(Part 4 of a short series on Genesis 1 through 11.)
Did God create everything? EVERYthing? What about sin? Where did sin come from? Did God create it? Is it His fault? Why didn’t He prevent it? If He allowed it and didn’t prevent it, how can He hold us responsible for it? These are questions man has wrestled with for thousands of years. I don’t claim to have all the answers in this short article, but hopefully some will be answered to some extent.
ENTRANCE OF SIN INTO THE UNIVERSE God created angels before the universe. They were to be his servants, messengers to men. He gave them a free will, not wanting robots who had to serve but free will beings who chose to love and serve Him. I’d much rather take a chance with a real puppy who may reject me but who also can choose to love and follow me than a wooden dog on a cord who can’t do either of these. God felt the same way. As a result Lucifer, the most gifted angel, chose to rebel, wanting to be worshipped himself instead of worshipping God (Isa 14; Ezek 28). About one third of the angels fell with him. They are called demons.
With that very first sin, sin entered the universe. God is did not create sin. He is not responsible for sin just because he didn’t prevent it. If I let someone drive my car and they get careless and hurt, I am not responsible because I didn’t deny them the use of my car!
ENTRANCE OF SIN INTO THE WORLD Not satisfied with just a following of fallen angels, Satan took his rebellion to earth in order to set up his kingdom there.
STEPS TO SIN (TEMPTATION)
1. SIN IS ALWAYS PRESENT It seems Satan wasted no time in tempting man to sin. Certainly there wasn’t enough time to be fruitful and multiply. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the very day Adam and Eve were created. For sure, it was the first opportunity Satan had when Eve and Adam were not together.
2. DOUBT GOD’S WORD (v. 1) Satan misquotes God by saying that God forbid them to eat from ANY tree. He lies to imply that God withholds pleasure from people, that He is some big cosmic killjoy. That is a popular lie even today. Sin starts when we doubt God’s word.
3. FACING SATAN WITHOUT GOD’S TRUTH FAILS (v. 2-3) When Eve starts responding to the temptation to sin by using her own reasoning, the die is cast. The Bible says we are to FLEE temptation (I Cor 10:13), not entertain it. We are to get as far from sin as we can, not as close to it as possible without sinning. Remember, being tempted is not sin. We all will always be tempted, but that is nothing to confess. It’s what we do with the temptation that determines if it becomes sin or not. Resisting is not sin, it’s only when we entertain the thought that it needs to be confessed (admitted as sin). Not knowing God’s word well enough, Eve picked up on Satan’s attitude of making God out to be harsh and restrictive by saying God said they couldn’t even touch the tree!
4. DISBELIEVING GOD AND HIS WORD (v. 4-5) When Satan out-and-out lied and said they would not die by eating, but would benefit by knowing what it was like to sin, Eve bought it! What a salesman Satan is! He portrayed experiencing sin, guilt and separation from God as something beneficial which God didn’t want man to have! Unfortunately Eve bought it!
5. DISOBEYING GOD (v. 6a) By this time Eve was open to sin. She bought Satan’s lie that God was withholding something good from her as well as that He would not judge sin (two common lies today, too). It appealed to her physically (would taste good), mentally (looked attractive) and spiritually (hit her pride). Satan attacked Jesus (Mt 4:1-11) and us (I Jn 2:16) in exactly the same way. Basically, all sin is self-centeredness (which is pride).
RESULTS OF SIN Sin has definite consequences, make no doubt about it!
1. LEADS OTHERS TO SIN (v. 6b) Have you ever wondered why Satan attacked Eve first, and alone? It was on purpose, knowing he could more easily deceive her (I Tim 2:12-14) and then use her to influence Adam to sin despite his total awareness of what he was doing. Today, too, Satan uses those close to us to get us to sin. It’s nothing new!
2. BRINGS SHAME, FEAR (v. 7) Satan’s lie is that sin satisfies, meets a need God isn’t meeting. That never happens! It’s like drinking salt water to quench a thirst. Sin just brings shame and guilt. After putting the lust in us, he dumps us (trashes us) and we feel remorse.
3. FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD GONE (v. 8-13) Instead of enjoying fellowship with God, Adam and Eve hid from Him. Sin causes us to avoid God and His Word. Then instead of admitting their sin, Adam blamed both God and Eve and Eve blamed the snake.
4. NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN (v. 14-19) The snake, Satan, Eve and Adam all suffered severe consequences for their sin. In addition, the tendency to sin which entered then now is passed down to each person at birth (Ps 51:5; Rom 5:12).
5. EXPULSION FROM EDEN (v. 20-24) To keep man from living forever in sin and separation from God, Adam and Eve were driven (v. 24) out of Eden and away from the tree of life.
SALVATION FROM SIN PROVIDED There is a beautiful picture of salvation in this chapter. It shows man is sinful (v. 6) and can’t cover his own sin (v. 7; Eph. 2:8-9). In fact, man is helpless in sin and separated from God (v. 8-13). Sin brings punishment (v. 14-19; Rom 6:23), and runs from God. It is God that seeks man (v. 8) to show love and mercy. He alone can conquer sin and Satan (v. 15). This victory is paid for by innocent blood shed (v.31; Gen 4:3-5). This is the first death or suffering, and is by an innocent animal to show what is necessary to cover man’s sin. Actually it was the Second person of the Trinity (Jesus before His birth) that was with man in Eden. No one has seen God the father at any time (John 6:46) and the Holy Spirit never materializes but serves to bring attention of Jesus. Thus the first innocent blood shed was by the One who knew it foreshadowed His coming death on the cross for sin. What love and commitment this shows! He did it all (Romans 8:12-21), we must just accept this free gift (Eph 2:8-9). We aren’t to blame God or others for our sin (v. 12-13) but freely admit it (I Jn 1:9). As Adam and Eve allowed Jesus to dress them in the animal skins He provided, we, too, must allow Him to cover us with His righteousness. Our dressing for sin is worse than fig leaves, it is filthy rags (Isa 64:6). The same loving, forgiving God who came seeking Adam and Eve in their sin comes seeking you and I in ours (Rev. 3:20). Will you welcome Him and accept the covering for your sin which He and He alone provides? Don’t put off His offer. Don’t refuse His free gift. Accept Him now.
(If I can answer questions or offer personal counsel, feel free to email me at Jerry@ChristianTrainingOnline.org For more articles I have written go to MainStreetBaptist.org. Copyright 1996 by Jerry Schmoyer)
