With Becomes Against

The Birth of Sin

Genesis 3:1–6 (NIV)

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’?”

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 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.’ ”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

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.

The serpent does not represent an evil force unto itself that invades the garden seeking to continue its own existence, but rather the serpent is a created being who is in rebellion against the Creator’s will and order of things. The serpent tempts Eve by shifting her position ever so slightly from one of dependence and faith in the completeness of the provision of God and the truthfulness of His Word. Eve is moved to a position of believing the truth of God’s Word is subordinate to her judgment and discernment.

The woman perception shifts and the root of sin becomes clear, sin is when our hearts take the position of opposition to the Lord. God said that the tree was not good for eating. It was singled out from the rest of the trees and plants that were good for food. Eve’s heart positioned herself against the Lord. Her heart was set before the fruit even hit her lips.

Good for food - Shift in view of one’s self as superior. We take the place of the Lord in dominion over one another.

Pleasing to the eye - Shift in view of to one of opposition to the definition of purpose and worth defined by the Lord

Desirable for gaining wisdom - Shift in view to self-reliance over dependance upon the Lord

Sin Destroys Relationship

Genesis 3:7–10 (NIV)

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.

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. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

We were created to be in relationship with God. Our very image connects us to the One who instilled that image within our design. Sin alters our perspective of God’s design. It moves our hearts from being with the Lord to one against the Lord.

Sin results in shame. Man’s perspective is filled with shame for he has violated the Lord’s command and he fears the wrath of the Lord.

Look at the Lord’s response to man’s sin even in the very beginning. God pursues the man with grace. He draws man out of hiding instead of driving him out.

Guarding Against Deception

Genesis 3:11–13 (NIV)

And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

The answer to guarding our hearts against deception is to be rooted in the real thing.

Take notice that God knows exactly what has occurred. He is not fleshing out details to more accurately assign blame. God knows.