The First Family (Part 1): Adam and Eve’s Relevance in 2013

*Part 1 of 3: An in-depth look at the first five chapters of the Book of Genesis*

Can you count how many times you hear someone tell you how irrelevant the Bible is? Have you been insulted by others because of this ancient book that doesn’t evolve with society? That’s right – the Bible doesn’t evolve. The Bible is the Word of an unchanging God; a God who was the same in the beginning and is the same today in 2013. God doesn’t change to accept sin, He doesn’t change to make humans feel better about themselves, and God expects the same from us just as He expected from Adam and Eve.

We all know the beginning of creation and Christians cite the Book of Genesis for the story of creation. But do you know the importance and relevance of Adam and Eve today? The first family: Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, and Seth. Just as dysfunctional as any family in today’s time: deception, lying, lack of accountability, murder, people putting themselves before God – and so on. But let’s take a look at how this dysfunction plays a very important role in society in 2013.

Starting in the second chapter of Genesis, we are introduced to Adam and Eve. Genesis 2:7 “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” So there was Adam. Just Adam. There he was surrounded by God’s creation – food, animals, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God commanded Adam to not eat from that tree of knowledge of good and evil and Adam obeyed. Genesis 2:18 “The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

God found that there was no suitable helper already created and so, God created Eve. “The man and his wife were both naked and they felt no shame.” Genesis 2:25

Now Chapter 3 of Genesis is where things get real interesting – thanks all to temptation of sin. The first lie in all of creation was uttered in Genesis 3:4 “‘You will surely not die,’ the serpent said to the woman.” And because this first lie worked – all of humanity has been listening to the lies of the serpent ever since. We’re so used to believing that we will not die – because each sin is coated in gratification and instant physical reward…you will surely not die. You surely will die. If Satan had a tombstone, it would read “You will surely not die.” Very fitting, don’t you think?

What happened in the story of Adam and Eve is incredibly crucial in today’s world: we can lead others to sin. If we are not mindful of God’s word, if we allow temptation and sin to enter into our lives – not only does it lead us on a path of self-destruction, it will have a ripple effect and lead others on that same path. Think of what happened after Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; not only did they feel shame and attempt to hide from God, but they didn’t own up to their actions. Adam blamed God for putting Eve there. Eve blamed the serpent. No one bothered to blame themselves. Eve was created to be Adam’s helper; she helped him straight to the path of sin. Therefore, if we do not lead a life that resists temptation and sin, we will fall victim to sinful self-destruction, we will lead others to sinful behaviors and self-destruction. 

Chapter 3 of Genesis is a powerful message, as we read of the first sin attack God’s creation. The first lust is located in Genesis 3:6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.” That passage is filled with lust that humans must wrestle with everyday. Adam and Eve never repented, they felt shame, they hid, they blamed.

And all the way back in chapter 3 of Genesis – God makes mention of the new covenant. Yes, Jesus was present in the Old Testament. Jesus was present at the time of the creation. More importantly, Jesus was part of the plan from day one. Genesis 3:15 “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel;” that is none other than Christ’s victory over Satan.

Despite the sin that Adam and Eve participated in, despite the lack of repentance – God never abandoned them. This is evident because their story continues. In fact, God continued to care for them; He provided them coverings to hide their nakedness. He didn’t make their lives easy – He did make note that there were consequences for their sin. Isn’t that how sin works? When we sin, we struggle in life. When we sin, we become idolaters and we distance ourselves from God. God never leads us to sin, God never leads us to spiritual death; sin leads us to struggles, sin leads us to death. Just like Adam and Eve – they struggled and could not just eat from the tree of life. They were separated from the Garden of Eden and were not permitted to eat from the tree of life. What is the tree of life? Jesus.

Genesis 2:9 “And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground – trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” John 14:6 “Jesus answered, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.””
1 John 5:12 “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

Adam and Eve were forbidden and cast out of Eden so they could not just take from the tree of life; they had to serve out the consequence of their sin – yet God did not abandon them. God did not forget about them; regardless of what they did, God was still their father, their creator. God still cared for them.

Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth: We Gotta Talk About It

Matthew 13:42 “They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

We gotta talk about this. When we witness to others, when we attempt to disciple in the name of Jesus, we talk about salvation. But do we talk about the alternative?

Frequently, Christians come in contact with people who are Atheists or have an alternative vision of God that has evolved with society, and “modernized.” Some may say, “well, I don’t think that Hell exists because there’s too much suffering in the world and God is about love and salvation.” Sometimes as Christians, we face much more harsh language that often insults our intellectual quotient. And when a discussion begins to digress, offer up this: “What if you are wrong?” 

Think of it – let’s just entertain the idea for a moment that Christians have it all wrong. We give praises to God, we seek salvation from Jesus, we grow in our walk with Christ – and in the end, the Atheists were right. So what? The worst thing that can happen is that you, the dead Christian, will lose your credibility on Earth. Who cares? You’re dead. But – what if they are wrong.

We all know people we love who refuse to believe or accept Christ. We all know people who we are painfully praying for to turn away from their sins, seek salvation and drown in a sea of God’s grace. But ask yourself this: are you in sorrow for them because they will not inherit the kingdom or because they may go to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Gnashing of teeth” – what an uncomfortable statement. Anyone who visits the dentist regularly and has their teeth scraped could cringe at the thought of gnashing your teeth for all eternity. Weeping and gnashing of teeth for all eternity. 

So – let’s talk about it. The alternative to inheriting the kingdom is going to the place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. To love others as Christ loves us is to be honest, even with the stuff Christians don’t want to talk about: Hell. We have to tell people the alternative. We have to. Jesus didn’t hide it from us; “weeping and gnashing of teeth” is mentioned seven times in the New Testament. Jesus told us about it. It’s real. And we must tell others about it too.

We have to speak out. There are two options; only two options. Option one: accept the salvation Jesus offers, turn away from sin, and walk a life of discipleship. Option two: weeping and gnashing of teeth. That’s it. Those are the options. There is no middle ground and as Christians, we have to address the less glamorous side of the truth. 

There is no denying that option one leads to the greatest reward – eternity with Christ. However, to not inform people of the second option is doing an injustice to those we love who struggle with their Earthly desires to sin and denounce God. We must recognize that discussion of Hell is as much of the truth as the discussion of Heaven.

How do we describe the alternative to people? Jesus explains it: weeping and gnashing of teeth. Revelation 21:8 describes even more detail, “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magical arts, the idolaters and all liars — they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Weeping and gnashing of teeth and a fiery lake of burning sulfur.

And Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). If Hell is the weeping, the gnashing of teeth, and the lake of burning sulfur; Jesus is the way, the truth, and the LIFE. Hell is the second death. Jesus is the life; the eternal life. 

Are You A Peter: Denying Jesus In Daily Life

Matthew 26:75 “Then Peter remembered the words Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.”

People love to say, “I’m a good person. I’m sure I’ll go to Heaven.” By whose standards have you stamped your one-way ticket to salvation and everlasting peace? Your standards? The standards of your friends? The standards of your family? But what about the standards of Jesus? What does Jesus have to say about you? Does Jesus even know who you are?

Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!'”

“I never knew you.” Denying Jesus prevents Him from knowing you; being a Peter will leave you outside and weeping bitterly.

And now you say, “I don’t deny Jesus. I read my Bible, I go to church, I tell people I’m a Christian.” That’s fine – but do you know Jesus? Do you interact with Him in your life every single day? It’s not enough to tell people you’re a Christian, it’s not enough to go to church or read your Bible; those are great endeavors to enhance your path towards discipleship. However, whether you notice it or not, if you’re denying Jesus, He isn’t getting to know you.

How do you deny Jesus everyday? Here are some examples: If you ever get upset and act impulsively towards another person – you’re denying Jesus. If you give into lustful temptations that cause you to use your body to bring dishonor – you’re denying Jesus. If you let your distractions consume your time, and you sit idle wasting time – you’re denying Jesus. If you speak with pride and arrogance seeking praise for a job well done – you’re denying Jesus. If you go along with society’s pressures to support, endorse, promote, or perpetuate sin – you’re denying Jesus. Basically, any activity or words that you do or use everyday that does NOT give Jesus an opportunity to shine through you is a denial of Him.  We are not called saints and we are not set apart to deny Jesus – we are set apart to become involved in a deep, interactive relationship with Christ. A relationship in which Christ knows us, we know Him, and He literally uses our thoughts, words, and actions to bring glory to God.

Jesus does not want part of us, part of the time, when it’s convenient or when we decide to pencil Him into our busy schedules. Jesus wants us all the time to be all-in, full-blown, sell-outs for Christ…that means all the time. 

As Christians, it is time to cut the excuses. When we sin and when we allow our bodies to fall victim to impulsive temptations, we are denying Jesus. To consciously sin is to love the world and flesh and deny Christ: 1 John 2:15-17 ” Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does – comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pas away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”

It’s time to stop denying Jesus at our convenience and call on Him at our convenience. Jesus is with us always – even when we deny Him. He never leaves us, and He waits patiently trying to get our attention to turn away from those worldly temptations that cause us to deny Him. If you are with your sin, you deny Jesus. Do not deny Jesus – do not prevent Him from getting to know you, do not let your relationship with Jesus become one that is filled with avoidance and drama – keep it pure. Jesus wants a pure and innocent relationship with you; a relationship that requires you to depend on Him and one where you do not deny Him. Matthew 18:2-3 “He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.”

Quit being a Peter, everyday. Build upon your relationship with Jesus as you would anyone who you value and love; He’s there, He really is. And He is persistent – when you deny Him, He comes right back for more. 

Lacking Accountability: Blaming God For Your Actions

Humans have a very difficult time accepting responsibility for their actions. Here are common responses to the plagues that humans engulf themselves in:
Addiction: They can’t control it, it’s a disease and it consumes them, they just can’t help it 
Abuse: They have an anger problem, they can’t control it, they just can’t help it.
Lust: It’s harmless, everyone does it, they just can’t help it.
Financial Problems: It’s the economy, they have a hard time finding a job, they just can’t help it.

The list goes on and on, but one argument applies to all sin that humans partake in: “they just can’t help it.” Friends and family enable sinful behavior because the alternative is just too hard; to make someone be held accountable for their actions. People who are consumed by sin blame God for their problems and turn to idols instead of Jesus. Humans take comfort in their idols, regardless of how miserable they become – and it’s all God’s fault.

“Why does God let this happen to me?” “If God loved me, He would fix my problems.” “God doesn’t care about me and that is why I suffer.” Those statements are nothing more than lies that idolaters tell because those are the lies Satan tells them. It’s far easier to blame God for your problems, misery, and distance from God than it is to confront yourself with your own sins.

Many sins of humans are the result of idolatry. Idolatry places an earthly object of worship between you and God. Idolatry removes Jesus from your focus and replaces Him with something that gives you a feeling of instant gratification instead of waiting patiently on the Lord through prayer and service. The result of that idolatry is usually similar to the human emotion of misery. Idolatry is destructive to your physical, spiritual, and personal well-being; when you worship your idols instead of God, you begin to blame God.

Idolatry causes you to use your body to sin, to keep you away from God and will allow for Satan to convince you that your actions are not your own – but that God is allowing your misery to happen to you. The exact opposite is true; if you do not praise and give thanks to God in all circumstances, you cannot blame Him for every thing that doesn’t go your way. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (NIV).”

It’s time to stop playing the blame game; it’s time to take control of your actions and kick your idols and sin out of your life. “For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do — living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry;” (1 Peter 4:3, NIV).

Enough is enough.

God is not to blame.

God does not tell you to sin; God wants you to turn away from your sin and bathe yourself in His forgiveness and grace.

It’s time to cut loose your excuses and let go of blaming God. It’s time to follow God’s commands; as God has promised, all that comes from Him is good. He wants you to cast out your idols and come home to Him; God’s standards have no excuses. “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: Sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5, NIV). All sin is nothing more than idol worship; sin is the seeking of instant physical gratification, validation, and vanity. To succumb to sins and idolatry is to use your body against God and will give you the false sense of security as you worship your sins and yourself.

Psalm 16:4 says, “Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more (NIV);” Psalm 16:4 doesn’t say that God gives you misery, God makes you suffer, or that God makes you sin. Psalm 16:4 says “Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more…” Those who run – not to Jesus, but to other gods, or idols, sin.  Satan has given mankind the ability to lack accountability by shifting personal responsibility on to a blame game: Just Blame God. By blaming God, human accountability is removed from the equations; excuses are nothing more than lies Satan tells you to allow you to continue to sin and worship your idols.

Your idols will not save your eternal soul; only the blood of Christ will save you. Jesus tells you that no one will get to the Father but through Him; not through your earthly idols. “Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble! (Judges 10:14, NIV)” You must choose: Jesus or your sins. You cannot have it both ways.

Kool-Aid vs. Blood: Gut Check Your Beverage of Choice

The sweet, sugary taste of Kool-Aid; it’s quenching and delicious. More importantly, it’s easy to swallow. Your taste buds are pleased with the taste of Kool-Aid and that sweet drink calls you back for more and more. You refill your cup time and time again; though it is void of all nutritional value and can cause debilitating diseases that will lead to death if untreated or rectified – you just can’t help yourself! You’re addicted! In fact, you LOVE sugary drinks: Coke, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Sunny D! These fantastic drinks that taste so delicious can’t possibly cause death – a few sips won’t hurt anything. But, you drink so much of it that you develop diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart problems from all that sugar…all that sugar is sending your body straight to death.

Have a glass of…blood. Blood? Blood is bitter, metallic-like. Blood leaves a bad taste in your mouth. That first taste of blood from biting your tongue causes  you to reach for the first thing you can find to wash that taste out of your mouth…here, have some Kool-Aid. Kool-Aid makes it all better. Kool-Aid takes the bitterness away, it calms the taste buds and tricks you into thinking you’ve been quenched! You can’t stand one drop of blood in your mouth, no way you would drink a whole glass of it. Drinking blood will not necessarily give you any extra health benefits – but it won’t lead to a slow and painful death like Kool-Aid will.

Drinking a cup of blood is radical, especially compared to drinking a cup of Kool-Aid. And we live in a world that LOVES to drink Kool-Aid. We live in a world that likes to sugar coat the truth because it’s easier to swallow; it makes our brains feel better. No one like the cold, hard truth. The cold hard truth is…bitter…hard to swallow…radical…blood.

Many churches and doctrine today love to give out cups of Kool-Aid, red Kool-Aid, nonetheless. It looks like blood, but it’s not bitter. It’s watered down, full of sugar, and fake. But it’s red. The Gospel of Red Kool-Aid takes the truth of Jesus and fills it with water and sugar; it’s easier to swallow, it’s widely accepted, it’s socially acceptable. The Gospel according to Red Kool-Aid enables sin, it promotes sin, and it accepts sin. In fact, the Gospel according to Red Kool-Aid will twist the Word of God to make sure you continue to sin. The Gospels according to Red Kool-Aid give you the impression that you will not die because it’s so widely accepted by society; that is some dangerous stuff, and it’s definitely not blood.

Truth, real truth, is found in the blood of Christ – it’s found in the Gospels. Not the Gospels according to Red Kool-Aid. The Gospels according to Red Kool-Aid is watered down, sugary, and will lead to your death. Physical and spiritual. The Gospels according to Red Kool-Aid tell people, “just believe that Jesus died for your sins and love everyone. Congratulations, you’re saved.” The Gospels according to Red Kool-Aid tell you that “you’re a sinner, you just can’t help yourself, you live in a fallen world and Jesus saved you.” The Gospels according to Red Kool-Aid make the blood of Jesus wasted; He did not die in vain. Lay off the Kool-Aid.

The blood of Jesus tells you the truth. It’s bitter, it’s biting, it shakes you up and it’s hard to swallow. The blood of Jesus tells you that, “yes, Jesus died for your sins, through His grace you are saved – sin no more.” Sin no more. (John 8:1-11) The blood of Jesus doesn’t make excuses for your sin, and it certainly does not tell you to keep sinning because you just can’t help yourself. You can help yourself – through the blood of Jesus, you’re not a sinner – you’re a saint. You’re not a saint by saying some words that sound “religious” or that proclaim that Jesus died for your sins. You are a saint because you’ve been made new through the blood and truth of Christ and you TURN AWAY FROM SIN.

The blood of Jesus confronts you and requires you to be honest – do you sin? Do you support the sin of others? Do you give your friends and family cups of Kool-Aid to win their favor? Kool-Aid tells you that if you’re a good person and you do good things, you have earned favor with God. Kool-Aid tells you that it’s OK to support the sins of your friends and family because Jesus loves them anyway. Matthew 7:13-14 tells us that the path and gate to eternal life are narrow – not wide. The eternal kingdom is to be free of sin, not filled with feel good, watered down excuses of ‘living in a fallen world.’

You can help yourself. You can choose to stay away from the Kool-Aid – pick up some real truth. The world will tell you its radical, and the truth of Jesus is very radical compared to this ‘feel-goodery’ world. The truth of Jesus will punch you in the stomach at first – but the more exposure to it you have, the less you desire anything else. The more you ingest the truth of Jesus, the less you accept and you’re even repulsed by what this world has to offer. Because what Jesus offers is so much greater…and forever. The only drink that brings you to eternal life is the blood of Jesus, the pure hard truth written in the Bible. It challenges you, it pushes you, it forces you to evaluate everything you think you know.