In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit of self-righteousness, and their eyes were opened to their nakedness. God asked them, “Who told you that you were naked?”1 Whenever I read that question in Genesis 3, I sense the angst of God and the grieving of the Holy Spirit. God never intended for man to be self-sufficient or to be concerned with knowing good and evil. Love was all God wanted for mankind to know. Today, I believe He feels the same when His sons and daughters are enamored with the fruit that looks so good to their eyes, seems so pleasing to flesh, and desirable to give them wisdom, but in reality is the fruit of condemnation and death.
There is another tree that God wants mankind to eat from. It’s the only tree that has the power to make us righteous. It’s the Tree of Life. It is Jesus Christ. He is the Author of Life. Jesus is the Giver and Sustainer of Life. Jesus is the Bread of Life. All life comes from Him. Outside of Him, there is no life.
Jesus said of Himself:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6)2
I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly! (John 10:10)
The Bible starts out with a tree that brought curses and death, whose leaves could not offer a solution or healing. The Bible finishes with another tree that gives life, that breaks the curse, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations, and whose branches produce fruit all year round.
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life [JESUS!!!], which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:1-5)
This fallen creation is anxiously longing for and eagerly awaiting the manifestation of the sons of God, those who reflect the glory of the firstborn of the new creation, the last Adam, Jesus Christ. This creation yearns for the life of Jesus Christ to be expressed through each one of us.
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:38)
Right now we are seated in heavenly places in Christ on the throne with our spirits one with Him. The River flows out of Him, through us, and out of us to this world.
(from pages 112-113 of Unveiling Jesus)
Want more from Tricia Gunn? Check out excerpts from the Unveiling Jesus 20-part series!
Unveiling Jesus, by Tricia Gunn, is a verse by verse study of the pure gospel of grace. It’s an amazing journey of love, identity, and freedom in Christ.
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1Genesis 3:11
2All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version. Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
