An Ancient Promise

An Ancient Promise
Sunday, December 01, 2019
by Dr. Paul Chappell

“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Genesis 3:14–15

God’s plan for the redemption of lost mankind was put in place even before the world was created. Even though the world was perfect when God made it, He knew that man would yield to temptation and break His command not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. At that point, sin entered into the world, and everyone who has been born since then has been a sinner both by nature and by choice, and the penalty God pronounced on sin is still in effect. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). From the beginning, though, God made a promise that would provide hope and salvation.

The Christmas story that we celebrate each year is the fulfillment of the ancient promise—the one God made to Adam and Eve. Though the plan was in place before the Fall, God did not announce it to them until they had sinned and recognized their need of a Saviour. He then told them that one day the Redeemer would come. The full details were not revealed then, but the announcement had already been made.

And when the angel told Joseph that the child Mary was carrying was part of God’s plan he said, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). He is the only way of salvation.

Today's Growth Principle:
God’s free gift of salvation is only received by those who accept Jesus as their only Saviour.