Detox for the soul #3

April 22, 2020

Today is Wednesday. It also happens to be the 50^th “Earth Day.” I’m going to get back to that, so keep reading.

“Adam sinned, and that sin brought death into the world. Now everyone has sinned, and so everyone must die.” [Romans 5:12 CEV] In the Bible, “death” refers to physical death but not the end of existence. “Death” also refers to spiritual death, which involves being separated from God for eternity.

As soon as Adam sinned, a bunch of things went wrong. These consequences have been called the “Curse.” Humanity is thrown into degradation, slavery, and the ruin of the soul. As you read, keep in mind there is a direct correlation between becoming unholy and being unhappy.

The immediate consequences must have come as a shock. “At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.” [Genesis 3:7 NLT] The first consequences is a broken relationship. They feel shame over their nakedness and attempt to cover themselves, unsuccessfully. We witness the descent into degradation.

They also felt a disconnection from God. “When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.” [Genesis 3:8 NLT] Why did they feel the need to hide from God? A few verses later Adam explains to God, ...“I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.” [Genesis 3:10 NLT] Humans and animals live in an uneasy hostility and fear of one another. Adam takes such a posture with God. Ironically, Adam created in the image of God, who wanted to be “like God” has lowered himself to little more than an animal. We witness his self-determination slip out of his control into slavery. 

Adam refusing to take responsibility, begins the blame game. “The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.” [Genesis 3:12 NLT] Adam blames the woman who, is a gift from God. Adam doubles down on the blame by trying to make God responsible. Eve then blames the devil (see verse 13). We witness the decent in the ruin of the soul, not only separated from God but hostile to God.

Satan is lowered to the status of eating dust. Contempt and ultimate defeat are promised, “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” [Genesis 3:15 NLT] This is considered the first promise of humanity’s redemption and restoration in Christ.

Eve in given pain in child birth and a vicious struggle with men. “Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you.” [Genesis 3:16 NLT] In today’s world we see the results of this in divorce, abuse, assault, slavery, and inequality. None of this was God’s design.

Adam is cursed with the struggle to survive, “And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.” [Genesis 3:17 NLT] Because of Adam, the world is cursed, broken, chained in sin's effects, and unnatural. I think those who are celebrating Earth Day are feeling these consequences and admitting the brokenness of the world. The desire to see renewal and restoration can only be realized in Christ.

Demonstrating the cost of their sin and showing what “death” meant, “And the Lord God made clothing from animal skins for Adam and his wife.” [Genesis 3:21 NLT] God sets a legal precedent for sacrifice to cover the shame and guilt of sin. As David put it, “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” [Psalm 32:1 ESV]

Now that we know the toxin, how do we detox? I’m so glad you asked!!! I’ll be tackling that question tomorrow.