It was with an act of sin and the intention within man’s heart that mankind was separated from God. It was with another act of sin that man was invited to return to God. Mankind murdered a sinless man. Thou shalt not kill (Exodus 20:13 KJV). You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13 NKJV). It was also with the intention within God’s heart that man was invited to return to God. Jesus came fully intending to die for our sins, so that we might return to the Father of us all.

The definition of intention that I like most is, “An aim that guides action.” It could be said that our intention is the goal we set out to reach. When Adam sinned, did he set out to separated mankind from God. That may not have been Adam’s goal, but it was Satan’s goal. Adam put more faith in Satan than in God and helped the devil reach his goal. Did Jesus set out to be murdered? He is “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). The goal of our savior was and is to save us.

When the children of Israel sold Jacob to the slave traders, was their intent to sell their descendants as slaves to Egypt? Their intent was to try and stop God’s plan that was revealed to Jacob in a dream (vision). Their intent along with the action caused their descendants to be slaves. Was Adam’s intent to give mankind over to Satan? No. Adam’s intent was to become like God on his own, by his own actions. That intent guided his action and the intent and the action worked together to separate mankind from God.

When Jesus went to the cross, was that the goal He set out to reach? Jesus was intent on saving mankind from destruction and eternal death. Jesus was intent on bringing mankind back to the Father of us all. Jesus was intent on providing mankind with a death to pay the penalty for our sins. His intent guided His actions and His intentions and His actions worked together to provide mankind a way back to God. Once again mankind acted the way Satan wanted and we killed Jesus the Christ. The Word of God became flesh and the Word of God died so that sin would no longer have the sting of death.

The aim of the devil was to cut off mankind from God forever. Absent of God, we would be in hell (dark and void). Jesus is the Light that came into the world and darkness cannot overcome the Light. We are no longer slaves to death and as such we are free to live without fearing death. Jesus brought life into a world that lived only to die. Now we are free to live to live and die to live again. While alive we can die with Jesus and be renewed in life. Once our body dies, we can be alive with Jesus that was resurrected on the third day.

© 2005, Tim D. Coulter Sr.