What Are You Looking For? Part 1: The Nicene Creed

And For Our Salvation

And For Our Salvation…

            I want to tell you a story.  It’s a God story, because for me those are the best kind.  Imagine if you will heaven.  The creation of the world has been completed.  Adam and Eve are in the garden.  Everything is perfect.  The Trinity is looking down (or out or on or however they do it).  Suddenly they see the serpent approach Eve.  They lean forward, intently watching and listening to the conversation.  They see Eve hesitate.  Adam arrives.  They see her reach out.  She plucks the fruit.  From their vantage point on the precipice of human history, they scream, “Don’t do it!”  Adam watches as she stares at the fruit.  Slowly agonizingly slowly she brings it to her lips.  She feels a tug in her spirit.  It smells so good.  It will make her like a god.  She loves God.  Being like him is a good thing, right?   She’ll know what God knows.  How could that be bad?  She looks at Adam.  Surely if this was wrong, he would stop her.  He does nothing.  She takes a bite.  It tastes sweet, but not a good sweet.  It’s too sweet.  Sickly sweet.  She holds it out to Adam.  Even though the fruit is making her feel odd she smiles.  He takes it and eats some.  They both feel strange.  Their bodies feel like they want to reject the fruit.  That’s never happened before.  Always before food made them feel strong.  This does not.  Adam drops the fruit.  They stare at each other in horror.

            From their vantage point in heaven, the Trinity exhales a long sad sigh.  The Son turns to the Father.  “They did it.”  The Father wipes a tear from his eye.  “Yes.”  “We have to make this right.  Dad,” we have to win them back.  This isn’t what we created them to be.  There has to be a way made for them to come back to be restored.  To come back to us.  To come home.” 

            The Father looks at the Son.  “Think about what you are saying, Son.”  The Son stares at the floor of heaven for a long time.  He nods and raises his eyes to his Father.  “I know.  The price has to be paid.  Satan will demand it.  They gave themselves over to him.  It will take everything I am to buy their freedom.  I’m willing, Dad.  I’ll go.”

            The Father looks at his beloved Son.  What they are planning will be the remembered by some as the greatest act of love in all of time.  It will also break both of their hearts.  “Are you sure, Son?  It won’t happen right away.  By the time I send you, they will have forgotten so much.  They won’t even know what it means to be human.  What we created them to be.  You will have to show them.  You will feel lonely and sad.  Most of them won’t understand at all.  And they will kill you.  When I send you, they will have learned how to crucify.  You will have nails in your hands and feet.  You will be tortured.  You will still be my Son; you will still possess your divine nature, but you will also be as human as they are. Your body will feel all of the pain.  Your soul will feel all of their sin.  The time will come when you will see all of human history played out before you.  All of the evil they will commit against each other, sometimes in our name.  It will break your heart.  I won’t be able to save you.  You will have to endure it all.  Are you sure?”

            The Son rises and straightens his shoulders and stiffens his spine.  “I’m sure, Dad.  They need to be restored back to what we created them to be.  And some will see.  Some will understand.  Some will love me completely.  Not just while I am there, but even long after I return home.  I will show them the way, and they will walk in it.  They will light the darkness of their times.  They will be examples of restoration.”  The Son smiles softly and sadly.  “Besides, I love them so much.  How can I not go?”

            For us men and for our salvation.