Redemption for fallen man!

Genesis 3:1–24

Context

Genesis 2:15 tells us that Yahweh took him and set him in the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. Man now has been given a command, to cultivate paradise, in the presence of the very one who created all things, A wonderful gift from God Himself.

When speaking about pre fall world, and especially the garden of Eden, there seems to be a strong desire to understand what the world was truly like before the fall, and therefore the preacher has an impossible task. We might have an idea from what we see in children books, lions, cheetahs, and other ferocious beasts depicted with human like teeth, not flesh shredding fangs. We might even have a good imagination and can picture beautiful rolling hills covered in a vibrant array of color, kept dampened by the lite mist hanging in the air. A serine untouched paradise, with crystal clear blue waterfalls cascading down vast mountains filled with every type of lush vegetation, and exotic animals roaming peacefully and purposefully. God’s word tells us that His creation is very good, from the sun and moon, to every seed bearing fruit, to the fish in the sea and beasts on land, to the pinnacle of His creation, man. The problem is we are trying to imagine a place where only two people ever knew what it was truly like, and as good as our imaginations might be, we need to realize that there is a major problem standing between us and the total revelation of Gods paradise, sin, which was brought in to the world and effected the entire human race because the one thing Adam was told not to do, he did. As we look around today we see that everything here on earth is anything but very good, and Genesis chapter 3 gives us insight to why that is.

Enter the adversary

Chapter 3 kicks off with introducing the one who destroyed this world. The serpent, in the garden is either Satan himself directly communicating with Eve, or it was the free will agent that Satan inhabited to do his bidding, much like when Satan had entered Judas, to betray Jesus Luke 22:3, or when he had filled Ananias’ heart to lie to the Holy Spirit in Acts 5:1-3. Regardless, we need to know we have a real enemy who hates God, shown here in the very first verse of chapter, by bringing doubt to Eve about what God had said, he tempts Eve to sin. the Devil from the beginning has and is doing everything in his power to steal, kill, and destroy. He is a liar and a murderer John 8:44. He is a deceiver, Revelation calls him the ancient serpent, who deceives the world Revelation 12:9, and Peter calls him one like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour 1Peter 5:8.

Are we to be on the look out for literal snakes? in Wyoming we do need to watch out for them, but no, we are not called to bring a shovel everywhere we go to make sure we are prepared for battle with the slithering beast that crawls on its belly. But they are a reminder of our venomous foe who is unseen, he is subtle, cunning, and crafty, waiting to strike at the perfect opportunity. He is the tempter, his very nature is to tempt. He is ready to tempt us when we are being tested, whether tired, hungry, hurting, etc, he is always trying to tempt us to doubt Gods goodness, faithfulness, and trustworthiness. Peter reminds us that we need to resist the Devil and stand firm in the faith.

Mans rebellion against God

In the garden God caused all trees to grow out of the ground including the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Was there temptation to eat of this tree apart from the serpent? I do not believe so, the two did not have knowledge of evil, and as James 1:13 tells us God does not tempt anyone.

I am of the persuasion that we, as the decedents of Adam and Eve, are carried away by our own evil desires, as James 1 states. Contrary to what every self help book, and motivational speaker says, we are inherently evil, and we can not just, “try to be better.” But what about Adam and Eve? Did they have evil desires? Again I believe they did not have the capacity, I believe there had to be an outside source for them to be tempted. The Tempter, tempted Eve to both the sin of unbelief, asking the question, “Did God really say?” and to the sin of pride, telling her “Their eyes would be opened and they would be like God” Gen 3:4-5. its not surprising that Satan uses the same temptation by which he fell. Isaiah 14:14 records what the morning star who fell from heaven said in his heart, “I will ascend to the high places of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.’” Men today are still blinded by this very lie, somehow humanity believes they can live apart from God, and that somehow we can establish our own righteousness before The Holy One. I myself was tormented with the lie that I could somehow save myself, while deep down inside I knew I could not, my entire life before Christ or “My B.C. life” as i like to call it, reflected my inability to save myself.

Though the serpent deceived Eve, Adam out right rebelled against God. Adam had the word of the LORD in Gen 2:17 where he is commanded not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, this is why Adam is charged with bringing death into the world which Paul stresses in Romans that through one mans sin, sin entered the world, and death through sin. John makes it clearly understood what the three fold temptation here was, and that it still plagues humanity outside of Jesus Christ, to this very day. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life 1 John 2:6 . Sins curse on man resulting in spiritual and physical death.

Temptation is not the sin, but when we believe a lie and we choose contrary to what the Lord has said or commanded we rebel nand sin against the Lord. Jesus really brings it full circle when he teaches about murder and adultery, showing that just refraining from the outward manifestation of sin does not clear us of the guilt of sin but rather exposes the heart condition of fallen man, and therefore our absolute need of His grace in salvation.

God allows temptation in our lives. Maybe it is to test our faith or faithfulness, but in reality the temptation to sin will always be there. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “Temptation has not come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful, who will not permit you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but will also make a way out together with the temptation, so that you may be able to endure it.” We truly serve a faithful God who truly love His children, and desires that all men would not parish but turn in repentance.

We must all fight temptation by the power of the Holy Spirit

Sin has tremendous consequences

Gen 3:14-19

All of creation was cursed from every living being, to the very ground that Adam was taken from.

By their disobedience Adam and Eve gave dominion over to Satan, 1 John 1:9 states that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one, and Paul writes that the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers 2 Corinthians 4:4.

death entered the world - sin entered the world through one man, death entered the world Romans 5:12. And from that one man’s one sin came the judgement resulting in condemnation Along with being clothed by God with skin before they were ushered out of the garden, they were clothed with mortality, which must must further be clothed with immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:53. Mans sin brought destruction on the whole world, today we see people starving, people being murdered, unrighteous wars, people being sold into slavery of all kinds, including children. With the biblical world view, we have an answer to why the world is as it is, but more importantly we have a hope, one that transcends circumstance, because along with the curse God justifiably dealt out to creation, He also provided a promise to redeem man.

We as believers no longer face the eternal consequences of sin, because of the atoning work of Jesus Christ being the propitiation for our sin, His blood shed on Calvary is sufficient to cover every believers entire sin debt. This means that our past, present, and future sin has been nailed to the cross. we have redemption in Jesus death burial and resurrection. With that being established, we still have to deal with the consequences of sin in the world, whether it is our sin or someone else sin. As we continue to grow in the Lord we should hate sin more and more, and therefore are more sensitive to it, and more willing to separate ourselves from it. When we do sin, we are free from the eternal consequences, but often times we have to deal with the wordly consequences. We can thank the Lord that He does not deal with as our sin deserves, but as a father disciplines his children, so does the Father in heaven discipline His children whom He receives, it is much better to be chastised by the Lord, than by the world, given with the Father we find grace in Jesus the Son.

Gods sovereign plan of redemption

If we think any of this took God by surprise We are sorely mistaken, one of Gods wonderful attributes is that He is all knowing, Jesus Christ was not plan b. Although the fall Had tremendous consequences, it kicked off Gods plan of redemption, a plan that span millennia. The very first promise of redemption was given after their pitiful kind of confession, as the tried to cover their sin in passing the blame elsewhere, that attempt to cover their sin was about as pathetic as their attempt to cover their nakedness with fig leaves. I am grateful that God knew the ending before he spoke all of human history into time. God is not dependent on what man does, and actually some how and some way, uses everything we mess up, He makes good and brings to Himself. He truly shows His kindness and love for humanity in promising a Saviour immediately after the fall of man. Gods grace is truly sufficient. Adam must have recieved that promise with a sort of certainty, given he names his wife Eve which literally means means life, or to live! God proves His covering over them in that He provides them with skins that He made, again we see a picture of God providing the covering we will need, each of us must be covered in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, covering our sin will not be sufficient for the kingdom of God. God still further protects humanity when He ushers them out of paradise, to keep them from eating from the tree of life and therefore living forever in their sinful corrupted state, Thank You Jesus!!!.exiled from the garden, with the promise of a Saviour, would be the only way they could endure the years of this life, fully Hoping in the One to come.

Application

*We must repent from sin (unbelief and pride) and receive the second Adam, the sinless one. Jesus Christ the righteous! Mark 1:15 “and saying, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the gospel!””

*We must wage war against the enemy, the world and temptation by the power of the Spirit given to those who believe, and being transformed by the renewing of our mind through study of the word of God. Romans 12:1–2 “Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, so that you may approve what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.”

*We must be honest in confession to the Lord, God knows our hearts better than we do. Psalm 139:1–7 “O Yahweh, you have searched me, and you know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You understand my thought from afar. You search out my wandering and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word yet on my tongue, but behold, O Yahweh, you know it completely. You barricade me behind and in front, and set your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is set high; I cannot prevail against it. Where can I go from your Spirit, or where can I flee from your presence?”

Keep a short account with Him and remain sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit Psalm 139:23–24“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is in me any wicked way, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

*Stand firm until the end in the victory of Jesus Christ! Jesus promises to those who conquer, He will give the right to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God Revelation 2:7 “The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will grant to him to eat from the tree of life which is in the paradise of God.’”