The Fall, and the Generations of Adam
J. L. inquires of what kind was the forbidden fruit of which Adam and Eve partook; also why Cain is not included in the “generations of Adam.”
As to the first question Scripture does not enlighten us, nor is the answer of the smallest importance, for the seriousness of partaking of that fruit evidently lay, not in any evil properties inherent in the fruit itself, but in the fact that it was placed there as the necessary test of man’s loyalty to his Creator.
The bounteous provision of “every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food” left man without any excuse or natural inducement to infringe the one positive precept laid upon him; which, small as it was, served the necessary end of practically defining the proper relations between Creator and creature.
As to the second question, it is very evident that there are two lines presented to us side by side in Genesis 4 and 5. — two orders of generations.
The first (for the natural always precedes the spiritual, cf. 1 Corinthians 15:46), in Genesis 4, is the worldly line — Cain’s line. Cain was a guilty and unrepentant exile from God in the land of Nod (wandering”). He founded the first city, and with his descendants Scripture records the rise of the arts, luxury, music, and poetry, but along with distance from God and moral degradation. The whole of this line perished in the flood.
In chapter 5 we can trace the line of faith, which is derived through Seth (“appointed”). In Noah the line of faith passed through the flood; and through that line is traced the genealogy of Christ in Luke 2 Throughout Scripture these two lines are separate and distinct whilst every attempt at co-mingling the two has been disastrous.
In Genesis 6:2, we read of a certain co-mingling of the two lines, resulting in moral corruption which brought on the flood. In the history of this dispensation [historically at the stage represented by Pergamos (“intermarriage”) in Revelation 2:12-15] a sadly similar mingling of the ostensible line of faith and the worldly line has taken place, with the disastrous results we see all around us today, and which will issue eventually in the rejection and judgment of that which professes Christ’s Name but bears not His character (Rev. 3:16 and 19:2).
“Sleep Through Jesus”
W.R. inquires the meaning of “them also which sleep in Jesus” (1 Thess. 4:14).
Those spoken of in this expression are identical with those described in the 16th verse as “dead in Christ.” For us Christ tasted death in all its meaning, and for us it is robbed of its sting, so that the death of a believer can be spoken of as “sleep.”
Rightly translated the preposition should be translated “through” not “in” Jesus. These have fallen asleep through Jesus.
Observe the perfection of Scripture; Jesus is the name which describes our Lord as man personally, thus believers are not spoken of exactly as in Jesus, but in Christ, “the anointed,” which is the title under which we come into relationship with Him in resurrection (Acts 2:36).