Dust You Are

“…For dust you are, and to dust you shall return (Genesis 3:19).”

These words were said to Adam after he sinned before God. Earlier, God had “formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man had become a living being (Genesis 2:7).” Truly, dust you are because dust came to life by the breath of God.

“As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:13-14).” David wrote these words, reminding us of his repentance and God’s forgiveness. David sinned with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11); Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). God is the one who said, “…dust you are…”, and He knows where we all come from, and where all we will eventually go.

The wise man reminds us, “All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all return to dust (Ecclesiastes 3:20).” “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7).” Job also concurred that man would return to dust (Job 34:15). Yes, we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). However, through Christ, our sins can be taken away and we can be reconciled to God!

Before we return to dust, we must become less like Adam and more like Christ! Paul wrote, “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man (1 Corinthians 15:47-49).”

Our bodies may return to dust, but our souls can live forever in heaven with God if we obey Christ!

Salvation:  Hear - Believe - Repent - Confess - Be Baptized - Live Faithfully