The Fall and Original Sin
(Genesis 3:1-7)
1. Lots of tragic news: child killed by molester; mother murdered her children..
2. O’Reilly guest---all murderers are insane…
3. Now sometimes people are insane, but so many people refuse to accept another explanation for mankind’s woes: original sin.
4. Violence, crime, discrimination, hatred aging, illness, disease, mortality—they all find their root in the original sin committed in the garden of Eden.
5. If God is God and all powerful, why evil?
6. Answer: greater good.
Main Idea: God allowed things to change dramatically for the worse in the Garden of Eden because that was part of His long term plan. If we don’t understand the Fall, we do not understand our world, our society, or ourselves.
TS------------ Let’s look at one of several major changes for the worse, the change from innocence to sinfulness.
I. The Change from Innocence to Sinfulness Suggested
1. In between 2:25 and 3:1, the Fall of Lucifer (Ezk. 28:12-15; also Is. 14)
2. Now Satan finds an ally, the serpent (1)
--did animals speak or was Eve ignorant of the fact they did not?
--did Adam and Eve have language? Age?
3. Sin begins when we challenge God’s Word (1-3)
(1) Satan questions
(2) Fruit: probably a fig (covered selves with fig leaves)
(3) Eve adds and detracts from God’s Word (2-3)
(4) Satan denies the Word & Eve goes along—she is deceived (4)
4. Satan and men still believe verse 5
---heart of sin: power of self-determination (or imposing on others)
---the opposite of sin is SUBMISSION to God
5. The 3 Fold Nature of temptation
(1) good for food (lust of the flesh)
(2) pleasant to the eye (eyes)
(3) desired to make one wise (pride of life)…see I John 2:16
II. The Suggestion Taken: Sin (6-7)
1. This is called "original sin" because it is the sin that messed up creation (Satan’s sin apparently did not do so)
(1) she ate first, Adam stood by and watched SILENTLY
(2) note how this sets the doctrine of I Tim. 2:12-15
(3) not a matter of culture, but history and theology
2. Even though Eve sinned first, it was Adam’s sin that brought the Fall
---Rom. 5:12, 18-19
3. Adam:
(1) sinned for us (our representative)
(2) we sinned in Adam (genetically present)
(3) we inherit Adam’s sin nature
4. They knew they were naked
(1)"Shame is a spin-off from guilt. We may feel guilty for what we did, but we feel ashamed of who we are" Dr. Les parrott
(2) secular view: clothing for protection from climate and to arouse sexual interest, not modesty;
my view: nakedness exposes our vulnerability, dependence upon others, and, because of our sin nature, nakedness provokes evil thoughts and passions; Adam and Eve ashamed because their genitals reminded them of how they had messed up their posterity.
(3) guilt and shame are sometimes (not always) the big problems that often lie behind symptoms, like drinking, drugs, etc.
5. Mankind, society, and all creation has been corrupted
(1) we do not have time to get into all the aspects of the resulting curse
(2) but man died spiritually at this time and it was this event that explains why a God good allows bad things to happen…
CONCLUSION
1. Mankind has a defect. The defect was not designed at the factory; it was, rather, the result of choice.
2. Until we accept the human propensity for sin, even, and selfishness—and the lust for power, we cannot have a truly realistic view of life, society, government, child rearing, marriage, or church.
3. Even in Christ, our old nature pulls us down. So when you see the news, remember this: you do not have to be crazy to do some of those things, just sinful.
