Are We Back in the Garden?
September 12, 2004
Dear Friends,
The late D. W. Bughman created a beautiful chart that has been used by brethren to teach people the Gospel for many, many years. A copy of it hangs in the “tabernacle” at Arkansas Bible School. The Richmond Chapel has a copy of it hanging in its basement. It depicts the Garden of Eden in the center with two prominent trees — the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. There is a stone wall around the Garden with two gates and paths. There is also a stone arch at one end where a stream proceeds from under the wall. The path on the left loops around, through the stream and enters again on the right side of the wall. If you are having trouble picturing this in your mind, you can view the chart on-line at http://www.richmondchapel.org/TreeofLife.html.
This chart has been used for many decades to teach fundamental Bible teachings such as the fall of man, the call of the Gospel, baptism, the need for proper walk, the dangers of the world, the Kingdom of God on earth, resurrection, judgment and immortality. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The depiction by Bro. Bughman was a valiant attempt to depict the message of the Bible in one visual image. The picture only has one problem. I believe the picture is wrong.
Now those who have been raised on this picture (after they pick themselves up off of the floor) will immediately want to know what could possibly be wrong with this picture. The fundamental problem with this painting is that it teaches salvation by works. While I readily concede that Bro. Bughman probably had no idea this was imbedded in the chart, it teaches it nevertheless. The real point, however, is not about the chart. The real point is that perhaps we subtlety buy into the premise that is represented in the chart even if we have never laid eyes on it.
Before we delve into the details and the Biblical support for such an accusation, let’s look at the big picture. When you look at the chart, it shows people going through the stream, representing baptism, and coming out on the other side still outside of the Garden. As the chart illustrates it, very little has been accomplished by coming into Christ other than crossing a barrier (the stream representing baptism). The goal of being back in the Garden has not been reached. In fact, a long treacherous road lies before the now baptized believer before they can enter into the Garden. The believer must negotiate these obstacles before salvation can be attained. In short, a lot still rides upon the actions of the believer before salvation is attained. This teaching is nothing short of salvation by works. If one earns salvation, only a little bit, then grace is nonexistent. If grace is truly defined as undeserved kindness or unmerited favor, you can’t deserve undeserved kindness or merit unmerited favor. Any attempt to say otherwise flies in the face of logic and common sense.
Where the chart goes wrong is where it puts the believer once they come out of the waters of baptism. What I hope to prove in the next few weeks is that the believer is no longer outside of the Garden, but inside of the Garden once they come out of the waters of baptism. The Bible teaches that everything — EVERYTHING — that is done for us for us in the way of salvation is done for us when we come into Christ. The only thing that we as believers can do is lose that salvation just like Adam did. Adam had eternal life. Had he not sinned, he would have lived forever as he was not subject to death. Adam chose to follow the ways of sin. The Bible is teaching us that those who have come into Christ are in the same position as the pre-fall Adam in a spiritual sense. Christ has reversed what Adam set in motion via sin. We do not have eternal life physically, but once we come into Christ, we have it spiritually. God does not look at us like dying, sinful creatures, but his sons and daughters who will live forever once they are covered with the blood of Christ. We are back in the Garden and have the same choice that Adam did — we can chose to eat from the Tree of Life or the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We will no longer be condemned because of what Adam did. If we are condemned, it will be because of what we have done or not done as the case may be.
We will get into the Biblical details and start building our case next week, Lord willing.
Have a great week!
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