Study of Abraham

Restoration Through Obedience

Genesis 3

Summary: Genesis 3 reveals the consequences of sin resulting from Adam and Eve's disobedience, highlighting the broken relationship between humanity and God.

Application: This passage challenges us to consider the importance of obedience in our relationship with God and the need for repentance and restoration through Christ. It prompts us to reflect on our own disobedience and the grace God offers to restore us.

Teaching: Genesis 3 teaches us about the destructive nature of sin, the deceitfulness of temptation, and the loving discipline of God towards His children. It also sets the stage for the promise of redemption through a future Messiah.

How this passage could point to Christ: In Genesis 3, we witness the initial separation between humanity and God due to sin, foreshadowing the ultimate restoration and reconciliation that Christ brings through His sacrificial death and resurrection.

Big Idea: Despite the consequences of sin, obedience and repentance lead to restoration and reconciliation with God through the work of Christ. The Fall serves as a backdrop for the greater narrative of redemption and restoration in Christ.

Recommended Study: For a deeper study, explore the theological implications of the Fall and redemption in Genesis 3 using resources in your Logos library. Investigate the cultural context of the Garden of Eden and the significance of the curses pronounced on the serpent, Eve, and Adam. Examine how the narrative in Genesis 3 lays the foundation for the need of a Savior and the hope of redemption.

1. Deception's Dangerous Appeal

Genesis 3:1-5

You could start by discussing the allure and deception of sin, as exemplified by the serpent's temptation of Eve. Emphasize how sin often appears appealing and promises more than it can deliver, mirroring our own experiences with temptation. This point could lead into a discussion on the importance of discernment and obedience to God's word, pointing to Christ as the one who faced temptation without succumbing, highlighting His obedience as our example and means to restoration.

2. Consequences and Confession

Genesis 3:6-13

Maybe reflect on the immediate consequences of disobedience, such as shame, fear, and blame-shifting, as seen in Adam and Eve's reactions post the fall. This point can underscore the human tendency to hide from God and others in our sin, and the need for confession and repentance. It's an opportunity to point towards the grace of God in Christ, who covers our shame and invites us into a relationship restored through His obedience and sacrifice.

3. Curse Reversed in Christ

Genesis 3:14-19

Perhaps focus on the specific curses and how they impact humanity and creation, drawing out the truth that sin has wide-reaching effects beyond our personal guilt. This can segue into the hope we have in Christ, who through His cursed death on the cross, reverses the curse of sin, enabling our obedience and restoring our broken relationship with God and creation. The point emphasizes the redemptive work of Christ and the promise of a renewed creation.

4. Garments of Grace

Genesis 3:20-24

Consider concluding with the theme of God's mercy and grace in the midst of judgment, as seen in His provision of garments for Adam and Eve and the promise of future redemption implied in their expulsion from Eden. This can illustrate the simultaneous justice and mercy of God—He provides a way of restoration and reconciliation through Christ, our true covering. Emphasize the hope we have in full restoration and access to the tree of life in the new creation.

Genesis

Genesis 3:1–10 NASB95

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 “For God knows that in the day 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 tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. 8 They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

Genesis 3:1 “1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?””

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We are not at peace with others because we are not at peace with ourselves, and we are not at peace with ourselves because we are not at peace with God.

Thomas Merton (Trappist Monk and Writer)

The time of universal peace is near.

William Shakespeare