Title: God's Judgment (Gen. 03:8-24)
Content 1. Human Responsibility for Sin
Some people question whether Satan has any reason to take responsibility for the sins that Satan corrupted and tempted them to sin. But the Bible clearly shows that man is responsible for sin (Romans 3:23, 6:23).
Adam and Eve misuse their free will to obey the devil and disobey God. God did not test them. Man has voluntarily left God. Of course, God tests us to increase our faith, but He does not test us with evil (James 1:13).
There are two exams. One is called 'peirazo' in Greek, which refers to the temptation given by the devil, and the other is 'tokimazo', a test that God gives to elevate our faith to the next level. The temptation of 'Tokimazo' gives us more blessings and grace, but the temptation of the devil, 'Feirazo', only hurts us greatly.
Adam and Eve were tempted by 'Peirazzo' and were attracted by greed, resulting in sin. Sin inevitably demands responsibility and a price for it. Therefore, man must be held responsible for the crimes he has committed. As a result, human beings were condemned to eternal destruction due to their sins and had no choice but to bear the punishment.
But God, who is gracious, has opened the way for mankind to make atonement. So, in the Old Testament times, animals were sacrificed to make atonement. However, today, if you believe in Jesus and repent of your sins through Jesus' death on the cross, you can receive the grace of atonement.
2. God's judgment.
God loved man and made a covenant of blessing, but man broke that covenant and committed a sin. Therefore, the God of justice was compelled to judge those who sinned. That is why the serpent, the woman, Adam, and all things in nature were judged.
1) Judgment against the snake
The serpent, who served as Satan's instrument to corrupt mankind, received the most severe punishment. Even though the serpent was only Satan's instrument, the reason he received such a severe punishment is because he is a model of Satan and all evil forces. God gave the serpent the following judgment:
“Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and above all beasts of the field, that you go on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you your enemies against women, and your descendants against women, and your descendants will crush your head. and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:14, 15).
Here we can see how much God hates the serpent's head, that is, Satan destroys sin. And you said it would happen. The grace and plan of God's redemption to be accomplished through Jesus Christ, the descendant of the woman, is also the hope of mankind.
2) Judgment against women.
“I will greatly increase the pain of childbearing, and you will labor and bear children, and you will long for your husband, and he will rule over you” (Genesis 3:16). It wasn't very big, but since I sinned and was punished, every time I conceived and gave birth, I could see that there was a risk and pain that I had to risk my life for. Also, as a punishment for sin, women had to live a life that had no choice but to depend on men.
3) Judgment on Adam
"He said to Adam, "You listen to your wife, and I say to you, "You must not eat from one tree." Cursed is the land because of you; and you must toil all the days of your life to eat of it. The earth will bring forth thorns and thistles for you to eat These are the vegetables of the field, and in the sweat of your face you will eat food, and in the end you will return to the ground, for in it you were taken" (Genesis 3:17-19).
God punished Adam for disobedience with a curse and death. When the soul was in good health, all things went well and health followed (3 John 1:2), but when the spirit died, all his life became entangled in sweat and thorns and thistles, and disease devours health and finally leads to death. that was meant to go away. Therefore, in order for us to be freed from the curse, first of all, the soul must be well.
4) Judgment on nature
“Cursed is the earth because of you, and you will toil all the days of your life, and you will eat of its fruit; and the earth will bring forth thorns and thistles” (Genesis 3:17, 18).
Adam and Eve were the masters of the environment that governed all things. However, when the master fell and was punished, all the natural environments under his control were also punished. As a result, fertile fertile soil was turned into thin soil overnight, and the land that had been lush with various fruit-bearing trees became covered with thorns and thistles overnight.
God judged those who sinned with justice, and that judgment was always a punishment. But God did not stop at judging sin, but also provided a plan of redemption to deliver all mankind from sin, judgment, and death through Jesus Christ.
Living the Word =
1. God is not only a good God, but also a God of justice. Let's testify of what we experienced while insisting on sin.
2. Let's think about why Jesus, the sinless person, was crucified.