Into this perfect existence, God gave to Adam and Eve only one rule, “You may surely eat of every tree in the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16b-17) If they followed this one prohibition, they would be able to continue to experience the life with God for which they were created.

One decision changed everything. When Adam and Eve responded to the temptation of the serpent and decided to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree, it was the choice to not believe and trust completely in God, alone. The result was that they lost their relationship with God. They could no longer live the perfect existence for which they were created, and they were exiled from the perfect garden.

They were changed at their core. The perfect identity God created for them was forever corrupted because they chose to not believe and trust in who He is. Instead of experiencing life as God designed, they were forever separated from Him, living life out of a corrupted identity that would eventually result in their death.

This is what every person after Adam and Eve has inherited. From our birth, we are without the relationship with God for which we were created. We were created to be image bearers of God, but instead we live out of corrupted identity resulting in a life searching for who we are and were supposed to be. We all live out of a corrupted identity, our own personal sin, which results in choices and a life much less from what God planned for us.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

Just like Adam and Eve, we live separated from God and when we die, we are separated from Him for eternity.

“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23

But, God had a plan to restore our relationship with Him…

God is perfect and cannot have anything that is not perfect with Him. Just like light cannot mix with darkness, God cannot be with anything not perfect. That is why God separated us from Him, our corrupted identity means that we are not the perfect creation He planned for us to be.

God is also love. Because He loves us, He wants what is best for us, to experience the identity and life that we were created for. He also knows that we cannot do it on our own, because of our corrupted identity. His plan to redeem us was Jesus.

“…(Christ Jesus) who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God as a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2: 6-8

Jesus is unique from everyone that has ever lived, and not just because he was born of a virgin. He is God and chose to leave eternity to become and live as a man. As God, Jesus is the only individual that was born knowing and having a relationship with God. Because He never had a corrupted identity, He was able to live the perfect life, doing everything that God wanted Him to do, living the life that He was born to live, reflecting God perfectly in everything that He did.

“I (Jesus) glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.” John 17:4

“…I (Jesus) do nothing of my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And He who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” John 8: 28b-29

Jesus was faced with temptation, just like we are, but He lived out of an uncorrupted identity, so He did not sin. He did not deserve punishment for His sin. His perfect life did not warrant the consequence of death.

But, He allowed himself to be put to death as a criminal. This was God’s plan, to give His only Son, Jesus, to take the punishment of death that we deserved because of our sin. Jesus became the sacrifice for us, so that God could offer us forgiveness, a renewed relationship with Him, and a redeemed identity.

So, what do we do in response to God’s plan?

The good news that God wants us to know is that He made a way for our relationship with Him to be restored, so we can receive a new identity. We do not have to and cannot wait until we have our life “fixed” to receive this gift from God. He knows that there is nothing that we can do to earn this, which is why He had to make a way for us.

Just like any other gift, we need to receive this free gift from God that is offered to us. To respond to God’s offer is as easy as A, B, and C.

A – Agree that we are separated from God and live out of a corrupted identity.

“The fool says in his heart, there is no God.
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.
The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there is any who understand, who seek after God.
They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one” Psalm 14:1-3

Before we can accept the gift, we need to agree that we need it. We need to recognize and acknowledge the truth that our identity, the core of who we are, is corrupted. It is not just that we have done some things that are bad, but that everything that we do is corrupted. Because our identity is corrupted, we have a broken understanding of what good even is. We are unable to do any good that can draw us closer to God on our own.

B – Believe that God made a way for us to be forgiven through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

“…if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9

We need to believe that God provided Jesus to take the punishment of death that we deserved for our sin. Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead was the payment that was required for our relationship with God to be restored. It is not enough to just acknowledge the facts of Jesus, it is a belief that because of what He did, you can be and are forgiven and changed at your core. Our restored relationship with God starts with putting God back in His rightful place in our life as Lord over everything.

C – Choose to be willing to let go of our corrupted identity and allow God to forgive us and give us a new identity.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

This is not a new religion, or an add-on set of rules to live by. It is a whole orientation to our life, starting with a new identity. God wants to change you at your core, putting to death your old identity and replacing it with a new identity created uniquely and perfectly for you. When you choose to believe in Him and what He did for you, you are making Him Lord of your whole life and allowing him to transform you into who you were created to be. You are choosing to start this journey of transformation with Him leading you, until you are made perfect in eternity with Him.

You can let God know that you are willing to receive His gift of forgiveness and have a relationship with Him by saying this simple prayer.

“Dear Lord Jesus, I agree that I am a sinner and separated from you. I believe that you made a way to forgive me through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Right now, I choose to acknowledge you as God and my Lord, asking you to forgive me. I want to stop living from a corrupted identity and ask you to give me a new one. Thank you for being my Lord and Savior. Amen.”

Are you going to choose to receive the gift that God is offering you?