The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
—Genesis 2:15
therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
—Genesis 3:23
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
—Hebrews 13:8
"No matter where you go, there you are." That exact phrase is from a 1984 movie, but the underlying idea has been expressed in many ways.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." That familiar phrase describes a pattern of human behavior that we can see in ourselves and others. It was written by George Santayana in 1905.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same." That is a common English version of an observation by the French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphones Karr in 1849.
Ironically, all of those sayings restate a principle that was written down thousands of years ago. Human nature (and therefore the human condition along with it) doesn't change. Paul referred to the events recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures as examples and instruction. If we look at the stubbornness and greed and injustice recorded there and think, "I'm glad we're not like that!" then we are simply joining ranks with the Pharisee in the parable of Jesus.
Looking further back, we can observe that the first humans were placed into the Garden to work it. After they rebelled and were expelled from the Garden... The penalty included working the ground. In a sense, it included the same work, but without fellowship with the Lord.
Human nature doesn't change. On its own.
But the One who does not change had and has better plans for us.
Change (part 1)
Blessed is the man who makes
the Lord his trust,
who does not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after a lie!
—Psalm 40:4
Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.
—Psalm 119:37
The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.
—Genesis 2:15
therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.
—Genesis 3:23
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
—Hebrews 13:8
"No matter where you go, there you are." That exact phrase is from a 1984 movie, but the underlying idea has been expressed in many ways.
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." That familiar phrase describes a pattern of human behavior that we can see in ourselves and others. It was written by George Santayana in 1905.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same." That is a common English version of an observation by the French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphones Karr in 1849.
Ironically, all of those sayings restate a principle that was written down thousands of years ago. Human nature (and therefore the human condition along with it) doesn't change. Paul referred to the events recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures as examples and instruction. If we look at the stubbornness and greed and injustice recorded there and think, "I'm glad we're not like that!" then we are simply joining ranks with the Pharisee in the parable of Jesus.
Looking further back, we can observe that the first humans were placed into the Garden to work it. After they rebelled and were expelled from the Garden... The penalty included working the ground. In a sense, it included the same work, but without fellowship with the Lord.
Human nature doesn't change. On its own.
But the One who does not change had and has better plans for us.