Walking by Faith

The redemption of God

Genesis 3:9-24

 

We are now introduced to the redemptive attributes of God.

1) His holiness as He deals with sin

God pronounces a five-fold judgment sentence

 

A) Upon the man

Genesis 3:17

God curses the serpent, Satan, and the soil, but not mankind

Adam

 

A) The labor of the toil of the ground

The ground was cursed because of man (the rose had no thorns)

The pain of labor is a reminder of man’s transgression.

B) He would have to work to support his family.

 

B) Upon the woman

Genesis 3:16

Eve

 

A) Labor pains are a reminder of Eve’s transgression as well as a reminder of the curse of sin on each person

The heritage of sin moves from father to son in conception

The suffering in childbirth is not so much a direct result  of judgment from God but rather the direct result of sin. Sin always causes suffering, sickness, seperation, and sorrow. The woman’s joy in childbirth would be saddened by the pain of it

B) Her desire would be to her husband.

The word deisre can also mean “an attempt to ursurp or control”

We can paraphrase these last two lines as “you will now have a tendency to dominate your husband and he will have a tendency to act like a tyrant over you.” The battle of the sexes has begun as each strives for control or domination over the other. Jesus is the only answer to this problem

 

C) Upon all nature

Genesis 3:18

The whole earth

 

The curse was over the whole earth. Suffering was pronounced on man due to his fall and all suffering can be traced back to the fall of man.

The rose now has thorns (Romans 8:19-22)

At this point the scientific principle called “The second law of thermodynamics” came into being. This law states that when energy is transformed from one state to another, some of it is turned into heat energy which becomes useless. In other words, this universe is like a wound up clock that is slowly running down

Psalm 102:26

Hebrews 1:11-12

 

The curse of death

 

All sickness is healable except death. We will all die if Jesus tarries (Hebrews 9:27)

In Adam we die.

In Christ we live

Romans 5:12-22

 

Adam is blamed not Eve

They both are guilty but when Adam partook of sin, He transgressed against God willingly with both eyes open knowing it was sin

 

Before we had had a pair working together in sweet accord toward God with no sin. Now their eyes were opened and they began to die. They knew that there was something wrong between themselves and God. God expelled them from Eden in an act of grace so they couldn’t eat of the tree of life and remain this fallen state forever with no hope of reconciliation.

 

D) Upon the serpent

Genesis 3:14

 

This implies that before this the serpent had some other body form

 

E) Upon the devil

Genesis 3:15

 

The thrilling prediction of the cross and the resurrection

We are introduced to the Savior’s great victory over Satan

This all important verse is known as the “Proto-Evangel” The first gospel

Romans 16:20

Isaiah 53:5

 

When Jesus went to the cross, He was bruised on His heel, meaning He suffered a terrible temporary injury. In His resurrection He defeated His enemy from that moment on. Satan has been living on borrowed time ever since. he has already been defeated and only the announcement needs to be given.

 

 

Adam and Eve would experience a 7-fold sentence of their sin.

A) Shame – Gen 3:7

B) Fear – Gen 3:8-10

C) Discord – Passing the buck – Gen 3:12-13

D) Death

      1. Physical and spiritual

E) Suffering – Gen 3:16

F) Weariness of labor – Gen 3:17-19

G) Separation – Gen 3:22-24

 

2) God’s grace is seen as He deals with sinners

A) In seeking Adam (Genesis 3:9)

The Bible is God’s search for man (Luke 15)

In all these parables, a search is called for that which is lost:

For the lost sheep

For the lost coin

For the lost son

 

Luke 19:10

 

B) In promising the Savior (Genesis 3:15)

 

C) In clothing them (Genesis 3:21)

Righteousness and salvation are likened to right clothes

Although we are not specifically told so, it would seem probable that an innocent animal had to die so that Adam and his wife might be clothed

Isaiah 53:5-6

1 Peter 3:18

 

 

D) In removing them from the garden (Genesis 3:22-24)

Man’s expulsion from the garden was really an act of grace, because if they had eaten from the tree of everlasting life they would have lived forever in this sinful state with no chance for redemption

 

Could they have stopped before they took the fruit?

James 1:13-15

 

When?

Before she even spoke to Satan. Sin does not force itself on the unwilling but is chosen because of its attractiveness (1 Corinthians 10:12-13)

 

Who does God call for?

“Adam, where are you?”

Each question gives them an opportunity to confess. God knew where they were.

Who told you you were naked?

Have you eaten from the tree?

Adam blames Eve, Eve blames the serpent

 

 

How long were Adam and Eve in the garden?

It appears from scripture that they spent a very short time in Eden (Genesis 4:1)

 

Will we see Adam in heaven?

We know he was created perfect and we know he sinned but was he saved?

 

A) God clothed Adam and Eve in animal skins

Genesis 3:21

 

Doubtless some innocent animal had to die for their sins to provide the clothing. this act would have been a type of salvation

 

Genesis 4:4

Abel knew the right way to worship God by the sacrifice that he gave to God and this seems to assume that he gained this knowledge from Adam who must have learned it from God.

 

 

The theories used to explain the fall.

Where the effects of Adam’s fall merely confined to himself or do they continue to make themselves known in our lives today?

 

1) Liberals – They say it is only a legend

2) Pelagians – They believe that Adam’s sin only affected himself.

3) Arminians – They believe that while Adam’s sin weakened his will to remain sinless, it did not destroy the possibility.

4) Agustines position – Adam’s sin corrupted all mankind

Romans 5:12

 

In the New Testament Paul distinguishes between sin and sins.

Sin – The root of my problem is a reference to my corrupted nature which I received from Adam,

 

Sins – The fruit of my problem is a reference to those actions resulting from my corrupted nature.

 

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned (present tense) in Adam and are (present time, in daily experience) falling short of God’s glory(every day)