LESSON: 108 SIN

  LOGOS BIBLE STUDY

LESSON 108:   SIN & UNRIGHTEOUSNESS (Study of Hamarteology)

I. SIN - WHAT IS IT?

A. From Greek & Hebrew it is: an offense; to err; to miss the mark; to fall short; more specifically, transgression and iniquity.

1. TRANSGRESSION - rebellion or revolt; to break away from authority; to go contrary to command; doing your own thing.

2. INIQUITY - Violation; illegality; lawless; not being subject to law; evil; a fault; perversity; disobedient.

B. Sin is unrighteousness - 1 John 5:17.

1. Doing what is not right, proper, lawful and obedient.

a. It is transgression of God's will and commands - 1 John 3:4.

2. God is righteous and all His ways are righteous; going contrary to Him and His ways is unrighteous.

C.  Sin is the exercise of the SELF WILL of the carnal (selfish) nature which is contrary to the will and way of God.

1. Sin is centered in the SELF and is guarded by stubborn rebellion.

a. IT is in the "WILL" of man - the seat of intention, often called the "heart", center or core of man.

D. Sin is also being void of the glory of God - Romans 3:23.

1. More detail in # IV. below

II. HOW IS SIN INITIATED?

     A. In each of us is a SELF WILL which consists of ME, MY and MINE, or, I WILL, I WANT and I AM -
I John 2:15-16.

1. The SELF is also called the "flesh" and the "base" or carnal nature.

a. SELF has desires (lusts) which make it "selfish", thus easily drawn away - James 1:14-15.

2. The "self" is patterned after the nature of Lucifer/Satan – Isaiah 14:12-14.

a. Man acquired this nature after submitting to Lucifer's manipulative deception in the garden.

B. Self is our real and personal enemy because it is this area of our heart/mind (soul) that Satan and his forces attack.

         1. The devil wants us to follow his example and do his will - John 8:44.

              a. Causing us to be disobedient to God - Ephesians 2:1-3.

C. Selfish desires (lusts) make one vulnerable to temptations - James 1:14-15.

1. When a person gets his eyes off God and on the things of the world, lusts can be stimulated - Matthew 6:33 and 1 John 2:15.

a. The lust is not the sin; lust is the faculty of one's self interest that is tempted.

b. Lusts are not vital to survival, they are desires that drive us to action in the physical realm.

2. Man opens his lusts when he seeks to satisfy himself rather than let God satisfy him - Psalm 107:8-9;
  Psalm 37:4 and Psalm 36:7-8.

NOTE: The NEW MAN, the Christ life within the believer, is obedient to GOD and to do His will - 1 John 3:22-24.

III. THE FIRST SIN

   A. There were two trees in the garden; one was LIFE and the other was DEATH - Genesis 1:9.

1. TREE OF LIFE (zoe) - represents Christ.

a. Christ is called the "BRANCH" - Isaiah 11:1, Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12.

i. He called Himself THE VINE - John 15:1-5.

b. The fruit of this tree is righteousness - Jeremiah 33:15.

1. Righteousness/fellowship is obedience which brings life – Romans 6:16.

c. The result of eating this fruit is LIFE - John 14:6.

i. He is LIFE - John 5:26 and 1 John 5:12.

aa. Under the New Covenant He is the Bread of Life - John 6:32-35.

ii. The unrighteous can't partake of this tree - Genesis 2:22-24.

3. TREE OF DEATH or "knowledge of Good and Evil” – represents Satan and rebellion (doing your own thing).

  a. Could be called the tree of SELF DETERMINATION.

i. It is the act of making one's own choices - (whether good or bad, is of no importance).

b. It is the act of SELF CHOICE that is evil.

i. Many choose good, others choose evil, but both are of the wrong tree.

c. The fruit of this tree is unrighteousness - rebellion, iniquity, setting oneself up as god to make decisions regarding life - such decisions belong to God - Abortion is a good example.

i. Disobedience to God and imposition of one's SELF in disregard for God is to be in the place of God.

d. The result of eating this fruit, (living one's own way) is death – separation from God by not submitting to God - Genesis 2:16-17.

i. Satan's way is that of disobedience and destruction due to SELF indulgence and SELF determination.

aa. It's the knowledge Satan gained in his rebellion.

4. FACT: The GOOD of this tree is just as deadly as the EVIL of it.

a. What man views as GOOD is still apart from God and leads to death.

i. Man has no capability of earning true righteousness through any GOOD works of HIS OWN.

             b. This is the ultimate deception, the LIE from the father of Liars.

i. It causes man to think that HIS own good is righteousness - WRONG

B. How it all started - Genesis 3:1-6. (Covered in more detail later in this lesson)

   1. First the temptation - appeal to self interests or lusts - see vs 3-4.

Notice the serpent sowing seeds of doubt in God's Word (vs 1), which he still does today.

    2. Lust stimulated now becomes a driving force - vs 6.

a. Result is yielding to the tempting and producing SIN, the violation of God's command; an act of rebellion, SELF indulgence and determination.

i. Exerting self rule and breaking away from authority.

NOTE:   Man's dominion over the earth was based on the delegated authority from God -(see Genesis 1:26-29 and Psalm 115:16). Man broke away from that authority thereby losing his position of dominion. By submitting to Satan, they gave all that was heir's to rule over, into Satan's hand - (ref. Luke 4:5-6), "delivered" to him, by Adam and Eve). From this time on, Satan became the god of this world (again), exercising his ill-gotten dominion over mankind (ref. 2 Corinthians 4:4). All of man's needs were provided by God in the Tree of Life. Enticements to lust were in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

C. The three vulnerable areas of human consciousness - each of which can be enticed separately to sin -
  1 John 2:16.

1. Lust of the Flesh - "I will": deals with trying to gratify physical desires which rank in priority as follows:

a. PROVISION - excesses in food, drink, clothing, possessions and acquisitions.

b. PROTECTION - preservation of self to guard improper activity, desires and possessions.

c. PLEASURE - indulgence in physical sensations, entertainment and self gratification and pandering.

d. Each can be satisfied man's way or God's way - Matthew 6:33.

2. Lust of the Eye - "I want": deals with the desire to acquire material things; coveting possessions that appeal to the eye.

a. Eye appeal is the most important medium in marketing a product – even sin.

b. Acquisition can be satisfied man's way or God's way - Psalm 37:4 and Psalm 84:11.

3. Pride of Life - "I am": deals with one's position, status and recognition.

a. The desire to "BE" - is dictated by pride, to satisfy the SELF, the ego.

i. What you are; who you are; how you think you appear to others.

c. Position can be satisfied by man exalting himself, or by God exalting him - 1 Peter 5:6.

4. Each lust was found to be in Lucifer which led to his rebellion.

a. Knowing the power of these lusts, he now uses them to destroy man's dominion to get back control of the earth - John 8:41a and 44a.

D. Each area of vulnerability was enticed in the first sin - Genesis 3:6.

1. Flesh - I will do this for myself; satisfy my desire to do something myself.

2. Eyes - it was pleasant to look at; desirable to acquire; “I want to have this” - coveting things.

3. Pride - make one wise; rise above present position; I will make myself.

4. Eve (Mrs. Adam - mankind) failed when tempted in each area - 1 Timothy 2:14.

F. Jesus (Son of Man) was tempted in each area also, and He overcame the tempting - Luke 4:1-13.

1. Lust of the flesh - I will take matters into my own hands and provide food for myself vs 3.

a. Notice Jesus answer - vs 4.

2. Lust of the eye - material things (wealth of this world) see vs 5-7.

a. Notice Jesus' answer - vs 8.

3. Pride of Life - position (who you are), vs 9-11.

a. Jesus did not have to prove who He was; notice His answer - vs 12.

4. Jesus defeated all temptation by using the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God - Ephesians 6:10-13, &
17-18 and 2 Corinthians 10:4, (not by rebuking Satan).

a. He focused His attention on the Word and God's way of satisfying all desires rather than allowing the devil to get him to focus on himself.

i. You ALWAYS become vulnerable to the temptings of the enemy when you begin to focus attention on your own self, your needs, your wants, your hurts, your failures, your lack, etc.

ii. The enemy comes to offer you his form of comfort in each of those     areas.

G. Desire and lust is internal, part of human nature, the physiological make-up of man (bios/psuche).

1. Needs of the material body, desires and intents of the heart combine which exerts influence on the mind where decisions are made - all internal.

2. Temptation is external.

a. The result of an encounter with a situation that provides stimulation by contact of one or more of the
five senses, or mental contact thoughts induced by that situation - 2 Corinthians 10:3 & 5.

H. Jesus dealt with each area of human vulnerability and defeated the temptation of the enemy - Luke 4:4, 8, 12.

1. Jesus also defeated the enemy's scheme - John 1:29 and 1 John 3:8b.

a. Jesus even removed the eternal penalty of sin from us – 2 Corinthians 5:21.

i. He bore the responsibility and consequences for all mankind's sin.

IV. SIN - FALLING SHORT OF GLORY - Romans 3:23

A. The original sin was distrust/disbelief in what God said.

1. Sin is doubting, not trusting God and His Word.

B. God made man in His own image and likeness - Genesis 1:27.

1. Man was already like God in the Garden.

a. With perfect harmony and fellowship with God.

C. Satan tempted Eve to be like God - Genesis 3:1 & 4-5.

       1. She began to doubt God that she was already like God.

2. She accepted the lie and distrusted God.

a. Her subsequent act was rebellion against God in defying His command.

b. Defying God is always the result of those who don't believe or trust in God.

D. She lost the GLORY OF GOD that she possessed.

1. Glory (DOXA) means: dignity; honor; (good) opinion, judgment and view of God.

a. Man had the dignity, judgment and view of God as His offspring.

E. The "original sin" that is passed on to man is the loss of dignity and honor that came from being a child of God.

1. Having lost their position in God they became orphans adopted by and influenced by their new father,
  the devil - John 8:44.

a. Under new fatherhood, mankind has acquired the rebellious nature of Satan.

                  i. Sin and iniquity (rebellion) became man's way.

ii. As a result, all mankind does "their own thing" which is rebellion toward God.

NOTE: Infants haven't sinned at birth, they are innocent; but they will sin because they have that nature in them. When they are born they are simply born apart from God, no dignity, no glory, but also no rebellion against God until they are able to understandably exercise their own will.

2. Jesus came to restore God's dignity, (GLORY), to man by redeeming man back into relationship with God - Romans 8:30.

             a. Glorified means made glorious, restored to glory.

V. WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES AND EFFECTS OF SIN?

A. First, spiritual death - separation and loss of fellowship with God – Isaiah 59:1 & 2.

1. Man lost access to God and all the blessing of living in His kingdom, In His domain, under His dominion.

a. Man now lives under the rule of Satan to whom he submitted.

i. Man is now subject to all the misery and ugliness of the kingdom of Satan's darkness.

aa. Man even blames God for these evils that are a product of his own disobedience.

B. Secondly, man experienced curses for disobedience which began when he was cast out of the Garden of God's presence - Genesis 3:22-24.

1. Because of submitting to Satan, Satan's will and ways of hatred and corruption now dominate the earth and mankind.

a. Satan became the "god" of this earth and acquired the dominion that was submitted to him - Luke 4:6 and 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.

b. Result: besides sin came sickness, disease, misery, hatred and physical abuse of every sort along with every form of wickedness in human experience. This is evidenced in the atrocities that man can do to other men; as was done by despots of history, Hitler and communist oppressors in torture.

i. Knowledge of evil multiplies and becomes more prevalent – Genesis 6:5.

ii. Now mankind causes most of his own problems and miseries, because of the evil nature in him.

aa. Man still tries to blame God for his problems on earth.

2. Being removed from God's presence also denies man the divine wisdom and knowledge he once had
access to.

a. Resulting in the inability to deal properly (rightly or righteously) with problems and circumstances.

i. Our government is the best example of this inability. They have carnal wisdom.

C. The spiritual consequences take effect in the natural and results in the physical deterioration of both man
  and earth.

1. Aging now produces decay and physical death along with other problems.

2. Another nature (one parallel to Satan's, full of knowledge of evil) now dominates man - Genesis 5:3.

a. Adam's sin nature now passes through his seed to all his offspring - Romans 5:12.

b. The original sin produced the sin nature that guarantees that every human born will SIN.

i. The new-born baby hasn't sinned, but he will in time, when he is able to express his own will by making decisions based on his own carnal nature.

c. Man now lives by the dictates of his carnal nature - Mark 7:20-23.

D. Sins can be forgiven by God - but man may still pay the natural consequences - Psalm 103:1-3.

1. A robber repents and is forgiven by God, but may still have to go to jail for his crime.

2. An adulteress may be forgiven by God, but that does not eliminate the pregnancy she obtained from
her act.

i. Sex sins carry life-long effects, even if repented of and forgiven - Proverbs 6:32-33.

VI. THE UNPARDONABLE SIN - What is it? - Matthew 12:31-32.

A. A common error teaches that it is not accepting Christ.

1. This is not a sin because it is not a transgression of any law or command; it is simply not accepting truth.

B. The unpardonable sin is BLASPHEMY against the Holy Spirit.

1. Blasphemy means to speak ill of; to speak against; to deride; to repudiate; to put down; call unclean,
foul or dirty.

C. Examine the instance Jesus addressed - Matthew 12:22-30.

1. Jesus cast out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit.

2. The Jews said He did it by the powers of Satan.

a. They called the Holy Spirit "Beelzebub", which means "Lord of the Flies" or "Lord of the Dunghill", (where flies gather).

i. By this they called the Holy Spirit unclean and related Him to the Prince or darkness and ascribed to Him the works of darkness.

b. They used the MOST DEBASING terms available - this was blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

D. Simply stated, the unpardonable sin is saying that the Holy Spirit, or any of His works or gifts are of Satan, ungodly, unclean or evil.

1. Any form of speaking against the Holy Spirit is blasphemy.

NOTE:   Many ministers do this today. They say that the manifestations of the Holy Spirit, I.E. tongues, gifts of the Spirit, etc. are of the devil. This is exactly what the Jews did and why Jesus rebuked them and gave this warning for such behavior.

2. In a Lesson 112 we will learn more about the Holy Spirit and why such actions are unforgivable.

VII. THREE CATEGORIES OF SIN

A. Sins against God (Father and Son).

1. Violations of the Law, the first four of the TEN COMMANDMENTS – Exodus 20:3-9.

a. The same as the first of the two New Covenant Commands – Matthew 22:36-38, 40.

b. If you LOVE God you will not violate HIM - 1 John 5:3

2. Sins against Christ (His body the church) - Matthew 25:40-45.

a. The Lord is jealous of His dwelling place - 1 Corinthians 3:17.

3. Sins against God can be forgiven - Matthew 12:31.

a. Acknowledge your sin and your condition, confess and repent, asking for forgiveness - 1 John 1:9-2:1.

b. Tell God the truth about how you feel about it, don't play religious games.

i. If you really enjoy the sin, (which is why you repeat it), tell him and ask for His help.

aa. Covet unbroken fellowship with Him more than gratification of selfish flesh.

ii. Don't just say you're sorry for it and then continue to be give in that area.

c. There is no sin against God that you commit that is greater than His Love for you. REMEMBER THAT!

B. Sins against others.

1. Violations of the Law pertaining to your neighbors, the last six of the TEN COMMANDMENTS -
Exodus 20:12-17.

a. The same as the last of the two New Testament Commands - Matthew 22:39.

i. If you love your neighbor, you will not violate him - Romans 13:8-10.

ii. Failing to love is a violation of God's command indicating no love for Him and thus breaks the first N.T. Command - 1 John 3:22-23 (ref. John 15:12-14).

2. Sins against others can be forgiven by those sinned against - John 20:23.

a. If somebody wrongs you and asks forgiveness of you, you have the ability to forgive him of his sin against you.

i. God forgives him because he has done everything to make it right; he confessed and repented.

b. You also have the ability to forgive them even if they don't ask for it – Matthew 6:12-15.

i. Then they are forgiven, even by God since the sin was against you and that you forgave.

ii. However, they are likely to repeat the offense since they have not repented (changed).

c. If they ask forgiveness and you refuse, you become guilty (the retainer of sin) in God's eyes.

i. They have done what is right, but you have done the wrong – Mark 11:26 and Luke 11:4.

d. We must acknowledge, confess and repent, asking forgiveness of the one sinned against.

C. Sins against your self - 1 Corinthians 6:18.

1. This has to do with sex sins, wrong use of your body (temple of God).

2. To violate God's command in sexual immorality and desecrate the temple of God; but, he can forgive you.

a. People often have a hard time accepting forgiveness leaving resultant guilt - Philippians 3:13-14.

i. This hinders your fellowship with God because the shame keeps from entering His presence,
praying, etc. - Genesis 3:8.

b. The shame and disgrace of sexual immorality is life long – Proverbs 6:32-33.

Note: You conform to that which you love. If you love God, Christ and His Word, that is what you will conform to. If you love the world and its material substance, that is what you will conform to – 1 John 2:15-17. What you love or have affection for is revealed by your lifestyle.

VIII. SINLESSNESS IS ATTAINABLE - Romans 6:1-11 and 1 John 3:3-10

A. If God did not require us to live sinless he would not have commanded it nor made a way for us to do it -
1 John 3:1-10, John 5:14, 8:11 and 1 John 5:16.

1. To walk and be led of the Spirit is to overcome sin.

a. The Law of the Spirit (in he New Man) is stronger than the Law of Sin (in the Old Man) - Romans 8:2.

2. Christ is our strength to overcome - Philippians 3:19

3. The struggle is between to old man (self or Satan nature) and the new    man (Christ nature in you) - Romans 7:22-23.

a. Choose to think and walk after the Spirit - Romans 7:24 - 8:1; 8:6-10.

       B. Flesh (self) will always be flesh and it will never change.

1. It will always serve the "law of sin" and will go contrary to the mind and will of God.

C. God is not asking us to "tame the flesh (selfish nature); it can't be reformed.

1. It must be "put off" by putting it to death.

D. Self must come to the cross and die; crucified with Christ – Romans 6:6.

1. This is the beginning of true discipleship – Luke 9:23.

a. To die to SELF is a living self-sacrifice Romans 12:1.

i. Love is self-sacrificing for the benefit of others.

ii. Self-sacrifice without love is vanity.

2. Selfishness of “I WANT, I WILL & I AM” must be nailed there and left there as you proceed in life with His nature allowed to flow in and through you.

a. Selfishness is self-love that will focus attention on lusts of flesh.

E. All born again believers have His nature, the new man, in them.

1. Problem is they allow self (flesh) to rule their lives.

a. They haven't allowed it to be crucified with Christ - Galatians 2:20.

F. We are to walk and live after the Spirit.

1. That new man, the Christ life we received upon accepting Him as savior and Lord - Romans 8:1-2 and Galatians 5:16.

  a. He is your life and victory.

G. Recognize that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil – John 3:8.

1. He also came to restore righteousness and God’s life to man.

a.  He restored what was lost in the garden.

IX. WHAT REALLY HAPPENED IN THE GARDEN ? - A Theory To Ponder: Was it an act of treason, as most say, or was it an act of Love? See also Appendix B - The LOVE Story.

        WARNING: This theory goes contrary to traditional teaching!

A. Consider Adam before the fall; he was God-like in all his attributes because God gave him His own character and nature - Genesis 1:26-27.

1. Adam was just like Jesus was in his human form. Adam was the first human son of God.

a. Both came from the same source and were fashioned with the same character and nature.

i. Both were of and from God!

b. Both were absolutely righteous; no sin in either of them.

c. Only one difference between the two - 1 Corinthians 15:47.

i. First Adam was formed of earthly substance and divinely made.

aa. Dust became a living soul by the Spirit of God

ii. Jesus, the last Adam, was formed of divine (heavenly) substance and earthly made (born of a virgin).

aa. By the Holy Spirit, the Word became flesh, (or like dust).

2. Adam was equipped with wisdom and knowledge; he had intimate communion with God; he also had the God-kind of LOVE - and God IS LOVE!

a. We only consider Adam as he was after the fall when he lost all his God-likeness.

3. Adam even knew God's plan of redemption; it was established before God made man - 1 Peter 1:18-20.

B. The temptation process - Satan's deceitful seeding of the human will to stimulate natural lusts -
Genesis 3:1-5.

1. The tempter called the "serpent" was actually the spirit - being named Lucifer.

                a. The word translated "serpent" is NACHASH in the original language; one meaning is "shinning one".

i. The name Lucifer means "bright morning star" .

ii. Lucifer, or Satan, is the bright shinning one who misrepresents what God made, said and did, to
  and for man - 2 Corinthians 11:3.

b. It was not a literal snake, but a deceptive serpent like manner, character and nature of a spirit being,
  (a shinning one).

i. Beguiling and enticing as a snake mesmerizes a bird before it de vours it.

ii. Nachash also means the same as to mesmerize by whispering words; cast a spell; to prognosticate.

                   c. More wise, (subtle) than nay beast God made that was found on earth - Genesis 3:1

2. Temptation is repetitive, subtle at first, then intensifies as the human will begins to lean in that direction, (to pay attention, to give an open ear, mind or heart to it).

a. The tempting of Eve probably occurred over a period of time and not while she was near the tree.

i. She referred to the tree in the "midst" of the garden; this implies she was elsewhere - vs 3.

           3. The tempting was aimed at Eve - WHY ?

a. She was, (as all women are), more sensitive, and thus more subject to be beguiled by deception from the spirit realm.

NOTE:   More women are in the occult than men. Likewise, more are in church and church work than men because they respond faster and easier to the things of the spirit realm than do men. Man has the quality to judge/wait and observe, (often described as stubbornness by women).

b. Women are more impulsive; they act on deep feelings, whereas men are slow to act because they are prone to judge and evaluate, wanting all the facts.

c. Adam was given the authority as head of the earth, not Eve; she shared in it from him - Genesis 1:26 and Psalm 115:16.

i. Satan tries to avoid those in authority and goes for the more vulnerable ones.

d. The tempting was done while Adam was not present to stop it. (Adam did not have the qualities of God - omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent).

i. Maybe he was off naming the animals - Genesis 2:19.

4. What was the temptation ? "To be like God" - Genesis 3:5-6.

a. The tempting process began with causing doubt and distrust in the word of God (what God said) - Genesis 3:1

i. Notice the attempt to discredit God making Him appear devious to    Eve's mind - Genesis 3:5.

b. She was already like God, made in His image and likeness.

NOTE: Jesus was tempted the same way - "If you are the Son of God"; here you see the effort of Satan to cause doubt in what God said. What did God say about Jesus just before this tempting? ..."This is my beloved Son..." – Matthew 3:17.

5. The lust, stimulated and enticed by Satan, now takes hold as she nears the tree. The process of James 1:13-15 enters the second stage.

a. She may even have been alone at this point since vs 6 says "when the woman saw" instead of saying "when they saw".

C. She sees the tree and the three vulnerable areas of human   consciousness    become a driving force - she doesn't even think about what she is about to do; (her "I want" acted).

1. She eats - she sins - she dies instantly.

a. She is now spiritually dead, separated from God and her husband.

i. She lost her righteous state and covering garments and now stands naked next to her husband.

2. Adam knew exactly what happened, he could see the results.

a. He now has a void in his life; she is now living in another realm.

i. They no longer have any bases for relationship or fellowship together.

ii. She is now in darkness while he is still in the light (God's presence) - 2 Corinthians 6:14-15.

D. Adam now has a very serious choice to make.

1. He can tell God that "....the women blew it, so give me another one...."   Or

   2. He could join her by partaking of the fruit himself.

E. Because he had the mind of God and the God kind of love in him (before the fall) he could accept the responsibility and blame for her sinful act – Genesis 3:6.

1. He knew God had a plan of redemption that covered not only them but all their offspring too.

2. That plan would not go into effect unless he was willing to accept the responsibility for her actions.

a. Remember, he is in charge and was given the authority to effect such action.

3. Eve would be thrown out of the garden, separated from God and Adam – the first marriage would end in divorce, definitely not God's plan).

a. She would die physically while he would live on eternally in God's presence without her.

b. What would be God's view of Adam's love had Adam chosen not to join her? Imperfect love! Not the God-kind of love which he possessed.

c. Also consider that she was part of him, more intimately joined than any husband and wife since.

i. She came out of him and was part of him - Genesis 2:20-24.

4. Adam choose to partake of the fruit (her sin) so he could be with her (his love) and thus accepted the responsibility for her actions - Genesis 3:6.

a. Henceforth, we all blame HIM, not her, for the sin in the garden.

i. Her name was ADAM too! Ancient references to Adam covered both him and her, (like Mrs. Adam) – Genesis 5:2.

5. Adam was not Eve's redeemer, his act allowed God to implement his plan of redemption for her, both of them - Romans 5:8.

a. Adam was Eve's husband, protector, and provider.

6. Adam has been held responsible for the fall and bore the blame of it ever since - Romans 5:17-20.

a. This was God's plan; Adam was a type of shadow of Christ who bore the responsibility for the sins of mankind - Isaiah 53:3.

i. We blame Adam, but that blame was transferred to Jesus.

ii. God blamed (smote) Jesus as He took the blame.

7. Adam gave himself for his bride - just as Jesus gave himself for His church - Ephesians 5:25.

NOTE:   Would you husbands give yourselves for your wives? Are you willing to bear the responsibilities of her errors, failures, weaknesses or mistakes? Many don't; that's why we have separation and divorce. Not God-kind of love from husbands,(from whom it is REQUIRED - Ephesians 5:25 & 33).

    * Husbands are often selfish and self-centered, not having the God-kind of love for their wives as Adam had for Eve. How then can a wife reverence a husband that does not show the God-kind of love?

    * Maybe this is why most ministers call Adam a traitor to God and refuse to see him as exercising God-kind of love for Eve - because they don't exercise that kind of love for their wives. They probably don't even understand the God-kind of love.

8. Adam did not want another wife (as many do today); he did what he had to do to keep the one he loved.

a. Jesus did the same thing for us, and we did not deserve it; it was His love, grace and mercy.

b. Because of this, Jesus identified with Adam in His work – 1 Corinthians 15:45

i. Both men came from God and were equipped with God's perfect love to achieve similar tasks.

F. Adam was a TYPE (image) of Christ - Romans 5:14.

1. As the president of a corporation is responsible for the actions of those under his authority, so was
Adam to Eve.

a. If someone in purchasing buys an expensive item that can't be paid for, the litigation goes after the
head of the corporation, not the one who bought it.

i. Later, the head deals with the responsible party under him.

2. Agapeo love (God's kind) will cause one to protect, die for and bear the consequences of the actions of
the one loved - this is the gospel message demonstrated by Adam.

a. Adam love his wife with that perfect God-kind of love before the fall; he got that love from God.

i. God-kind of love (agape) is to seek the good and well being of the other even at one's own expense.

b. Romans 14:5 tells us that Adam's sin was different from others; yet it also identifies him as a type or fore runner of Christ.

i. How was Adam a type, image or pattern of Christ?

3. Adam's actions was not the result of LUST; he was not tempted; he did not yield to temptation; it was
  Eve that was tempted and yielded committing the first sin - 1 Timothy 2:13-14.

a. He did was not motivated by lust, but was motivated by love.

b. Sin is the result of lust conceived - James 1:14-15.

c. He was willing to die spiritually for her - Ephesians 5:25.

d.The motive for his actions was different from hers; hers was LUST his was LOVE.

4. As Christ paid the price for sin to provide redemption, so Adam sacrificed his spiritual life so that God could provide redemption for her.

a. He became separated from God so that he could remain with her.

b. He became guilty of sin for her, yet having not sinned in his heart - just as Christ became sin for us yet not having sinned in his heart.

NOTE:   Jesus heart remained pure to God even as He became clothed with our sin. It was God who turned away from Jesus because of the sin cloak he accepted. Jesus became separated from God, but His heart was still pure, He never turned away from God - Matthew 27:45-46. Sin is when the heart turns from God to satisfy itself, its lusts. It was the same with Adam; his heart remained pure, he did not turn away from God, God turned him away (out of the garden) because he accepted responsibility for Eve's sin.

c. Adam's act was planned, reasoned, calculated, purposeful; Eve's act was impulse.

d. This is TRUE LOVE, not the Hollywood or TV stuff!

5. God instituted redemption; He killed the animals, shed the blood, and made coverings for their sins - Genesis 3:21.

a. Adam lost contact with divine knowledge and wisdom in his fallen state and had to rely on now carnal resources which were inadequate - Genesis 3:7.

i. God showed him how to make blood atonement.

NOTE: Why would God do this if Adam's sin was the way traditional beliefs claim. God should have nothing to do with him after the fall. But God did because Adam's heart was still pure before God, just as was Jesus' heart. This allowed God to intervene, to raise Jesus from the dead, and to make atonement for Adam and Eve by the blood of sacrificed goats and lambs.

b. This is where Adam learned how to make atonement by sacrifice which knowledge he passed onto his children Cain and Able, etc. - Genesis 4:3-4.

i. This pattern passed to Noah and was the fore shadow of the ultimate plan of redemption -
  Hebrews 9:22.

c.  This fact alone testifies that Adam bore witness or and had foreknowledge of THE atonement.

6. If Adam chose to stay with God and reject Eve, he would have forsaken his wife and not shown her the
  God-kind of love.

a. She would have been lost forever and no plan of redemption would reach her unless it was initiated by Adam.

i. Her offspring would have been a mixed lot that would have    complicated life on earth even more drastically than the chaos we have now.

b. Remember, God placed all the affairs of earth and man in Adam's hands, he and his fallen offsping determine affairs and the outcomes ever since - Psalm 115:16.

G. The fall so changed Adam's nature that he lost ALL the character and nature of God that he had formerly; especially lacking was the God-kind of love.

1. Now, self centered Adam (love of self instead of self sacrificing love) motivated his actions - Genesis 3:12.

a. Even though the blame was hers, he took the responsibility for it (before he ate).

2. Now, in the fallen state, he will have nothing to do with it; he blamed her - what a change.

a. Men today rarely experience or express the God-kind of love for their wives since the fall.

i. Yet that love was restored to us by the Holy Spirit - Romans 5:5.

aa. Jesus restored all that was lost in the fall, yet we walk short of the glory of it - Romans 3:23.

b. The God-kind of love is in us and able to be demonstrated only when a full intimate relationship and fellowship with God the Father is restored and maintained through Christ - John 14:6.

i. Christ having achieved this now requires us to live with that love – John 15:12-13, 17 and 1 John 4:7-8.

H. Men have been less responsive to God than women since.

1. Men refused to believe Christ's resurrection, yet the women believed – Mark 16:1-7.

2. Christ revealed himself to a woman - vs 9.

a. Notice the men's response - vs 10-11.

3. Jesus showed himself to woman first to show her that the act of Eve's transgression was forgiven and women no longer had to bear the reproach of that transgression.

NOTE:   This may also include the curse of pain in child birth - the curse is removed, Jesus provides conditions as they were before the fall, but only if you believe, accept and choose to walk in all HIS PROVISION!

a. A woman was the first to see spiritual death; and a woman was the first to see spiritual life - the resurrected Christ (Mark 16:9).

i. This was no accident, it was deliberate!

I. The TRUE gospel is the message of God's total and complete love for mankind.

1. Adam had this message and character of God within which caused him to react as he did toward his wife.

2. Satan and the spirit of anti-christ does not want the church or the world to know and experience the
TRUE GOSPEL of God's LOVE.

a. So Satan dreamed up the scheme that the whole church believes to day - that Adam was a ‘no-good” traitor.

i. Was the first man from God an absolute failure?

aa. Was he a discredit to God?

bb. What does God say about it?...God made him and he was good (along with everything else) - Genesis 1:31.

b. When the story is complete at the end of the age we will see that God did not make a mistake, and that Adam (the man) was not such a failure.

3. Satan does this to obscure the true gospel message of LOVE - God's love that was resident in Adam
  and is fully restored in redeemed man through Christ and the Holy Spirit - Romans 5:5. So let's apply it - act on it!