her. Because Adam was GOD’S representative GOD went directly to Adam first to inquire. Adam had the primary responsibility, above all other things, to represent GOD correctly and obey HIM perfectly. I don’t know if you have ever asked the question, “why did GOD not ask the serpent any questions?” But, for me, it seems a bit remarkable that GOD did not ask why of the serpent. GOD now proceeds to the judgement phase and immediate goes in reverse order. The serpent is punished first, then Eve, and finally Adam. Then, the truly unexpected happens. GOD, instead of instructing Adam how to provide clothing for Eve and himself, makes garments of animal skin to clothe Adam and Eve. GOD takes the initiative – the first step in redemption. Just like the judgement of the serpent, when GOD declares the crushing blow to him (serpent) will come from the seed of woman – GOD takes the initiative in declaring the end from the beginning. Now, we don’t just hear of what GOD will do – we see. GOD demonstrates it will take the shedding of blood, death of the innocent, to make atonement for the guilty. GOD HIMSELF will choose and make the sacrifice. It will be GOD who will clothe a sinner with the garments which will make them acceptable before HIM. **Another brief side thought. I know it does not specifically say it, but do you think the animal that GOD sacrificed was a lamb?** This first set of clothes GOD provided for Adam and Eve was a foreshadowing of GOD sacrificing HIS own SON, JESUS, so that we would be clothed in the righteousness of CHRIST. GOD, takes an animal, pours out its life’s blood, skins it and makes garments and clothes the rebellious. This would be the same as when the FATHER had HIS SON JESUS go before Pilot and then condemned to death. The predetermined plan of GOD to have HIS SON JESUS die on the cross for the sins of HIS creation man. GOD, instead of leaving us naked, helpless and doomed, made a way where there was none to have us reconciled to HIMSELF! Blessed be the LORD JESUS CHRIST and glory to HIS holy name!

10 I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Galatians 3:27)

3 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel.
4 He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, “Remove the filthy garments from him.” Again he said to him, “See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes.”(Zechariah 3:3–4)

Shane Sands is the founder and president of United In Christ Jesus, a gospel evangelism missions ministry which began in 2010. Shane is husband to Holly, his godly wife (he defiantly married up). They both live in South Carolina at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, along with their ever idiotic cat, Mister Bojangles. Shane has been blessed to travel to numerous countries and states, along with his wife, to preach the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If Jehovah is Your God! by James Smith

“I will be their God — and they shall be My people!” (Hebrews 8:10)

If Jehovah is your God — then all of His glorious attributes and perfections are engaged and employed for your eternal welfare!

His mercy will supply all of your needs.
His power will conquer all of your foes.
His wisdom will direct all of your ways.
His faithfulness will answer all of your prayers.
His justice will maintain your cause.
His infinite love and mercy will be displayed in all of His gracious dealings with you!

If Jehovah is your God — then:

His promises are your heritage;
His precepts are your rule;
His doctrines are your present paradise;
His Son is your Savior and King;
His Spirit is your sanctifier and Tutor; and
He Himself is your everlasting portion! Psalm 119:57

If Jehovah is your God — then He will freely confer all really good things on you at present — and crown you at last with eternal glory! He will:

guide you continually,
chasten you occasionally,
receive you graciously,
and bless you indeed!

If Jehovah is your God — then all things are yours — things present and to come; life, death, the world, Heaven — all are yours!

If Jehovah is your God — then He will consider nothing too great to do for you — and nothing too glorious to give to you! All the treasures of time, and all the resources of eternity — will, if necessary, be employed for your spiritual and eternal benefit! You can lack nothing which is really for your good.

To have Jehovah for your God, is the highest blessedness and honor in the universe!
How blessed is the man — who has Jehovah as his God!

James Smith (1802-1862) was a faithful Pastor of Cambray Baptist Church in Cheltenham (UK). He was a predecessor of Charles Spurgeon at New Park Street Chapel in London from 1841 until 1850. Early on, Smith’s readings were even more popular than Spurgeon’s.

Death to Life – The Love of God in Christ Jesus by Shane Sands

There is a saying, “the higher you go up the flag pole, the more your rear end shows”. Many will equate this to a person climbing the ladder of life and career and not being afraid to make the tough decisions which might bring about negative consequences. While that can be an interpretation, what I think is more applicable is how this relates to sin, more pointedly to CHRIST JESUS and HIS glorious sacrifice. Death to life, the love of GOD in CHRIST JESUS.

Every so often I go on YouTube and just surf around to see what is showing up on my feed. There are those animal videos which make you smile with the sound of “Awww” coming from your lips. There are the other ones which show the traumatic side of animal life/death especially in the wild. The last two weeks, my mind has had the ending of one of these videos repeating in my head. It is this particular video which the LORD used to have me think, reflect and mediate about and apply to HIS Word.

Here it was, in the wild, a mother Giraffe has just given birth to her new baby. A short time later, lions attack and are successful in separating the baby from the mother and apparently ending the life of the baby. But, that was not the case. This baby had managed to take two bites to its throat and still get up and get away. This baby then went through four days of no food or other nourishment. Finally, you see the baby giraffe in a body of water when the look on its face…the look in its eyes, show its pain and its suffering was finally beyond what it could take. There is even a fear displayed, a deep sadness I cannot explain. The baby falls backward into the water, submerges and never comes up. This baby came into the world and suffered, its only life was one of suffering. Even now, as I think about that video and the way that animal looked at its end brings me nearly to tears. Why could not the lions have just ended the animals life? Why could not the bites to its throat have crushed its wind pipe and let the suffering end? Why did it have to go on for four days – a baby doomed to die, it was just a matter of time? Why has the LORD allowed me to be so affected by this part of the wild, with this one particular giraffe?

Then my mind was directed by the SPIRIT and remembered something from Scripture:

14 “However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.”
15 So Nathan went to his house. Then the LORD struck the child that Uriah’s widow bore to David, so that he was very sick.
16 David therefore inquired of God for the child; and David fasted and went and lay all night on the ground.
17 The elders of his household stood beside him in order to raise him up from the ground, but he was unwilling and would not eat food with them.
18 Then it happened on the seventh day that the child died…
(2 Samuel 12:14–18)

Then as I thought about this Scripture another text came to my mind:

15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.
16 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”
(Genesis 2:15–17)

Then it began to come clearly into my mind. I was receiving instruction and for the first time beginning to see the hope behind the horror of the suffering baby giraffe. What astonished me was the LORD did not remove the deep sadness and empathy I had for the baby giraffe – I was and am grateful to the LORD JESUS for it.

You see, the higher you go up the flag pole, the more you pursue your selfish dreams and have a greater sphere of influence the more your sin will effect others around you. Quite often the consequences of my/your/our sin will have devastating, if not catastrophic outcomes on our own person, more importantly, on those whom are in your sphere of influence. When you are by yourself and have a limited number of people in your life your sin still has drastic consequences and even infects those few in your life. As iron sharpens iron so does one man sharpen another. The people you are around influence you and you them. If you were the head of a small company, as the leader of that company you would have a direct influence on many areas of the employees lives you employee.

Lets now examine, David, a man after GOD’S own heart. This is the one whom GOD found and chose. It was David from whom the line of the Messiah come forth. It was this David who brought the king and the priesthood back to one city, Jerusalem. David is the very one who had the plans and began storing up material for the temple to be built. How could we forget it was this David who defeated Goliath with a sling and stone. David was a mighty man of GOD, he is a legend throughout GOD’S Word. However, David was also a man who caused so much death, destruction, heartache, pain and suffering. Because of one sin David brought about the death of 72,000 people! But look at the Scripture above. Look at what one sin of David led too! First, he was not where he was supposed to be, out to fight with the armies of Israel. Next, he looked upon the nakedness of another man’s wife, Bathsheba. Next, he had her summoned to the palace and then slept with her. Next, she became pregnant and informed King David. Then, in an attempt to cover it up, David attempted to have her husband, Uriah, get drunk and sleep with her. When that did not work, he had Uriah murdered. Now, look closely at what is said. GOD said, “because by this deed you have given the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child born to you shall surely die.” It is bad enough that David caused adultery, murder and sowed sin in the army. This act gave rise to the enemies of GOD to blaspheme. The judgement which came as a result of this, was the death of the child born in adultery. But, pay even closer attention. GOD is the one who inflicted the sickness that lasted seven days before the child died. The child did not die right away. David’s sin caused the suffering of a baby child. This child, like the baby giraffe, was born and its life was only of suffering.

Now, lets go all the way back to the beginning to Adam. Adam was created in the image of GOD. Adam was placed on the earth to be the representative of GOD. Adam was the person in charge of the entire earth. GOD only issued Adam on negative command – don’t eat of the tree of good and evil or you will die. GOD made woman from man and Adam was the head of her. Adam had charge to teach her the command of GOD and to care for her. Instead of obeying GOD’S Word, Adam added to GOD’S Word which led to Eve being deceived. Not only was she being deceived by the devil, Adam stood there, did not protect her, and even listened to her and ate of the forbidden fruit. Because of Adams position, in the world, at that time. He was the representative of GOD and all mankind; his sin brought about death and destruction to all mankind and creation! Trace it back and all the pain, suffering, sin, death, destruction, and hopelessness come from one man – Adam. That baby giraffe suffered because Adam did not obey GOD!

Hopefully, at this point, everyone who reads this should be in a place thinking about the harm to themselves and others their sin has caused! But, the world, like Adam, wants to blame GOD for their sin!

The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”
(Genesis 3:12)

If GOD had not given Adam the woman, (the very good blessing he needed!), he would not have sinned. GOD it’s YOUR fault!

3 The foolishness of man ruins his way,
And his heart rages against the LORD.
(Proverbs 19:3)

But, from the very beginning GOD had a plan to work through the very suffering and death which sin brought about and through HIS SON JESUS, whom HE sent, to make all things new.

12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned
(Romans 5:12)

24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
25 For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.
(1 Peter 2:24–25)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
7 “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
(Revelation 21:1–7)

What shines brighter than all the darkness of sin and death is, JESUS CHRIST the LORD, the SON of GOD, whom the FATHER sent to make a way where there was none! When we see the effects of sin as they are and realize that very same condition is in us – each of us – we can understand what a blessing of GOD it is. Because, once we know how vile and repugnant sin is to GOD, and all the pain, destruction and death it causes, we then can look to GOD, who is love and see what HE has done and is doing in and through HIS SON JESUS. You can cry out for HIM to save you from your sin and HIS wrath and be made new…a new creation in CHRIST JESUS and for CHRIST JESUS! GOD is not an evil GOD! GOD is holy and MUST punish sin regardless of intent. GOD is good and must remove sin because of the death it brings! GOD is love and did not leave us hopeless, but sent HIS Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. JESUS lived the life we could not – sinless. HE died the death we deserve! The third day, after being placed in a tomb – GOD raised HIM from the dead! The sacrifice and penalty for sin was paid – the innocent for the guilty! The acceptance of that sacrifice and validation of GOD’S Word was accomplished by the resurrection. Now, on the basis of JESUS’ life, rising from the dead we have the guarantee of forgiveness and life if we come to the FATHER, by faith, through JESUS. The old things passed away – behold new things have come! JESUS the beautiful, majestic, KING of GLORY – worthy is HE! If you do not know JESUS as LORD and SAVIOR come today while you still have time! Tomorrow is not guaranteed!

8 But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;
10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
(Romans 10:8–10)

Are We All Just Broken People? by Holly Sands

“We’re all just broken people…” I’ve been hearing this phrase parroted among believers lately. But my question is, is it true? Are born-again believers in Christ really “broken people”? Is that really the mark of a new creation? Is that really the stamp of a royal priesthood? Is that really what has been taught to us in the the epistles? I dare to say it is not.

When a person comes to the Lord Jesus, in repentance and faith, that person has a divine change come about. So radical is the change that the person is called a NEW CREATION in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) – something that never existed before. The redemption is radical and intense and life-altering. No longer are we the same. We receive a brand new nature; a new identity. The old has gone; the new has come.

To the contrary, the Bible expressly defines the life of the believer as polar opposite to being “broken”. The very word “save” in the Greek is sózó, which is an all-encompassing word that includes being saved, rescued, delivered, protected, healed, made whole and set free. In many instances, Jesus used the words saved/healed/made whole interchangeably (i.e. Luke 17:11-19; Matt. 9:20-22; Mark 10:46-52 – the same word “well” in each of the three passages is the same greek word: sózó ). Think about that for a moment. Do we think that anyone who was healed physically by the Lord Jesus remained sick, lame, or feeble? My guess would be emphatically, NO. Do we then think that anyone whom He saves is not made brand new?

In keeping with that meaning, I find it most interesting that the Hebrew word for peace is Shalom and is known to mean “nothing missing, nothing broken”. Jesus brought to us His peace. His Shalom.

Shalom is one of the key words and images for salvation in the Bible. The Hebrew word refers most commonly to a person being uninjured and safe, whole and sound. In the New Testament, shalom is revealed as the reconciliation of all things to God through the work of Christ: “God was pleased . . . through [Christ] to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through [Christ’s] blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:19–20). Shalom experienced is multidimensional, complete well-being — physical, psychological, social, and spiritual; it flows from all of one’s relationships being put right — with God, with(in) oneself, and with others. – The Meaning of Shalom in the Bible

Those who claim that believers are “all just broken people”, may need to refocus on what the Bible truly says about God’s people. Let’s just look at some things that are noted in Scripture as our identity in Christ (and these are just a few!):

We are washed, sanctified, and justified by the blood of Jesus (1 Cor. 6:11).
We are children of God (John 1:12).
We are saints (1 Cor. 1:2).
We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20).
We are more than conquerors through Christ (Rom. 8:37).
We are made alive with Christ (Eph. 2:1).
We’ve been made new because our old self was crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6).
We are reigning in life through Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:17).
We are triumphant in Christ (2 Cor. 2:14).
We are the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13).
We are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14).
We are freed from the power of sin (Rom. 6:18).
We are now servants of righteousness (Rom. 6:18).
We are inseparable from the love of God (Rom. 8:35).
We are blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3).
We are accepted in the beloved (Eph. 1:6).
We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works (Eph. 2:10).
We are strengthened with might in our inner man by His Spirit (Eph. 3:16).
We are strong in the Lord and power of His might (Eph. 6:10).
We are able to walk as children of light (Eph. 5:8).
We are light in the Lord (Eph. 5:8).
We have peace with God through Jesus (Rom. 5:1).
We have been raised to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4).
We have been renewed in the spirit of our minds (Eph. 4:23).
We have put on the new man which was created according to God in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:24).
We have been delivered from the domain of darkness, and transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col. 1:13-14).
We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (1 Pet. 2:9).
We have been made complete (Col. 2:10).

God’s purchased possession is not broken – we are whole in Christ Jesus! So please, before we begin to parrot catch phrases, let’s make sure that they are Biblical first.

Holly Sands lives in South Carolina at the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains with her loving husband, Shane, and idiot cat, Mister Bojangles. She has been blessed to travel both nationally and internationally with her husband, sharing the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Holly is co-host of the weekly podcast, “That They May All Be One“. New episodes can be heard every Tuesday on your favorite podcast app.

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