Adam and Eve Sin

This evening, we are going to look at the chapter in the Bible that contains what I have often described as the most tragic verse in all of Scripture. That chapter… is Genesis 3. Tonight, we are going to talk about the origin of sin in God’s creation.

First, I want to remind everyone in this room of an important truth. GOD DID NOT CREATE YOU FOR SIN. He created you for His glory.

Sin was NOT a part of His original design. Yet… this might be hard for us to accept because… sin is everywhere.

Sin has created a huge mess in this world and it continues to wreak havoc on lives and souls. Sin brings NOTHING but death. We know this truth from passages such as Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 NIV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Death is the earned consequence of our sin. Everyone say earned with me. EARNED. What that means is death is what we deserve for our sin.

God, however, offers us something else through His Son Jesus. Where death is the earned wage of sin, the GIFT that God offers, the UNDESERVED gift made available to us, is eternal life through the life Jesus gave on the cross.

Jesus didn’t deserve to die and we… don’t deserve to live eternally. But in one amazing act of love… Jesus took on our death and now offers new life for all who would believe in and follow Him!

John 3:16 NIV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

So if we were not created for sin… then why is sin… EVERYWHERE? If sin was not a part of God’s original design, then how did sin become so entrenched in the world that we know?

Just as there is an origin story for how the universe came to be… so is there an origin story of how sin came into existence. And the moment sin became a part of our reality… so did death become a part of our reality. Sin is a terrible, destructive, destroyer of hearts and lives. And that is exactly why God wanted us to have NOTHING to do with sin.

How many believe that God has great things in store for you tonight? How many know those great things WILL NOT come through sin? IF WE WANT GOD’S BEST, WE MUST BE WILLING TO GIVE OUR BEST TO GOD. We must recognize sin for what it is AND choose to steer clear away from it.

This choice… will require a great deal of TRUST in the words of God. This morning, we talked about the freedom that comes from knowing and holding on to the teachings of Jesus. Tonight we are going to expand on that teaching as we talk about trusting in God’s Word instead of falling for Satan’s temptation.

Most of us know the story of Adam and Eve and the serpent. We will dive into that in a moment. When the serpent comes on the scene… he works to change Eve’s perspective of the situation… of God’s command. AND GUESS WHAT? He is still using that same play on us today!

How important is perspective?

An artist, a preacher, and a cowboy visited the Grand Canyon one day. The artist exclaimed, “Wow, what a beautiful scene to put on canvas!” The preacher exclaimed, “Wow, what an amazing display of the handiwork of God!” The cowboy exclaimed, “Wow, what a terrible place to lose a cow!” Perspective—it makes all the difference!

When it comes to sin… whose perspective are you going to trust? Whose word will you follow? What choice will you make?

We are going to watch a quick clip and then dive deeper into the story but as we watch, I want us to consider this question: Why do people (we) find it so hard to trust God and ignore Satan sometimes?

Pastor, I ALWAYS trust God and ignore Satan! And I hope that is true! But sometimes we might find ourselves conflicted in moments when our flesh tries to override our faith.

WATCH VIDEO - Listen Session 3

The video does well to highlight something we know and… feel inside.

Looking back on the story, it is easy to see where Adam and Eve went wrong. We often say things like, “If only they had listened and trusted God’s words! Then none of the bad stuff they went through would have ever happened!”

And then… instead of looking back at their story, I look in the mirror at mine and say, “If only I had listened and trusted God’s Word! Then none of this would have ever happened!”

It’s easy to look back and to see where they messed up, but it’s often a difficult thing for us to look inward and to confess where we got it wrong… or where we are getting it wrong.

Tonight, I want to look at three quick points drawn from the experience in the Garden of Eden. And What I hope will happen is a deeper awareness of how the enemy works will be realized and a deeper need to trust in God will be embraced. First off, in this story, we will see how Their trust was turned into suspicion.

Trust to Suspicion

Genesis 3:1–6 NIV

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

When the serpent came on the scene, he did something strategic right out of the box that began to spin the situation out of control. Satan worked to turn Eve’s trust in God, to suspicion.

First off, lets define those words.

Trust is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something

Suspicion is a feeling or thought that something is possible, likely, or true. It is a cautious distrust. It calls into question what you previously placed your trust in.

Now there have been some situations where I started out trusting something… and then that trust began to turn into suspicion.

Things - I’ve been on ladders that I thought were stable and well-secured. Once at the top, the ladder shifted and suddenly I became suspicious of that ladder’s ability to hold me up!

People - I have placed my trust in people who said they could deliver or follow through… only to have that trust broken as things didn’t happen like they were supposed to.

AND… lets be real… there have been times when I have let a person down… when I was unable to do what I commited to doing.

We all know what trust feels like AND what suspicion feel like. Satan moved on Eve to plant a seed of doubt in her mind regarding the words of God to make her suspicious… and he is doing the same thing to people today.

The NUMBER ONE PHRASE that this world is asking when it comes to following God’s commands is simple. When God says don’t do this… people often respond by asking, “Why Can’t I?”

Why can’t I have sex before marriage? Why Can’t I look at those things online? Why Can’t I talk bad about others or spread rumors? Why can’t I do what I want, when I want, with whoever I want to do it with?

The enemy is working hard to lead people into believing that God is withholding something good from you! But mark my words: SIN IS NEVER GOOD. It only leads to death.

And the reality of the situation is: You can go against the words and commands of God, but you will also reap the consequences of such action.

So here are a couple of reminders that we need to remember tonight.

One -God’s words are GOOD.

No matter what our feelings might be telling us in any given moment, GOD’S WORDS ARE GOOD WORDS. He is not trying to withhold good from you, He is trying lead you to something greater than good!

John 10:10 NIV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

It is the devil himself who is trying to lead you to death and destruction. Jesus has come that we might have life to the full. The problem is… our world has bought into the WRONG perspective! They have allowed the enemy to plant a seed of doubt in their minds!

If you find yourself asking “Why Can’t I” in regards to the warnings and commands given in Scripture… you need to step back and understand that the enemy is trying to mess with your perspective.

Instead of allowing him to make you suspicious, choose to hold on and trust the words of God even more!

When Adam and Eve sinned, they were operating out of fear… not faith… suspicion… not trust. They believed the words of the enemy that God didn’t want them to be like Him… even though He created them in His image.

They were absolutely played by the enemy… and their decision to act in their suspicion led to terrible consequences.

Innocence to Shame

Genesis 3:7–10 NIV

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

The innocent and pure reality they once had… was gone. The damage was done. Their choice led them to experience that which God was hoping to save them from - SHAME.

Not only did God NOT create us for sin… He did not create us for shame either. This was the first time this emotion had ever been experienced and… they didn’t know what to do with themselves. BECAUSE they had disobeyed God, they felt the full weight of sin for the first time… and it was overwhelming.

They began to scramble in their attempt to remedy the situation… but there was NOTHING they could do to put it back the way it was.

They tried to cover their nakedness with leaves… hoping it would alleviate their shame… but it didn’t work.

They tried to “hide” their shame from God by hiding from His presence… but it didn’t work.

God was fully aware of what had happened and fully aware of what His creation was feeling. And I can’t help but believe that when He called out to Adam to ask, “where are you?” He did so with a choked up throat and tears in His eyes.

Have you ever had a child do something you told them not to do that led them to experience an injury that caused either physical or emotional harm? Yes there is an element of anger and disappointment but… there is also heartbreak. WHY? Because you were hoping to save your child from experiencing what they are now walking through!

I believe that is where God is in this moment… heartbroken. God NEVER wanted His creation to go through this. GOD NEVER WANTED YOU TO GO THROUGH THIS.

The consequence was very real and… irreversible by their hands. Their was nothing they could do to reverse their decision… but God would do something that would point to their redemption.

God could have left the man and woman alone in the garden that day… but He didn’t. WHY? Because He loved them dearly - as He loves us tonight as well.

Romans 8 tells us that nothing can separate us from His love. NOTHING. Even though sin had separated them in fellowship, God’s love remained - as it remains for us today.

We deserve to live out our days under the FULL weight of our sin and shame. That is the earned wage of our actions. We deserve the consequence of death. And many who are living in sin… experience that death on a daily basis.

The enemy will work to convince a person that what they choose to do will have no real consequence on their lives. But that is so far from being true.

For Adam and Eve, it happened in the Garden. Their reality totally got rocked as they chose to disobey the Lord.

For people today, it might happen at the bottom of a bottle, in the bed of someone your not married to, through the screen of an internet capable device, though an intimate relationship of someone of the same sex, at the end of a needle or inhaled substance, through an uncontrolled act of aggression or violence… through a decision that began with the thought, “WHY CAN’T I?” And then… the damage is done.

Sin will ALWAYS bring damage to your life.

That damage might be experienced immediately… and it might be prolonged. Sin will always lead to and end up in death.

But just as God did not create us for sin… He did not create us for death either. He does not desire for ANYONE TO PERISH. This does not mean God will simply overlook our sin and pretend it didn’t happen. However… God would put a plan into motion that would lead to the forgiveness of the sins of those who would choose to repent and to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

And God began to show the world His plan the moment sin entered the picture.

From Death to Life

Genesis 3:15 NIV

15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Genesis 3:21 NIV

21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

The moment sin entered the picture, God began to give us a glimpse of His redemptive plan. The reality of sin was a reality we could not reverse on our own. But God would make a way for us to find redemption through repentance.

First, God mentions a future event while speaking to the serpent. God speaks of Eve’s offspring that would crush the head of the serpent even though the serpent would strike the heel of the offspring. What… or rather who is God talking about? He is talking about Jesus.

The work that Jesus did on the cross absolutely crushed the head of the enemy. Jesus conquered sin, death, and the grave.

Because His blood was pure and without sin, It had the power to pay our sin debt in full. Remember, the WAGES of sin is death… our sin has earned us the consequence of death. Jesus took that earning and nailed it to the cross.

What that means is through Christ, death no longer has mastery over us!

Jesus was without sin, but he took on our sin as He was crucified at Calvary. Jesus took on the sins of the world.

Jesus took on our broken fellowship with God, so that our fellowship with God could be restored. Some would say the moment Jesus cried out asking why God had forsaken Him was the moment He sensed the sin separation in His life. For the first time, Jesus was separated from the presence of His Father. Seems strange as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all God… yet they are individuals as well.

Christ took on our sin… so we could take on His righteousness.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

In other words, sin no longer has mastery over us!

Jesus gave His life and was laid in the tomb. The stone sealed His final resting spot and that was the end of the story… at least it was until the third day!

We know that the stone was rolled away and Jesus walked out of that tomb! The grave could not hold Him down! AND… because He was raised to new life… we too can be raised to new life!

Romans 6:5 NIV

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

The enemy’s attempt has failed! JESUS HAS OVERCOME! AND… there is coming a day when the enemy will forever be done away with… never allowed or able to torment another soul again!

Revelation 20:10 NIV

10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

What God told the enemy in Genesis 3:15 was… “Devil, your days are numbered.”

But this victory did not come without great cost. God also said that the serpent would strike the heal of Jesus. This means… Jesus would have to suffer.

Jesus suffered the weight of the cross and crucifixion. He gave His life in place of ours in order that we might be set free.

God foreshadows the suffering Jesus would face through what He did for Adam and Eve. Remember, God made for them a new covering of skin to cover their nakedness and shame. Something had to die for this new covering to be made. Blood had to be shed.

Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice for our sin. Nothing can come close in comparison. His blood is enough to cover all sin. He suffered, He was broken… so we could be made whole again.

Closing

So here is what I want us to consider as we close. We have all been damaged by sin. Disobedience to a holy God first of all separates us from our Creator. It also brings with it devastating life consequences such as broken relationships, addictions, emotional torment, and even premature death.

Many of us have also been deeply hurt by the sinning of others. It is therefore not surprising that the Bible portrays sin as more than simply “bad choices.” Sin is itself a power.

Following the events of Genesis 3, God warns Cain that “sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you” (Genesis 4:7).

Our only hope is in the fact that Jesus put sin’s power to death on the Cross (Romans 6:6–7) so that, through faith in Him and by His Spirit, we may finally experience freedom from sin’s enslaving power.

What I want us to ask ourselves is this: do we fully trust God’s words concerning sin… or have we allowed the enemy to plant a seed of doubt in our minds regarding the words of God?

Often that seed of doubt will appear in the form of a question: Why? Why can’t I? Why are you holding something “good” away from me?

First, we must remember that sin is NEVER good.

Second, we must remember that God is our ultimate authority and is worthy of our full obedience.

But third, I hope we realize that GOD LOVE YOU and that is why He gives us commands and instruction. God does not want you stuck in sin. God wants you to experience life to the full - that is why He sent Jesus to die for us.

So let’s bring it in: Is there any sin in your life that you have excused or allowed? Are you harboring a thought or entertaining unrighteous behavior because you became suspicious of God?

Maybe you engaged in sin because you simply wanted to. But now you realize the harm it is bringing you and the importance of getting it out of your life.

Jesus is the ONLY answer.

Repent and be redeemed.

Call on His name to be saved.

Lastly, LISTEN. Listen to the words of God. Trust in His instruction. Allow His Spirit to lead you away from that which would otherwise destroy you.

Say no to sin… and yes to Jesus!