Another Ancient Tale
Others tell a different story.
As in the story above,
we are not what
we appear to be.
Neither is the world.
Regardless of appearances,
God created and rules everything.
In the beginning, God
spoke everything into being:
Light; day and night;
sky, earth, and seas;
plants yielding fruit and seeds;
sun, moon, and stars;
fish and birds;
land animals and humans.
God saw what he made.
It was good.
It was Paradise.
with his own hands.
God formed us into his
own image and likeness.
He breathed into us
his own life-breath.
We are the crown
of his creation.
We lived in peace, happiness,
and love with God, each other, and
everything else God created.
God gave us dominion
over and commanded us
to subdue all.
But the serpent seduced
our mother, Eve,
and through her
our father, Adam.
They disobeyed God.
They ate the forbidden
fruit of knowledge
of good and evil.
God’s judgement was swift:
Guilty.
His punishment full:
Loss of innocence;
exile from Paradise;
alienation from God,
each other, and all
of God’s creation.
Banishment to a life of
labor, pain and suffering;
punishment for sin;
blessing for obedience;
prayers in darkness and
despair for light and hope;
songs of thanksgiving
for help received;
all ending with death.
so severe, they tell us,
we can do nothing
to save ourselves.
Everything is lost.
God is our soul hope.
There is, however, good news:
God loves us so much
that he sent his only son
into this fallen, dark world
to serve as our scapegoat
and sacrificial lamb.
His name is Jesus.
God put his judgment
of guilt and penalty of
death and eternal
punishment on him.
God had his son betrayed,
beaten, crowned with thorns,
and nailed to a cross
until he died.
gracious, and merciful.
He counts his son’s
cruel punishment and death
as our own.
God raised Jesus
from the dead and
back up into heaven.
From there he will come again,
like a thief in the night.
He will gather his faithful
back into Paradise
and banish all others
to eternal damnation.
Now the way is clear
for us to return
to our true home.
Jesus is the way
back to Paradise:
Reconciled with God,
each other, and all creation.
Believe the good news
of what God did in Jesus.
Glorify his suffering,
blood, cross,
death, and tomb.
God satisfied his wrath
against our disobedience
by the gruesome crucifixion
and glorious resurrection
of his son, Jesus.
Now you are forgiven and
saved from God’s eternal wrath.
Belief this good news.
Give thanks to and obey God.
His son is coming again soon.
Repent. Confess your sin.
Renounce this fallen world
of sin, suffering, and death.
Be baptized into Jesus and
filled with his Spirit.
Feed on his body and blood.
Be members of his body.
Leave your blood-kin
for your faith-kin
Go into all the world
and proclaim the good news.
Prepare for his return.
Live now as you will in heaven.
Do what Jesus would do:
Rejoice!
Pray to and praise God.
Love God and one another.
Love your enemies too.
Trust God to provide for you
like he does the birds.
Work not for money
but treasure in heaven.
Fast. Stay awake,
watching for Jesus’ return.
Give away your goods.
You’ll have none in heaven.
Be single and celibate.
You won’t marry or
bear children in heaven.
But marry, if you must.
It’s better to marry
than burn.
Prepare for the Lord’s return
and the day he judges if you
are fit for eternal life
in his heavenly kingdom.
You and all the faithful
who die before Jesus’ return,
are safe in him.
When he comes again,
he will raise you up.
You will come with him
in his glory to judge the
living and the dead.
and gather his faithful
back into Paradise forever.
He will end sin, death, and the devil.
Those who believe
this story of good news,
will be blessed and live.
Those who do not,
will be damned.
Many believe this, or a similar story.
In Part Three, I tell why I do not believe this or the first story...
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