The Beginning of Sin

Introduction

We are sinners. From the beginning, sin has been a part of human life. Genesis 3 tells of the beginning of sin. Today we are going to see the progression and consequences of sin. We are sinners, but we can have a relationship with God in spite of our sin.

Progression of Sin

Genesis 3 is not about the origin of evil. Evil is assumed to exist. The serpent is Satan’s tool used to tempt Eve. Remember we are speaking of the beginning of the world in which no sin had yet entered. Evil is present—that is, the choice to do wrong is available—but as of yet humans have not given into evil. In this story of the serpent and the woman, it is the woman’s mind which is under attack. When she finally eats the fruit, sin has already entered. The action is a logical and reasonable response to what she had already conceived in her mind.

First, God’s goodness is questioned. “Did God really say.” One can hear the intent of the words: “Can you believe a good God would limit you like this? Did he really say that you can’t eat from any tree in the garden? God isn’t really very good to you, treating you this way.”

Satan says to our minds, “You are being treated differently from someone else. If God were really good, you wouldn’t be limited this way. How can a good God deny you what you really want?” Satan attacks our faith and questions God’s consistency. The woman walked right into Satan’s trap by trying to defend God. She suddenly is focused now on the one negative in the garden—one tree. Why didn’t she focus on the hundreds of positives? There was only one tree, one law, one command which God had given which would break relationship with him, and the woman focuses on that one because Satan has opened her mind to the idea of unfairness.

Second, Satan denies God’s word. It is a natural progression. Doubt God’s goodness and then you find it easy to doubt his word. Listen to our thinking: Why did God make me so ugly? Why is my life so difficult? Why am I unhappy? I’m not sure about my salvation any longer. Sin begins in the mind. It may be conscious or unconscious, but it begins with wrong thinking.

Every one of those ideas are covered in God’s word. God assures us about who we are and his place in our lives and our salvation. Those doubts are not from God; they are from the evil one whose main weapon is deception. If we begin to think that we are being treated unfairly, then the next step is to question God’s promises. This is Satan’s work.

Third, Satan questions God’s motives. “God is trying to keep you in the dark so you can’t know everything. God is trying to control you. You don’t want to be controlled. There is so much more to life than this little garden. There is something better, and eating this fruit will prove God to be wrong. God is afraid that you will know as much as he does. He just doesn’t want you to enjoy life as much as you can.”

This is the deception of the ego. This desire to be our own god kicks in. We want to call the shots. We want to be in control. We do not want to submit to anyone. What a great lie—you can be like God. You can see things more clearly if you will listen to Satan. It is such a believable lie.

Fourth, the woman focuses on the temptation rather than fleeing from it. The woman can still say no, but the desires aroused by Satan through deception are so powerful. The longer she looks at the fruit, the longer she thinks about Satan’s alternatives, the longer she thinks she is missing out on something and that this piece of fruit may be the link to her total happiness, the more likely she is to say yes. She yields to her defiled mind. The battle was fought. War was going on in her mind. She didn’t resist. She yields to the physical desire (food), emotional delight (pleasant), and intellectual pride (wise).

She now willfully disobeys God. She believes she will be released from her doubts. She will be a truly independent person. She will be her own god. And for a while it is true. She leads the man to join her in the pleasures of sin. Sin hurts not only the person but others who are connected to that person. The woman seduces the man to sin. This is why in later passages in 1 Timothy and 1 Corinthians the creation order is upheld as God’s intention for the husband-wife relationship. The sin comes because the mind is deceived.

What are the Consequences of Sin?

First, there is shame. According to Genesis 2:25, they had been unashamed in seeing each other naked. Innocence is shattered. What was once innocent is now seen to be evil.

Second, there is separation from God. They seek to hide themselves from God’s presence. They hide behind trees hoping God can’t find them.

Third, there is a lack of accepting responsibility. The man blames the woman and God. The woman blames the serpent. What did the woman recognize about the serpent? “He deceived me.” That is Satan’s number one weapon.

Fourth, there is judgment upon man and woman separately and as a unit. This judgment affects harmony between the couple and between them and nature.

Fifth, life is disrupted. The couple are forced to leave Paradise. This is for their own good, for if they eat of the tree of life they will live forever, and who wants to live forever with eternal death knowing our own sin? This isn’t living.

Sixth, there is an on-going war revealed in 3:15.

The Curse and Victory

In the curse to the serpent in verses 14-15, it is difficult to tell what is meant for the serpent and which is meant for Satan. Verse 14 seems to go with the serpent. Crawling on the ground and eating dust are the ways of the snake today. However, verse 15 is perplexing. It seems that the curse is intended for both the serpent and Satan.

Most people have a genuine fear of snakes and would rather kill one than anything else. If we understand this to be the serpent, then this enmity was to last. The curse does not end. If we apply this verse to Satan, the hostility between woman’s offspring and Satan’s offspring is being described.

The last part of the curse needs to be understood. The word “crush” in the Bible is the same word as “strike.” The word’s meaning is obscure but leans more to the idea of “bruise.” In other words, the curse is “he will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.” Is this a reference to Jesus? It has been believed to be for centuries.

The point is this: the result is Satan’s bruising the heel while his head is bruised. The end result is much more painful for Satan than for woman’s offspring. There is mutual hostility between Satan and the woman. God establishes the hostility. God can’t put things back the way they were, but he can help humans have a defense against Satan. The result will eventually be Satan’s losing. The idea of being under one’s feet is an image of defeat in scripture. God wants you to win, but to be victorious is to be in relationship with Jesus.

Follow Jesus

If you’d like to respond to this message or learn more about following Jesus, please reach out.