Consequence

Islington Baptist Church February 18, 2001

Sermon Text: Genesis 3:7-19

Scripture readings: Psalm 32, 139

In Psalms 32:1-6a it says “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of the summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’ and your forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may found;…..”

Today we are going to examine Genesis 3:7-19 which details the consequences of Adam and Eve’s rebellion against God. As you might have guessed from my reading of Psalm 32; when we sin against God there are always consequences to be faced. This too is one of the applications of Genesis 3:7-19. (READ TEXT)

As you might guess, we are not today going to be able to examine every theme and subject that is here before us in our text.

I. A feeling of shame and guilt for our sins is a good thing

Some folks no longer know any shame for their sins—their consciences have been so seared by their repeated wickedness that they no longer have any pangs of guilt or shame for what they do. Such people no longer have the capacity to blush or turn their heads in shame.

A sense of shame and guilt for our unconfessed and unrepented sins is a good thing.

When Adam and Eve sinned one of their first experiences was that of feeling shame or guilt---illustrated in their realizing of their literal nakedness and in their crude attempts to cover themselves with fig leaves.

Adam and Eve’s sense of shame and guilt, in and of itself is and was a good thing. In like manner a sensitivity to our sin and guilt in our lives is a good thing. Some of us have lost this in that we do evil and it hardly bothers us or causes us consternation. Oh that God would grant us a renewed and refreshed sensitivity to sin in our lives. As David prayed “Search me O God and know my heart”

II. While shame and a sense of guilt for our sins is a good thing: trying to cover up our sins or deny our sin is not.

In our text we get this picture of Adam and Eve patching together fig leaves so that somehow they might cover themselves and their sin up. In addition to this our text speaks of how when they heard God walking in the garden that they high tailed it into the nearest bushes. Then we have God questioning them and what is it they do? They both shift the blame and responsibility for their sinful actions.

At its most basic level, Adam and Eve attempted to cover up their sins and deny any responsibility for their rebellion against God.

Principle: Our sin cannot be hidden from God. Any attempts on our part to cover our sins before God are going to be futile.

The scriptures affirm that all of our ways are open and known by the Lord. The scriptures affirm that God searches our hearts and knows them. In Psalm 139:1ff it says “O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways……

You and I can’t hide anything from God! Yet what is it that Adam and Eve tried to do: cover themselves and hide from God.

Adam and Eve also excelled in what we excel at today: Refusing to take responsibility for and confess our sins.

Adam and Eve were the first ones to perfect the blame game. Note this sickening thing: Adam blamed God for his sin “the woman you gave me”

Too often I speak to people who blame everyone around them for their sin and problems while never owning up to the fact that the problem is them.

The first step to right living and being right with God is to honestly confess our sins and personal responsibility for the mess we have created.

III. Any sense of shame and guilt that we have ought to lead us to confession and repentance of our sin

Surprisingly, our text is totally devoid of any sign of repentance on their part.

When God questioned Adam and then Eve his questions were designed to bring confession and repentance. God was giving them an opportunity to seek his face in humble contriteness and repentance and yet……