It was by God’s grace that the earth in its infancy was nourished and watered.
“No bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground…” Genesis 2:5-6
It was by God’s grace that man was created from the dust of the ground.
“The Lord God formed the man of the dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” Genesis 2:7
Abraham said: “I am but dust and ashes.” Genesis 18:27
The Psalmist declared: “We are dust.” Psalm 103:14
Solomon states: “The dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7
The apostle Paul wrote: “As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall bear the image of the man of heaven.” 1 Corinthians 15:48-49
Paul also wrote: “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
It was by God’s grace that life was given to man in the beginning and that same grace ushered him into the beautiful Garden of Eden where his needs would be met.
“The Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Genesis 2:8-9
It was by God’s grace that the man was placed in the beautiful Garden of Eden to tend it.
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15
It was by God’s that the man was given choice and warned about the consequence of choice.
“The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You shall eat of every tree of 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 2:16-17
It was by God’s grace that He allowed the man whom He had made to have the choice.
About the author:
Don and his wife Brenda have been married 48 years. They have two married sons Jason/Crista and Nicholas/Heather and four grandsons Luke, Ryker, Blake and Drew. Don is a graduate of the Gateway School of Preaching, Fairview Heights, IL, the Bristol Roads School of Biblical Studies, Flint, MI and he has a bachelor’s degree in religious education from Michigan Christian College. He has been preaching since 1979. He has preached at Pacific, MO; Howell, MI; Arnold, MO; Festus, MO; Dexter, MO; and De Soto, MO where he has served since 2007. He also serves the congregation as one of the elders. Don has done campaigns and meetings in several states and mission work in Cuba, India, and Jamaica. Don refers to himself as a “Minister” because he loves ministering to others and helping them learn about Jesus and growing in their relationship with Him.
De Soto church of Christ 