No, I’m not writing about refreshment stands! The “concessions” I’m
talking about are the behaviors reluctantly allowed by God, after Adam
and Eve’s disobedience that resulted in their expulsion from Eden.
Two of the concessions that appear in the Hebrew Bible (Old
Testament) are the eating of animal products and divorce. One would
think that after thousands of years people would finally realize that
these behaviors are detrimental and not in the best interest of
individuals or society at large.
In their lust, people embrace actions that God knew from the
beginning would be harmful to them. Since humans refuse to use their
common sense, and since they insist on viewing God’s injunctions as
taking away their “freedoms,” rather than prohibitions from a loving God
seeking to protect His errant children, they suffer the consequences.
Unfortunately, these consequences are not confined to the individuals
involved, but spill over and devastate all of creation.
When parents divorce, children often bear the cost of emotional
trauma. And humans, in their frenzied insistent lust for more and more
animal-derived products, destroy their own health while causing
irreparable damage to their environment. Rightly does 1 John 2:16-17
state:
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust
of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father,
but is from the world.
17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one
who does the will of God abides forever.
~ New American Standard Bible
In this fallen world, the most “godly” of humans fall far short of
the Creator’s perfection. Why? Is it because they choose to keep
wallowing in the concessions, rather than to lift themselves up to a
higher level, to aspire to His original intent? Perhaps this is why
Matthew 5:48, “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father
is perfect,” is not as popular as John 3:16.
Another Bible passage that most Christians seem to downplay, for
obvious reasons, is Genesis 1:29:
29 Then God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding
seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has
fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you;
~ New American Standard Bible
