Genesis 3

Genesis 3Genesis 3The Fall of The Fall of the Human Race the Human Race

Why does a fall from grace Why does a fall from grace matter?matter?Compare creationCompare creation1:10 …and God saw that it was good.1:10 …and God saw that it was good.1:12 …and God saw that it was good.1:12 …and God saw that it was good.1:17 …and God saw that it was good.1:17 …and God saw that it was good.1:21 …and God saw that it was good.1:21 …and God saw that it was good.1:25 …and God saw that it was good.1:25 …and God saw that it was good.1:31 And God saw all that He had 1:31 And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was made, and behold, it was very goodvery good. .

Genesis 3Genesis 3

Genesis 3Genesis 3Why does a fall from grace Why does a fall from grace matter?matter?Compare creationCompare creationTo what we see todayTo what we see todaySomething must have Something must have happened! happened!

Genesis 3Genesis 3Without the fall:Without the fall:The world is The world is normal, and as normal, and as it should beit should be

With the fall:With the fall:The world is The world is abnormal, and abnormal, and brokenbroken

Genesis 3Genesis 3Without the fall:Without the fall:The world is The world is normal, and as normal, and as it should beit should beAny problems Any problems on earth on earth are God’s are God’s responsibilityresponsibility

With the fall:With the fall:The world is The world is abnormal, and abnormal, and brokenbrokenThe problems The problems on earth on earth are humans’ are humans’ responsibilityresponsibility

Genesis 3Genesis 3Without the fall:Without the fall:The world is The world is normal, and as normal, and as it should beit should beAny problems Any problems on earth on earth are God’s are God’s responsibilityresponsibilityGod = author of God = author of human evilhuman evil

With the fall:With the fall:The world is The world is abnormal, and abnormal, and brokenbrokenThe problems The problems on earth on earth are humans’ are humans’ responsibilityresponsibilityGod = author of God = author of human freedomhuman freedom

Genesis 3Genesis 31 Now the serpent was the shrewdest of 1 Now the serpent was the shrewdest of

all the creatures the Lord God had all the creatures the Lord God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. made. “Really?” he asked the woman. “Did God really say you must not eat “Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?”any of the fruit in the garden?”



The serpent = Satan The serpent = Satan



The serpent = Satan The serpent = Satan Rev 12:10 “Satan; the devil Rev 12:10 “Satan; the devil and serpent of old…”and serpent of old…”Satan exists!Satan exists!


all the creatures the Lord God had all the creatures the Lord God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. made. “Really?” he asked the woman. ““Did God really sayDid God really say you must not eat you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?”any of the fruit in the garden?”


all the creatures the Lord God had all the creatures the Lord God had made. “Really?” he asked the woman. made. “Really?” he asked the woman. ““Did God really sayDid God really say you must not eat you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?”any of the fruit in the garden?”

First step:Questions and distorts the word of God“Can you believe he said that?”

Genesis 3Genesis 32 “Of course we may eat it,” the woman 2 “Of course we may eat it,” the woman

told him. told him. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree at the 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree at the

center of the garden that we are not center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it eat it or even touch itor even touch it, or we will die.” , or we will die.”

Genesis 3Genesis 32 “Of course we may eat it,” the woman 2 “Of course we may eat it,” the woman

told him. told him. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree at the 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree at the

center of the garden that we are not center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it eat it or even touch itor even touch it, or we will die.” , or we will die.”

Questionable quotation Questionable quotation

of 2:16,17 of 2:16,17More restrictive than More restrictive than what God said what God said

Genesis 3Genesis 34 And the serpent said to the woman, 4 And the serpent said to the woman,

““You surely shall not dieYou surely shall not die!”!”

Denies the word of God

Genesis 3Genesis 35 “For God knows that in the day 5 “For God knows that in the day

you eat from it your eyes will be you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”knowing good and evil.”

Replaces the Replaces the word of Godword of God



The real explanation... Partially true!



The real explanation... Partially true!Fundamentally false



Basic effect:suspicion re. God!



Basic effect:suspicion re. God!

c.f. last week:The importance of trust



The importance of accusation and slander to Satan

Genesis 3Genesis 36 When the woman saw that the fruit 6 When the woman saw that the fruit

of the tree was good for food and of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.her, and he ate it.


of the tree was of the tree was good for foodgood for food and and pleasing to the eyepleasing to the eye, and also , and also desirable for gaining wisdomdesirable for gaining wisdom, she , she took some and ate it. She also gave took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.her, and he ate it.

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Happens to correlate with three things that animate the world system still today



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1 John 2:15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world… 16 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.



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1 John 2:15 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world… 16 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.

Genesis 3Genesis 37 At that moment, their eyes were 7 At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. shame at their nakedness.

Genesis 3Genesis 37 At that moment, their eyes were 7 At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover around their hips to cover themselves.themselves.

Genesis 3Genesis 37 At that moment, their eyes were 7 At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover around their hips to cover themselves.themselves.Psychological alienation

Genesis 3Genesis 38 Then the man and his wife 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lordhid from the Lord God among God among the trees of the garden.the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3Genesis 38 Then the man and his wife 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lordhid from the Lord God among God among the trees of the garden.the trees of the garden.Theological alienation

Genesis 3Genesis 39 But the Lord God called to the 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”because I was naked; so I hid.”



Dishonesty



11 And he said, “Who told you that 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”you not to eat from?”



11 And he said, “Who told you that 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”you not to eat from?”

Giving Adam a chance to confess

Genesis 3Genesis 312 The man said, “The woman 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me--she gave you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”I ate it.”

Genesis 3Genesis 312 The man said, “The woman 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me--she gave you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”I ate it.”

Sociological alienation

Genesis 3Genesis 317 “Cursed is the ground 17 “Cursed is the ground because of you; through because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.”all the days of your life.”

Genesis 3Genesis 317 “Cursed is the ground 17 “Cursed is the ground because of you; through because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.”all the days of your life.”

Ecological alienation

The Outcome of the FallThe Outcome of the FallGod gave us things to enjoy God gave us things to enjoy before the fallbefore the fall


Benevolent rulershipCreative accomplishmentFree moral agentRelationalIntellectual creativitySex, unity & diversityShameless, uninhibited & free

AfterAfterBeforeBefore




Becoming Becoming “like God” “like God” put self at put self at the centerthe center



Selfish dominationAfterAfterBeforeBefore



Selfish dominationWork = Drudgery & identity base



Benevolent rulershipCreative accomplishmentFree moral agentRelational Intellectual creativitySex, unity & diversityShameless, uninhibited & free

Selfish dominationWork = Drudgery & identity baseSubstantially lost




Selfish dominationWork = Drudgery & identity baseSubstantially lostCan’t relate--lonely




Selfish dominationDrudgery & identity baseSubstantially lostCan’t relate--lonelyRom. 1:21 “futile”

AfterAfterBeforeBeforeRomans 1:21 For although they knew Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but God nor gave thanks to him, but their their thinking became futilethinking became futile and their and their foolish hearts were darkened.foolish hearts were darkened.



Selfish dominationWork = Drudgery & identity baseSubstantially lostCan’t relate--lonelyRom. 1:21 “futile”Sexual exploitation




Selfish dominationWork = Drudgery & identity baseSubstantially lostCan’t relate--lonelyRom. 1:21 “futile”Sexual exploitationAshamed, tied up in selves, afraid of God





AfterAfterBeforeBeforeEach can be Each can be substantially substantially recovered in recovered in Christ!Christ!




AfterAfterBeforeBeforeEach can be Each can be substantially substantially recovered in recovered in Christ!Christ!

Next Week!

Next Week!

ConclusionsConclusionsThe first humans fell because they The first humans fell because they

distrusted Goddistrusted God


distrusted Goddistrusted GodThe road back begins with The road back begins with trusting Godtrusting God


distrusted Goddistrusted GodThe road back begins with The road back begins with trusting Godtrusting God

John 5:24John 5:24“I tell you the truth, whoever “I tell you the truth, whoever

hears my word and hears my word and believesbelieves him him who sent me has eternal life and who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has will not be condemned; he has

crossed over from death to life.” crossed over from death to life.”

The Effects of the FallThe Effects of the FallComments?Comments?Questions?Questions?Experiences?Experiences?

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Genesis 3