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"The Pastor's Message"
from the desk of Bruce Wilding (October 2004)
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Who blew it ?
Genesis Chapter 3
Last month we left Adam and Eve in innocent peace in the Garden of Eden Enjoying all of Gods creative magnificence.
An environment of perfection. God's provision of a partner and wife, not an animal raised to human level, but fashioned from Adam himself, another being taken from the one
already created, like minded of the same essence and composition.
And even more important than enjoying the first marriage, literally created in Heaven - God's idea, Ch3 v8 implies a relationship with God the creator that was unspoiled and totally transparent.
Perfection, but enter Satan, an angelic being, proud, rebellious
and cast from heaven, (Isaiah 14: 12-14) appearing as a serpent sowing the seed of doubt
"Has God said?...." Ch3 v1 The
seed of doubt is sown.
"you shall not die...v4" "God knows that there is more to this fruit than He has told you....v5"
We
are good at semantics learning to use words in ways that have double meaning.
The temptation has now changed the outlook, the way Eve viewed the tree,
It had nutritional value -
Good Food.
It had aesthetic value - Nice Appearance.
It had intellectual value - Provide a wiser outlook on life.
So Eve ate the Fruit & gave it to her husband who also ate
it (v6)
Perfection, Ideal immediately evaporated. Innocence no longer existed.
Eve did not physically drop dead as if she had eaten a teaspoon of
cyanide; Eve (and Adam) Died spiritually their communion with God was broken.
They now know the difference between right and wrong - but are trapped in the spiral of deceit. They know
that they are naked, they now know shame. Adam and Eve try to hide from God.
God Challenges Adam and Eve regarding there sin. Already the difference in the relationship is obvious -
Not my fault, it was her, you gave her to me. No don't blame me it was the serpent.
The innocence is gone. Shame, lies, distrust are all now a part of human life.
Chapter 3 ends with a demonstration of God's perfect love towards fallen man.
v 18 brings the promised Saviour (Christ), a
descendant of Eve who would defeat Satan.
v 21 tells us that God made clothing of skins for Adam and Eve, the covering of leaves being inadequate. And so
from way back then the innocent (animals) gave their lives to cover the shame & nakedness of sin.
v 22-24 show God's next act of loving kindness. He
put Adam and Eve out of the garden and put an angelic guard around the tree of life. Previously they had not been restricted from eating at this tree, now God lovingly barred their way
because to eat from that tree would allow them to live and age endlessly in their sinful state, with no escape. Nature now takes its course, we age and die.
Are we without hope? Romans 3: 10-18 gives a description that covers all of us. We do not seek God. we are rebellious in what ever form, a description of humanity
Romans 3
v10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;
v11 There is no one who
understands, no one who seeks God.
v 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."
v13 "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit."
"The poison of vipers is on their lips."
v14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
v15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
v16 ruin and misery mark their ways,
v17 and the way of peace they do not know."
v18
"There is no fear of God before their eyes."
But God looks for us; God reaches out to us, enabling us to respond by faith and heal the rift caused by Adams sin. A
personal response to a personal God who knows, loves and cares
Romans 6: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ
Jesus our Lord
We cannot buy God's favour in any form, we must personally reach out and accept His offer by faith, by trusting in the atoning death, the finished work of Christ. There
is no more we can add.
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