Between Two Trees: Our Transformation From Death To Life

One of the things that I am passionate about is telling the

biblical story from its start to its finish-the first book to the last book-as a single BIG story. The many individual stories that are found in the pages of the Bible interest me and yet I am left intrigued and excited as I read these stories and find interconnectedness, the forming of a bigger and fuller story. Therefore Between Two Trees, a book that provides this perspective, a chance discovery has been a joy to read through. Written by Shane J. Wood (my research on him informs me that he is currently a professor of New Testament Studies and the Associate Academic Dean at Ozark Christian College. Check out his website www.shanejwood.com to learn more about him) the title of the book is derived from the motif of the two trees of life mentioned in the Bible. The first in the garden of Eden, which is forbidden to mankind following the fall and the second in the "garden paradise" in the last chapter of Revelation to which now humanity has access. Shane uses these two trees to beautifully explain what life is like between these two trees-life is hard-and further points to the tree that stands between these two trees-the cross of Christ, the ultimate tree of life. 

Sample these lines for a taste from the opening chapter of the book (not the opening statement; the opening thesis is something I will leave for you to experience for yourself and I do not want to give away too much):

Between the two trees, humanity wrestles with God, embracing and marring his image. Between these two trees, our lives are woven into a tapestry of struggle, loneliness, uncertainty, and hopelessness. Murder is confused with heroism, oppression is labeled peace, gentleness disparaged, restraint mocked, love twisted. The poor are maligned while the rich are adored. The prophets are silenced while the profane are revered. The saints are assailed while the adulterous are esteemed. Kids are a commodity, women are property, and race is justification for abject savagery. Between these two trees, despair is humanity's native tongue and agony its anthem. Questions abound, yet answers are few: God, where are you? Do you still care? Why can't I see you? Why can't I hear you? Why can't I feel you? Why won't you answer me? Are you even listening? Are you even there?.....between these two trees, life is hard. And yet a message bold enough to proclaim that, between these two trees, there is hope. 

So what does this book offer to us? It offers to us afresh the understanding of what sin is by investigating what happened in the garden of Eden. The book challenges us to think a little beyond our understanding of sin as disobedience towards God in the garden of Eden. What is sin then if it is not simply disobedience? The food for thought is that it is "union" that is "becoming one flesh with" (to use the terminology of marriage) Death. 

Humanity was created for union with God, and in sin we supplant legitimate God's place in that union with another. What is the depth of this union of humanity and Death? Shane answers  stating "as 'one flesh' with Death, humanity is submerged in darkness, infused with violence, and so thoroughly subsumed with Life's opposite that if Love became flesh, our response would be 'natural': kill it." I have found this perspective very enlightening, to be able to define sin as an act of union, giving ourselves to become one flesh. This union forges and cements a strong bond with death, one that we cannot divorce ourselves away from-much like a wife trapped in the clutches of an abusive husband, but unlike her unwilling to be helped to go free. Much like how a bright light hurts our eyes when we are settled in a dark room makes us want the light to be shut, our union with Death drives us away from the very person who can set us free; we continue to hide in the darkness in our fig leaves much like our first ancestors.  

What then is the solution for this union with Death? It is the tree between the two trees-the cross of Christ, through which a reunion is made possible and death once feared is "transformed from a barrier segregating humanity from God into a gateway for humanity's union with God"-and that is a beautifully put thought in an equally beautiful statement. As we read about the finished work of Christ, we get introduced to understanding what transformation is ("a movement" rather than "a moment") how transformation begins (with permission rather than forced, a daily surrendering, granting of permission to give ourselves to union with Christ). And right after we are introduced to the vice of haste (the desire for fulfillment in the now rather than wait) as "the ancient enemy of transformation." If transformation is a movement, a process, haste is the looking for short-cuts (to put it in words we are familiar with); it is the offer of the glory without the cross-the offer to our ancestors that they can become like God in the now; the offer to Christ that the kingdom can be established in the now, without the cross. 

Alright so transformation is key to our union with Christ, but then how does transformation take place? Is it merely a spiritual state that has been bestowed on us? Is it merely the realization that we are now a new creation? This is where the issue of works get into the discussion. While we have sadly relegated works to the backseat as something that is not essential for salvation, Shane points out that it is essential for transformation. We do good works not simply because we are grateful to God for his grace, but because works are "the natural outworking of becoming one flesh with God, union with the Creator and sustainer of Life eternal. Works are the inevitable consequence of 'God's workmanship,' a natural result of Christ's atonement, an essential end for the Spirit's transformation of us by grace through faith." And that I think gives us deeper depth to think about the significance of good works in our transformation. 

These are some thoughts gleaned from my reading, though I assure you there are more than these, much more than these. Have you ever thought about sin and humanity and what it means to be truly human, well read the book to know if being human simply means being sinful. Read to learn how the act of eating or dining can be a wonderful example and illustration of transformation. There are personal stories and others that offers us the opportunity to think on the issue through the reality of life. Key thoughts are repeated either in sentences or sections, which might be annoying for some, but repetitions are the big giveaways, the sign posts that help us identify the key thoughts. Is the reading hard in terms of language? No, this is not what I would consider "academic language" (filled with theological jargons). This is pleasantly, your everyday language that you converse in and as you read you will probably feel that this is a long conversation rather than a book. I have enjoyed the personal stories of the author which have been beautifully grafted into the book. There are personal lessons that I have picked from his stories, significant lessons on life and family. 

I invite you to read this book and think through it. My copy is the e-book version, bought from Kindle store on Amazon.

Thank you for your time,

kk