We have recently started a new sermon series at EBC on "The Doctrine of Sin". Eaton's Bible Dictionary defines sin as "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God." Today's society is not big on the idea of sin, in part because recognizing sin would mean to recognize that there is a higher power than self that we are to answer to. In our humanistic society the ultimate power is "self", we seek "self"-esteem and "self"-awareness through "self"-actualization and "self"-empowerment. There is no place in our self-centered lives for recognition that there is a power mightier than self and that we have transgressed against Him. But sin is very real and is very much a part of human existence today and throughout history...beginning with Adam & Eve.
In Genesis 3:1-5 we see the serpent approach Eve with the idea of eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'" (Genesis 3:1). This is a classic technique that Satan uses to lure us into sin, twisting the words of scripture to suit his needs. God's actual words were "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17). The serpent casts God in a negative light (perhaps like an overly strict parent) by focusing on what He told Adam and Eve NOT to do versus all the bounty of the garden that He gave them free reign over.
But for all the part that the serpent played in the Fall of Man, he did not force Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary On The Bible breaks down the Fall into five steps:
1.) Eve saw. She could have, even should have, chosen to look away from the temptation.
2.) Eve took. She chose to take the fruit offered, the serpent did not and could not force her.
3.) Eve ate. Even if she did not intend to eat when she took the fruit, the temptation once she
held it was too great for her to resist.
4.) Eve gave it to Adam. She did not want to be alone in her transgression, so she invited Adam to share in it.
5.) Adam ate. Adam could have chosen to rebuke Eve and refuse to eat, but he chose to share in her sin and, therefore, disobey God.
Once they had eaten of the fruit "the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings." (Genesis 3:7). This is an example of how man tries to cover his sins to the world, to appear "good" and "righteous" to his fellow man so he makes "aprons of fig leaves" to cover his true nature. Genesis 3:8 goes on to say "And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden." We often think we can hide our true sinful nature, but we cannot hide from God. He knows our deepest thoughts in our heart of hearts, no amount of covering or hiding can keep that from Him.
The world today would have us believe that we are "not really that bad" or we are "better than _________ (fill in any name here)" and that is "good enough". But we cannot gauge our lives against the lives of those around us who are also living in sin. We must hold to a higher standard set forth by God in the Bible. Only through salvation by Jesus' death on the cross, His word, and prayer can we be acceptable to once again dwell in the presence of our Lord God.
Lord, I pray that You will make me aware of my sin. Teach me not to live by the standards of this world, but by the standards of Your Word. Do not allow me to fall into the trap of confession and transgression, doomed to repeat my same sins over and over. Help me to learn from my mistakes and continue to grow and mature in my walk with You. Help me not to be self-serving, but to deny self and humbly serve You and my fellow man.
~Amen~
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