Genesis 3

Genesis 3:1-24

Genesis 3:1-242. Man as Sinful and Fallen (Genesis 3:1-24) Man was created, not only sinless, but a free agent and a moral being. Communion with God was by obedience, and righteousness by testing. The purpose of this chapter is to show the entrance of sin into the human race-not into the world, for sin was in the world before Adam fell, and was probably introduced into the world by the fall of Satan and his angels. The doctrine of the fall of man (Genesis 3:1-24). Other religions beside Christianity recognize this great and awful fact. Did we not possess such an account as we find in Genesis 3:1-24 of the fall of man from his original condition, we would have to invent one, for without such a narrative the present awful condition of man in such striking contrast to the picture of chapters one and two would have to be accounted for. This chapter in Genesis gives the fullest account of this awful tragedy in the experience of mankind. Other scriptures, however, should be considered in this connection (Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21; Psalms 14:1-7; Romans 3:10-23; Romans 5:12-19; 1 Timothy 2:14). When we compare Genesis 1:26 -man’ s original, sinless condition-with Genesis 6:5 -setting forth man’ s sinful and deplorably fallen state, we naturally ask for a reason for the difference between these two conditions. The reason is given in this account of the fall. This chapter is to be looked upon as actual, literal history. It is not fair to call some parts of this chapter literal, and others allegorical, mythical, and figurative. The whole chapter must be interpreted in the same manner. The geographical locations in connection with the story of the fall are historical. The curse pronounced on the man, the woman, and the ground, are certainly literal. Is it not a fact that death is in the world today as the wages of sin and not simply as a debt of nature?

Is it not a fact that the ground brings forth thorns and briers? Is it not a fact that man earns his bread by the sweat of his brow? Is it not a fact that children are born into the world over the ever thorny way of a woman’ s pain, and anguish, and fear? Unquestionably Christ and the Scripture writers regarded the event as historical and literal (Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6; 2 Corinthians 11:3; 1 Timothy 2:13-15; 1 Corinthians 15:56). It must be kept in mind that Adam and Eve were free moral agents; that while they were sinless beings, it was yet possible for them to sin, just as it was possible for them not to sin. A careful reading of the narrative leads to the following remarks on the fall: The sin of our first parents was purely volitional; it was an act of their own determination. Their sin was, like all other sin, a voluntary act of the will. It came from an outside source, that is to say, it was instigated from without. There was no sin in the nature of the first human pair. Consequently there must have been an ungodly principle already in the world. Probably the fall of Satan and the evil angels had taken place already. The essence of the first sin lay in the denial of the divine will; an elevation of the will of man over the will of God. It was a deliberate transgressing of a divinely marked boundary; an overstepping of the divine limits. In its last analysis, the first sin was, what each and every sin committed since has been, a positive disbelief in the word of the living God-a belief of Satan rather than a belief in God. It is helpful to note that the same lines of temptation that were presented to our first parents were presented to Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11), and have been to men ever since (1 John 2:15-17). Satan’ s program is short and shallow after all. Looking at the effects of the fall in Genesis alone, we see its effect on Adam and Eve, Genesis 3:1-24; their family-the murder of Abel by Cain, Genesis 4:1-26; and on the race, ending with the flood, Genesis 5:1-32; Genesis 6:1-22; Genesis 7:1-24; Genesis 8:1-22; Genesis 9:1-29. The results of the fall in the experience of our first parents were as follows: The ground was cursed, so that henceforth it would not yield good alone (Genesis 3:17). Sorrow and pain to the woman in child-bearing, and subjection of woman to the man (Genesis 3:16). Exhausting physical labor in order to subsist (Genesis 3:19). Physical and spiritual death (Genesis 3:19; Genesis 3:2; Genesis 5:5; Romans 5:12). Of course, with all this came also a fear of God, a shame because of sin, a hiding from God’ s presence, and finally, an expulsion from the garden (Genesis 3:8-11; Genesis 3:22-24). The results on the race may be summed up in the statement of Paul in Romans 5:12 -“ Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” “ For the judgment was by one to condemnation” (Romans 5:16). “ For as by one man’ s disobedience many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19). All men were in Adam when he sinned; fallen he, fallen they. Herein lies the truth of the organic unity of the race. “ In Adam all die.” All men, now, since the fall, without respect of condition or class, are sinners before God. There may be a difference in the degree, but not in the fact of sin. All men, Jew and Gentile, have missed the mark, and failed to attain to God’ s standard. There is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:9-10; Romans 3:22-23; Psalms 14:1-7; Isaiah 53:6). The whole world rests under condemnation, wrath, and curse: “ That every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). The law of God demands a perfect obedience; but no son of man can yield such obedience; hence the curse of a broken law rests upon those breaking it (Galatians 3:10; Ephesians 2:3). The wrath of God abides on all not vitally united by faith to Jesus Christ (John 3:36). Unregenerate men are regarded as children of the devil, and not sons of God. “ Ye are of your father the devil” (1 John 3:8-10; John 8:44). “ And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness (in the wicked one, R.V.)” (1 John 5:19). The whole race of men are in helpless captivity to sin and Satan (Romans 7:1-25; John 8:31-36; Ephesians 2:3). The entire nature of man, mentally, morally, spiritually, physically, is sadly affected by sin. The understanding is darkened (Ephesians 4:18; 1 Corinthians 2:14); the heart is deceitful and wicked (Jeremiah 17:9-10); the mind and conscience are defiled (Genesis 6:5; Titus 1:15); the flesh and spirit are defiled (2 Corinthians 7:5); the will is enfeebled (Romans 7:18); and we are utterly destitute of any Godlike qualities which meet the requirements of God’ s holiness (Romans 7:18). What does all this mean? “ It does not mean the entire absence of conscience (John 8:9); nor of all moral qualities (Mark 10:21); nor that men are prone to every kind of sin (for some sins exclude others). It does mean, however, that man is totally destitute of love to God which is the all-absorbing commandment of the law (John 5:42); that the natural man has an aversion to God (Romans 8:7); that all that is stated above is true of man; that man is in possession of a nature that is constantly on the down grade, and from the dominion of which he is totally unable to free himself (Romans 7:18; Romans 7:23)” -Dr. Strong. In this chapter (Genesis 3:15) we find the first Messianic promise. The Redeemer of the race is to be of “ the seed of the woman,” that is, human (cf. Galatians 4:4; Matthew 1:16-18). God’ s gracious provision at the moment of man’ s awful sin is here set forth, and from this time on the entire Bible is occupied with the development and fulfillment of this Messianic promise.