The Golden Thread
A good book has a central plot or theme that's carefully woven throughout the work. Usually there are sub-plots or sub-themes that make the work even more interesting. It's no different in the Bible.
The Bible has a central theme. I call it the "golden thread" that's woven throughout the entire Bible. The golden thread woven throughout the Scriptures is the theme of God's great love toward us that He finds its climax in the gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Salvation, forgiveness of sin and eternal life, is the golden thread of the Bible.
Adam and Even were created to never die. Their physical bodies were created perfect and in perfect working order would maintain themselves indefinitely. They were placed in surroundings that were perfect. And they were given explicit directions concerning what not to do. They were also told the results of not following the directions.
But they didn't listen very well. They swallowed the lie and bit the apple (or whatever it was). And immediately they realized the error of their action and began to understand the results of their action. They disobeyed God. They sinned. And their perfect bodies began to experience to die.
God knew what they were going to do. Some teachers will have us to understand that God failed when He made Adam and Eve. But God didn't fail because Adam and Eve failed to be responsible.
Salvation for man through Jesus Christ is God's plan laid from the foundation of the earth. That's why we read of the "Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the earth."
The first stitch of the golden thread is found in Genesis 3:15. Talking to the serpent (representing Satan) God said,
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel."
God promised salvation that would come through the Seed of the woman. And this was finally fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ.
Throughout the Bible we see "types" or "representations" of the Christ and His deliverance. Think about some of these.
The ark brought a miraculous deliverance and new life for Noah and his family. Genesis 6-8.
Abraham was promised a miraculous son who would become his heir. Genesis 12-21.
Joseph was used of God to deliver his family, and nations, from the destruction of a seven year famine. Genesis 37-47
Moses was delivered from sure and sudden death as a baby, grew up to become the leader and prophet called of God to lead Israel out of bondage in Egypt, and was used of God to communicate His Law and precepts to His people. Exodus - Deuteronomy
Joshua, whose name means deliverance, led Israel into the Promised Land after miraculously crossing the Jordan River. Joshua
Numerous people were called of God to serve as judges over Israel. These people wrought mighty deeds through the power of God. Judges
Hannah was promised a son (Samuel) who would become a great prophet to lead Israel. 1 and 2 Samuel
Samson wrought great miraculous victories against the Philistines to deliver Israel.
King David was anointed king of Israel and promised that his throne would be established perpetually. 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles
The prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah who would deliver Israel. Moses, Messianic prophecies in the Psalms and Prophets
Zachariah and Elizabeth were promised a miraculous conception and their son would become the forerunner of the Messiah. Luke 1:5-17
And Jesus Christ came on the scene at the appointed time, miraculously conceived, as the Seed of the woman promised in Genesis 3:15. Luke 1:26-33
In the first century following His birth, earthly ministry, crucifiction, burial, resurrection and ascension the writings of the New Testament were given to us as an accurate account of our miraculous deliverance and salvation.
Since that time men and women have continued to tell the story about the Seed of the woman who bruised the head of Satan.
And now we are living in expectation of the day when Jesus Christ, the Seed of the woman, will return to ultimately and finally deliver us from all the impediments of physical finite life, to ultimately consign and confine Satan and his followers to the eternal lake of fire, and to usher in God's plan concerning the eternal future.
There are two diabolical shifts that are taking place where the golden thread of salvation is concerned that are very alarming.
1. Men and women schooled in liberal theological schools disclaim the gravity of our need for salvation, espouse evolutionary theories, and dismiss the Bible as mere myths and moral stories.
2. Men and women discipled under modern charismatic thought tend to place more emphasis on accumulating wealth and health than on genuine evangelism and discipleship.
In both cases, conservative Christ-centered theology is replaced with man centered philosophy. In either case, the eternal foundations of Scripture laid down by God and settled in the heavens are eroded in the minds of men and women who, like Adam and Eve, fail to heed the directives given by God.
The Bible is full of sub-plots and sub-themes that address every area and issue in life. Nothing new is going on today that hasn't already gone on. There are only so many ways to sin and they are all covered in the Bible. Our society may be the fastest society yet to live on earth and avenues of media may make it possible to publicize sinfulness in ways unimaginable in former days but no new sins are being invented. Rather, old sins, sins already recorded as examples of sin in the Bible, are finding new means of expression.
Sin is not a silly matter. Sin is serious. So serious that it cost Adam and Eve both spiritual and physical death. Their sin caused them to lose fellowship with God. After their expulsion from the Garden we no longer see God walking and talking with them. And eventually they did die. Yes they lived a long time but they did die. Just like God said they would. Their sin was so serious that it brought condemnation upon all of us.
Here's the news.....the bad and the good.
First the bad news.
All of us come into this world as lost sinners.
"There is none righteous, no, not one.....for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:10 and 3:23
All of us have inherited the nature of the "first family".
"Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men...." Romans 5:12
Sin has a serious penalty.
"For the wages of sin is death....." Romans 6:23a
Now for the good news.
"but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23b
The good news is the golden thread that's woven throughout the Bible. It's not a blanket that's been thrown over all to cover the sins of the whole world like a blank check. It requires a personal attachment.
We are the ones who make the personal attachment when the good news becomes real to us.
"If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation." Romans 10:9-10
Have you been knitted to the fabric of God's will for your life? Has the truth of the golden thread of salvation been made real to you? What positive fruit is your knowledge of the truth producing in your life?
Jesus said, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not dondemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." John 3:16-21
Have you come to the light? Then let this be an affirmation of your faith toward the saving grace found in the Son of God.
Are you still in the darkness because of sin? Come to the light. Come to Christ. He is the only provision made by God for the forgiveness of sins. You have no power or ability within yourself to cleanse yourself from sin or to erase your sins from the record books - either in Heaven or in your own mind. You'll never regret becoming a recipient of new life now and eternal life in Heaven.
Copyright - Dave Kralik 2000
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