Living under the Curse

8 January 2023 AM – Genesis 3:16-19 – Sin – Scott Childs

Introduction: God created a perfect world. After each day of Creation, God declared that His Creation was good! Just three chapters into the Bible, much of what God made good had turned to bad. What happened? Critics ask, If God is good, why are there so many bad things in the world? Another frequently asked question is, “Why do bad things to happen to good people?” Before we are finished today, I hope you will discover the answer to these perplexing questions.

Transition: As we consider the topic of “Living under the Curse”, I want us to investigate the cause, the consequences and the cure.

1. The Cause of the Curse

a.         God created all things perfect.

1)         God created all things perfectly in just six literal 24-hour days, just as Genesis 1-2 record.

2)         Animals, sea creatures, birds, and man all lived in harmony. God gave man dominion over all (Gen 1:26, 28). This dominion was the crown of glory and honour that God gave to Adam. (Psalms 8:5) “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.” Adam was the ruler over all that lived on the earth, and every living thing submitted to his leadership. Awesome!

3)         Even Adam’s relationship with Eve was harmonious. She was a helper suitable for him. God created her to help or aid Adam. Though Adam was the leader, she was his perfect, submissive completer.

b.         God warned Adam not to disobey.

1)         God warned Adam not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:17). This may have been before Eve’s creation. God does not tell us what type of fruit tree it was, nor does He give us any details about it.

2)         God told Adam that he would die if he disobeyed this command. However, that word “die” encompassed much more than just physical death.

3)         If God told this to Adam before Eve’s creation, Adam clearly explained God’s command to Eve, for she repeated it to the serpent when he tempted her (Gen 3:2-3).

2.        The Consequences of the Curse

Were the consequences of disobedience acts of judgment on them for their sin; or were they unavoidable results that took place when they lost their innocence? Perhaps both, but we must not overlook the latter.

ILLUS: Jar of water with yellow paint in it. Then with blue paint in the lid. Shake and it turns green. The change is permanent. So it is with sin. No amount of yellow good deeds can remove the green of sin’s curse.

a.         We note several immediate consequences.

1)         When Eve then Adam ate of the forbidden tree, their eyes were immediately opened to sin’s consequences.

a)         They sensed their nakedness and covered themselves (v.7).

b)         They felt afraid and hid from God (v.10).

2)         They had died just as God had warned. They died spiritually.

a)         Spiritually, they lost their innocence. Previously, they knew only good. Now they knew both good and evil (v.22). Only God, being eternal and divine, can know evil and not be allured by it. Without the protection of innocence, Adam, Eve and all their descendants have been allured by evil. They continue to sin.

b)         Spiritually, they lost their peace with God.

c)         Spiritually, they lost fellowship with God.

d)         Spiritually, they lost access to the tree of eternal life (v.22-24).

b.         God also highlights physical consequences.

1)         Since Eve sinned first, God addressed her first (v.16).

a)         Her sorrow (i.e., pain) would greatly increase in frequency. Life would be painful.

b)         Her conception of children would greatly increase.

c)         Childbearing would now have pain.

d)         She would desire to be in charge rather than sweetly submitting to her husband’s leadership.

e)         She would have to endure her husband ruling over her, sometimes not very lovingly.

f)          Note: None of these consequences existed when she was innocent. Pain did not exist. Conception was less frequent. Childbearing was pain-free. Submission to her husband was enjoyable. Adam led Eve with gentle tenderness. The bad consequences are not God’s fault. They are the result of Eve’s sin.

2)         Adam was not deceived as Eve was (1Ti 2:14). He listened to his wife rather than leading her. His loss of innocence also made his life hard.

a)         He lost his dominion over the earth. Now in sorrow (i.e., pain) he must grow his food (v.17).

b)         Sin’s consequences caused some plants to become troublesome weeds (v.18). (Romans 8:22) “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.“

c)         He now must sweat as he works to produce his food (v.19).

d)         Just as God created him from earth, he would one day physically die and return to earth (v.19).

e)         Note: None of these consequences existed during innocence. Sin had ruined man’s dominion over nature, causing him pain and sweat to survive.

3)         Both Adam and Eve, having lost their innocence, had to wear clothing to cover their shame (v.21). Dressing immodestly is a sure sign of a lack of the fear of God. God covered Adam and Eve with a long shirt-like garment, not a bathing suit. Let’s be wise and let God set our modesty standards, not this sinful world.

3.        The Cure for the Curse

a.         Restoration of innocence is the only cure.

1)         For 6,000 years, the human race has existed without innocence. We live in a world of sin, pain and heartache.

2)         No amount of religious effort or good works will ever solve man’s sin problem. [Remember the paint.]

3)         What we need is a total restoration back to the way life was when God created all things.

4)         During the Millennium, God will bind Satan and Christ will reign as King with perfect dominion over all creation. However, men will still have sinful souls. Sinners living in a utopia much like the Garden of Eden will not solve the sin problem. Sinful man needs to be restored to innocence.

b.         Regeneration is the first step to the cure.

1)         Regeneration is being born anew. (Titus 3:5) “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;“

2)         God is able to offer this to us because Jesus Christ paid sin’s debt in full for every human. (1 Timothy 2:6) “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Our part is to admit our need and receive His gift.

3)         Regeneration cleanses the heart and the Rapture promises us an immortal body free from sin. That new body will restore innocence so that we may live in God’s presence for all eternity. That is the cure!

Conclusion: Did you discover the answer to those questions we asked as we began? If God is good, why are there so many bad things in the world? Why do bad thing to happen to good people? Sin ruined everything, not God! We must not blame God. God created all things perfect and very good. Adam and Eve were sinless and innocent. They had complete dominion over all of God’s creation. Once they sinned, innocence was lost and so was their dominion over nature. From that day until now, sinful people cause pain for others and all nature, corrupted by sin and without man’s dominion, brings disasters to earth’s inhabitants.

            For 6,000 years, God has been showing man that he can do nothing to fix the problem himself. Only God can restore innocence, but we must let Him. If you let God regenerate your heart now, then at the Rapture, He will transform your body and remove your sin nature. Are you ready to meet Him? If not, you can be today!

            When you get frustrated with pain, a stubborn spouse, an unkind neighbour or a natural disaster, remember, the problem is sin not God.

Song: Burdens Are Lifted – 218