GENESIS CHAPTER 3 ARTICLE 6.
THE FALL OF MAN , SIN AND ITS PUNISHMENT
TODAY WE ARE LOOKING AT THE ORIGINS OF THE FALL OF MAN, SIN AND ITS PUNISHMENT. AS WE DO I WANT TO ASK YOU ALL A QUESTION.........
HAVE YOU EVER LOST SOMETHING PRECIOUS? I AM SURE YOU HAVE, WHETHER IT HAS BEEN FAMILY MEMBERS - FRIENDSHIPS – POSSESSIONS – HEALTH - JOBS – SECURITY BUT HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED THE TRUTH OF LOSING GOD? THE TRUTH IS WE ALL START IN THE SAME BALL PARK. WE ARE ALL BORN INTO THIS WORLD WITHOUT GOD AND ITS ALL BECAUSE OF THE FALL OF MAN, IN THE BEGINNING AND IT HAS ITS CONSEQUENCES......... SIN AND ITS PUNISHMENT.
AS A RESULT OF ADAM AND EVE’S ACTIONS WE HAVE NEVER HAD GOD TO BEGIN WITH... TO KNOW GOD IS NOT A DIVINE RITE AT BIRTH. WE ARE NOT BORN INTO THIS WORLD KNOWING AND LOVING GOD BUT ACTUALLY IN REBELLION AND WE ARE IN A PLACE OF REJECTION. ITS ONLY WHEN THE NEW BIRTH COMES IS SOMEONE TRULY ‘ BORN AGAIN’ WE CAN FIND GOD AN DENTER INTO A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM .
1. THE FALL TEACHES WE HAVE LOST A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
FIRSTLY LET’S TALK ABOUT WHO WE ARE.......
WE REFLECT SOMETHING OF GODS GLORY (SPLENDOUR) GEN.2.27 SO GOD FORMED MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE; IN THE IMAGE OF GOD HE CREATED HIM. MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM. ALL HUMAN BEINGS BEAR THE AUTHENTIC STAMP OF GOD THE STAMP OF AUTHENTICITY
(A DESIGNER LABEL). WE ARE THE ONLY ONES MADE IN HIS IMAGE.
• HUMOROUS STORY: GOD WAS ONCE APPROACHED BY A SCIENTIST WHO SAID, "LISTEN GOD, WE’VE DECIDED WE DON’T NEED YOU ANYMORE. THESE DAYS WE CAN CLONE PEOPLE, TRANSPLANT ORGANS AND DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT USED TO BE CONSIDERED MIRACULOUS.
• "GOD REPLIED, "DON’T NEED ME HUH? HOW ABOUT WE PUT YOUR THEORY TO THE TEST. WHY DON’T WE HAVE A COMPETITION TO SEE WHO CAN MAKE A HUMAN BEING, SAY, A MALE HUMAN BEING." THE SCIENTIST AGREES, SO GOD DECLARES THEY SHOULD DO IT LIKE HE DID IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS WHEN HE CREATED ADAM."FINE" SAYS THE SCIENTIST AS HE BENDS DOWN TO SCOOP UP A HANDFUL OF DIRT.""WHOA!" SAYS GOD, SHAKING HIS HEAD IN DISAPPROVAL. "NOT SO FAST. YOU GET YOUR OWN DIRT."
OUR SELF WORTH IS NOT FOUND IN WHAT WE ARE MADE OF, BUT WHO MADE US IN THE BEGINNING. GOD DIDN’T - JUST CREATE US OUT OF DIRT – BUT GOD WENT ON TO DO A DIVINE ACT WITH THAT DIRT GEN 2: 7 GOD NOT ONLY MADE US OUT OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND BUT HE BREATHED THE BREATH OF LIFE INTO OUR NOSTRILS – MAKING US WITH THE BREATH OF GOD..
GOD REVEALS TO US THAT HUMANS ARE SPECIAL, HE HAD GIVEN THEM A MIND TO REASON A BODY TO HAVE THEIR BEING AND A SOUL TO ENCOUNTER HIM. THIS BASIS IN OUR LIFE GIVES US A STABLE FOUNDATION FOR OUR OWN SELF WORTH. OUR WORTH IS NEVER BASED ON WHAT WE HAVE BUT WHO WE KNOW!
• ADAM AND EVE KNEW GOD V8, 9, 10, 11. HERE WE SEE THAT GODS DESIRE WAS TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH ADAM AND EVE. THE BIBLE REVEALS GOD WALKING IN THE GARDEN IN THE COOL OF THE DAY. IT GOES ON TO TELL US THEY HEARD THE SOUND OF GOD. IT MUST HAVE BEEN A FAMILIAR SOUND OF HIS PRESENCE. BUT NOW INSTEAD OF MEETING GOD THEY HIDE FROM GOD AMONGST THE TREES. V8. WHY?
• BUT ....THE FALL OF MAN CAME.... GEN: 3:6-7. THEY REBELLED
IN THE BEGINNING ADAM AND EVE HAD A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. THEY HAD A GOD CONNECTEDNESS IN THE BEGINNING AN UPRIGHT AND PERFECT RELATIONSHIP AS LONG AS THEY KEPT ONE COMMAND BEFORE THEM.
ADAM AND EVE KNEW GOD BUT LIKE ALL RELATIONSHIPS THERE ARE GROUND RULES TO MAINTAIN. GEN.2: 17. DO NOT EAT FROM THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE AND GOOD AND EVIL FOR WHEN YOU EAT OF IT YOU WILL SURLY DIE. UNFORTUNATELY THEY DISOBEYED GEN: 3:6-7.
• HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY GOD GIVES US ALL CHOICES…CONSEQUENCES TO OUR ACTIONS ( WE ARE NOT ROBOTS – PRE PROGRAMMED)
• CHOICE – DISOBEDIENCE: ONE OF MY EARLIEST CHILDHOOD RECOLLECTIONS WAS WHEN WE LIVED IN BUCKLEY, N WALES. I WAS ENCOURAGED/DISCOURAGED AND YET TEMPTED TO EAT SOME LABURNUM SEEDS - I GAVE IN TO TEMPTATION – I MADE A CHOICE THAT DAY AND I REBELLED AGAINST MY PARENT AND WAS DECIEVED BY MY BROTHER, I HAD TO HAVE MY STOMACH PUMPED – AS THEY WERE POISONOUS - I HAD A CHOICE, I MADE THE WRONG ONE, I GAVE INTO TEMPTATION, I BELIEVED I WOULD BE OKAY. THAT CHOICE THOUGH ONLY EFFECTED ME AND MY FAMILY BUT WHEN ADAM AND EVE BLEW IT THEY BLEW IT FOR THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE.
THEY BLEW IT ALL AWAY, A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP FOR WHAT? A PIECE OF FRUIT.... IT’S AWFUL WHEN YOU HERE STORIES OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DESTROYED THEIR MARRIAGES FOR WHAT - A ONE NIGHT STAND – A GLASS OF WHISKEY –A SNIFF OF COCAINE – BUT THIS ISN’T ANY HUMAN RELATIONSHIP THAT THEY’VE BLOWN AWAY .... BUT A DIVINE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
THE CREATED LOOKED MORE APPEALING THAN THE CREATOR... ISN’T THAT STILL TRUE TODAY?
• C.S LEWIS: TELLS THE STORY OF A WASP ENJOYING HIMSELF SUCKING THE GOODNESS ON THE THE JAM WHILST THE REST OF ITS BODY HAS BEEN DECAPITATED – HE SAYS IT’S A PICTURE OF HUMAN NATURE TODAY WE ENJOY THE SWEET PLEASURES OF LIFE- MORE THAN WE ENJOY GOD, BUT IN THE MIDST OF IT WE FAIL TO SEE THE SERIOUS NATURE OF OUR LOST CONDITION OUR SEVERED RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
2. THE FALL TEACHES US THAT SIN IS UNIVERSAL CONDITION ROM 3:23. 5: 12
ADAM AND EVE’S CHOICE HAD GREATER REPERCUSSIONS . AS A RESULT OF THAT ONE ACT OF DISOBEDIENCE… A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP WAS LOST A DIVISION WAS CREATED IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND ALL HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS THERE AFTER .
A HUGE SEISMIC SHIFT TOOK PLACE WHICH HAS AFFECTED THE WHOLE OF HUMANITY. WE ALL BORN INTO SIN AND ARE SINNERS BY NATURE. (FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS OUR DNA)
• HOW CAN WE BE RESPONSIBLE - ANOTHER WAY IS TO SEE IT AS ADAM AND EVE ARE OUR FEDERAL HEAD THEY ARE OUR REPRESENTIVES – FOR INSTANCE TONY BLAIR ALONG WITH G. BUSH DECIDE TO GO TO WAR AS FEDERAL HEADS OF STATE THE WHOLE NATIONS ARE AT WAR.
ROM.5:19. BY THE ONE MANS DISOBEDIENCE MANY WERE MADE SINNERS. OUR DISOBEDIENCE LEADS TO A COVER UP V8.
WE SEE FROM GEN.3:6,7,8 AS A RESULT OF THEIR DISOBEDIENCE AGAINST GODS GROUND RULES CAME AWARENESS OF THEIR NAKEDNESS AND REBELLION. HERE WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE TRYING TO HIDE FROM THE ALL SEEING/ ALL KNOWING GOD REALLY APPEARS QUITE HUMOROUS.
HOW COULD THEY BE SO SILLY AND BELIEVE THEY CAN HIDE? TRUTH BE KNOWN WE DO EXACTLY THE SAME. WE ALL TRY TO HIDE OUR SINS FROM ONE ANOTHER (CHILD WHO KNOCKS OVER THE ORNAMENT - GLUES THE HEAD BACK ON ) BUT GOD SEES IT ALL, THERE IS NO HIDING .
NOT ONE OF US CAN HIDE OUR SIN FROM GOD. WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT ROM 3:23. HUMAN NATURE AS NOT CHANGED, WE ALL TRY TO COVER UP THE STAINS? FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY, FROM ONE ANOTHER, IT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE TO LIVE A LIE BUT NOT BEFORE AN ALL SEEING AND KNOWING GOD IS ABSOLUTELY FOOLISH.
GUILTY CONSCIENCE: I WONDER IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THAT FACT? ARE YOU AWARE OF YOUR OWN DISOBEDIENCE …GUILTY CONSCIENCE V 7- 8. THEIR EYES WERE OPENED… ADAM AND EVE FELT GUILTY OVER WHAT THEY HAD DONE. THEY REALISED THEY HAD GONE STRICTLY AGAINST GODS COMMAND GEN.2: 17 GOD CALLED OUT.... THE REPLY GEN 3: 10 I WAS AFRAID
CONSCIENCE IS A WARNING SIGNAL FROM GOD PLACED INSIDE YOU WHEN WE DO WRONG. THE WORST THING WE CAN DO IS TO IGNORE OUR CONSCIENCE WHEN IT SPEAKS TO US. AND BELIEVE WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE…MANY IN SOCIETY TODAY IGNORE LISTENING TO THEIR CONSCIENCE WHEN THEY FEEL GUILTY BUT GUILT IS MORE THAN A FEELING
• SUPPOSE RUTHLESS CRIMINAL GUNS DOWN AN ELDERLY LADY IN COLD BLOOD… AND THEN LAUGHS. IS THE MAN GUILTY? OF COURSE! DOES HE FEEL GUILTY? NO. IN HIS OWN PERVERTED WAY, HE FEELS GOOD- EVEN GLAD ABOUT WHAT HE DID.
• THE POINT. IS THIS THAT GUILT IS MORE THAN JUST A FEELING? IN FACT IT IS BEST DEFINED AS THE CONDITION OF BEING IN VIOLATION OF MORAL OR CIVIL LAWS. YES WE CAN FEEL GUILT AND REMORSE, BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE.
ON THE FLIPSIDE: ROM 2:17 -24 RELIGIOUS PEOPLE ARE UNDER THE SAME SENTENCE. - YOU MAY FEEL UTTERLY RIGHTEOUS BEFORE GOD - THAT I ALWAYS DO MY BEST- IVE BEEN TO CHAPEL SINCE A CHILD – MY FAMILY ARE CHAPEL PEPOLE - YOU COULD BE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF RELIGIOSITY WHERE YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF RIGHTEOUS AND YOUR CONSCIENCE WELL, BUT IT DOESN’T ALTER THE FACT OF WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS, ALL HAVE SINNED INCLUDING YOU AND YOU ARE IN NEED OF FORGIVENESS.
3. THE FALL TEACHES US WE HAVE LOST A PERFECT WORLD.
GEN 2:8 GOD HAD PREPARED A BEAUTIFUL CREATION ESPECIALLY THE GARDEN OF (EDEN) GEN.1:31. GOD SAW ALL THAT HE HAD MADE AND IT WAS VERY GOOD. AS WE LOOK AROUND THE WORLD TODAY WE SEE A WONDERFUL WORLD WITH MANY WONDERS. BUT COMPARED TO THE WORLD THAT ADAM AND EVE LIVED IN ITS PALE REFLECTION.
• LOUIS ARMSTRONG WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD. (VIDEO)
PERFECTION
THAT FIRST CREATION WAS PERFECT WITH NO DECAY, WITH THE PROVISION OF FOOD AND WITH ANIMALS IN ABUNDANCE. GEN2:15.GOD CREATED THE WORLD AND PLACED MAN UPON IT TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THE WORLD WAS A MOST SPECTACULAR PLACE. THERE WAS A PLACE CALLED THE GARDEN OF EDEN RICH AND FERTILE IT WAS HERE WHERE ADAM AND EVE LIVED. WITHIN THIS GARDEN THEY HAD A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. HERE THEY WOULD LIVE FOREVER WITH GOD. THIS PLACE WAS LITERALLY HEAVEN UPON EARTH WHERE GOD DWELT 3:8. THERE WAS ANOTHER TREE OF COURSE THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. AND WHEN THEY ATE FROM IT THE EARTH CHANGED….
FACT AS A RESULT OF SIN…THE WORLD IS NOW A DECAYING WORLD.
GOD CURSED THE EARTH GEN 3:17.
AS A RESULT IT IS DYING ROM.8: 20-22. FOR THE CREATION WAS SUBJECTED TO FRUSTRATION, NOT BY ITS OWN CHOICE, BUT BY THE WILL OF THE ONE WHO SUBJECTED IT, IN THE HOPE THAT THE CREATION ITSELF WILL BE LIBERATED FROM ITS BONDAGE TO DECAY. 22 WE KNOW THAT RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT TIME THE WHOLE OF CREATION HAS BEEN GROANING AS IN PAINS OF CHILD BIRTH RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT TIME.
THAT’S WHY THIS WORLD IS ALSO A CRUEL WORLD WITH ITS TSUNAMIS, HURRICANCES TORNADO’S, FLOODS, FAMINES AND DROUGHTS …IT’S THE ECOLOGICAL SCIENTISTS WHO ARE WARNING US ABOUT THE POLAR ICE CAPS MELTING, THE OZONE DEPLETION, RESOURCES NOT BEING SUSTAINABLE. SADLY WE SEE A WORLD THAT IS SLOWLY DECAYING (ENTROPY LAWS) AND IT’S A RESULT OF THE FALL WE NO LONGER HAVE A PERFECT WORLD.
4. THE FALL TEACHES US THE ORIGINS OF DEATH AND JUDGEMENT.
PRIOR TO THE FALL ADAM AND EVE HAD A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, A RELATIONSHIP LIFE WHICH WOULD LAST FOREVER. A LIFE WITH NO DEATH OR DISEASE. BUT GOD DID PUT A CRAVAT ON THAT RELATIONSHIP GEN.2: 17. GOD TOLD ADAM YOU SHALL DIE ( PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL DEATH) IF YOU EAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.
THEY DID EXACTLY WHAT THEY SHOULD NOT OF DONE. AS A CONSEQUENCE SIN CAME INTO THE WORLD FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH (ETERNAL DYING CONSISTENTLY).
a. DEATH TO A RELATIONSHIP GEN.3: 22-24.
THEY WERE BANISHED OUT OF THE GARDEN AWAY FROM GOD. AS A RESULT OF THEIR SIN AND OUR SIN EACH AND EVERY PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD IS BORN INTO A BROKEN RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
BANISHED (STRONG WORD) MEAN TO SEND AWAY FROM A COUNTRY OR STATE. BANISH APPLIES TO FORCED DEPARTURE FROM A COUNTRY BY OFFICIAL DECREE: THE SPY WAS FOUND GUILTY OF TREASON AND BANISHED FROM THE COUNTRY. HUMANITY HAS BEEN BANISHED BY GOD FROM HIS IMMEDIATE PRESENCE AS A RESULT OF DISOBEDIENCE – FAR REMOVED TO AN ALIEN LAND. IF YOU REMAIN IN THIS STATE YOU WILL ALSO BE BANISHED FROM HEAVEN ITSELF.
b. PHYSICAL DEATH IS CERTAIN GEN. 3: 3 - 4. “YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE.” SAYS THE DEVIL
THE DEVIL CONTRADICTS GOD AND HIS WORD. THE DEVIL POSSESSED THE SERPENT, WHO BROUGHT A LIE GEN. 3: 1 INTO THE WORLD AND THE WORLD (ALL THAT IS OPPOSED TO GOD) DOES THE SAME WE TOO HAVE CHOICES JUST LIKE ADAM AND EVE - TO REJECT GOD IS A DECEPTION A LIE - GEN.2: 17 YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE.
WHY DO WE DIE? GEN.2:16. BECAUSE GOD COMMANDS IT! ALL OF US HERE ARE AWARE OF DEATH BUT ARE WE ALL READY TO EMBRACE IT IN CERTAIN HOPE? IF YOUR YOUNG IT MAY SEEM A MILLION MILES AWAY ( BUT YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY WILL DIE) I HAVE A FUNERAL ON TUESDAY AND THEIR WILL BE SOME VERY SOMBER FACES IN THE CONGREGATION BECAUSE OF DEATH: DEATH IS SERIOUS STUFF….. IT’S A QUESTION OF OUR FUTURE ETERNITY……
• TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTION. PAUSE NOW AS YOU PASS BY, AS YOU ARE NOW ONCE WAS I, AS I AM NOW, SO YOU MUST BE. PREPARE YOURSELF AND FOLLOW ME.
• BERTRAND RUSSELL SAID, “DEATH IS A NIGHT OF NOTHINGNESS.” FRIENDS THE BIBLE SAYS WE ARE DESTINED TO DIE AND THEN THE JUDGMENT…HEB.9.29. WHO DO YOU BELIEVE THE PHILOSOPHER OR GOD’S WORD?
C. JUDGEMENT AND SPIRITUAL DEATH IS CERTAIN. THE LIE: YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE SAYS THE DEVIL. WE DO WE KNOW IT BECAUSE WE SEE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE IT. BUT THERE IS MORE WHICH AS YET WE HAVEN’T OBSERVED BUT WE WILL. THE 2ND DEATH REV.20: 11-15 MUST READ.
THE DECEPTION IS THAT AFTER DEATH THERE IS NOTHING AND WHEN YOU’RE DEAD YOUR DEAD DO YOU BELIEVE THAT LIE. IT’S A VERY POPULAR NOTION TODAY. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT’S THE TEACHING OF THE DEVIL HIMSELF IN SCRIPTURE AND THE DEVIL IS A LIAR AND THE FATHER OF ALL LIES.
• JESUS TOLD A STORY LUKE 16; 19 -31 TWO PEOPLE DIED - IN IT BOTH PEOPLE LIVED AFTER DEATH YET ONE RECEIVED ETERNAL LIFE - AND THE OTHER RECEIVED ETERNAL DEATH, WHERE THERE WAS NO WAY OUT.
TOMBSTONE INSCRIPTION CONTINUED….TO FOLLOW YOU I’M NOT CONTENT, UNTIL I KNOW WHICH WAY YOU WENT!
RECAP: AS A RESULT OF THE FALL OF MAN ,
WE HAVE LOST OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
WE HAVE ALL BECOME SINNERS
WE HAVE LOST A PERFECT WORLD…
WE ALL WILL DIE PHYSICAL /SPIRITUAL AND FACE JUDGEMENT.
BUT THERE IS HOPE..........
FIRST PROMISE OF VICTORY : THE SEED OF THE WOMAN 3:15
EVEN IN THESE EARLY PAGES GOD LAYS DOWN A PROMISE THAT THE VICTORY WILL BE GODS THAT GODS KINGDOM WILL WILL BE RESTORED AND OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ALSO WILL BE RESTORED – THAT OUR WORLD WILL BE MADE INTO A NEW CREATION AND THAT OUR LIVES WILL BE SPENT WITH GOD IN A PERFECT RELATIONSHIP FOR EVERMORE.... BUT THIS IS ONLY FOUND THROUGH REPENTANCE AND FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS.
