#274A Kingdom_ Addendum

            In considering the Tabernacle of the Fall it occurred to me that much could be added to this concept to explain more details of the Tabernacle of the Restoration. For example; If we trace the footsteps of man’s fall we could then define in more detail the footsteps of man’s recovery. Man began “in the Presence of God”, called “the Garden in Eden”, and from that tremendous place he fell to undetermined degrees of perversions and rebellion. Roman 1 lists several degrees of debased life but obviously the list is not complete. Still this list will give us some insight into the footsteps back to where Adam was in the Garden in Eden.

            RO 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, [19] because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. [20] For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. [21] For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing to be wise, they became fools, [23] and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

  RO 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. [25] For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

  RO 1:26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, [27] and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

  RO 1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, [29] being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, [30] slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, [31] without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; [32] and, although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

            The old saying that “misery loves company” holds true in the natural life of fallen man. Those who practice these grievous errors assemble together with others who have no understanding in order to promote and normalize the errors they practice. When they consider themselves some kind of “social force” they attack those who have tried to keep their revelation of God experiential and declare them to be anti-social, right wingers, biased, discriminatory, or phobic! Perversion is displayed as normal and righteousness is displayed as weird. How could this be”

                Romans 1:21] For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing to be wise, they became fools, Romans 1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,

            It seems that God has abandoned those who set themselves actively against God and gross darkness descended upon them so that they, without conscience, can declare wrong to be right and right to be wrong. While the devil may have inspired them it was God that gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.

            It should be easy to see in Romans 1 the stages of separation from God and the downward spiral from suppressing the truth by unrighteousness to refusing to acknowledge God any longer. Because God has made Himself evident to all men everywhere through the understanding of creation through what has been made, all men stand guilty before God and everyone is without excuse for not acknowledging God.

            Now if this reveals man’s downward spiral from the presence of God it might be an indication of how man can reverse the process by repentance. Repentance being the retracing of our steps of our separation from God by returning back to God through Jesus Christ.