1. Broken Fellowship Pastor Lee P. Washington Reid Temple AME Church

2. Romans 5:12-21 Paul traces the entrance of sin into the world through Adam’s disobedience. Paul traces the entrance of sin into the world through Adam’s disobedience. Gen. 3 is crucial to Christian understanding of our human sinfulness. Gen. 3 is crucial to Christian understanding of our human sinfulness. The intent of the author of Gen. 3 was to paint a picture of disobedient humanity. The intent of the author of Gen. 3 was to paint a picture of disobedient humanity. Gen. 3 teaches us the lesson of humanity who refused to trust and follow the God who created them. Gen. 3 teaches us the lesson of humanity who refused to trust and follow the God who created them.

3. The Effects of Original Sin Original sin fundamentally altered the perfect world that God created. Original sin fundamentally altered the perfect world that God created. Sin continues to alter the peace of your mind and your life. Sin continues to alter the peace of your mind and your life. Sin entering the world serves as the backdrop for good news about God’s action through Jesus to bring salvation. Sin entering the world serves as the backdrop for good news about God’s action through Jesus to bring salvation. Following Adam and Eve leads to a never ending cycle of disobedience in our lives. Following Adam and Eve leads to a never ending cycle of disobedience in our lives.

4. Pre-Sin Condition of the World God and humanity interacted freely and naturally. God and humanity interacted freely and naturally. Humanity enjoyed an unbroken, unchained and perfect relationship with God with the environment, and between each other. Humanity enjoyed an unbroken, unchained and perfect relationship with God with the environment, and between each other. There was abundance of food which was pleasing to the eye and good for food. There was abundance of food which was pleasing to the eye and good for food.

5. God’s Restrictions Humans were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil. V17 Humans were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of Good and evil. V17 Humans were to avoid consuming the fruit of this tree because if they did so, they would die. Humans were to avoid consuming the fruit of this tree because if they did so, they would die. This was not an infringement on their freedom but as a safeguard for their own-well being. This was not an infringement on their freedom but as a safeguard for their own-well being.

6. Post-Sin Condition of the World Harmony and the peace was fractured and broken. Harmony and the peace was fractured and broken. Temptation came and carried the day in the midst of the perfect world. Temptation came and carried the day in the midst of the perfect world. Sin did not strike at a moment of weakness or stress. Sin did not strike at a moment of weakness or stress. As followers of Jesus we no longer live in paradise and the risk to fall is greater. As followers of Jesus we no longer live in paradise and the risk to fall is greater.

7. The Danger of God Talk v:1-3 The fall came in the midst of the first conversation about God or God talk. The fall came in the midst of the first conversation about God or God talk. The serpent initiates the conversation by pressing Eve and Adam is silent. V6 The serpent initiates the conversation by pressing Eve and Adam is silent. V6 The danger is to turn God into an object rather than treating God as the subject of a genuine relationship. The danger is to turn God into an object rather than treating God as the subject of a genuine relationship. Chapter 2 Adam and Eve lived in vital relationship with God. Chapter 2 Adam and Eve lived in vital relationship with God.

8. The Danger of God Talk Continued The Serpent invited Eve and Adam to talk about God rather than to speak to or with God. The Serpent invited Eve and Adam to talk about God rather than to speak to or with God. God talk is dangerous especially if it is about God and not to God. God talk is dangerous especially if it is about God and not to God. It remains crucial for us as disciples of Jesus to maintain a relationship with God and to resist the temptation of substituting God talk for a moment by moment relationship with God through prayer. It remains crucial for us as disciples of Jesus to maintain a relationship with God and to resist the temptation of substituting God talk for a moment by moment relationship with God through prayer.

9. Questioning God’s Integrity V:4-5 Satan seeks to get us to question God’s words and buy into questioning the integrity of God’s trustworthiness. Satan seeks to get us to question God’s words and buy into questioning the integrity of God’s trustworthiness. When deciding between obedience and disobedience the crucial question is do you fundamentally trust that God has your best interest at heart? When deciding between obedience and disobedience the crucial question is do you fundamentally trust that God has your best interest at heart? Satan implies God can not be trusted and is holding out on your best interest. Satan implies God can not be trusted and is holding out on your best interest.

10. Who is Responsible for Original Sin? The Snake? The Man? The Woman? The Snake? The Man? The Woman? Why did the snake speak only to the woman and why to the woman instead of the man? Why did the snake speak only to the woman and why to the woman instead of the man? The conversation of Satan involves the contradiction of God. v4 The conversation of Satan involves the contradiction of God. v4 The conversation of Satan cast doubt on the motives of God. v5 The conversation of Satan cast doubt on the motives of God. v5

11. The Issue Of Knowledge v:5-7 The issue of knowledge about God becomes at its deepest level an issue of trust. The issue of knowledge about God becomes at its deepest level an issue of trust. Can God be trusted with your best interest or does God have his divine interest more at heart than interest in humans? Can God be trusted with your best interest or does God have his divine interest more at heart than interest in humans? Gaining knowledge was to be disobedient and to lose by drawing the wrong conclusion. Gaining knowledge was to be disobedient and to lose by drawing the wrong conclusion. Knowledge helps to inform our decisions and we are responsible for our independent decision. Knowledge helps to inform our decisions and we are responsible for our independent decision.

12. The Issue Of Knowledge Continued If humanity could attain this knowledge, humanity would suddenly become like God. If humanity could attain this knowledge, humanity would suddenly become like God. To live daring lives that achieve God’s will, we have to settle in our hearts the trust issue—God can be trusted. To live daring lives that achieve God’s will, we have to settle in our hearts the trust issue—God can be trusted. You can’t achieve the will of God in the world apart from living in a moment by moment relationship with God’s word. You can’t achieve the will of God in the world apart from living in a moment by moment relationship with God’s word.

13. Acting on Impulse v:6-8 Once we begin to question God’s motives, we are left simply to live by our own cunning intellect and resolve. Once we begin to question God’s motives, we are left simply to live by our own cunning intellect and resolve. When trust in God diminishes we are reduced to acting on impulse. When trust in God diminishes we are reduced to acting on impulse. Apart from a vital relationship with God we lack the ability to discern good and bad, right and wrong. Prov. 14:12 Apart from a vital relationship with God we lack the ability to discern good and bad, right and wrong. Prov. 14:12

14. The Danger of Self-trust We often think temptation is based on appearance but the key is v6. We often think temptation is based on appearance but the key is v6. When one’s relationship with God deteriorates and we no longer know God and worse yet we no longer trust God has our best interest at heart we resort to self-trust, and live by the flesh. When one’s relationship with God deteriorates and we no longer know God and worse yet we no longer trust God has our best interest at heart we resort to self-trust, and live by the flesh. What was the end result of self-trust in Adam and Eve and what is it for us today? What was the end result of self-trust in Adam and Eve and what is it for us today?

15. Godly Trust – Godly Response v9-13 Trust is the key to living faithfully and courageously for God in the world today. Trust is the key to living faithfully and courageously for God in the world today. Without Godly trust we remain trapped in endless cycles of disobedience and broken fellowship with God. Without Godly trust we remain trapped in endless cycles of disobedience and broken fellowship with God. God responded by looking for his prized creation. V9 in the midst of tragedy God comes looking for us. God responded by looking for his prized creation. V9 in the midst of tragedy God comes looking for us. There may be repercussions for our actions but there is also hope because God’s mission is culminated in the cross of Jesus Christ. There may be repercussions for our actions but there is also hope because God’s mission is culminated in the cross of Jesus Christ.

16. God Offers us God’s Best Are you seeking to live faithfully for God? Are you seeking to live faithfully for God? Do you have a vital relationship with God? Do you have a vital relationship with God? Do you trust God has your best interest in heart? Or, do you live your life trusting fundamentally in yourself? Do you trust God has your best interest in heart? Or, do you live your life trusting fundamentally in yourself? Have you reached the point in your life you are ready to hand over all you are to God so you may live the victorious life? Have you reached the point in your life you are ready to hand over all you are to God so you may live the victorious life?

17. Lesson Summary Gen. 3 is crucial to Christian understanding of our human sinfulness. Gen. 3 is crucial to Christian understanding of our human sinfulness. Sin alters the peace of your mind and life. Sin alters the peace of your mind and life. God’s restrictions are not an infringement on our freedom but a safeguard for our own well being. God’s restrictions are not an infringement on our freedom but a safeguard for our own well being. God talk is dangerous if it is about God and not to God. God talk is dangerous if it is about God and not to God. God offers us God’s best. God offers us God’s best.