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SERIES: ROOTS

SUBJECT 1: INTRODUCTION

In Matthew 13:3-9;

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them
up:

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up,
because they had no deepness of earth:

And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered
away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold,
some thirtyfold.

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
18-23;
23 
Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of
his servants.

Jesus tells the story of a farmer sowing seed in his land as a picture for us of spiritual truth. The
grounds, He says, is the hearts of people (Luke 8:12-15; the seed is the Word of God

12 
Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out
of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13 
They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no
root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are
choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the
word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
(Luke 8:11); 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
the Sower is Jesus, Himself (Matthew 13:37).
37 
He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
The seed that fell on the rocky ground withered and died because it had no roots. Jesus
emphasized in this parable the importance of our spiritual roots in God.
Every truth is the word of God is like a seed. When we hear the word it is very important that it
goes deep into our hearts and becomes rooted in our lives. The depth of the planting is based on
the openness of our heart. If our heart is not fully open, then there is only a shallow planting,
which is easily rooted out by the enemy, Satan (Matthew 13:19).
19 
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the
wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed
by the way side.

CONDITION OF BRANCHES DEPENDS ON THE ROOTS.


The growth and branches of a plant will only be as healthy as its roots are strong and deep
(Romans 11:16, 18).
16 
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
18 
Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
There is a parable in the Old Testament about a magnificent cedar tree:
“So it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; For its roots extended to many
waters.” (Ezekiel 31:7 KJV).

Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters.
The reason it was such a magnificent tree was because its roots went deep down and reached
“many waters”. The beauty that was evident above the ground was the result of the unseen roots
beneath. So it is with us as Christians. We are not to focus our attention on trying to fix up our
own efforts; rather, our focus should be on our “roots”, allowing the truths of the word of God to
be deeply planted in our hearts and to become a reality in our experience. If our roots in God are
strong and healthy, our outward lives will automatically show the life and nature of Christ to
those around us (See John 15 4-5, 7-8).

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine;
no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth
much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done
unto you.

Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
CHRISTIANS PICTURED AS TREES;
“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that
be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring
forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the LORD is upright: he is
my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” (Ps. 92:12-15)

12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

13 Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.

14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

15 To shew that the Lord is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

see also Jer. 17:7-8;



Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORDis.

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and
shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of
drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Ps. 1:3.


And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his
season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

PALM TREE:
A palm tree can grew in the most desert-like conditions. In drought everything around it will dry
up and die, but the palm tree will continue to grow in freshness. This is because it has a long tap-
root that goes deep into the ground and finds the water beneath.
As Christians, we too continue to grow in the Lord and “flourish like the palm tree” no matter
what the outward circumstances may be like. The roots of our lives are in the living water –
Jesus (read John 4:7-14).


There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of
me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
10 
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to
thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living
water.
11 
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from
whence then hast thou that living water?
12 
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and
his children, and his cattle?
13 
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
14 
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
CEDAR TREE:
The cedars of Lebanon were known for their strength and beauty. It was these trees that Solomon
used to build the Temple (see II Chron. 2).
And Solomon determined to build an house for the name of the LORD, and an house for his
kingdom.

And Solomon told out threescore and ten thousand men to bear burdens, and fourscore thousand
to hew in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred to oversee them.

And Solomon sent to Huram the king of Tyre, saying, As thou didst deal with David my father,
and didst send him cedars to build him an house to dwell therein, even so deal with me.

Behold, I build an house to the name of the LORD my God, to dedicate it to him, and to burn
before him sweet incense, and for the continual shewbread, and for the burnt offerings morning
and evening, on the sabbaths, and on the new moons, and on the solemn feasts of the LORDour
God. This is an ordinance for ever to Israel.

And the house which I build is great: for great is our God above all gods.

But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain
him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?

Send me now therefore a man cunning to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in iron,
and in purple, and crimson, and blue, and that can skill to grave with the cunning men that are
with me in Judah and in Jerusalem, whom David my father did provide.

Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants
can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,

Even to prepare me timber in abundance: for the house which I am about to build shall be
wonderful great.
10 
And, behold, I will give to thy servants, the hewers that cut timber, twenty thousand measures
of beaten wheat, and twenty thousand measures of barley, and twenty thousand baths of wine,
and twenty thousand baths of oil.
11 
Then Huram the king of Tyre answered in writing, which he sent to Solomon, Because
the LORD hath loved his people, he hath made thee king over them.
12 
Huram said moreover, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, that made heaven and earth, who
hath given to David the king a wise son, endued with prudence and understanding, that might
build an house for the LORD, and an house for his kingdom.
13 
And now I have sent a cunning man, endued with understanding, of Huram my father's,
14 
The son of a woman of the daughters of Dan, and his father was a man of Tyre, skilful to work
in gold, and in silver, in brass, in iron, in stone, and in timber, in purple, in blue, and in fine
linen, and in crimson; also to grave any manner of graving, and to find out every device which
shall be put to him, with thy cunning men, and with the cunning men of my lord David thy
father.
15 
Now therefore the wheat, and the barley, the oil, and the wine, which my lord hath spoken of,
let him send unto his servants:
16 
And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee
in floats by sea to Joppa; and thou shalt carry it up to Jerusalem.
17 
And Solomon numbered all the strangers that were in the land of Israel, after the numbering
wherewith David his father had numbered them; and they were found an hundred and fifty
thousand and three thousand and six hundred.
18 
And he set threescore and ten thousand of them to be bearers of burdens, and fourscore
thousand to be hewers in the mountain, and three thousand and six hundred overseers to set the
people a work.

The physical Temple of the Old Testament is a picture of the spiritual Temple that God is
building today. The House of God is not being built with bricks or wood anymore (see Acts
7:48-50).

48 
Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
49 
Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or
what is the place of my rest?
50 
Hath not my hand made all these things?

Christians are now the “living stones” or “cedars” that God is using to build His Temple (Eph.
2:21-22;
21 
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 3:16King James Version (KJV)


16 
Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1 Peter 2:5King James Version (KJV)

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

ANOTHER PARABLE;
Jesus told another parable to picture the importance of our “roots” or “foundations”; that of two
houses, one built on rock, the other on sand (Matt. 7:24-27).
24 
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a
wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

The house founded on rock stood while the other “fell with a great crash”. The strong foundation
of our lives, that holds us firm throughout any storm of life, is hearing and putting into practice
the Word of God.

ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN HIM


“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in
him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

Colossians 2:6-7 King James Version (KJV)



As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving.

“. . . I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the
saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love
that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19 King James Version (KJV)
17 
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and
height;
19 
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God.

It is only as our roots go deeper and deeper into Christ that we are being filled up to all the
fullness of God!

SERIES: ROOTS
SUBJECT 2: ANCESTRY

TWO REPRESENTATIVE MEN


The roots of our spiritual ancestry are in one of two representative men. These are two men in
world history whose actions have affected the whole of making. Each set a course that millions
followed. Each stood alone before God as the representative of the human race.
In Romans 5:12-21,
Romans 5:12-21King James Version (KJV)
13 
(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the
similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead,
much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath
abounded unto many.
16 
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to
condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17 
For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
20 
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound:
21 
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto
eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

the Apostle Paul describes the effects these two men have had on mankind.
“Sin came into the world through one man, and his sin brought death with it. As a result, death
has spread to the whole human race because everyone has sinned. . . . just as all people were
made sinners as the result of the disobedience of one man, in the same way they will all be put
right with God as the result of the obedience of the one man (another man).”
Romans 5:12, 19 King James Version (KJV)

12 
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned:
19 
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall
many be made righteous.
THE FATHER OF THE HUMAN RACE:
The first man who represented us all was the very first man created . . . Adam. He was the father
of the human race. At creation God put a law into action. Every life-form was to “produce after
its own kind”

Genesis 1:11-12, 21, 24-25 King James Version (KJV)

11 
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding
fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
12 
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding
fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
21 
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought
forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was
good.
24 
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping
thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
25 
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing
that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. They too, were meant to produce after their
own kind and fill the earth with people in the image of God (see Genesis 1:26-31).

Genesis 1:26-31 King James Version (KJV)


26 
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female
created he them.
28 
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the
earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and
over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
29 
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all
the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for
meat.
30 
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth
upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
31 
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening
and the morning were the sixth day.

But Adam and Eve sinned and rebelled against God (see Genesis 3:1-19).

Genesis 3:1-19King James Version (KJV)


1
 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of
it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also
unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and
Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the
garden.

And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid
myself.
11 
And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I
commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I
did eat.
13 
And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman
said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all
cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all
the days of thy life:
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.
16 
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou
shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast
eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the
ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast
thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
The glory of the image of God departed from them and they were left naked, ashamed, and
fearful and banished from their regal position of relationship with God. And they reproduced
after their own kind! All humanity has experienced the consequences of Adam’s action. None
has escaped its devastating effect. All the succeeding generations have inherited a rebellious and
diseased nature and have been alienated from God. Fear, hate, guilt and loneliness are some of
the evidences of its reality. All of us are born into this world with our roots firmly planted in our
ancestor, Adam.
See Romans 3:10-12, 23 King James Version (KJV)
10 
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
11 
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
12 
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that
doeth good, no, not one.
23 
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

THE SECOND REPRESENTATIVE MAN


God would have been justified to have left rebellious man to his own ways, but because f His
great heart of love, He immediately put into motion His plan of restoring man back to Himself.
It was no good just patching up the fallen creation. Like a diseased plant, mankind would still
continue to receive its life-source from the roots of Adam. Man needed to be uprooted and
grafted into new roots to receive a new life-source. So, at exactly the right time in history, God
sent another representative man into the world. This man, too, was to affect the whole of the
human race; “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive”

1 Corinthians 15:22 King James Version (KJV)


22 
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

THE LAST ADAM


“. . . The first man, Adam, was created a living being; but the last Adam is the life-giving spirit”

1 Corinthians 15:45King James Version (KJV)


45 
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a
quickening spirit.

When Jesus Christ was dying on the Cross of Calvary, a marvelous act of God was in process.
An eternal transaction was taking place between heaven and earth. Jesus was representing
mankind. The Bible calls Him “The Last Adam”. In other words, in God’s eyes he was dying as
the Last of Adam’s descendants. He was the last of the fallen Adamic race. In this second
representative Man, God was laying an axe to the roots we had in Adam
see Matthew 3:10 King James Version (KJV)
10 
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

In the act of Christ’s death, God was putting us to death, and all connection with fallen Adam
was being severed. God stopped the line of the first Adamic inheritance in Jesus.

THE SECOND MAN


“The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven”

1 Corinthians 15:47 King James Version (KJV)


47 
The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.

The Bible gives two terms to Jesus. He is not only called “The Last Adam”, He is also called
“The Second Man”. This is because God accomplished two facts in sending Jesus to represent
us: The first was His death, as we have just seen. The second was when God brought Him back
to life again
see 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 King James Version (KJV)
20 
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his
coming.

The race coming from Adam was full of sin, so God finished
it through Jesus dying on the Cross. The he started all over again. In the resurrection, Jesus
became the beginning of the whole new race of people. Adam, the first man, passed on to his
descendants all his faults. Jesus came alive again to be the Second Man, to pass on to all those
who believe in Him all His goodness.

THE NEW HUMANITY


48 
As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also
that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image
of the heavenly. 1 Corinthians 15:48, 49 King James Version (KJV)

(see also 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 King James Version (KJV)


17 
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.
18 
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to
us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their
trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in
Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him.

1 Peter 2:9 King James Version (KJV)



But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye
should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
light;

SERIES: ROOTS
SUBJECT 3: LIFE-SOURCE
TWO TREES
See Genesis 2:8-9; 15-17; 3:1-24.
Genesis 2:8-9; 15-17; 3:1-24 King James Version (KJV)

And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had
formed.

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and
good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good
and evil.
15 
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat:
17 
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that
thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 3 King James Version (KJV)

1
 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:

But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of
it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.

And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall
be as gods, knowing good and evil.

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes,
and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also
unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed
fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and
Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the
garden.

And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 
And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid
myself.
11 
And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I
commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I
did eat.
13 
And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman
said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
14 
And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all
cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all
the days of thy life:
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.
16 
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou
shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17 
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast
eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the
ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast
thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
20 
And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
22 
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and
now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 
Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from
whence he was taken.
24 
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a
flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
The two special trees in the garden planted by God each symbolized a choice for Adam and Eve.

THE TREE OF LIFE – represented a life’s fusion with God; offered the nature and life of God
Himself; imparted the highest expression of life . . . love; symbolized life.
THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGEOF GOOD AND EVIL – represented independence from
God’s; offered a lower form of existence; imparted a lower expression of life . . . the ability to
judge between right and wrong for self-justification; symbolized death.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil imparted a lower life-source – a lower expression of
life began flowing through Adam and Eve when they ate of its fruit, and from them, through all
mankind. All they could now express was the knowledge of good and evil . . . the ability to judge
between right and wrong.
Results of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil:
1. Death (Genesis 2:17).
17 
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day
that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

2. Broken relationship with God – Genesis 3:8.



And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:
and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the
trees of the garden.

3. Broken relationship with one another – Genesis 3:12.


12 
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the
tree, and I did eat.

4. Self-justification – Genesis 3:12-13.


12 
And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the
tree, and I did eat.
13 
And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the
woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

5. Cursed life – Genesis 3:16-19.


16 
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in
sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall
rule over thee.
17 
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and
hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed
is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the
field;
19 
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of
it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

6. Cut off from eternal life – Genesis 3:22-24


22 
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and
evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live
for ever:
23 
Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from
whence he was taken.
24 
So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims,
and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

THE TREE OF LIFE


The Tree of Life represents a higher life-source. It is the expression of God’s life flowing
through us. It was much more than just the ability to judge between right and wrong. God, too,
knows good and evil (Gen. 3:22), 22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one
of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life,
and eat, and live for ever: but with His knowledge is a vital ingredient – love. “(Wisdom is a tree
of life” (Prov. 3:8, read also verses 13-24). 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy
bones. 13 Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
14 
For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine
gold.
15 
She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared
unto her.
16 
Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 
She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.
19 
The LORD by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the
heavens.
20 
By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.
21 
My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 
So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 
Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.
24 
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be
sweet.
The Tree of Life meant not just the
knowledge of Good and Evil. It imparted wisdom. In other words, it was knowledge plus the
love by which to use it.
The results of the Tree of Life:
1. Life – Genesis 3:22
22 
And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and
evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live
for ever:
2. Relationship, forgiveness – Revelation 22:14.
14 
Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,
and may enter in through the gates into the city.
3. Restoration – Revelation 2:7

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of
God.
4. Healing – Prov. 15:4; Rev. 22:2

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life,
which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of
the tree were for the healing of the nations.
5. Fulfilled desire – Prov. 13:12
12 
Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.
6. Righteousness – Prov. 11:30
30 
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

SCRIPTURAL EXAMPLE Jonah (Jonah 3:10; 4:1-2)


10 
And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil,
that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

1
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.

And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, was not this my saying, when I
was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious
God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.

Because of the evil and cruel acts the Assyrians had committed against his people, Jonah wanted
them to be punished. He was living from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and evil. But when
God saw their repentant hearts he forgave them. The Lord was expressing the Tree of Life.

JESUS WITH THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY (John 8:3-11)


And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had
set her in the midst,

They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and
with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.

So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without
sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one,
beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in
the midst.
10 
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman,
where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no
more.

The only one with the right to throw a stone at the woman was Jesus, for He was the only one
without sin. Yet He did not judge her, but instead forgave her and offered her a new way of life.
The Pharisees operated from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. They were definitely
right . . . what the woman had done was wrong, and punishable by death under their law. But
Jesus expressed the Tree of Life.

THE TREE OF LIFE AVAILABLE TO US AGAIN


God Himself expresses this higher way of life toward us. If He had expressed the Tree of the
Knowledge of Good and Evil to us, we would have all been judged guilty because of our sin and
rebellion against Him. He had every right to condemn us. But He didn’t. Instead, He sent His
Son to take the punishment we deserved so that we could go free. Even though we were in the
wrong, because of His love He offers us forgiveness and a whole new life in Him. He has made
the Tree of life available to us in reality in Jesus Christ (Jn. 10:10).
10 
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might
have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
We are judged by whichever tree we choose to live by. If we do not respond to God’s
redemption we are left to be judged by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
To operate today from the life-source of judging between right and wrong results in the same
aspects of “death” that Adam experienced. We can be very right n a situation, but have the
wrong attitude, and the result will always be a broken relationship, both with God and with
others. We are to express to others the same heart that God has expressed to us. Our spiritual
roots are in one of these two trees.
SERIES: ROOTS
SUBJECT 4: RIGHTEOUSNESS

CAIN AND ABEL


The parents of Cain and Abel were the first man and woman of the earth. Adam and Eve had
been created, by nature and potential, in the image of God. But because of their sin and rebellion
against the Lord, his was lost. Fear, shame, guilt, self-consciousness and self-justification now
became a part of their nature. They were out off from the presence of God. The ground Adam
was to till was cursed, and with hard work and a struggle, he now had to support his family.
Death was now their only future (read Genesis 3). But with the tragedy they had brought upon
themselves, God gave them a promise:
“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.” (Gen. 3:15)
15 
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

God promised to send a Redeemer to restore all that had been lost. This, Then, was the heritage
of Cain and Abel as they were born into the world (see Genesis 4:1-2).
1
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man
from the LORD.

And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of
the ground.

THE TWO LINES


“In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But
Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor
on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. . . .”
(Gen. 4:3-5, see also verses 5-8)
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the

ground an offering unto the LORD.

And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.

And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very

wroth, and his countenance fell.

Although there are now no longer any direct descendants of Cain (they would have all been
destroyed by the flood of Noah’s day – Gen. 6-9), the line of Cain has continued – not in the
physical sense, but spiritually (see Jude 11). This is also true of the spiritual lines of Abel
(Hebrews 11:4)
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained

witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet
speaketh.

Our spiritual roots of righteousness – how we trust God for acceptance into His presence – are
pictured in the offerings brought to God by the two brothers Cain and Abel.

THE WAY OF ABEL


Both Cain and Abel must have known that the way of sacrifice had been definitely appointed by
God (see Leviticus 17:11, Heb. 9:22),
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make
11 

an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is
22 

no remission.

for Hebrews 11:4 says “by faith Abel offered . . .” and Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”.
It was by faith that Abel brought his offering to God. Abel had heard that God required a
sacrifice; he believed, and he obeyed. The way of Abel is faith.

RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH
Abel is a picture of the genuine believer relying on the finished work of Christ on the Cross.
In bringing the offering he did, Abel, confessed that he was a fallen creature, a guilty sinner.
He recognized that his only hope before God was in a substitute taking his place and bearing the
punishment (death) that he deserved. He believed God would accept this lamb as a substitute for
himself. Abel represents those who put their faith in the sacrifice of Calvary, who rest in the
redemptive work of the Cross, who receive as their substitute and Saviour the Lamb of God
which takes away the sin of the world (see John 1:29; I Pet. 1:18-19; Rom. 3:21-25).
John 1:29 King James Version (KJV)
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the
29 

Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.


1 Peter 1:18-19 King James Version (KJV)
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,
18 

as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from
your fathers;

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and
19 

without spot:
Romans 3:21-25 King James Version (KJV)
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
21 

witnessed by the law and the prophets;

Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and
22 

upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:


23 
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
24 

Jesus:

Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to
25 

declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God;

THE WAY OF CAIN


Cain was a religious man. He did not deny God. But he denied his own ruined and fallen
condition and refused to accept the remedy God had provided – That of a substitutional sacrifice.
He heard God’s way but did not believe it. He followed his own way – his own ideas. He offered
the fruit of his own works . . . the fruit of the cursed ground. His offering was probably a very
beautiful one, the best fruits. He had worked hard and was very proud of it.
Cain is a picture of the natural man, who, in his pride and self-righteousness, rebels at the idea of
the need for a substitute. He represents those who turn their back upon the blood that Jesus shed
on the Cross, those who reject the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ and who think they can
obtain righteousness by their own “good works” (read Eph. 2:8-9). The way of Cain is unbelief.
Ephesians 2:8-9 King James Version (KJV)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the

gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

RIGHTEOUSNESS IS A GIFT
“. . . ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ Now when a man
works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who
does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness.”
Romans 4:3-5King James Version (KJV)
For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted

unto him for righteousness.



Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the

ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

The way of Abel is open to us (Matt. 7:13-14). The roots of our righteousness are either I Cain or
Abel.

Matthew 7:13-14King James Version (KJV)


Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way,
13 

that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life,
14 

and few there be that find it.

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