A quote from my wife’s Starbucks cup across from me:

"The law, for all of its failings, has a noble goal - to make the little bit of life that people can actually control more just. We can’t end disease or natural disasters, but we can devise rules for our dealings with one another that fairly weigh the rights and needs of everyone, and which, therefore, reflect our best vision of ourselves." - Scott Turow, Author

Wow. Well, there it is - a quote that sums up the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. A quote that encompasses the self-delusional disease that has been progressively taking over the human heart since that fateful bite. Mind you, I have nothing against Scott Turow - I’m sure he’s a fine person, and perhaps an inspiring author. This quote may have been spoken by Turow, but might as well have been from anyone else who’s being honest about the situation we find ourselves in under Adam, the man of the earth, a man of dust.

"The first man was from the earth, a man of dust. The second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those of the dust, and as is the man from heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man from heaven." (1 Corinthians 15:46-47 ESV)

Wow. Great news is - a quote from the New Testament that sums up the fruit of the tree of life. A quote that encompasses the God-reality that has existed before time began and has been progressively taking back the human heart since the death and resurrection of Christ. Mind you, I think everything of Jesus Christ - because His life and word are being sent forth from heaven and will not return void. He will show everyone, not just "Christians" that there is a man who can end disease and natural disasters - the God-man, King of Heaven/Earth Jesus Christ. He has spoken, and anyone who’s being honest about what He has said has to believe we are in a good situation under Jesus, the second Adam, the man from heaven.

The problem is - we are still deceived into thinking we can figure out this whole good/evil thing. After we think about it hard enough, we really can deal with each other fairly, understand the needs of everyone, and in the end, create the best possible version of ourselves in our own image. Right? Hasn’t human history been one tale after another of men and women making the best of themselves and creating wonderful times on the earth that respect the needs and rights of all? Isn’t that the fruit of our choice, the fruit of our understanding of the law?

God have mercy on us - and He has, in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the second Adam, who has come to renew our minds from earthly to heavenly. Because we were made to reflect His image, not our own. We just can’t seem to get over ourselves, our laws, and our "best vision of ourselves" - even sometimes in the Church. Only when we die to that (self) vision will we find the life in the true vision (God) that we were created to have and be completely satisfied in it.