The Deception of Sin (Genesis 3:1-7)

The Deception of Sin

Genesis 3:1-7 or 8

Sunday, September 27, 2026 — Land O’ Lakes Bible Church

Introduction

As we prepare now for the preaching of God’s word, let me invite you to take out a copy of the Bible, God’s Holy Word, and open with me to Genesis 3. We will be looking at Genesis 3:1-7 this morning. If you do not have a Bible, that is perfectly fine, we have some Bibles there in your seats and would encourage you to grab that Bible and open to Genesis 3which can be found on page #3 in that Bible.

This past week, I had an episode of Andy Griffith on while I was working on the bulletin or the Sunday Prep email. And it was the episode where a young couple comes to Andy’s house during the middle of the night to get him to marry them. As Andy prepares to go about this, he comes to find out that their families have been feuding, that is fighting, for generations.

As the episode goes, the two still desperately want to get married, but Andy is hesitant and wants to help them solve the family feud before they get married. And the deeper Andy searches, he comes to realize that these two families do not even know why they are feuding, for no one passed down the reason why they were a feuding, they just all knew that they were.

Well friends, this morning we come to another kind of feud, a feud between that Ancient Foe, the Devil who comes into Eden as a serpent and seeks to feud with God by turning those in his image away from him.

And this feud is one that is not unknown, though often confused by many. While not much is said early about who this Satan is and where he came from, the whole of the Bible helps us to understand his origin and the beginning of this feud.

Satan was one of God’s created heavenly beings, one of his angels. And he caused a great war in heaven, seeking to assert himself on the throne of the LORD, יְהוָה. Satan was defeated by Michale and the angels, see Revelation 12:7-9, and he was then thrown down upon the earth and became the great deceiver of the whole world. But then, he pursued to make war with the woman and her offspring, a war we see at work here in our passage this morning.

Genesis 3 comes on the heels of where we have seen everything good and man and woman dwelling together as one flesh, naked and unashamed as they walk in the garden, in fellowship with the LORD, יְהוָה.

But now, in Genesis 3, we have the turning point of everything, the cause of how everything went from all good and pleasant to a world in ruin. For the sake of context and capturing the significance of the change that happens here in Genesis 3, we are going to begin reading there in Genesis 2:25. This is the word of the LORD…

Main Point: Sin is always deceptive in that it appears desirable and good, but in the end, it always results in shame and death.      

1. The Craftiness of Satan

2. The Shame of Sin

3. The Hope for Sinners

I. The Craftiness of Satan

V.1a… We are introduced here to the serpent, נָחָשׁ. This serpent being that ancient foe who has been armed with cruel hate, the devil himself. And we are told here that there none are more crafty than him.

A. The Plot

A craft that is being told here in Genesis 3:1-5 for two reasons. First, it is to remind us about real, historical events and how the world got from being good and man dwelling in Eden in covenant with היה to being separated from him and living in exile.

For make no mistake, Adam and Eve are real people. The fall is not some spiritualized story, but a real event that took place. For it is not only affirmed here in Genesis, but also in the New Testament.

For hear the words of Paul:

2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV

3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Paul understood this all to be real and historic. But that is not the only reason this all is here. It is here to warn us about the plot of the evil one. He is seeking to dethrone God over us, so that he can enthrone himself.

1. Dethrone God’s rule of the Heart

First, in these verses, Satan is at work to bridge a distrust between the woman and God. Causing her to doubt God’s goodness and see sin as desirable and pleasant and even knowledgeable. All of this so that the woman will no longer give worship to God, removing him from the throne of her heart.

2. Enthroning Satan’s rule of the Heart

But the craft of Satan is not just to leave the woman’s heart unthroned. No, it is to clear it and make way for another to sit upon it.

Often, we think that by refusing God and rejecting his rule is so that we can be our own kings and queens, ruling our own hearts. But not so fast, my friends. In dethroning God’s place over your heart, he is not leaving vacating the throne of your heart for you, but for him. For the moment we reject God as our Sovereign God, Satan inserts himself on the throne. For he turns us from being those in the image of God to those like him, those in his image.

Therefore, let us pay close attention to the craft of Satan that he seeks to rule our hearts.

B. The Craft of Satan

1. God’s goodness assaulted

First, we see in the second part of Genesis 3:1, how the serpent assaults the goodness of God. We read there (Genesis 3:1b) …

Despite all that we have seen of God’s goodness, this is what Satan attacks. For we have seen the goodness of היהGod in his very good creation. We have seen the good and gracious provision of היה God in the Garden both of fruit to feast on and the gift of one another.

And yet, this goodness is the target for Satan in his first question to the woman. In asking her, “Did God really say?” For Satan wants to poison the woman’s heart with doubt regarding the goodness of God. For it is when this goodness is under attack, that Satan is able to lure the woman away from obeying God and turn her to rejecting him.

For now, instead of her trusting his good provision, she begins to wonder if he is withholding good things from her and her husband. She begins to wonder if God is a bit stingy rather than free giving.

A full out frontal assault would have likely backfired by the enemy, for the snare would have been visible for the woman to see. Instead, the Serpent tries this sneaky, doubt producing question to slowly inject doubt into the woman’s mind. A craft he used not just on Eve but continues to use today.

Satan needs not attack us with a full out frontal assault; he simply works to cause us to doubt the goodness of God. He causes us to doubt God’s goodness towards us as we compare ourselves to one another. This is especially the case when we start comparing our lives to others picture perfect life according to social media. We can begin to doubt God’s goodness to us, in wondering why others seem to have it much easier than us. Why he cared well for them and not for us.

The goodness of God falls under attack when we desire and long for something and think that God is withholding it from us. This can be for both those things that are good and bad.

For consider how we can doubt God’s goodness when we feel as if he is withholding marriage from us while others are getting married. Or that he is withholding children from us, while others continue to have kids so freely. The goodness of God can begin to be doubted.

Further, the craft of Satan here in this question attacks the goodness of God in making us think that we have a right to elevate ourselves in bringing God and his commands under our judgment. That we as those created by God and in his image, have a right to hold him and his commands accountable.

Just consider what would happen if you entered a courtroom as an observer or even part of the trial and you started putting the judge’s rulings and decisions on trial? How do you think that would go? Would you not end up being held with contempt for challenging the courts rulings and authority.

And yet, this is the crafty scheme of that Ancient Serpent here to bring doubt to God’s goodness here by elevating ourselves over him as judge. This comes as we question the commands of God and what is and isn’t necessary to obey. The craft of the serpent is at work in these doubts.

This work is visible when we start making statements like, “I can’t believe in a God who would work this or that way, rather I believe God is more like x, y, and z.”

This is often the case when we are talking about God’s justice and wrath against sin. We put God on trial, declaring that the god for us is not a God of holiness and justice, but affirms us in what we think is right.

O see the craft of that slithery serpent in how he puts the goodness of God to the test by thinking of him as one who is stingy while also trying to elevate ourselves over God.

For even as Eve begins to respond to the question, we see how doubt is at work in her. For though while she does not fully affirm the Serpent’s answer, she begins to doubt the fullness of God’s goodness. See Genesis 3:2…

Doubt is beginning to ring in Eve’s mind. Sure, she did not affirm the Serpent’s question that they were not to eat from any tree in the garden. But did you catch how she doubted the certainty of God’s word? Look back to Genesis 2:16 with me …

The Covenant LORD, יְהוָה, was emphatic and certain with his instruction that every tree of the garden and its fruit was there’s to eat except the one, the tree of knowledge of good and evil. But Eve expresses doubt in her response, losing the surely in the command.

This change may feel small, but the craftiness of the serpent is at work, as the goodness of God is doubted and put to the test.

2. Moving the Line of God’s Word

A secondcrafty scheme of the Serpent comes into play regarding the line of Scripture. For we see first in Eve’s now doubt filled mind, how she moves the line of Scripture in going above the word of God in V.3…

The command back in Genesis 2:16-17 was to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But here, in Eve’s response to the Serpent, she says that they are not to eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, not even naming it nor are they to touch it.

God gave no such command regarding the touching of the tree. But Eve here as doubts grow, adds to the command to not eat as if to add a further prohibition and guard rail. This making her the first Pharisee, the first legalist who goes above the word of יְהוָה.

To go above the Word of יְהוָה is never good. Yet it is all too common in how we attempt to say more than God says. For there are those who say more than God says in overextending the Bible’s promises.

For there are those who declare that if we just have enough faith, all the blessings of the end will be ours now in this life. Promises we do not see made to those in Christ this side of eternity. Therefore, these over promises, to quote one brother, “is a cruel deception that can lead to disillusionment and despair.”[1]

Still others add to the Word of יְהוָה by adding more regulations or extra boundaries. Consider that of the Galatians. For they were persuaded that they needed to submit still to Jewish regulations, particularly that of circumcision, if they were to be right with God. Something they commanded but was not told to them by King Jesus.

To go above the line of Scripture is an age-old problem that began here with Eve to add to the rules and regulations of God as found in the Bible to assure of acceptance with God. However, such undermines God rather than honors him.

But going above the line of God’s word is not the only danger. There is also a danger of going below the line of the Word. And that is what we see the Serpent do in his response to the woman. Genesis 3:4-5…

For where Eve adds to the command of God, the Serpent twists the command and ultimately denies the severity of it. The holiness of God is put to question, in how Satan dismisses the consequences of sin. For he tells Eve that she will surely not die.

This is precisely how he continues to work today in going after my heart and yours. He lures us by downplaying the seriousness of sin.

For consider with how Satan downplays the consequences of two notable threats to any, but especially to teenagers and young adults, that of drunkenness and sexual immorality. For he paints these as the norm. He paints these as not that which is a big deal, but part of culture and youthfulness.

It is in these ways that Satan goes below the line of Scripture in an attempt to get us to give in. And as we give in to the sin, we then become blinded by just how serious the consequences of sin are. For sin has real consequences.

Therefore, we who have been freed from the power and bondage of sin, must not continue to live in sin. We must continually be at work to flee from the evil one and kill sin within. Lest we continue to allow our allegiance given to sin and the Evil One instead of to God. For this is what happened to Eve. V.6…

Beloved, friend, beware the craft of Satan. He seeks to make sin look pleasant and good while causing you to doubt God’s goodness and his Word. All the while, poisoning you with his lies so that he may take rule over your heart and mind. So, beware his craft! That is point #1.

II. The Shame of Sin

The craft of Satan had worked; he had brought doubt to the woman regarding the goodness and the Word of יְהוָה. And she took of the fruit of the tree and ate. But not only did she eat, she gave some to her husband who was there and silent through this whole temptation and he ate with no objection, no resistance.

They ate, because they thought that the tree was good for food, and a delight to the eyes and desired to make one wise as they threw out God’s authoritative command and became their own rulers. For this is the essence of sin. For sin is the want of conformity unto, or the transgression of, the law of God.[2]

And their sin brought about consequences. While the biggest consequences we will not get to until next week, we see immediately the effects of sin in V.7…

A. Shame before others

First, here we see shame enter between the man and the woman, between husband and wife. For remember what we read there in Genesis 2:25, man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. But now, having eaten of the fruit, their eyes are opened and they know that they were naked, and immediately sought to cover themselves with fig leaves.

Sin brings shame. Shame in being exposed, shame in being vulnerable before others. This is why when we sin, we are ashamed to confess to one another, because we are ashamed of being made vulnerable before one another, even that of the one we are one flesh with.

Shame causes us to hide in our sin, to cover it in the darkness so that no one sees, hoping no one will notice.

B. Shame before YHWH

But shame before others is not the only or even the biggest concern, there is the shame before יְהוָהhimself. While we are mostly looking at Genesis 3:1-7, I want us briefly to look ahead to V.8…

The shame of sin causes us to withdraw from our Covenant LORD, יְהוָה. It causes us to be ashamed before him and to withdraw from our King and more importantly, from he who is our Heavenly Father.

Sin moves us from being unashamed to being full of shame. Sin while appearing as pleasant and desirable will always take more than it promises. That is hard reality that Adam and Eve found out here in the garden, and it is a reality that we should see for ourselves.

Friends, sin may promise you great treasures and pleasures, but it will not live up to its promises. Rather it will rob you of joy and goodness and self-respect. It will rob you from walking tall to making you cower in the darkness from the shame of your sin.

So, is there any hope? That is where we turn in point 3.

III. The Hope of Sinners

A. The Covenant of Works has Ceased

We see here the fall of Adam and Eve, and there becomes a temptation that our hope is simply to do better. To be a better Adam than that of the first Adam. The temptation that we must obey God better. But that would be a terrible and foolish hope! 

For yes, while man was made in the image of God and very good, having the law of God written on his heart and the power to fulfill it, he was left to the liberty of his own will and the ability to transgress that law.[3]

And being created in this condition, and as one very good, Adam was given a covenant as we saw last week in Genesis 2, a covenant of works. Keep the command of יְהוָהand live. Disobey and you will surely die.

So, in Adam and Eve eating of the fruit of the tree, that covenant of works was broken. None could fulfill it. None could live up to this covenant as now all conceived by natural man would inherit their father’s sinful nature and be born as those who already were marked as transgressors for all would from then on be conceived in sin and born in sin.

And there is never a means of us earning our way back to a good standing with God of our own accord. There is never enough good works that we can do to make up for our sin. For if Adam could not keep the covenant of works as one made good, how much less can we born in sin?

Therefore, to borrow from Joel Beeke and Paul Smalley, “Stop trying to be your own Adam. Rest all your hopes on the last Adam appointed by God….Flee from the broken covenant of works to the covenant of grace.”[4]

B. The Covenant of Grace in the Last Adam

For the covenant of grace comes in through not the second Adam, but the last. For where Adam and Eve, you and I have failed, there is one who has succeeded. The Beloved Son of God, Jesus! Please turn then with me to the New Testament, to Matthew 3:15-4:11. We read …

For where Adam failed to keep righteousness, Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness. Where Adam failed to obey God, Jesus was the beloved Son with whom the Father was well pleased in. Where Adam and Eve failed to resist the devil in the midst of their plenty, Jesus succeeded even in the midst of his hunger and weakness.

You see, friends, our only hope is not for us to be better Adams, but to look to Jesus alone in the covenant of grace! For look there at our Scripture Reading from earlier, while through Adam’s disobedience many were made sinners, it is by the obedience of Jesus many will be made righteous. For this is the covenant of grace that comes through Jesus!

For our salvation, our hope is not in us fulfilling the covenant of works, but us coming to the one who took our shame upon himself, so that we may take up our life in his! This is the why of the cross. Jesus came to obey the perfect Word of the Father, to suffer the consequences of not his sin, but ours, as he was nailed upon the cross. He died the curse for our disobedience and was buried.

But then, on the third day, he rose again victoriously, defeating death and bringing the hope of life to all who would come to him!

Beloved, do you see what we have in Jesus in his covenant of grace? We have a covenant of life that is wrapped up in Jesus! Therefore, let us no longer think that we must perform a certain way to earn God’s favor and blessing. Rather let us humble ourselves before a Holy God and rejoice in his grace to us!

And as we then respond by rightly worshiping God, seeking to trust his goodness and obey His Word! Not as a means of salvation, but in light of our salvation!

For where Eve was tempted by seeing that the tree of knowledge of good and evil was desirable to make one wise, she failed to see that true wisdom is not had from a tree, but in the fear of the LORD. Proverbs 1:7.

We must see that though desires may appear pleasing and delightful, it is more delightful to study the word of the Covenant LORD

Therefore, if we are to be truly wise as those who rest in Jesus and follow him, we must see that it is to know the word of God and to obey it as those whose life is wrapped up in Jesus, in he who is the word of Covenant LORD, יְהוָה and obey it!

So let us then as Christians fear God, know his word, and trust in his goodness to us which we have in our beloved Redeemer!

But maybe you aren’t a Christian. Friend, as we close, hear me out. We in our sin have broken God’s covenant. And as a result, we are owed the promise of the covenant, death. First Spiritual death in being dead in our sins and separated from God, then a physical death where we will be eternally separated from God.

That is what we deserve yet behold the grace and the love that he has extended to us despite our unloveliness. Despite our unfaithfulness. God in the abundance of his goodness and mercy has made a way to restore such sinners as us to himself through the blood of Jesus!

So, friend, despite the shame you may feel for all your sin, come to Jesus! Come and acknowledge the guilt of your sin before God and turn from it and as you do, fall into the arms of Jesus which stand ready to save you! Come rest in his covenant of grace that is sealed by his blood! Come and make today, the day you place all your hope and faith in Jesus!

Let’s pray!

[1] David J. Jackman. Proclaiming the WORD: Principles & Practices for Expository Preaching. (Wheaton, IL, Crossway, 2024), 103.

[2] See Baptist Catechism Question 17.

[3] See Chapter 4, Paragraph 2 of The 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith.

[4] Joel R. Beeke and Paul M. Smalley. Essentials of Reformed Systematic Theology. (Wheaton, IL, Crossway, 2025) 284.