The Silence of Adam

Introduction

English Standard Version Chapter 3

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So 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 to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

The Fall

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So 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 to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

It may come a surprise to some of you who don’t know me (other who do maybe not so much). But I take a very structured and academic approach to Scripture. Some may think this takes away from the work of the HS. But I believe just the opposite is true. I believe that the HS uses what he has to work with. So the more we know and understand about the Bible. The more the HS has to work with. It is really just that simple. That is why I like to teach.

Unfortunately, the church today has become increasingly anti-intellectual. It's a sad fact of reality, something that continues to be a burden on my heart. The only solution for this dilemma is for Christians to seriously reevaluate why they believe what they believe, and earnestly seek to find themselves in the examples set forth by ancient Christian intellectuals of the past, because all of them were classical scholars. Why? Because the Christian faith encourages intellectual rigor, since the Christian God took on the title "Logos".

The results of a recent survey about the role of religious faiths in America, conducted by the Barna Research Group, are disturbing. Half of the adult Americans interviewed agreed that

“Christianity is no longer the faith that Americans automatically accept as their personal faith.” By a three-to-one margin adults noted that they are “more likely to develop their own set of religious beliefs than to accept a comprehensive set of beliefs taught by a particular church.” The margin was only slightly less among evangelicals (61%). What this means is that a growing number of people are essentially their own theologian or pastor.

It is therefore no surprise that many Americans, even evangelical Christians, are embracing a motley and contradictory body of beliefs.

While this is a funny story. There is also a serious side to this. God allows things that are often used to get our attention. When we read our Bibles, there is much that we miss. We need to learn to get back to what I call the “naked unfiltered Bible”. We need to learn to read our bibles again for the first time. And I have resolved that I am no longer going to protect people from their bibles. And if the church will start learning to think biblically and theologically. We may not reverse the course of the culture (although that has happened in history), we can at the very least be a voice of clarity. And learn to speak with clarity on things. So this message maybe a hard one to take in. But the role of the HS is conviction not comprehension. But I think it speaks to both men (and that will be the primary focus of the message today) But also to women (man Sunday) and us at the church in term of what we are called to be.

Therefore, when we do read our Bibles, there is often much that we miss. We need to learn to get back to what I call the “naked unfiltered Bible”. We need to learn to read our bibles again for the first time. And I have resolved that I am no longer going to protect people from their bibles. And if the church will start learning to think biblically and theologically. We may not reverse the course of the culture (although that has happened in history), we can at the very least be a voice of clarity. And learn to speak with clarity on things. So this message maybe a hard one to take in. It has been a hard one to write and deliver. But the role of the HS is conviction not comprehension. But I think it speaks to both men (and that will be the primary focus of the message today) But also to women (man Sunday) and us at the church in terms of what we are called to be.

English Standard Version Chapter 3

she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

WTherefore,

When we read our Bibles, there is much that we miss. We need to learn to get back to what I call the “naked unfiltered Bible”. We need to learn to read our bibles again for the first time. And I have resolved that I am no longer going to protect people from their bibles. And if the church will start learning to think biblically and theologically. We may not reverse the course of the culture (although that has happened in history), we can at the very least be a voice of clarity. And learn to speak with clarity on things. So this message maybe a hard one to take in. But the role of the HS is conviction not comprehension. But I think it speaks to both men (and that will be the primary focus of the message today) But also to women (man Sunday) and us at the church in term of what we are called to be.

So what does that have to do with the verses we just read?

Tradition seems to have always taught, and I had always assumed, that Eve was alone when the serpent approached her. This scenario, embraced by many Bible teachers, assumes that after she was deceived and had eaten some of the fruit she then went in search of Adam to induce him to share in her sin by eating some of the fruit.

When you look at the original language….

The Word of God is quite precise in stating the case that Adam was actually present when the serpent tempted Eve.

“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 to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, (imah) and he ate” [].

What is not apparent in various English translations, but is obvious in the original account, is that the serpent employed the plural throughout his seduction indicating that Adam was both present and silently permitting this seduction to proceed.

Think of that! Adam was with Eve when she was tempted by the serpent! That should blow away all our categories. Paul asserts that the woman was deceived []; and we draw conclusions which are unwarranted from that knowledge. We tend to blame Eve for getting us all into this present mess, even though we know that technically Adam was responsible. But what if Adam was standing right there the whole time that Eve was talking to the serpent? This knowledge sheds new light on just how responsible Adam was for what happened. It gives us insight into the responsibility men bear before God. This puts a whole new twist on . What does this say to us about not doing anything when we are not sure exactly what we should do or say? It sure makes inactivity look more sinful to me.

If Adam was there, then why didn’t he say something? Why didn’t he tell the serpent to get lost? Why didn’t he correct Eve when she misquoted the command not to eat of the tree? Why didn’t he suggest they go somewhere else to talk about the situation? Why didn’t he stop Eve when she reached for the fruit? Why was Adam silent? Though I’m not going to answer that right now, I think the answer will become obvious as we work through several concepts.

Anyone who has raised children. Knows that this isn’t that surprising. When someone tells us not to do something. What is the first thought, “but what if I did?” I can see Adam saying I know that has been forbidden, but what if? But he didn’t have the guts to go ahead and do it. So he just sat back and nothing happened.

Larry Crabb deals with this in his book. The Silence of Adam.

“The silence of Adam is the beginning of every man’s failure. From the rebellion of Cain, to the impatience of Moses. From the weakness of Peter, down to my failure yesterday to love my wife well. And it is a picture, a disturbing, but revealing one, of the nature of our failure. Since Adam, every man has had a natural inclination to remain silent when he should speak.”

Men, it is right at this point when we should be the most active. The tendency is to be passive.

What is it that defines man?

Nature of God is ACTIVE

1 Chapter of Genesis there are 39 active verbs describing God. Throughout Scripture God is active. He creates. He build. He redeems. He restores. Those who are created in the image of God, and express that by surrendering to His spirit, should reveal that same active nature.

King David

It has always confounded me how God could call David. “A man after his own heart” . His sins were so great! He committed adultery, murder and pride. It just seemed so contradictory. But Acts tells us.

English Standard Version Chapter 13

22 And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’()

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Jesus- I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.()

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Paul-I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, ()

I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Us- So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. ()

17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

This applies to all of us. Men and women alike!

So lets reframe the question.

So what is a Godly man?

“ A man who is passionately engaged and empowered by God to influence the world”

He is not saying our Godliness is known by what we don’t do! A Godly man knows his purpose, and a vision and is active and engaged. He is not defined by what he doesn’t do. But by what he does do!

Silence in our Homes

The problem is not just the silence in Eden. But the silence in our homes. Ultimately you can trace every single major social issue back to the silence of Adam.

Let me give you some statistics.

YOUNG WOMEN

53% more likely to marry as teenagers themselves

111% more likely to have children as teenagers.

164% more likely to have a premarital birth

92% more likely to have their own divorce.

YOUNG MEN

80% of rapist motivated by displaced anger, come from fatherless homes.

85% of all youths sitting in prison, grew up without a father.

Fatherless children are 2 times more likely to drop out of high school.

How many of us as fathers these statistics could be true of our families, not because we are not there, but because we are not fully PRESENT! Why is that? Sometimes we just don’t know what to do! There is something about men. That we don’t play a game we know we cannot win. (Golf) If we feel incompetent in a particular area. We shrink back. We pull back into what we know. (Hobbies, work sports, etc..)

So guys what do we do when we don’t know what do?

It’s kind of like the questions we get form our wives. “does this dress make me look fat?”

Or I remember as a younger married man. find a wife that would wake up furious with me about how I treated her in her dreams. She’d be so angry. But honey it was just a dream. But you were such a jerk. And I’m like…I’m sorry??

So guys this is what we do when we can’t handle things. ....I can go to wrk and I tell someone to do something they do, because if they don’t I can fire them. We like to go where we feel competent. And if it’s not where our families are we can become inadvertently passive. Then we pass off to our wive what should be our responsibility.

men we might not know what to do or to say. But to give up. To say the first time and the first conversation didn’t work is almost always the wrong answer.

But I can go to wrk and I tell someone to do something they do, because if they don’t I can fire them. We like to go where we feel competent. And if it’s not where our families are we can become inadvertently passive.

Larry Crabb puts it this way...

I suggest that a man is most manly when he admits I don’t know what to do in this situation. But I know it is important to get involved and do something. I will envision what God may want to see happen in this person’s life or in this circumstance. And I will move toward that vision with whatever wisdom and power God provides me. A manly man moves, even when there are no recipes.

We IMAGE God!

We IMAGE God!

I wish I could give everyone a step by step road to follow to be a man. But the truth is there are times we just don’t know what to do. Sometimes it is just about having the strength and courage to step into the battle!

But the challenge isn’t just for us to be more involved with our families as men. It is for the church at large to have a goal of training tough men! We know society his facing some really tough challenges. And often we try to oversimplify the issues we face as if it is only a matter of choice. But the reality there are some pretty tough choices that we have to make every single day. We have to believe that it is not enough just to say no to this or that. But to really have that sense of calling or purpose. You most men (and people in general) are not on a truth quest. They are on a happiness quest. They are more concerned about being comfortable. Rather than being made uncomfortable because of the Truth. It doesn;’t happen by accident. We have to be instilled with a vision. We have to fight back that passivity.

We have to recognize it for what it is.

Being passive can really get us in to trouble-Water bill story.

So let’s drill down a little deeper and ask the question. What does it truly mean to be Godly?

We have to recognize it for what it is. We have to recognize our vision!

Men like William Wilberforce. A man who singlehandedly brought the slave trade to an end when he said....

“He was tender. But not soft!”

Here is the challenge. Do we know what God is really asking for us to do?

So let’s drill down a little deeper and ask the question. How do we portray or better yet DISPLAY the vision that God intended? Which is to say what does it truly mean to be Godly?

We IMAGE God!

This is often where we fail.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

So God created man in his own image,

English Standard Version Chapter 1

So God created man in his own image,

in the image of God he created him;

male and female he created them.

So God created man in his own image, ()

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

No doubt when we think of the image of God. We come up with a list of qualities or attributes. Things like intelligence, reasoning ability, emotions, communing with God, self awareness, language & communication. The notion of a soul or a spirit. The conscience or free will. These all sound like possibilities but they are not. The image of God means none of those things.

So how do we understand divine image bearing in a way that makes sense so that doesn’t stumble over these issues and yet aligns with the description we find in Genesis where God say we are created in His image? Understanding a tiny bit of Hebrew Grammar here is a huge help! The turning point is on the preposition “in the image of God”. In English we use the preposition “in” to convey any number of different ideas.

For example I could say, “put the dishes in the sink. I am using the preposition to denote location.

If I say, “I broke the mirror in pieces” I am using in as the result of some action.

If I say “I work in Physical Therapy”. I am using the preposition to denote that I work in some capacity as a Healthcare provider.

This last example directs us to what the Hebrew preposition translated “in” means in .

AS God’s image!

If we think of imaging as a verb or function. The translation makes sense. We are created to image God. To be His imagers. It is not an ability or attribute, but an ACTION!

So back to our original question. How do we become godly? By reflecting the image of God. In order to reflect God’s image we must know what God is like. Looking at the first two chapters of Genesis you will note that one aspect of God stands out above all others. Whenever God encountered chaos He spoke and brought about order. God spoke into nothing and created the heaves and the earth []. The SECOND VERSE states that “the earth was without form and void” []. Into the chaos God spoke to bring about order. Here is what we should understand about those first two verses. God moved about in darkness and chaos in order to create order and life.

Man is created in the image of God []. No doubt you remember that one of the first responsibilities Adam assumed was naming the animals [, ]. God used this as a means to teach the man that he had no complement among the animals, preparing the man for the creation of woman; but other truths are revealed in man’s action. He demonstrated his superiority over the animals, fulfilling the command to rule over them. There is this further insight, however, which lays an important foundation for this present message. Man demonstrated how he was in the image of God by naming the animals, for he brought order out of chaos.

Like God, man spoke into disorder, for he spoke into a world in which no life form had yet been named. By naming the animals Adam imposed order on creation. In God spoke, and in man spoke. In speaking—giving names to the animals—man revealed that he was in the image of God.

God spoke into chaos and created order and life. Adam spoke into disorder and brought about order.

It is a demonstration that man, created in God’s image, is responsible to speak into disorder so that order and life may result. This means that when life becomes chaotic, man is responsible to speak. Men are responsible, not to maintain silence in the face of chaos, but rather men are responsible to speak so that order will result. Should a man remain silent in the face of chaos, he sins , ceases to image God and ceases to be like God.

Put another way. If we are not producing order from chaos, we are not imaging God and we sin. This can be a hard thing to accept. We live in a very chaotic world. From Genesis to Revelation we see this theme repeated over and over. In fact did you know that the word “sea” in Hebrew Biblical worldview could be translated as chaos.

sea

sea=chaos

From moses parting the red sea, to jesus walking on the sea. To finally in revelation 21:1 which says,

“and there will be no more sea”

Are things ever going to be perfect this side of eternity. No! Not until Christ comes again. But we know there is something in us that should make us want to strive for perfection. Perfection in Christ. Knowing his will is knowing his word. That desire is birthed in the same desire of God to create order from chaos.

So men! It is time to move. The time is Now! To be what God intended us to be. Even-though we may not know exactly what we should do in any and every circumstance. We know that the God of the old testament and the Christ of the new called us to not be passive. But to be the active men God has called us to be!