Genesis
3:6-7 (NASB):
When the woman saw that
the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the
tree was desirable to make one
wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with
her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them
were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves
together and made themselves loin coverings.
Do you remember what you did as a child
when you knew you did something wrong? Many times, it involved hiding in your
bedroom, behind the couch, or somewhere else so you would not be “discovered.”
There is an internal “alarm” within each of us that alerts us when we have
disobeyed an instruction, rule, or law. If you have ever been pulled over by
law enforcement for speeding, you know firsthand the emotions of embarrassment
and shame as cars go by you. There is no question that God has placed within
humans the ability to recognize when we sin.
Here in our passage today, we begin to see
the effects of the temptation that Satan presented Eve with in the garden. Satan
never directly told Eve to disobey God. He simply clouded her mind with doubt
and then watched as an internal struggle took over. Eve now looked at the
forbidden tree in a different way. It no longer seemed dangerous or off-limits.
Instead, it looked pleasant and seemed to be a source of wisdom. The fruit
appeared to be good for food. The combination of Eve’s now self-focused desires
and Satan’s deceptive lives had a tragic result. Eve took fruit from the
forbidden tree and ate. Then she gave some to Adam and he also ate. They both
sinned. They both would suffer the consequences of their actions.
1. Whenever
we begin to rationalize disobedience to God, we fall into Satan’s
trap.
The Book of James teaches that the
downward spiral of sin begins when temptation connects with selfish desires and
leads to the committing of sins and finally to the consequences of death.
James
1:14-15 (NASB):
But each one is tempted
when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to
sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
It
is important to realize that while temptation can lead to sin, temptation by
itself is not sin. Had Adam and Eve resisted
the serpent’s crafty arguments, the world today might be very different.
However, the woman began to reason in light of the serpent’s lies and,
consequently, started to reject God’s command.
Three aspects of the forbidden tree made a
connection with the Eve’s inner desires. First, she concluded that “the tree
was good for food.” That is, it bore fruit that could be eaten. The Hebrew word
for “good” [tôwb] can mean both “attractive” and “morally appropriate.” It is
the same term God used seven times in Genesis 1 in evaluating what He had
created. Perhaps in her mind the woman was now attempting to be like God in pronouncing
something as good.
Second, the woman saw that the tree was “delightful
to look at” (“pleasant to the eyes,” KJV). Sin can have a strong sensory
appeal. 1 John 2:16 (NASB) tells us, “For
all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the
boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Yet, few people might engage in sinful behavior if they paused to see the true consequences
of ruined bodies, shattered families, and wasted lives.
Third, Eve saw the tree as “desirable for
wisdom.” In Scripture, wisdom is the practical outworking of knowledge. True
wisdom begins when the fear the Lord (Proverbs 9:10-11). In this proverb the
word “fear” in Hebrew is [yir̉âh]. It means literally means “moral reverence.”
It is viewed as a positive quality. This type of fear acknowledges God’s good
intentions and is produced by God’s Word. When a person “fears “in this sense
they are receptive to God’s wisdom and knowledge The apostle Paul declared that
Christ came as, “God-given wisdom for us-our righteousness, sanctification, and
redemption” (1 Cor. 1:30). Eve was tempted to grasp at self-centered wisdom.
This type of wisdom leads to disobeying God rather than fearing and honoring Him.
Eve’s rationalizations culminated in sinful
behavior. She let her desires control her actions. “She took some of [the tree’s]
fruit and ate it. To take the fruit required touching it, which Eve stated was
enough to bring death. Perhaps in the split second that she handled the fruit without
dropping dead, Eve felt vindicated in doubting God and in believing the serpent
(Satan).
God had not said the man and woman would experience
instant death, but that they would “certainly die” (Gen. 2:17). The emphasis
was on the certainty of judgment rather than the timing. Eve, however, already had
believed the lie that God had not been totally honest with the couple.
2. Sin
always affects everyone around us.
Sin loves company. Eve “also gave some [of
the fruit] to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” The phrase “who
was with her” could mean that Adam stood by during the entire conversation
between the serpent and the woman. If so, then Adam’s sin appears all the more
deliberate. He failed to refute the serpent’s lies or to correct Eve’s misstatement.
He failed to rebuke the tempter’s accusations against God. Finally, he stood
silently as his wife reached into the forbidden tree, took its fruit, and ate.
When Adam also ate, it was the outward act of several sins of omission. James
4:17 (NASB), “Therefore, to one who knows
the right thing to do and does
not do it, to him it is sin.” Eve was deceived by the serpent’s
guile (2 Cor. 11:3). Adam was not deceived but chose to participate in the sin
nonetheless (1 Tim. 2:14).
3. Sin
always leaves us feeling guilt and shame.
In
verse seven we see the results of sin and disobedience. The serpent had
promised that the couple’s eyes would be opened upon eating from the forbidden
tree. However, it failed to mention what they would see-or more precisely, how
they would see. After their sin, the man and woman perceived themselves and each
other in a shameful light. Prior to sin, they were innocent. They were naked
but felt no shame. Adam and Eve’s disobedience brought shame to God’s once
perfect creation.
The
text says “they knew” (“realized,” NIV) “they were naked.” The Hebrew term
translated “knew” refers to experiential awareness. Prior to their sin, the man
and woman had only experienced good. Being naked was not a source of shame; it
was a feature of what God declared to be good. After their sin, the couple’s
nakedness revealed not just their shame but also the evil of their hearts. They
had distrusted and disobeyed the God who made them.
Like
so many people do today, the first man and woman sought to cover their shame
themselves. “They sewed fig leaves together and main loincloths” (“aprons,”
KJV; “coverings,” NIV). Ironically, the first sin was followed immediately by
the first attempt by people to obtain salvation by works. Then and now,
however, salvation comes only “by grace through faith, and this is not from
yourselves; it is God’s gift-not from works, so that no one can boast”
(Ephesians 2:8-9). We may offer good works in vain attempts at covering our
sins. However, as with Adam and Eve, God sees our sin and guilt and holds us
accountable.
I
cannot help but feel such remorse and sadness when I read these verses. Adam
and Eve had the perfect environment, but chose to give in to their own desires.
You may be struggling with guilt and shame from past sin and disobedience in
your life. The beautiful aspect of God’s love is that He sent His Son Jesus
Christ to rescue you from that guilt and shame. 1 John 1:9 (NASB) tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” There is hope and restoration through Jesus. Allow
Him to bring renewed joy and peace into your life today.
Applying the Scriptures:
How does Adam and Eve’s
sin affect our lives? Why do think so many people continue to reject God’s love
and choose death over life?
Serving Christ, Loving
Others, and Growing Together,
Dr.
Bryan Cox
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