M-G: 12.1.10 // The Monster, Genesis 3:21, ESV

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The fictional account of Dr. Frankenstein ironically reveals man's crowning achievement throughout all of history - "I've created a monster!" Isn't that the result of our rebellion in the Garden that went viral globally? Though Dr. Frank wasn't the monster, it was us who were made in the image of God! In our rebellion, we became death-bound (Rom 5:12), but our souls were hideously disfigured. We were repulsive to the holiness of God. 

The first physical death recorded in our English Bible was when God provided skin coverings for Adam and Eve. Here was the first instance of incomprehensible grace, the unmerited favor of God providing a covering for their sin against their Creator. Only God could heal man's monstrous spiritual wounds; even so, Adam and Eve would eventually return to the dust from which they came, as with all of us.  

These first animal sacrifices foreshadowed what God was going to do for every man, woman, and child through His Son Jesus in providing a sacrifice for our sin against Him, to give hope to the helpless and hopeless. But the provisional sacrifice is only a sacrifice until it becomes salvation through personal faith in the sacrifice that satisfied the just demands of a holy and righteous God -- the death of His Son.

In true repentance, the monster or sinful nature remains a part of us, but the penalty for its beastly transgressions was placed on Jesus at the cross. This monster can never be tamed, domesticated, fully controlled, or trusted; its nature only knows rebellion and looks for ways to manifest its presence. Though lurking inside every born again believer is this monster known as the sin nature, we have been given another nature referred to as the new man. It is here the seed of Christ-likeness is planted and must be germinated. Growing in grace is only achieved by submitting to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and renewing the mind with the Word of God on a daily basis.

The monster within us will one day be destroyed by God by glorification, but until then, He has decreed in His wisdom that this beast remains within us to test our faithfulness and our resolve to love, serve, and enjoy Him. It is akin to leaving the enemy in the land to test the faithfulness of Israel. After all, it was an eyes-opened-wide choice of our own making; we were warned of the collateral damage of disobedience. The remedy for our rebellion demanded a high price, a price that Jesus graciously paid to secure redemption for anyone who comes to Him in faith. So, the choice ever remains on this side of eternity to whom will we serve, the monster or the Messiah? <><