The-Fall-of-Mankind-------Transition

Auxano Ministry

By the grace of God I am what I am:

1 Cor. 15:10a

The Fall of Mankind Transition, Introduction

What is a Transition?

A few questions need to be answered about the time of transition away from the Garden.

First, what do I mean by transition?

A transition is a time of change from one stage or one style to a new style. In the United States we have a political transition every few years as one political party can, and often does, replace another party. Although philosophies, methods and means can alter with a new stage there will always be a constant thread tying all the administrations together. For the United States, our Constitution is the common thread. For God, the thread tying each stage together is His desire for a family, for fellowship and His method to accomplish this family fellowship.

Using the political analogy here will help you understand why I prefer the term administrations for these different stages or sections of time.

God could no longer communicate with mankind as a group, nor a person individually, as He fellowshipped with Adam and Eve in the Garden of God in Eden. The sin of Adam altered the spiritual landscape of God’s goal. The Tree of Life was no longer accessible, man’s perfect nature was now decaying mentally and physically, man’s spiritual awareness and comprehension dissolved into wild fits of fear and superstition. A change in methods and means was required.

In Genesis chapter 3 God sets the tone and standard for the rest of His Word as well as the common thread that will tie all administrations together. God’s character and virtue will be established for all of humanity to see and know. How does God respond to sin?

The common threads maintained throughout the entire Bible are these: God’s desire to have a family with whom He can fellowship; and God’s method of accomplishing this goal, which shifts from Adam to the “seed of the woman” beginning in Genesis 3:15.

Genesis 3:15

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

The “seed of the woman.” Over time this seed will have many names and designations but eventually is identified as Jesus the Christ, the Anointed One.

Deuteronomy 32:9A

For the LORD's portion is his people…

God’s “portion,” God’s share is those who choose to be with Him, those who become a part or portion of His family. Throughout His Word God will speak of the blessings to His family and the method by which “whosoever” can become a member in that family.

These two, the goal and the method remain constant through each administration. There are different ways of communicating these two points, but every manner of edification always comes back to God’s family and the seed. There are seven administrations in the second heaven and earth. These seven are, in order, Paradise, Patriarchal, Law, Christ, Revealing, Grace, and the Millennial.

Within each administration there will be one steward. The stewards are, in proper order, Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus, Peter, Paul, and Christ. A study of the life of Joseph will supply us with an understanding of the love, and the sacrifice, and the faithfulness of each of these stewards.

God’s way of edifying those of a certain time is the great indicator of the start and end of an administration. For example, the Mosaic Law is still in effect while Jesus is ministering throughout the areas of Judea and Galilee but was it God’s means of edification during the time of Jesus?

The answer is no. Jesus was the means of edification. His life manifested the depth and heart of the Law applied, his words explained and defined what Israel never understood about God or God’s message.

John 5:39

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Each new administration or age will have certain qualities and aspects that enable us to identify these new time periods. In no special order the criteria for an administration are a certain and unique type of edification and the individual steward.

We will see all the transitions when the subject is handled in full in the series Our Time. For now, we are concerned with the first transition from the Paradise Administration into the Patriarchal Administration.

All verses used in this teaching are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.

The Fall of Mankind