Night 3 – Divine Salvation “In the beginning” Night 3 – Divine Salvation

EVERYTHING in the Bible comes out of Genesis 1-3 Seedbed of the Bible Challenge: EVERYTHING in the Bible comes out of Genesis 1-3 ALL Doctrines and Principles found in the Bible originate from Genesis 1-3 THM: We must value, understand and interpret correctly!

THM: Render to God the things that are God’s! Divine Purpose God had a focus – a special creation… Days 1-6 World & all in it Day 7 God’s Rest Day 6 Man for for “Image and Likeness” Isa 45v18 “I formed it to be INHABITED” – Heb “A place to dwell”. God dwells in us when we reflect & manifest Him. THM: Render to God the things that are God’s!

Excellent, delightful, pleasant Straight, right, correct, even, true Man before the Fall “Very Good” Excellent, delightful, pleasant Genesis 1v8 “Made man Upright” Straight, right, correct, even, true Ecclesiastes 7v29 A beautifully balanced mental and moral state. Given the capacity to understand God’s will and so be able to chose actions that gave God glory without bias.

Man’s Potential Moral Faculties Lust Emotions Memory Justice, Mercy, Faith, Hope, Love (Agape), Loyalty, Gratitude Flesh, Eye, Pride Anger, Fear, Hate, Love (Phileo), Jealousy Your history, good and bad   CONSCIOUSNESS – REASONING – DECISIONS These attributes man was capable of – so latent within him. God purpose was to educate man by divine law into manifesting His moral attributes – to reflect God in him.

Man’s Education “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof dying thou shalt die”. (Gen 2v16) Moral Attributes “Tree of Life” Immortality God in man Populate the world with righteous beings Lusts, Instinct “Tree of knowledge of good & evil” Experience good v Evil Subject to sin & death World full of sorrow

Man When Created God Man Man being made “very good” is in harmony with his Righteous Creator. God God out of Love creates a race of people to reflect His Glory. Man

The Serpent Subtil – Observant, prudent, quick to perceive, crafty. “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made” 3v1 Subtil – Observant, prudent, quick to perceive, crafty. Not an evil characteristic, rather a good one. “…be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Matt 10v16)

Animal Understanding Intellect – can learn & observe Instincts, Basic needs - hunger “Moral Sentiments” – capacity to think upon spiritual concepts, principles. Ability to understand right from wrong.

The Serpent Reasons God said “Every tree with one exception.” “And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Gen 3v1) God said “Every tree with one exception.” Serpent said “Can it really be that you can't eat of every tree?” “Just think about this logically, why would God say that?”

Eve’s Godly Reply “And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Gen 3v2-3 Eve speaks positively – showing that God is generous. “touch it” - Indicates prior intent by Adam & Eve to obey God (Matt 5v29-30) God gave us everything (except one) to teach us His principles by obedience.

Selfish appeal to lusts and logic ONLY The Serpent Lies “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Gen 3v4-5 If God is stopping you from eating that tree, there must be something special about that tree! If they educated you, they know everything about good & evil, also are immortal. Eating is the way you can become like them. So God is holding something back from you. Then sin will be beneficial to you. You can get wisdom and immortality NOW. Selfish appeal to lusts and logic ONLY

The Serpent’s Thinking… “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” NKJV (John 8v43-45)

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world” Rom 5v12 Who's Responsible? Although Eve initiated the events, Adam also took of the fruit… “She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” Gen 3v6 … but God held Adam responsible because he was given the leadership and… “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world” Rom 5v12 … he was failing to lead. He “hearkened to the voice of his wife”, not tricked into sin. “And Adam, was not deceived, whereas the woman, having been wholly deceived, hath come to be in transgression” Roth 1 Tim 2v14

Lust Enflamed Adam & Eve adopt Serpent’s logic. They “saw” in a way they had never seen before… “That it was pleasant (Heb: desire) to the eyes, and a tree desired (Heb: lust after) to make one wise” Gen 3v6 They had awakened a desire and lust toward satisfying themselves … “The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life” 1 John 2v16-17

Sin’s Consequences MENTAL MORAL PHYSICAL “The eyes of them were open” This was an external flag of inward effect of sin. Sin had brought about a change in the condition of man’s nature. “They went and hid themselves” Shame, a defiled conscience. MENTAL “Knew they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together…” Awaken in them an uncontrollable desire/lust. Their nature was now prone towards sin. MORAL “Dying thou shalt die…” By Divine judgment, they were now cursed to a body of mortality, a body of death PHYSICAL “For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of Him who subjected it in hope” (Rom 8v20)

Effect on Mankind Sin disrupted the harmony/unity in creation, (separation between God and man). Sin caused a consequence of death This consequence effected all humanity after that, without exception. Resulting in all mankind being sinners, with the exception of one. “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” Rom 5v12

Temptation now Internal “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is being drawn away of his own lust, and being enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” RSV James 1v13-15 Inescapable law of our nature, within us… our flesh lusts, which drags us away to evil… our lusts only bring forth sin, actions contrary to God… Sin pays only one wage, DEATH.

Self Tempters External Serpent Internal Serpent REASONING Lust Moral Emotions Memory LUST Before Fall – External Temptation After Fall – Internal Temptation External Serpent Internal Serpent The Propensities or the base desires are now selfishly and carnally biased. Like the serpent they are AMORAL & operate upon man’s thinking. Unhindered by the moral faculties they produce a “carnal mind”.

*With the obvious and needful exception of Christ! “Made strong” Lust Becomes A Giant Before sin, lust was latent and controlled. However now… Enflamed Lusts are part of man’s fleshly constitution “in the lusts of our flesh” (Eph 2v3, Gal 5v16) Lust is a “law of sin” residing in us. “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind” (Rom 7v23) Lusts are so strong (out of control) that they can trick us. “The old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts” (Eph 4v22) Lust “reigns” in man and hence all* mankind will inevitably sin “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” (Rom 6v12) “For all* have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3v21) *With the obvious and needful exception of Christ! “Made strong”

Man’s Condition And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. (Gen 6v5) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way. (Isa 53v6) For we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. (Rom 5v10) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Gal 5v17)

Man after Sin Entered God SIN Man Man who has wronged God is separated from his creator. Now he deserves to die. God SIN God who is Righteous and Holy must not look upon sin. Man

Is God’s Plan destroyed? Humanly speaking there was 4 possibilities… Disregard sin – sweep it under the carpet. Unrighteous of God – His will not vindicated To substitute an innocent victim and allow the guilty sinner to go free. Unrighteous of God – shows God only after blood to appease Him To destroy both Adam and Eve To admit that creation was a failure, His name not praised or...

A REPRESENTATIVE SACRIFICE WHICH WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH God’s Choice… To enforce God’s law against sin…(Gen 3v19) …but provide a sinless man who through his sacrifice demonstrates God’s righteousness… …but open up a way of forgiveness! (Gen 3v21) A REPRESENTATIVE SACRIFICE WHICH WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Rom 6v23

Genesis 3v15 is the CORNERSTONE of the entire Bible! God’s Promise in Eden “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Gen 3v15) Seed of the Serpent Seed of the Woman Thinking of the Flesh – Carnal Mind Thinking of the Spirit – Pure, truth Genesis 3v15 is the CORNERSTONE of the entire Bible!

Tree of Life “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden a Cherubim, even a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” Angels as God’s manifestation Psa 104v4 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee today, thou shalt be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23v43) “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Rev 2v7) “In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” (Rev 22v2)