Have you ever imagined what Adam and Eve’s lives looked like before they sin ? We don’t know much but we surely know a few fundamental things from Genesis 2:
- Adam and Eve lived in the garden of Eden
- In the garden of Eden, God had “made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food”. Genesis 2: 9
- The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was in the midst of the garden. Genesis 2: 9
- Adam and Eve were allowed to eat of every tree in the garden of Eden, but of the tree of the knowledge of food and evil, for on the day that they would eat it, they would die. Genesis 2: 16-17
- Adam and Eve were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2: 25
After they sinned, their situation changed radically. We see in Genesis 3 the consequences of their sin :
- Their eyes “were opened, and they knew that they were naked”. Genesis 3: 7.
- They were kicked out from the garden of Eden. Genesis 3:23
- Their sin brought hardship in their life : pain in childbearing, hardship in their relationship, hardship in work and productivity. Genesis 3: 16-19
- They would physically die at some point. Genesis 3:19
The verb “to die” is used for the first time in the Bible in Genesis 2: 17, when God was giving instructions to Adam about what he would eat and not : but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Death here means spiritual death, which is separation from God.
Did Adam and Eve die as God had promised when they sinned ? Yes. They were instantly separated from God and that’s the first meaning of death in the bible.
Everything has its origin in the invisible world. What we see and know, everything that is part of our lives is only a manifestation of what came first to life in the invisible world. Death was first spiritual before it touched the physical body.
Before sin, Adam and Eve were not aware of their bodies. That’s why they were naked and not ashamed. They were more aware of their spiritual nature than their physical bodies. Their spirits were alive, they had a perfect communion with God the father, and nothing interfered in their relationship with Him, neither their body, nor their feelings or flesh.
When they sinned, their spirit was separated from God and died. Their physical nature took over. Suddenly, they were aware of their bodies. They were exposed to feelings they didn’t know before: shame, fear, insecurity.
Their sin made them realize they were naked and they felt the need for a cover.
“…And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths”. Genesis 3:7
In Genesis 3: 10, Adam says to God : “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself”.
The outcome of sin was death in separation from God and separation from God gave birth to fear, shame and insecurity as we see in the verses above. Before the fall, Adam and Eve didn’t know fear, shame or any other negative feeling. Further in chapter 4, we see anger coming as well :
“ So, Cain was very angry, and his face fell”. Genesis 4: 5
We know what followed : Cain ended up killing Abel, his brother, out of anger!
After that episode, Genesis 6: 1-7 speaks about the increasing corruption on earth. In verse 5, we read that : “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually”.
Loved ones, did the trend ever change ? Did the corruption stop or decrease ? I don’t think so. Rather, even today, we keep seeing and discovering evil in every possible and even new ways. We would say that there’s competition. Everyday, we see more and more evil in the world. That’s only the consequences of sin. That’s why we need salvation from what I call descent into hell, literally as well as figuratively. Because of sin.
However, that’s not the end of the story. Salvation is available and free: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Romans 6:23
Christ has come and redeemed everything. You are no longer condemned to live under the power of evil. The descent into hell is no longer the only way. There’s hope in Christ, and he made it so easy. Just believe in him. He is willing to save you, cleanse you from all your sins and transform the desires of your heart . He has already accepted you and paid for ALL your sins, past and future. You no longer need to fear the unknown because he knows the way. He extends his hand to you and is willing to show you the way. He is the way, the truth and the life. You no longer need to be afraid of anything because he is with you, he guides your steps and makes you move forward. Are you willing to give yourself a chance ? Do you want to escape from the claws of satan and his traps that have hurt you and your loved ones so much?
Prayer : Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner. Please forgive me and change me. Cleanse from all my sin. I surrender my life to you. From now on, I receive you as my Lord and savior. I am willing to let you show me the way, because you are God over my life. In Jesus name, Amen.
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