God's Creation, Man's fall, God's Rstoration

God’s Creation.

Why did God create man? Simply put, because He wanted to. Genesis 1:26-31

Genesis 1:26–31 NASB95

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to every thing that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

God made man in His image. He did this so that we could have relationship with Him. He gave us the ability to know Him, love Him, worship Him, and obey Him. Humanity is the only part of creation that has the mental faculties to understand that there is a God that created us. He has put within us the ability to love Him with all our heart, soul, and might. He has given us the ability to gather and sing songs, pray, serve and give. He has also given us the ability to have morality. We can choose life or death. Life comes from obedience and death from disobedience.

The fact that God has created us in His image is a testimony to His love for us. He has called us to multiply and care for His creation. God prepared a place that could sustain the life of the ones He loves. He did not create man until He created the environment to sustain man. Genesis 2:8-9

Genesis 2:8–9 NASB95

The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

God gave man the ability to make a choice to live in harmony with God or in rebellion towards God. Genesis 2:16-17

Genesis 2:16–17 NASB95

The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

Unfortunately, man chose to rebel against God!

The Fall of Man

Man chose to live in rebellion against God and paid the price for it. Genesis 3:1-7

Genesis 3:1–7 NASB95

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’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 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.’ ” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! “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.” 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. 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.

Satan deceived Eve and Adam into making a choice to rebel against God. He put a distrust in the heart of Eve by making her question the love of God and the Word of God. Eve bought into the lie that God did not love them enough and was holding back something greater. He convinced her that she could be like God if she would rebel against God. She gave into the lie and indeed her eyes were open. Her eyes were open to the fact that God did love her and desired the best for her.

She also discovered the holiness of God because she and Adam mus now die. Death is separation from God. Genesis 3: 8-10

Genesis 3:8–10 NASB95

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. Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

Because Adam and eve sinned against God they hid themselves from God because they were ashamed. Shame was never an emotion before sin entered the world. Because of Adam and Eve, sin nature became a part of all humanity. It is passed on to all people. It is a genetic deficiency that affects all. Because we have a sin nature we sin. We don’t become a sinner when we sin. Psalms 51:5

Psalm 51:5 NASB95

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

There are many people that are hiding from God because they are ashamed of their rebellion. These people are lost or backslid-en. It is up to us to share with them the plan of redemption and restoration.

God’s Redemption

God covered the shame of Adam and eve with the garments of skin. Genesis 3:20-21

Genesis 3:20–21 NASB95

Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living. The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

God had to sacrifice two animals to cover their shame. This meant that there was shedding of blood and giving of life in order to cover the shame of Adam and Eve.

God has done the same thing for us. John 3:16

John 3:16 NASB95

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

1 John 2:1–2 NASB95

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB95

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

John 1:29 NASB95

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

God has given us His Son as a sacrifice for our sins. We are to put our faith in Jesus to be saved. We are to submit our lives to be sanctified.