The Dangers of Hiding…

He who believes in Him is not judged, he who does not believe in Him is judged already, because He has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgement, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the Light, for their deed were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds may be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that His deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.

John 3: 18-21

There are two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “All right, then, have it your way

C.S. Lewis

The Holy Spirit keeps bringing me back to Genesis 3 over this past year and a half…and you know what I noticed this time around?

No repentance. Adam and Eve never repented. Well, at least, it’s not recored.

So, what did Adam do? He hid. (And in more ways than one)

There are many people that struggle with ideas of God’s judgment and wrath, but looking at how God’s judgement and wrath plays out against Adam helps give me better understanding. The same part of humanity that has issues with a God that condemns people to Hell is the same part of humanity that has issues with a God that kicks Adam and Eve out of the Garden. Actually, they are very similar because the worst of both is separation from God.

I think the combination of John 3 and the Lewis quote comes in handy here so you should go back up and look at those.

You see, Adam and Eve didn’t really just screw up in eating the fruit from the tree…they also hid from God. I’m even starting to think that this hiding from God might have been the bigger of the two mistakes.

Their act of hiding was telling and condemning. Innocent people don’t hide. God didn’t even need to judge them, because like it says in John 3, they were judged already…by themselves! They hid from God because they knew they had done wrong against Him. The truth was evident within themselves.

Also, God didn’t have to condemn Adam and Eve to separation from Himself because they had already begun to separate from Him! They had already attempted to both physically separate themselves from God (by physically hiding and clothing themselves) and they were spiritually separating themselves from God with their excuses and lack of repentance. Their hiding was their own judgement and condemnation.

I think that Lewis is right about the two different kinds of people in the end. The Word talks about God’s wrath, but on a few occasions we are taught that much of God’s harshest wrath is displayed by Him simply giving us over to ourselves.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…Therefore God gave them over in the lust of the hearts to impurity, so their bodies would be dishonored among them…For this reason, God gave them over to degrading passions…And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind…

Romans 1:18-31

Just as God gave Adam and Eve the separation they already initiated…there will be a day for those who chose not put their faith in Jesus when God will give them over to themselves. Many people spend their lives hiding from God…hiding from the Light. They deny God not just because they don’t think He’s there, but because they want to be left alone and would rather Him not be there for fear that they might have to acknowledge, repent, and change their ways.

The saddest part is that Jesus already took on the full wrath of God on our behalf…and so there is no reason for us to have to endure the wrath of God. Those that endure the wrath of God have chosen it for themselves. They have chosen to live in separation from God…and God will give them over to that separation eternally.

The unbeliever has preferred to be by himself, without God, defying God, having God against him, and he shall have his preference. Nobody stands under the wrath of God except those who have chosen to do so. The essence of God’s action in wrath is to give men what they choose…

J.I. Packer

It’s a sad and somewhat silly end of the road for those that end up eternally separated from God. All it takes is for us to no longer hide from God. All it takes is for us to no longer run from the Father in attempts to protect ourselves. Quit hiding and be honest with yourself and God. Acknowledge that you have committed wrong against God and your neighbors and repent. Just genuinely and humbly say you’re sorry to the Father! In that moment, believe that Christ took the wrath of God for you already. You no longer have to worry about being separated from the Father. You are forgiven! No more hiding.

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