God’s Generosity

MEMORY SELECTION: “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” —Matthew 20:28

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Matthew 20:1-34

THE greatest single act God has performed that demonstrated his love and generosity toward his human creation was in the gift of his most treasured possession—his only begotten Son—in order that mankind might have life. Jesus expressed it so well in John 3:16,17, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Some might ask, what does it mean to be “saved” and what does this have to do with life?

The answer to these questions points back to the very beginning of the creation of man. When God created man in the Garden of Eden, he created him perfect—in the mental and moral likeness of God himself. God indicated that if Adam was obedient he would have life—everlasting life—as long as he remained in harmony with God’s laws. Jehovah instructed Adam and Eve to multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. (Gen. 1:28) We know that this happy prospect was not to be a reality because Adam was not obedient. He transgressed God’s law, and because of this he reaped the reward of sin which was death.

Death simply means the absence of life. To Adam and all of his progeny—and this includes us—this implies returning to the dust of the earth from which all the elements that make up our bodies were taken. Thenceforth there would be no hope of life except as it might come through the love, mercy, and generosity of God. The sentence that God pronounced upon Adam was: “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.”—Gen. 3:19

It is important that we understand that God’s purpose was not thwarted, because the Scriptures tell us that before the foundation of the world he provided the means for recovering man from the condition of death. (I Pet. 1:19,20; Rev. 13:8) In his foreknowledge he saw that it was to man’s best interest to demonstrate that it was not possible for even a perfect man to keep God’s perfect law without the necessary information for decision-making. To make an intelligent judgment, it is necessary to have information on both sides of the question. The one thing that was needed was for Adam and all of his offspring to experience the results of disobedience. Adam, though perfect, did not have experience with evil. His experience was only with good, and therefore his perfect mind was not able to properly weigh all the facts in coming to a correct decision. It is important also to realize that God’s purpose is to have the earth populated with a race of perfect human beings who worship him and serve him from the heart and by the exercise of their own free wills, and not because of fear. The Lord said that fear of him is taught by the precepts of men.—Isa. 29:13

God was not obligated to make these provisions for the recovery of mankind. Justice was satisfied when Adam sinned and was condemned to death. It was God’s love and generosity that paved the way. The Apostle Paul stated it this way: “Therefore as by the offense of one [Adam] 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. For as by one man’s [Adam’s] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Jesus] shall [the] many be made righteous.”—Rom. 5:18,19

In order for God’s justice to remain inviolate Adam could not simply be forgiven. It was necessary for a perfect man to take Adam’s place in death. This is what Jesus was saying in our memory text when he stated that he came to give his life a ransom for the many.—Matt. 20:28

The word ransom means a corresponding price. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of a ransom because he was perfect, and he took Adam’s place in death. Since all inherited condemnation through Adam, by lifting this sentence from Adam it will automatically be lifted from all of his progeny. But this will be accomplished in God’s due time.

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