115 CHAPTERIVE
personintheThinity loves,honors andglorifiesthe other andreceivesove andhonor backfrom theothers,becauseHe isworthy.There isnever anylack.3It must be saidwith reverentialawe:He whois Etemalhas ahaaysexistedn thehfestyleofcommunity-withonly onebreakin thiscontinuity.That single exceptionoccurredatCalvary. u Christtooktheuglinessof our sininto Himsel{,He cried out,*MyGod!My God!\fhyhaveYou forsakenMe?" Thevilenessofour sin,receivednto His sinlessbody, severedheeternal communityof the Godhead!(Theworstpartaboutsinis that italwaysdestroyscommunity.)\(hatwas itlike for ourLord to experienceseparationfrom theGodhead?To knowwhatJesusxperienced,we wouldhave o enterintotheperfectcommunityof the Godhead.Unfortunately,ourhumannessprecludeshatfor us.
Man CreatedforCommunityl
In Genesis1:26 Godsaid,"LetUsmake man in Ourimage, accordingto Ourlikeness. .' An essentialcharacteristicoflove isitsdesiretoenlargecommunity.Edenwas not paradisebecauseof its beautybutbecausetwasthe placeof unbrokenrelationships.t was the placeofgivingandreceiving,the continuousactionsthattake place wherevertheres true community.Godknew therisks ncarryingout His decisiono createAdam withthefreedom of choice.ThisfreedompermittedAdamto enterintofellowshipwith theTliune One,butitalsoallowedhim liberryto choosehateinstead of love, disobediencenstead of loyalty,selfishnessatherthanservanthood.Knowingtheendfromthebeginning-andknowingwhatAdamwould chooseGodstillmade His decision.Webegintorealize owmuch Godtreasures ommunityaswe considerHisperilouscommitmentto allowmanthe liberry to decidethingsfor himself.Communitymust dwaysbe a voluntarymatter.W'earenever orcednt<lit; it is somethingwe desire.Then,from Adamt side,Godtook a bride.Adam gave a ribarr<lreceivedhelpmate.Shewasboneo[hisbonc,lcslrof'his lesh.",ikchim, shewasformed tolivcin colnlrrtltriry.'l'lrcir'[ltilciticswcrcsignificirnrlyli{li.rclrt.orrrcorrcr;rslirltlrrt(nrllfttlitItarlol'Ilir
COMMUNITY:THEREASON OR CELLS117
naturein man,and another part in woman, so theywouldnotbecompletewithout oneanother.\fith Adam, Evecouldbring forth new lifeto share heirindmacyinfamily relationships.No child couldever be born apaftfromphysicalunion: therewould be,foreachbaby, a fatheranda mother-andbabywould makecommunity. InGod'splan,unbrokenrelationshipswerealwaysto exist.
TheGreatDestroyerofCommunity
Community was preciselywhatSatan attacked andhated. Hesucceededndestroyingall the potential relationshipswhichmightexistnEden.Godto man, manto wife, brother to brother-all weresmashed o pieces!Lifeafter Eden quickly becamea tragedy.Mantfirstknowledgeofviolentdeath became he ripened fruit of theuglyjealousyof abrotheragainst a brother. Community among menwasreplacedbyloneliness,fragmentation,andatragic, needlessrave.In Genesis4:16-24,we trace *re line of the"GodRejecters."Thegenealogyrynicllytells ushowthis family tree sought togainpersonalsignificance.Enochbuilt a city;Jabalwas a catde rancher;Jubalwashefirstmusician; Tubal-cainbecame an industrialist.Weendwith a crazedmanshaking n fear,confessing e is adoublemurderer!Totally missingsanymentionof community between lese menand God, or with one another.Satan's acticwas obvious.Ineach case, hese men gainedtheirsignificance romtheirpersonalachievements.At the same time,mandiscoveredhisdeficienciescould be devastating o his self-image!
ThenCame Generations ofMen WhoLived inCommunity
In Genesis4:25-5:24,we trace a pardlel genealogywhich alsobeginswithAdam.Significant differencesmark thesegenerationsrom theonejustpresented,ntroducedby the comment in verse 26:"Then menbcgano call upon the name of the Lord."Not one mentionof personalachievements recordedas hese
newnrenrrc describcd! hconlything wc are told about them is thattheyr'lrosco livciltcottttnrrtrilywith.fhovah. In contrast totheatrorrrplislunclrtfil tlrclrtevioruirrrrily,lnlylreifisllanslfhesemen
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