Enter Sin

Dear class,

Today's readings are taken from Genesis 3,4 and Ephesians 2.

We read of how sin entered the world through one, yet thanks be to God, how through another will it be conquered! (c.f. Rom 5:12 ff)

An interesting observation as we consider the passages in Genesis 3
(Gen 3:12)  And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

(Gen 3:17)  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

Then we consider a passage in 1Timothy 2
(1Ti 2:14)  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

So, what was Adam's sin? Was God unjust in imputing sin to Adam, since he apparently did eat out of a "good conscience" being not privy to the source of the fruit?

What if Eve had given Adam poison? Would Adam have suffered the ill effects of poison because he didn't know it was?

The bible is clear as to what sin is - the transgression of law (1Jn 3:4). It was undeniable that Adam broke the law. He ate the forbidden fruit. That was why he had to suffer it's consequence. We can go on till the cow comes home about the "fairness" of things but it is perhaps more beneficial to focus on the lessons therein:

1) We are personally responsible
Could Adam have inquired about the source of the fruit? He certainly could have. Wherefore the bible exhorts us to prove all things! (1Th 5:21) He assumed and paid the price.

2) Sin is sin
The circumstance is immaterial. Where there's transgression, there's sin! And regardless, sin committed has to be repented of. We read of the pattern in OT (remember bro Patrick Swayne's lesson on OT anti-types) of how the Israelites had to likewise make atonement for sins of ignorance (Lev 4). Again we can waste our life away arguing about the circumstance or just deal with it right away, in God's way.

3) God has the solution
Most importantly, God in His Great mercy gave the answer! (As we read in Eph 2) It wasn't as if Adam and Eve had no chance at all! Far be from it, since salvation was determined of God before the foundation of the world! (1Pe 1:20) Woe to us that man should transgress and sin should enter. Yet thanks be to God for His wondrous providence for man to be reconciled in Christ.  It remains for us to render our obedience and receive forgiveness and life or continue to wallow in sin and self-pity and face eternal damnation.

Wherefore let us be sober and vigilant! (1Pe 5:8) Look out for one another, exhort one another, restore one another, even snatch one another out of the clutches of sin (Heb 3:13; Gal 6:1; Jud 23). That we might all obtain the crown of righteousness. Never let it once for us to adopt a cross arm-pout lip-self-righteous indignation and allow our hearts to harden beyond hope.

The Lord bless our day ahead.

in Him
Paul



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But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ~ Hebrews 3:13

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. ~ James 1:22