God Blamed Adam!

2 January 2022 AM – Romans 5:12-21 – Ro2022 – Scott Childs

Introduction: When our boys were young, it was sometimes difficult to determine who was guilty in one of their boyhood disputes. Though I tried to be fair, there may have been times when I blamed the wrong boy. Keep this in mind as we read the “one man” references in Romans 5:12-21.

Transition: Why did God blame Adam instead of Eve? The answer to this question is buried in Scripture. Digging out the answer is going to reveal several insights that can help our marriages and homes.

Why did God blame Adam? Let’s dig in Scripture.

Our first dig will be in Genesis 2

a. What do we know about Adam’s creation?

1) God created Adam first (Ge 2:7). (1 Timothy 2:13) “For Adam was first formed, then Eve.” This naturally positions him as the leader.

2) God gave Adam physical responsibilities (Ge 2:15). He was to live in the Garden of Eden, dress it and keep it.

3) God gave Adam spiritual responsibilities (Ge 2:16-17). He was accountable to God, his creator. He could eat of all the trees except one. He would die if he disobeyed.

b. What do we know about Eve’s creation?

1) God said that it was not good for man to be alone (Ge 2:18). God knew that man would be lonely, incomplete, and incapable of reproduction if alone.

2) God gave Eve to Adam (Ge 2:22). God created Eve from Adam’s rib, from by his side and near his heart.

3) Eve was taken out of man (Ge 2:23). God created woman to be man’s perfect companion and completer.

c. Does marriage reveal any clues?

1) Man is not an animal and God does not want men acting like animals in their relationships with women. Therefore, God ordained marriage for one man and one woman.

2) The man is to leave father and mother and cleave to his wife (Ge 2:24). Having created the woman to complement and complete the man, God ordained that each man choose one woman to become his lifelong wife.

What clues have we uncovered so far? God created man first. God gave man physical and spiritual responsibilities and accountability. Man was deficient, and God created woman to complement and complete him. Her role is an honour because man is incomplete without her. Marriage is God’s plan to make this union work and remain. These are important clues!

Why did God blame Adam? Let’s dig some more in Scripture.

2. Our next dig begins in Genesis 3

a. How did the sin problem begin?

1) Satan, through the serpent, tempted Eve (Ge 3:1-6).

2) Eve gave the fruit to Adam, and he ate (Ge 3:6).

3) After sin, God called Adam not Eve (Ge 3:9)

b. Why did God call Adam rather than Eve?

1) God had told Adam not to eat of that fruit (Ge 2:17).

2) We have no record that God told Eve the rules. Adam must have told Eve God’s command (Ge 3:2-3). Remember, at that time, they had perfect communion.

3) Eve stepped out of line. She disobeyed what God had said. She urged Adam to eat the fruit (Ge 3:6).

4) Adam ate and sinned (Ge 3:6).

5) Note carefully the words in Genesis 3:9. God called Adam. Adam was the head. He was the leader. God held him accountable for his headship in the home.

a) Turn with me to 1Co 11:3-15. Notice what God emphasises the husband’s headship in the home.

(1) The husband’s head is Christ.

(2) The wife’s head is her husband.

(3) Note the italics in the KJV in this passage. When the italicised his or her are supplied by the translators, the head refers to their physical head. When his or her are not italicised, they are in the text and refer to their authority head (Christ or husband).

(4) Clearly, God placed the husband as the head of his marriage and home.

b) Now flip over to Eph 5:23. Here, God compares the husband’s headship over his wife to that of Christ over the church.

c) No government has two Prime Ministers or two Presidents. No business can have two CEOs. No sports team can have two head coaches. No home can function biblically with two heads. God placed the man in headship. That does not make him any better than his wife. It simply means that God holds husbands accountable for their homes. Men, that is a BIG responsibility! Take it soberly!

6) Adam failed to lead when he hearkened unto voice of Eve (Ge 3:17). Eve took the lead, ate, and then gave Adam to eat.

a) In (Ge 16:2) Abraham failed as the head of his home when he hearkened to the voice of Sarah to take Hagar as his second wife.

b) God held Ahab responsible (1Ki 21:7, 18, 25) when Jezebel killed Naboth so Ahab could steal his vineyard.

What clues did this dig uncover? Eve sinned first, but God called Adam. As head of his home, Adam was accountable to God for his wife. Adam failed to be the head of his home. He hearkened to the voice of Eve.

Why did God blame Adam? Let’s dig once again in Scripture.

3. Our last dig takes us to 1 Timothy 2

a. Was Adam’s sin worse than Eve’s?

1) We read in (Genesis 3:6) “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.“

2) (1 Timothy 2:14) “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.“

a) Eve was deceived by the serpent’s lies.

b) Adam was with her and said nothing to stop her.

c) Adam was not deceived. He sinned knowingly. He knew exactly what God had commanded. When Eve handed him the fruit, he made a conscious choice to disobey God, and eat it.

3) Adam’s sin was worse because he failed as the head of his home. He did not protect Eve. He did not warn her. He consciously disobeyed God.

b. Do sin’s consequences give any clues?

1) As part of the curse of sin, husbands and wives would have an ongoing struggle for headship (Gen 3:16).

2) The wife’s desire will continue to be to dominate her husband. She will continue to desire to lead, control, and manipulate to get her own way. This is why God tells us that the wife’s role in marriage is to submissively complete and respect her husband (Eph 5:22, 24, 33; Col 3:18; 1Pe 3:1-6).

3) The husband’s tendency will be to rule over his wife selfishly, harshly and unlovingly. This is why God’s role for husbands is to lead lovingly and without bitterness (Eph 5:23, 25-33; Col 3:19; 1Pe 3:7).

Conclusion: When we gather all the biblical clues we have dug up from Scripture and piece them together, we find that though Eve sinned first, God blamed Adam because he was the head of his home. God holds husbands accountable.

Husbands, God has given us a difficult task. Being the head of a marriage and home is a HUGE responsibility. However, if we will walk close to the Lord and depend on Christ’s guidance as our HEAD, we can do it. When you fail, ask God and your wife to forgive you and press on.

Wives, your desire to lead and dominate your husband is part of sin’s curse. However, if you usurp your husband’s headship, even if he is a poor leader, you dishonour your husband and disobey God. Let your husband lead your home and pray that God will help him. If he fails, God will hold him accountable.

Song: Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord – 337

God Blamed Adam!

2 January 2022 AM – Romans 5:12-21 – Ro2022 – Scott Childs

Introduction: When our boys were young, it was sometimes difficult to determine who was guilty in one of their boyhood disputes. Though I tried to be fair, there may have been times when I blamed the wrong boy. Keep this in mind as we read the “one man” references in Romans 5:12-21.

Transition: Why did God blame Adam instead of Eve? The answer to this question is buried in Scripture. Digging out the answer is going to reveal several insights that can help our marriages and homes.

Why did God blame Adam? Let’s dig in Scripture.

Our first dig will be in Genesis 2

a. What do we know about Adam’s creation?

1) God created Adam first (Ge 2:7). (1 Timothy 2:13) “For Adam was first formed, then Eve.” This naturally positions him as the leader.

2) God gave Adam physical responsibilities (Ge 2:15). He was to live in the Garden of Eden, dress it and keep it.

3) God gave Adam spiritual responsibilities (Ge 2:16-17). He was accountable to God, his creator. He could eat of all the trees except one. He would die if he disobeyed.

b. What do we know about Eve’s creation?

1) God said that it was not good for man to be alone (Ge 2:18). God knew that man would be lonely, incomplete, and incapable of reproduction if alone.

2) God gave Eve to Adam (Ge 2:22). God created Eve from Adam’s rib, from by his side and near his heart.

3) Eve was taken out of man (Ge 2:23). God created woman to be man’s perfect companion and completer.

c. Does marriage reveal any clues?

1) Man is not an animal and God does not want men acting like animals in their relationships with women. Therefore, God ordained marriage for one man and one woman.

2) The man is to leave father and mother and cleave to his wife (Ge 2:24). Having created the woman to complement and complete the man, God ordained that each man choose one woman to become his lifelong wife.

Why did God blame Adam? Let’s dig some more in Scripture.

2. Our next dig begins in Genesis 3

a. How did the sin problem begin?

1) Satan, through the serpent, tempted Eve (Ge 3:1-6).

2) Eve gave the fruit to Adam, and he ate (Ge 3:6).

3) After sin, God called Adam not Eve (Ge 3:9)

b. Why did God call Adam rather than Eve?

1) God had told Adam not to eat of that fruit (Ge 2:17).

2) We have no record that God told Eve the rules. Adam must have told Eve God’s command (Ge 3:2-3). Remember, at that time, they had perfect communion.

3) Eve stepped out of line. She disobeyed what God had said. She urged Adam to eat the fruit (Ge 3:6).

4) Adam ate and sinned (Ge 3:6).

5) Note carefully the words in Genesis 3:9. God called Adam. Adam was the head. He was the leader. God held him accountable for his headship in the home.

a) Turn with me to 1Co 11:3-15. Notice what God emphasises the husband’s headship in the home.

(1) The husband’s head is Christ.

(2) The wife’s head is her husband.

(3) Note the italics in the KJV in this passage. When the italicised his or her are supplied by the translators, the head refers to their physical head. When his or her are not italicised, they are in the text and refer to their authority head (Christ or husband).

(4) Clearly, God placed the husband as the head of his marriage and home.

b) Now flip over to Eph 5:23. Here, God compares the husband’s headship over his wife to that of Christ over the church.

6) Adam failed to lead when he hearkened unto voice of Eve (Ge 3:17). Eve took the lead, ate, and then gave Adam to eat.

a) In (Ge 16:2) Abraham failed as the head of his home when he hearkened to the voice of Sarah to take Hagar as his second wife.

b) God held Ahab responsible (1Ki 21:7, 18, 25) when Jezebel killed Naboth so Ahab could steal his vineyard.

What clues did this dig uncover? Eve sinned first, but God called Adam. As head of his home, Adam was accountable to God for his wife. Adam failed to be the head of his home. He hearkened to the voice of Eve.

Why did God blame Adam? Let’s dig once again in Scripture.

3. Our last dig takes us to 1 Timothy 2

a. Was Adam’s sin worse than Eve’s?

1) We read in (Genesis 3:6) “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.“

2) (1 Timothy 2:14) “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.“

a) Eve was deceived by the serpent’s lies.

b) Adam was with her and said nothing to stop her.

c) Adam was not deceived. He sinned knowingly. He knew exactly what God had commanded. When Eve handed him the fruit, he made a conscious choice to disobey God, and eat it.

3) Adam’s sin was worse because he failed as the head of his home. He did not protect Eve. He did not warn her. He consciously disobeyed God.

b. Do sin’s consequences give any clues?

1) As part of the curse of sin, husbands and wives would have an ongoing struggle for headship (Gen 3:16).

3) The husband’s tendency will be to rule over his wife selfishly, harshly and unlovingly. This is why God’s role for husbands is to lead lovingly and without bitterness (Eph 5:23, 25-33; Col 3:19; 1Pe 3:7).

Conclusion: When we gather all the biblical clues we have dug up from Scripture and piece them together, we find that though Eve sinned first, God blamed Adam because he was the head of his home. God holds husbands accountable.

Husbands, God has given us a difficult task. Being the head of a marriage and home is a HUGE responsibility. However, if we will walk close to the Lord and depend on Christ’s guidance as our HEAD, we can do it. When you fail, ask God and your wife to forgive you and press on.

Song: Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord – 337