Jesus is the second Adam undoing what Adam did and doing what Adam failed to do (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:47-49). He is the Heavenly Bridegroom, entering into His sufferings in a Garden for the redemption of His bride, the Church. He is the Heavenly Gardener, giving Himself to the cultivation of the souls of His people through His atoning sacrifice and continual intercession. When He hung on the cross, He spoke of Glory under the name of "Paradise"--an evident allusion to the paradise in which our first parents dwelt and the paradise from which they fell. He is the second Adam who, by the shedding of His blood, secured the New Creation. As we consider the double entendres of the fourth Gospel, we come to those specifically concerning the biblical theology of the second Adam in the Garden.

Establishing a habit of family worship begins with a willing heart, and there are many helps and tools to make worship God-honoring and effective. It need not be complicated. Start with a simple plan and set aside a little time, and watch family worship build into a family tradition that helps both children and parents walk with the Lord on all the days of the week.By the way, family worship can still be a blessing where only one parent is interested or able. A mother or father can gather the children together to worship the Lord together as a smaller group--after breakfast, before bed, after dinner--even if a spouse is not inclined to lead. Ultimately, we must leave it to the Lord to shepherd our families and bless our efforts to instruct them and enjoy him.

As a Christian, why not sin? We could give a myriad of answers to that question. However, the best answer is supplied by Paul in Romans 6. Paul could have talked about the misery that sin brings, the pain that it inflicts upon others, the consequences which flow from it, or the penalty that Christ had to pay for it. But that is not where he first turns. He wants Christians to understand that we cannot easily entertain sin, because of our identity.