If you've ever watched a TV preacher, especially one who understands the bible, or heard a "salvation" message you've no doubt hear some talk about Jesus dying on the cross, his blood washing away sins, and the like. When I was a little boy there was a big billboard for a lumber company. The sign explained what the company sold along with the statement "Jesus Saves." I did not know much about Jesus except for something about him being born at Christmas. I figured the sign meant Jesus was into saving money so he shopped there or something like that. So what is all this talk about "the blood" "the cross", "redemption", and "salvation?"  Let us unpack this.

Let start by saying that there are people who understand what we are going to explore so well they could pass for an evangelist. Yet they do not believe any of it. It can be understood on an intellectual level AND/or a spiritual level. I guess you can know about God but not actually know Him. This is a mystery. I know of missionaries who reached far-off people (Tibet) and told them about Jesus. The people responded by saying that they knew this God but did not know his name. So somehow, spiritually, while they were looking for the real God, God revealed Himself to them. Even though they were trained as Buddhists, God made his true self known to them. Not as one of many gods but as THE God, and as the son of God who died for them. I know of Muslims, searching for God in Allah, and having Jesus show up while they were praying. They did not even believe in Jesus as God! All this to say that God cracks the door and lets us see Him (through Jesus the Christ) when He is ready, or when we are ready. I firmly believe that all who seek Christ will find him.  Now, on to the start of it all.

Many ancient civilizations have a "first man and woman" story. Adam and Eve. Some scoff at the idea. Others take it literally. I don't want to get bogged down in the debate right now. Just ride along with me. The story says the couple was on Earth, in a perfect garden environment. Scholars claim the area was in Iraq. They were not cynical, not cool, not worried. They were in a state none of us has ever experienced short of being a child. True peace. The Genesis story says God knew them, hung out with them and they talked with Him. And they were beautiful and wore no clothes. Nothing to hide. hard to imagine.

The only thing there were not allowed to do was eat the fruit on this certain tree. The fruit "contained" the "knowledge of good and evil"-whatever that exactly was I don't know.  Apparently the couple knew nothing of good or evil, they just were kind of like a clean slate.

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So one day Lucifer, one of a group of angels that tried to dethrone God, started smooth-talking Eve. Like I said, just ride along with the story. Lucifer convinces Eve that God did not say what He said and God did not mean what He meant. Lucifer convinced Eve that God was trying to hide something good from her, that she would be like God if she ate the fruit. So she got Adam and they ate. The next thing they realize is that they are naked. Of all things, they know this! And they experience something they NEVER felt before-Fear, FEAR of God. They run off and make some clothes from leaves to cover up with. "Cover up." Remember that concept. So what does God do when he stops by for his daily chat? We'll look at that next!