Scripture Introduction
The last time I preached, we learned four steps in resisting temptation by studying Satan’s attack on Eve: 1) believe that sin brings misery; 2) respect the power of the evil one; 3) recognize Satan’s devices; and 4) honor God’s truth. Unfortunately, as I often do, Adam and Eve did not resist; they fell into sin and away from glory.
Today’s topic is the next step. What is this thing called, “sin,” and why do we dwell on it so much? How can our world have such beauty and delights, yet never quite satisfy? Our text is Genesis 2.25-3.7, known as the “fall of mankind.”
[Read Genesis 2.25-3.7. Pray.]
Introduction
The Ryan small group meets at the church building on Tuesday nights for dinner, fellowship, prayer, and the hope that more of our neighbors will smell the grill and join us. While I have barbecued chicken and bratwursts, some of the more industrious members of our group have weeded the flowerbeds. They worked hard and it shows—the area looks much better! Just last week, however, as we came in for church, Dave paused at a spot that, a few weeks earlier, he had completely cleaned, and said, “Look, the weeds have come back.” The weeds always come back, don’t they?
Maybe you remember dating your sweetheart, or even your wedding day. Some dream of that event as they grow up, a day full of hope and promise. But after the wedding comes the marriage, reality intrudes, and the promised bliss of true love dissolves before the hard reality of living with another person. There are weeds in the best marriages.
Even church reveals the same problems. To get a clergy hospital badge last week I had to find my ordination papers to prove I am really a minister. Searching for those reminded me of the promise of that day back in 1994. I was in God’s army now – working in Jesus’ church. How could it get any better? Quickly, however, competing agendas and conflicting expectations intruded on my fantasy and I found that church ministry grows weeds just as sure as church flowerbeds.
At times life offers such beauty and blessing that we imagine ourselves nearing heaven. But we never arrive, do we? Like the scent from a favorite candle, it seems that you could hold it and enjoy it forever, but it dissipates.
Why does the world show us so many “shadows” of delight, yet never give them full substance? Is it a cosmic trick? Is this nature’s way of getting even with those at the top of the food chain? Does fate allow only a certain amount of joy before slapping you with a measure of suffering?
When I was in my teens, the sitcom All in the Family was popular. It highlighted conflicts between archconservative, Archie Bunker, and his archliberal brother-in-law, Mike Stivic. I rarely watched the show because I did not enjoy the arguing and insults. But the writers often captured the issues of the times. One episode has Archie arguing with Mike (an atheist) about religion. Archie wants his grandson (Mike’s son Joey) baptized, but Mike will have none of it. Their arguments progress to the point where Mike says, “Tell me this, Archie, if there is a God, why is the world in such a mess?”
Archie is dumbfounded. He stands still, staring. Then he tries to bluff his way to an answer. Finally, he turns to his wife and says, “Why do I always have to give the answers, Edith? Tell [him] why, if God has created the world, the world is in such a mess.”
Why indeed? God’s answer is in Genesis 3; he records this event so that we will know 1) why things are not the way they are supposed to be, and 2) to prepare us for his solution.
1. We Must See the Path to Sin to Appreciate Christ’s Victory
Many Christians wrongly assume that sin is merely doing something wrong and the solution is, “Just say no.” Believing that produces at least two problems. Some who hold to a “Just say no theology” succeed, and are hard-hearted and arrogant because of the measure of obedience they manage to work up. Others believe the same, but become hard-hearted and angry because they so often fail to meet the standard. Either way, one step in the solution is to recognize that sin comes at the end of a journey away from God – it is not the first step.
1.1. The Path to Sin Begins with Doubting God (Genesis 3.1b)
Do not miss the subtlety of Satan’s slanderous remarks. He knows exactly what God said, but he twists the words in Eve’s ear to raise doubt in her mind and questions about God’s love and care. Satan’s words are false, but he hides his deceit to create doubt. He works the same today.
Anger and malice do not begin with a decision to hate our neighbor; it starts with wondering why they do not treat us as we deserve. Refusing to give generously to support of the work of the church does not begin with hating the command; it starts when we doubt if God will provide for our needs. The decision not to respect your pastor does not begin when you read Hebrews 13; it starts when we question whether he deserves to be honored, supported, and obeyed.
Did God really say? Are you sure that he is after your good? Doubt is the first step.
1.2. The Path to Sin Continues with Distorting God’s Word (Genesis 3.2-3)
C. F. Keil notes in his commentary: “The tempter exaggerates the prohibition of God in the hope of exciting in the woman’s mind both distrust of God Himself, and doubt as to the truth of His Word…. She was aware of the prohibition and fully understood its meaning; but she added, ‘nor shall you touch it,’ and proved by this very exaggeration that it appeared too strident even to her, and therefore that her love and confidence towards God were already beginning to waver. Here was the beginning of her fall, for doubt is the father of all sin, and disbelief the mother of all transgression….”
Eve does not immediately disobey. She does add to God’s prohibition; she distorts God’s reasonable command. She is building a case in her mind so that she can ignore God rule as unreasonable and oppressive. Do we do the same?
Do we who are husbands ever respond to Satan’s temptations by thinking, “God says I must love and gently lead my wife, and be miserable doing it.”
Do you who are teens every say, “God requires me to obey my parents and remain pure, and never have any fun.”
Some women complain, “God says I must submit to my husband, and be a doormat and never bring up my ideas?”
Do you ever think: “God says I must go to church even when I don’t understand or enjoy it.” Or, “I must respect and honor my boss, even to the ruin of my career.”
Distorting God’s rules allows us to justify in our hearts that the commandments are burdensome.
1.3. The Path to Sin Must Deny God’s Word (Genesis 3.4-5)
Satan calls God a liar! Such a bold attack would seem to risk scaring Eve away. Three things explain Satan’s scheme.
First, observe that Eve already walks the path to rebellion. It is much easier to get me to sin once I doubt God, and distort his words to the point of foolishness. The final step is the natural end to the road I am already traveling.
Second, notice the reward promised: “you will be like God.” How great is the power of an appeal to fleshly vanities and selfish desires! Satan still uses this means: “Manipulate the situation, and you will finally get what you deserve. Exaggerate your accomplishments, and everyone will see you as a success. Criticize your leaders, and you will feel good about rejecting them.” It does not matter that Satan cannot actually provide this reward, nor could we enjoy it; he appeals to our vanity.
Third, realize that this final blow must be struck. Though it is risky, since sin is direct rebellion against God, Satan must go all the way in order to bring down humanity. He must confront Adam and Eve with this blatant denial. But to sweeten the case, notice the next step:
1.4. The Path to Sin Is Greased by Disparaging God’s Character (Genesis 3.5)
The enemy accuses God of jealousy. He says that God wants to keep you down so that you will not rise to his level. The claim is completely ludicrous, of course, but Adam and Eve listen, and sin is not far distant now.
1.5. The Path to Sin Concludes with Disobeying God’s Word (Genesis 3.6)
Westminster Shorter Catechism: “Sin is any lack of conformity to, or transgression of, the law of God.”
Adam and Eve disobeyed the clear command of God. This was sin then, and the same standard holds today. What God says to do, that we do not do, is sin. What God says not to do, but we do it anyway, is sin.
Adam and Eve stood innocent in a perfect garden, newly created by the direct work of God, yet they disobeyed. What hope do we have? We have a Savior who not only did not disobey, he never took the first step down this treacherous path!
• Jesus never doubted God, never wondered if the Father was treating him fairly, never questioned in tone or attitude the words which God said.
• Jesus never distorted God’s word, never added to it nor subtracted from it. He was completely content with everything God said about life and godliness, and wanted nothing more.
• Jesus never denied God’s word, he never called the Father a liar, even when God’s will led him to the cross.
• Jesus never disparaged God’s character.
• And, finally, Jesus never disobeyed. “He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1Peter 2.22-23).
That means two things for you. First, we see how the work of Christ Jesus reversed the failure of our first parents. We have a perfect Savior; even more, we have a Savior who undid the damage that was done.
Second, we now have, in Christ, the power to escape the way of destruction. Apart from grace, Satan is able to deceive me into doubting God’s word. In Christ, however, I have all the blessings of his obedience, including the faith to trust God. In Christ, I have the ability to receive God’s word without distortion. In Christ, I have the wisdom to never disparage God. In Christ, I have the strength to obey.
Every promise is yes and amen in him. The enemy who led Adam and Eve into rebellion is too great for us. But he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. Knowing the path to sin allows us to call upon the grace of Jesus Christ at every step and in every trouble, and so find deliverance for our souls.
There is one other thing to show you, very briefly.
2. We See Christ’s Victory When We Understand the Nature of Sin
A great many philosophies see mankind as evolving toward a higher plane; our problems are because we have not reached the place we are going. Some hope education will save mankind; other expect a hidden knowledge to be the solution; some believe the hope lies within us; and others say it is in becoming one with the life-force that is outside.
Christianity disagrees; the Bible says that everything is such a mess because we have fallen away. The nature of sin is not a good we have yet to reach; it is a good that we rejected. Evil encompasses our world and infiltrates our lives because we turned from the source of all good. We have forsaken the living water; we have strayed from the right path; we have closed our eyes to the light; we have been unfaithful to him who is true and good. We are like sheep who have gone astray.
Hope for joy and peace, therefore, are not found in progress in the way of man, but restoration to the life of God. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve believed Satan’s lie and reached out to grab hold of divinity and to make themselves like God. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ Jesus believed God’s promise and reached out to grab hold of our humanity, to make himself nothing, to take our sinful nature, to humble himself like a sinner.
This is the paradox of the path back to God. The way down is the way up, to be low is to be high, the broken heart is the healed heart, the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, the repenting soul is the victorious soul, to have nothing is to possess all, to bear the cross is to wear the crown, to give is to receive, the valley is the place where we see the highest heavens.
Adam’s pride reached for the stars and he fell into sin and misery. Jesus’ humility reached for the cross, and he was exalted above all. Now the same promise is offered you. Will you take the path of humility to faith in a crucified savior? Or will you insist on having your way, on earning your own favor, pleasing God on your own terms.
3. Conclusion
James Montgomery Boice, a well-known PCA pastor in Philadelphia, counseled a young man distraught because of his sin. Boice told him of a man wearing a tuxedo on his way to a wedding. As he walk along, a car sped by and splashed through a mud puddle on the side of the road and drenched his clothes. It was dark outside, so at first the man thought the damage was slight. He continued on his way. As he turned around the next corner, there was a streetlight ahead. As he approached it, he could see there were some stains on his clothes. He was concerned, but thought he could go on. But when he finally stood beneath the light, and realized how badly he was covered with mud. He said to himself, “My goodness, it’s much worse than I thought. There’s no way I can go in these clothes. I have to go home and change my clothes.”
Dr. Boice shared that illustration so the young man would realize that as we come closer to God we find our sins are worse than we realized. Those who progress in holiness are the same who realize how much greater is their sin than others.
But when Dr. Boice said, “I have to go home and change my clothes,” the young man immediately sighed and said in a low voice, “But I don’t have any clean clothes.”
In the fall, we soiled all our clothes. It’s much worse than we thought, for our clothes are filthy rags, dirty, defiled, damaged, destroyed. But Jesus obedience wove a new garment, a cloth of perfect righteousness, a robe without spot or wrinkle. His father now stands ready to put it on all who come by faith, come trusting in his provision. Will you ask God to give you Christ’s clean clothes?
