Barnes church of Christ

The story of salvation has taken us through the sixty-six books of the Bible, starting in the garden and will end in heaven. Between the garden and heaven is the story of mankind; covering both his goodness and his evils and God’s mercy; thus, “The story of salvation.” In the last of ten articles on “The story of salvation,” attention will be called to where it ends!
Salvation is not just for the here and now, but is for eternity. If it were just for here and now, it would not mean much! If it is not eternal in design, just what would be its propose? If one died forgiven of a million sins, but would not live in eternity, what good would forgiveness be? It might make one feel better for a little while, but it would not make any real difference. The apostle Paul addressed the subject in these words: “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (1 Tim. 4:8). In this “godliness” is forgiveness, for once a person has sinned, but without forgiveness, there would be no true “godliness!” It cannot truly be said that a person has “godliness” while guilty of unforgiven sin. The bloodline of the seed of woman, going through the Patriarchs of the Old Testament and ending in the seed of Mary, Jesus of Nazareth, was looking toward forgiveness in view of eternity.
It may surprise some to read, the only institution on earth that is going to be delivered up, by Christ to God the Father, is the kingdom/church. Paul wrote: “Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:24). When it is time for this earth to end and to be burned up (2 Pet. 3:10), which will take place at the Lord’s second coming, and the final judgment, the righteous who are in the kingdom will be delivered up into eternal life. Therefore, “The story of salvation” is an eternal story! It begins in the garden, following the first sins, but it does not end until the saved are taken to heaven!
It must also be understood that “The story of salvation” was pointing to the gospel of Christ. When God said to the serpent, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15), God was pointing to the gospel of Christ. God was pointing to the victory of Christ over satan in a most unusual turn of events. What looked like a sure victory for satan, was his defeat and a victory for the bloodline of the seed of woman, Jesus of Nazareth, the promised Messiah. The bloodline ended on the cross in victory; as Paul wrote: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). The gospel is the glad tidings of salvation, forgiveness of sins; God’s invitation to eternal life!
Remembering, the saved are added to the church (Acts 2:47) as they are baptized into the blood of Jesus (Rom. 6:3-4), it should be understood that in the words of God spoken in the garden: “he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel,” is the glad tidings of our salvation! In these words God had heaven, eternal life in mind. God was looking at the cross, at the shed blood on the cross, and at forgiveness made possible by the bloodline of the seed of woman which ended in Jesus!
It is understood that “The story of salvation” cannot be covered in just ten articles, but it is hoped that at least a little light has been shed upon the subject. After all, God took sixty-six books to tell us the full story. It started as a “mystery, which was kept secret since the world (the Jewish world, FRW) began,” but has now been revealed, being “made known to all nations for the obedience of faith.” To God “be glory through Jesus Christ forever” (Rom. 16:25-27).
“The story of salvation” will end when this natural body is raised a spiritual body, for “as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Cor. 15:49). “The story of salvation” will have reached its conclusion, when this corruptible body shall put on incorruption, and this mortal body shall put on immortality (1 Cor. 15:54): and when “death is swallowed up in victory. (55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Cor.15:54-56). Between now and then, let us remember, “thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (verse 57). In this the seed of woman will have seen his final victory over satan! God’s children will go home to be with their Heavenly Father eternally!

— Frank R. Williams

The beautiful story of salvation finds it’s planned location in the church of which Jesus said, “I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). No, the church does not save, but she is where the saved are added. Luke wrote these words revealing what was taking place sometime after that great Pentecost day following the ascension of Christ to the right of God: “Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). So, if we ask the question: “Where are the saved today?” The correct answer is: “They are in the church Jesus built.”
From the seed of woman, Eve, in Genesis 3:15, it is a story of the bloodline of the “seed.” With this blood Jesus purchased the church; as Paul said to the elders of the church in Ephesus: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). Notice, as one is added to the church, through obeying the gospel, the last step being baptism; it is this point at the Holy Spirit had Paul write: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?” (Rom. 6:3). Paul also wrote: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13. Baptism is the one place, the point at which, one reaches the blood of Jesus and the one body, which is the church (Eph. 1:21-22). Therefore, we have found that baptism and being added to the church goes through the bloodline of the seed of woman; who is Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus is the heart and spirit of the seed of woman! All in the Old Testament was pointing to his coming; all four gospel accounts point to his arrival; while the last twenty-three books of the New Testament point back to his having been here. It is the blood of that sinless one; of which Peter wrote: “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:19) which is the story of salvation! Someone may object to so much importance on the blood, the bloodline, but in Hebrews it is written: “… without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). It is not just the shedding of any blood, but the shedding of “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot!” The old hymn which rings our, “nothing but the blood” got it right! Once more keep in mind, the blood, salvation, and the church all meet in the blood of Jesus, the seed of woman. In the bruising of his heel (Gen. 3:15), his death on the cross where his blood was shed, we find our salvation in the church which he purchased with this blood.
It needs to be understood, when one minimizes the church of the New Testament, they are also minimizing “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot!” With this “precious blood” he purchased the church; and “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ” (1 Cor. 12:12). No matter how many obey the gospel, by which one is added to the church, we are yet one body, and so is Christ. As there is one Christ, one body, one church, there is one story of salvation and all are made possible by the bloodline of the seed of woman; thus, the story of salvation!
The one story of salvation is the story of the Bible. God created them male and female in the image of the God created he them; thus, we are all the “offspring” of God (Acts. 17:28). It was not God’s intention that man sin, but at the end of the first series of sins, God announced a means by which sin could be overcome, by being forgiven; thus, his words to the serpent in the garden: “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). The bloodline of the seed of the woman was carefully guarded throughout the both the Patriarchal age and the age of Moses, then, reaching its end in the seed of Mary; Jesus of Nazareth!
No wonder the angel of the Lord said to the shepherds abiding in the field: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). Which this, the story of salvation had come to earth!

— Frank R. Williams

In the sinless blood of “the lamb of God” (John 1:29) man finds redemption! Thus, Jesus became a sin offering. The apostle Paul wrote some mostly misunderstood words to the Corinthians: “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” (2 Cor. 5:21). The words that are so misunderstood are these, “made him to be sin.”
To help us understand the Greek word used here, “hamartia,” let us notice the Greek translation of the Old Testament, known as the Septuagint. It was translated about 250 B.C. The traditional story is that it was translated for the Alexandrian Jews who did not speak Hebrew fluently, but who were fluent in Koine Greek; thus, Ptolemy II sponsored the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Koine Greek. The word “Septuagint” refers to the seventy Jewish scholars who completed the translation. Here I quote from the pen of Peter Ditzel, who wrote: “What we find, is that in the Septuagint, the word hamartia is very commonly used to mean a “sin offering.” That is, it is used where the Hebrew Scriptures are obviously referring to a sin offering and where the English translations also have “sin offering.” In just three chapters alone that I happened to pick out (Leviticus 4, 5, and 6), hamartia is used over twenty times to refer to a sin offering. Considering this, then, what is the best and most natural translation of 2 Corinthians 5:21? Of course, it is simply this: “For the One not knowing sin, He made a sin offering for us, that we should become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Friends, Jesus did not become “sin,” this would have made his blood of no greater value than of other sinful blood. Seeing Jesus as a sin offering does not introduce us to a new idea, but is in prefect agreement with other scriptures; Paul wrote: “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour” (Eph. 5:2) and “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10). Here is a question for those who desire that Jesus be made “sin for us;” just how was this done? I am reminded of the following: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. (21) But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die” (Eze. 18:20-21). There is no transferring of sin! Jesus did not sin, thus, he was the perfect sacrifice for our sins! His innocent sinless blood for our guilty sin stained blood. Peter called this blood, “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Pet. 1:19). Even Judas understood the point being made here; as he said: “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood” (Matt. 27:4). There my friends we have “the story of salvation!”
Finally, there is another question that must be addressed just here. What about the words Jesus uttered on the cross? “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matt. 27:46). What about the word “forsaken,” as it relates to God looking upon Jesus? It is so often thought that it means, God turned his back upon Jesus and could not look upon him, as he had become sin. However, a little study of the Greek word used will help. It is “egkataleipō” and Thayer gives the following: “1) abandon, desert 1a) leave in straits, leave helpless 1b) totally abandoned, utterly forsaken.” The meaning here is simply that God did not come and remove Jesus from the cross, but left him in the straits of death; Jesus had to suffer the death on the cross for us. Yes, God could have removed Jesus from the cross; Jesus could have “called ten thousand angels, but he died for you and me.” Remember just here, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:8). Why? Because there is “the story of salvation,” there is our redemption! Thank God for the innocent blood of Jesus shed upon the cross!
There is the “precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Yes verily, in the blood of seed of woman is this “the precious blood” of our redemption, of our salvation!

— Frank R. Williams

At the heart of “the story of salvation” is the death of the sinless one. In Hebrews, it reads: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15). The importance of the words, “yet without sin,” can never be over stated. The writer also wrote: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb.2:8). Had Jesus sinned, his blood would not have been of greater value than other blood stained with sin, and man would have continued to be without any way of forgiveness of his sins!
No effort to write about “the story of salvation” would be near complete without a look at Jesus being “tempted” in all points as we are. It is hard to separate God in the body of flesh and blood, but it must be done. Therefore, let us follow up on the words of Hebrews 2:8, with these: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; (15) And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (16) For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham” (Heb. 2:14-16). In these words, we see much of what has been written in earlier articles in “the story of salvation.” It was necessary, in order to save man, that the savior partake of the same flesh and blood, “that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death.” God being spirit (John 4:24) is not subject to death; therefore the one who would be man’s savior “took on him the seed of Abraham,” through whom the bloodline of the seed of woman ran.
In Hebrews, after the writer had said that the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin, he wrote: “Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me” (Heb. 10:5). The “body” which God “prepared” is the one which came into existence without a man; as Matthew wrote of Joseph, “And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS” (Matt. 1:25). Thus, a virgin was with child, a body was prepared of woman without a man by means of the Holy Spirit; a virgin conceived! Then, the writer continued with, “Lo, I come (…) to do thy will, O God” (verse 7); when addressing the prepared body of flesh and blood subject to temptations as we are. It is necessary to look at some of the temptation of Jesus to fully understand the subject. Bible readers know that after Jesus was baptized of John, he was tempted of the devil in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-10); therefore, let us look elsewhere. Cross the brook Kidron and enter the Mount of Olives and we find Jesus alone. Here he prays, a prayer of prayers, which is truly one of the “Lord’s prayers:” “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). He prayed this not once, but three times saying the same thing. The humanity of Jesus, the struggle with yielding to the end result of the body prepared was never greater. Paul while pointing our attention to the “Word” (John 1:1) “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God;” then, points to the body prepared, as he wrote: “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:6-8). Here is the struggle Jesus is having in his prepared body as he prayed on the Mount Olives. The struggle was so intense, that Luke wrote: “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (verse 44). Has humanity ever struggled as here? No!
Jesus, the seed of woman by means of Mary, yielded to the will of his Father in the words, “nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done!” All temptations are overcome in these simple, yet powerful words: “not my will, but thine, be done!” Thus, the Just one gave his life on behalf of the unjust! And “the story of salvation” continues through the sinless blood of the seed of woman; the ransom paid for man’s redemption!

— Frank R. Williams

With Mary’s conception, “the story of salvation” has reached the concluding years of the bloodline promised in Genesis 3:15: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The bruising of the “head” of the serpent, which would also bring about the bruising of the “heel” of the seed of woman; would require the shedding of the pure, innocent, sinless blood of the “Word” which was made flesh and blood (John 1:14). This was the prophesy God spoke to the serpent in the Garden of Eden.
Through all the years following the sins committed in the Garden of Eden, animal sacrifices had been made, both before the Law of Moses and after; but we are informed in Hebrews: “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. (4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb. 10:3-4). The blood of “bulls and goats” is of less value of than the blood of man; therefore, it was not possible for such blood to “take away sins.” God, of course, knowing this from the beginning planned for a greater “blood” sacrifice to be offered: “he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel!” But, how do you get a blood sacrifice which is greater than that of “bulls and goats?” Keep in mind; blood stained with sin is of no greater value than other blood stained with sin; therefore, the blood which would be able to “take away sins,” required greater blood without sin! It must be blood of greater value than the blood of man stained with sin! In other words, a ransom paid must be greater than what is to be redeemed!
So, what blood is of greater value than the blood of man stained with sin? Attention is called to the words of Peter, as he addresses the subject of our redemption, he wrote: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers”(1 Pet. 1:18); and it may be added, neither were we redeemed with “the blood of bulls and goats;” so Peter followed with these words: “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (Verse 19). The “precious blood of Christ,” (1 Pet. 2:22), is of greater value than the blood of man stained with sin! Then, Peter takes the reader all the way back before the Jewish world, to the promise made to Abraham, to the prophesy God made as he spoke to the serpent in the Garden of Eden: “Who (Christ, FRW) verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world (the Jewish world, FRW), but was manifest in these last times for you” (verse 20). I am fully aware that this is not the general way these words are understood, but this conclusion has been reached after many years of trying to understand them and similar words, with a view of all God reveals on the subject. The sinless blood of “the lamb of God,” of which John, the one who immersed, upon seeing Jesus come to him said: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). There is the bloodline of the woman from Eve to Mary and in the Emmanuel: “God with us!”
Paul wrote: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, (5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4-5). The Greek Paul used in the phrase, “made of a woman” is “ginomai,” which means: “to come into existence, begin to be, received being.” The seed of woman received his being, as flesh and blood, in Mary! It was through the woman Mary, that “the Word” received his flesh and blood (John 1:14) became “the lamb of God” and came “into existence” by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:18).
In this act, “the story of salvation” is reaching toward the climax; as Paul wrote: “In whom (“the lamb of God,” FRW) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). In the death of Jesus, the bruising of the serpent’s head had been accomplished, the bondage of sin had been overcome; and in his death upon the cross, only his “heel” had been bruised; as he was resurrected from the dead, but the power of satan received a death blow!

— Frank R. Williams

The story of salvation, as it relates to Mary, stops with her seed, Jesus of Nazareth. The “golden chain” that runs through the Old Testament is a bloodline which goes through the “seed” of woman. When understood, the words of Isaiah, chapter seven, verse fourteen, were a spell binding prophesy: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” First, how could it be that “a virgin” would “conceive?” Second, when would it happen? When was it to take place and how could it take place?
In looking at Isaiah 7:14, as it relates to “the story of salvation,” it is important to notice a few words: 1) sign, 2) virgin, 3) conceive, 4) son, and 5) Immanuel. Starting with the last of these, “Immanuel,” which means “God with us;” therefore, whoever, this “son” will be, he will be “God with us.” No one else will do in fulfilling the words of Isaiah. Second, the word “son” and this “son” must be God, dwelling among mankind; else, he is not the “son” of this prophesy. Third, is the word “conceive,” and standing by itself would not get our attention; but when coupled with our second word, “virgin,” it demands attention. For the question now comes to mind, how it is possible for a “virgin” to “conceive?” With man, it is impossible; but with God it is possible! This brings us to our first word, “sign.” This is a key word in the Isaiah prophesy. We are fully aware that some have sought to take Christ out of this text. But, what “sign” is there in a young woman conceiving and bringing forth a son? It happened every day then, and it happens every day now. Yet, Isaiah used the word “sign” and says the “sign” is that a “virgin” shall “conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Only one time in the history of mankind has this taken place. The “virgin” is named Mary and the inspired Matthew, an apostle of Christ, wrote the following: “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (22) Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, (23) Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt. 1:21-23). These words answer our question, but only in part. Matthew identifies Mary as the “virgin” of the Isaiah prophecy, but here, he does not reveal how a “virgin” can “conceive.” Therefore, it is necessary to back up a few verses: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 1:18). Notice, it was “before” Joseph and Mary had “came together,” that “she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.” The “virgin” was “conceived” of the Holy Spirit, not man. It is through Mary that the bloodline runs, but it is by means of the Holy Spirit that the son is conceived; thus, he is “Emmanuel:” “God with us.” Before continuing with “the story of salvation,” please take the time to notice that Isaiah used the word “conceive,” while Matthew uses the word “shall be with child.” By interchanging these words, God has told us, when Mary “conceived,” she was “with child.” Of course, the son, the child, the “son of man” through Mary is Jesus, the Christ, but through the Holy Spirit he is “Son of God.” Therefore, he is human and deity!
Without this part of “the story of salvation,” there would be no “story of salvation.” Therefore, it is imperative that a better understanding be obtained. John will help us here. He wrote: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The “Word” is God, but not God the Father, neither God the Holy Spirit. The “Word,” of John 1:1, whom we shall here identify as the second person of the Godhead. John informs us, “was made,” and the Greek word (ginomai) he used means: to come into existence, begin to be. No, the “Word” did not come into existence, but he did “begin to be” flesh and blood; then, notice John’s words, “dwelt among us.” Therefore, John identifies Isaiah’s “Immanuel” with the “Word” becoming flesh: “God with us!”
With this, “the story of salvation” has taken a major step forward; as the Son of the virgin is named Jesus, which means, savior (Matt. 1:21).

— Frank R. Williams

It is most important to “the story of salvation” to look at the seed of woman of which God spoke in the Garden of Eden. Recall the words of God to the serpent, “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). The Hebrew word translated into the English word “seed” is “zera.” Notice the action of creation: “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed (zera), and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed (zera) is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. (12) And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed (zera) after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed (zera) was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Gen. 1:11-12). Without the power within the word “zera,” creation would never have been completed and God would not have been able to say at the end of creation: “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” (Gen. 1:31). Why is this true, that creation would not have been completed without the power that is in the word “zera?”
Simply because there would be no continuity in what God created. Notice, the words, “after his kind;” this expresses the power to reproduce! It is in the Hebrew word “zera” that creation is perfected, as it is the container created by God with the limitless power of God for continuing. Therefore, the second chapter opens: “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (2) And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made” (Gen. 2:1-2). It will also help in understanding this point, if we notice what God said to the male and female whom he had created: “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” (Gen. 1:29-30). It is in the “herb bearing seed” (zera) that the man and woman and the “beast of the earth,” “every fowl of the air,” and “everything that creepeth upon the earth,” wherein was life, that God gave for meat (The Hebrew word translated “meat” is “όkláh” and may be translated “food”) “the herb bearing seed (zera).” In other words, without the continuing power of life, which was in “herb bearing seed (zera),” there would have been no power of continuity! Life would have sprung up, only to die! Thus, the word “zera” expresses the continuity of life; the perpetual nature is within the “seed!”
What is this all about? When God said to the serpent: “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 pronoun “it” (hoo) should be translated “he.” The “he” is the “seed” (zera) of the woman. It is to a definite person that God is pointing. It was not to Cain, as it would not be true of him, for satan bruised his head. It was not true to Abel, for Cain murdered him. It was not to be Seth, as there is no evidence of him bruising the “head” of satan. However, it would be through the blood line of Seth, but the “he” is the same one through whom all families of the earth would be blessed. This brings us back to Abram and the promise God made to him: “… And in thy seed (zera) shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; …” (Gen. 22:18). It is in the means by which “all nations would be blessed” that the “seed” of woman woud bruise the head of satan! It is to these words that the apostle Paul directs our attention, when he wrote: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed (sperma), which is Christ” (Gal. 3:16). Therefore, Paul has identified the “seed” of Abram, through which “all families of the earth” would be “blessed,” “which is Christ!” It was Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, who destroyed the bondage of sin, in that there was no way of forgiveness of sin until the shedding of the blood of the seed of woman, the seed of Abram, the seed of Mary.
This brings us full circle, “the seed of woman” and the son of Mary who is the Christ! Through whose blood the power of satan is destroyed. Sin, the power of satan, no longer holds mankind in bondage; but as Paul wrote speaking of Christ: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). “The story of salvation” is compelling!

— Frank R. Williams

“The story of salvation” goes through the whole Bible, save the first two chapters. Why not through the first two chapters? As has been pointed out, the sins were committed in the first part of chapter three; prior to the sins, there was no need to talk about salvation. Adam might have asked, “Salvation from what?” However, God did give Adam the information about the consequences of sin, when he told the man: “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” (Gen. 2:16-17). The “death” in this context is spiritual. “The story of salvation” has it beginning, on earth, following the sins committed.
“The story of salvation” its the story of the bloodline which ended in Jesus of Nazareth. There are two, shall we say, “start overs,” in “the story of salvation.” The first being with Noah, as the God looked upon man, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Just how evil mankind had become, is beyond our abilities to understand! To help with this, one of the major points in God giving us the history of Israel is to show us his mercy! The story of Israel is one of simplicity; Israel obeys God, Israel sins against God, Israel, because of their sins, is taken into captivity, Israel repents and God through his mercy receives them back into his favor. It is a story of mercy, and is part of “The story of salvation!” It was in fact, the keeping of the bloodline, as it was running through the tribe of Judah. Nevertheless, the wickedness of Noah’s time is beyond our abilities to understand! God’s anger has never reached that point again, where he would say: “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them” (Gen. 6:7), since that time. We read about sin, the awfulness of Sodom and Gomorrah, but never do we see God reach the conclusion about man as he did in the time of Noah. So, just how evil were they in the time of Noah? Well “the story of salvation” is saved through Noah and the bloodline continues through him, then Shem. It must not be forgotten, God’s mercy is seen in the salvation of Noah and his family, they were saved by water and it was a “figure” of our being saved today by baptism (1 Pet. 2:20-21).
The second “start over” takes us to Abram! After giving the generations of Shem and bringing us to Terah, the father of Abram (Abraham). The “land of his nativity” being the “Ur of the Chaldees” (Gen. 11:28). Idolatry had become the way of life, even in the bloodline through which “The story of salvation” would flow. So, what was God’s answer to this great threat? At some point, in the flow of events, God said to Abram: “Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee (2) And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: (3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3). So God in order to keep the bloodline separated Abram from the people of the land of “Ur of the Chaldees.” He also promised that a great nation would come from Abram, which would be the nation of Israel. With this separation, a new people would be formed. They would be called Hebrews, Abram being the first person called a Hebrew. The bloodline, the seed of woman, would continue through Israel, through the tribe of Judah. This nation would be given a law, only for those whom God brought forth out of Egyptian bondage (Deut. 5:1-6). They would cross the Red Sea, being saved from the bondage of the Egyptians; this also would serve as a “figure,” in “The story of salvation” revealed in the New Testament.
Thus, “The story of salvation” moved through the Hebrew nation, through the bloodline of Judah. The New Testament picks up “The story of salvation” in the bloodline of Judah, as it introduces us to Jesus of Nazareth.

— Frank R. Williams

The story of salvation, on earth, starts with the words of God to “the serpent” in 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.” Though this verse is not quoted by any New Testament writer, nevertheless, Jesus did tell the eleven after his death, as recorded by Luke: “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (Luke 24:27). Genesis; thus, chapter three is at the very beginning of the writing of Moses and though Jesus’ words may not directly point to the Genesis prophesy; Moses is the writer of the book of Genesis and the door is opened for Jesus’ words to include the Genesis’ prophesy.
It also stands to reason, sin having been injected into this world, the first series of sins having been committed, that God would address his plan of salvation; thus, the beginning of the story of salvation on earth. Noticing the words of the text is important, if we are to gain some understanding of the prophesy. God spoke to “the serpent,” telling him, that he would, from this point in time forward, put “enmity between thee and the woman.” This is a bloodline enmity between “the serpent” and the woman, as she would give birth to the “seed,” the bloodline. Her next “seed,” who would be Seth, would be the first in this bloodline. Without naming all those in this bloodline, it reaches Abram (Abraham) to whom God would say: “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: (3) And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Gen. 12:2-3). The “nation” which God promises Abram would continue the bloodline; as God would say to Abram at a later time: “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee” (Gen. 17:7). The “seed,” the bloodline would go through Isaac and Jacob, who would be the father of the nation of Israel; his name being changed to Israel. However, this bloodline would not run through the whole of Israel, but through Judah. But, God also promised, that through the seed” of Abram, “shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:3, the same promise is stated elsewhere). The apostle referring to this promise wrote: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ” (Gal. 3:16). Therefore, there is no room for doubt as to the “seed” promise made to Abram; this “seed” is Christ and it reaches back to the “seed” of woman.
Now going back to the Genesis three prophesy, and noting the “enmity” would also be “between thy (serpent, FRW) seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” This is the conclusion of the bloodline “enmity!” The “seed” of the serpent would “bruise” the “heel” of the woman’s “seed;” while the woman’s “seed” would“bruise his head.” Clearly, there is a great victory on the part of the “seed” of the woman; as bruising one’s “head” is a death blow to his power, while the bruising of the “heel,” through most uncomfortable, it is much less. So, to what do these words point? In order to get at the larger point of the Genesis prophesy; the power of the “serpent” must be clarified. From the first sin committed, satan (the serpent) held mankind in bondage. There was no way of forgiveness! This was even true all the way through the history of the nation of Israel; yes, they offered, beginning with Adam and Eve through the nation of Israel, animal sacrifices, but as the Hebrew letter states: “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). The “blood” of all those sacrifices was, in fact, pointing to the blood by which sins could be forgiven! This brings us to the bruising of the “heel” of the “seed” of woman! The language allows us to see what looked like a victory for the “serpent” when the “seed” of woman was nailed to the cross, but it was a victory for the “seed” of the woman; as the power of satan was destroyed in the blood of the “seed” of woman. Through the blood of the sinless Jesus, the means of forgiveness was finally realized! The apostle Paul wrote when speaking of Jesus: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. 1:7). Satan’s head had been bruised; a death blow to the long held power of satan was defeated.
The Greek word used by Paul (apolutrōis) expresses “a releasing effected by payment of ransom.” The blood of Jesus is the ransom payment, worthy to free mankind from the bondage of satan; and the story of salvation is realized!

— Frank R. Willams

Where did it start? Did it start with man, or did it start with God? To answer these questions, here is another question: “Who was in need of salvation?” An easy question to answer, it is not God, but man who is in need of salvation. Of course, this brings to mind yet another question, “Why is man in need of being saved?”
Asking questions is a good way to get at the truth, whatever the area of truth one is dealing with. Understanding it is man that is in need of being saved (Which will be addressed later in this article.); it brings us to the question above, “Why is man in need of being saved?” It is easy to see that one question may in fact lead to any number of questions that need answers. Of course, if there is no God, the God who is not made of gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device (Acts 17:29), then, there is no story of salvation.
While looking at the subject of God, it will serve the reader well to look briefly at what it would mean if there is no God. If there is no God, then, there is no such thing as right and wrong, good and evil; other than what one thinks within himself; and cannot be binding on any other. Therefore, everyone would be free to do whatever seems right to him at the moment. True, a group of people, such as a nation, or state, could by the majority vote and make rules, laws, of right and wrong, but it would always be subject to change at the whim of the next majority! Therefore, it must be confessed that there would be no absolute standard! On the other hand, if God exists, and he does, then the very nature of being God necessitates a moral standard!
This truth will help us see why man is in need of salvation and with this the story of salvation has its beginning. Let us take a trip back in time to the Garden of Eden. God having created man and woman, male and female created he them (Gen. 1:27), gave to the man certain responsibilities. Before doing so, the story of how God created the man is told; “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). He then said to the man in regard to the garden: “dress it and to keep it” (Gen. 2:15), but this was not all; God also said to him: “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” (Gen. 2:16-17). There was nothing difficult about these commandments; as they were clearly stated! God even stated the consequences for eating of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” as he said, “in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” There was no ambiguity, but clear and unmistakable truth.
Man was created innocent and without sin in the world! He was not in need of being saved, for he was not lost. It is here that God looked upon the man whom he had created and said: “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” (Gen. 2:18). With this, God made the woman: “he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; (22) And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Gen. 2:21-22). In this, marriage had its beginning and the first family was created. At this point, mankind was still not in need of salvation, for no sin existed! But this would change as the day arrived when the tempter came upon the scene. It is here the story of salvation has its beginning; the one thing which the man and woman were forbidden to eat, which had the penalty of death was before them, “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4). In this series of events, the woman “being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Tim. 2:14), yielded and ate of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil;” and she gave unto her husband and he did eat. In this series of events sin entered into the world.
Now mankind was in need of salvation and the story of salvation begins. God wasted no time, knowing the need of salvation! God said to the satan: “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). This is the beginning of what has been called, the Protevangelium. Justin Martyr (160 AD) and Irenaeus (180 AD) called this verse the Protevangelium; the first messianic prophecy in the Old Testament. In our time, Frank Derek Kidner describes it as “the first glimmer of the gospel.” However man may describe it, the story of salvation has its earthly beginning!
However, it would be incorrect if we concluded that this is the real beginning of the story of salvation. We learn in the New Testament that if first began in the eternal mind of God which he proposed in Christ (Eph. 3:11)!

Frank R. Williams