ORIGINAL SIN 2: GARDEN OF EDEN
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Original Sin
a) What is original sin? Did it start with Adam and Eve? What does the Bible say is the origin of sin? What does this mean to us today?
2. Garden of Eden
a) Romans 5:12-14 seems to give us a clue as to what may be the origin or the original sin that spread thoroughly throughout all of mankind saying, “just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given [and] reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam.” But how did this come from Adam? Wasn’t it Eve that sinned first?
b) Let’s recount the story in the Garden.
i) We read in Genesis 3:1 that “the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.” The first thing Satan does is to question whether God actually knows what is best for them, saying “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’” (Genesis 3:1)?
ii) Wait! Satan, you are a liar! God did not say that they could not eat of any tree in the Garden. He said that they could eat of any tree, any tree except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. See how crafty the deceiver is?
iii) Eve overreacted by saying that they could not even touch it (Genesis 3:3), because God did not say that either! Here is where the unholy trifecta hits humanity; the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. First Eve looked at the fruit and saw that it was “good for food” (Genesis 3:6) and that is the lust of the eyes. Then she “took of its fruit” (Genesis 3:6) and there was the lust of the flesh. She did all of this with the intent to make her wise and be like God (Genesis 3:5-6) and that’s the pride of life.
iv) What about Adam? He was not deceived. Eve was deceived but Adam went into sin with his eyes wide open! He was not off somewhere tending the Garden, no, because Eve “also gave some to her husband who was with her” (Genesis 3:6). Did you get that? Adam was with her when this happened. He didn’t speak up, he didn’t correct Satan, he didn’t believe God either, so don’t put all the blame on Eve.
v) After this, their eyes were opened and shame and guilt (and sin) entered a perfect world in the perfect Garden (Genesis 3:7) and thus the Tree of Life was cut off from mankind and they were banished from the Garden…and really, lost the opportunity for eternal life.
vi) Don’t worry, God was prepared. He knew this would happen. How do we know this? Because from “before the foundation of the world…the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 13:8). In fact, “He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1 Peter 1:20).
The End ...
1. Original Sina) What is original sin? Did it start with Adam and Eve? What does the Bible say is the origin of sin? What does this mean to us today?
2. Garden of Eden
a) Romans 5:12-14 seems to give us a clue as to what may be the origin or the original sin that spread thoroughly throughout all of mankind saying, “just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given [and] reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam.” But how did this come from Adam? Wasn’t it Eve that sinned first?
b) Let’s recount the story in the Garden.
i) We read in Genesis 3:1 that “the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.” The first thing Satan does is to question whether God actually knows what is best for them, saying “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’” (Genesis 3:1)?
ii) Wait! Satan, you are a liar! God did not say that they could not eat of any tree in the Garden. He said that they could eat of any tree, any tree except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. See how crafty the deceiver is?
iii) Eve overreacted by saying that they could not even touch it (Genesis 3:3), because God did not say that either! Here is where the unholy trifecta hits humanity; the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. First Eve looked at the fruit and saw that it was “good for food” (Genesis 3:6) and that is the lust of the eyes. Then she “took of its fruit” (Genesis 3:6) and there was the lust of the flesh. She did all of this with the intent to make her wise and be like God (Genesis 3:5-6) and that’s the pride of life.
iv) What about Adam? He was not deceived. Eve was deceived but Adam went into sin with his eyes wide open! He was not off somewhere tending the Garden, no, because Eve “also gave some to her husband who was with her” (Genesis 3:6). Did you get that? Adam was with her when this happened. He didn’t speak up, he didn’t correct Satan, he didn’t believe God either, so don’t put all the blame on Eve.
v) After this, their eyes were opened and shame and guilt (and sin) entered a perfect world in the perfect Garden (Genesis 3:7) and thus the Tree of Life was cut off from mankind and they were banished from the Garden…and really, lost the opportunity for eternal life.
vi) Don’t worry, God was prepared. He knew this would happen. How do we know this? Because from “before the foundation of the world…the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 13:8). In fact, “He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1 Peter 1:20).
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