Fall: Sin Subjects Creation to Death

Fall: Sin subjects creation to death

 

My goal: That we would despise sin together.

 

Genesis 3 explains the source of sin and death. 

Genesis 3:1-19; 4:1-8

When our parents rebelled against Yhwh’s word, sin began to reign in death. Not “reign” as in sovereign over all things, but reign as in a curse that binds. There is no dualism here. Yhwh is not equals with the serpent. 

 

God was gracious in that immediate physical death was not allowed to assault them in that moment.

 

However, sin introduced the curse of death into everything, and judgment came on all of created order.

 

Two big categories of sin observed.

Sin of omission: Adam not acting when he should. 

Sin of commission: Eve acting when she should not. 

 

Result of sin: “Fall” – The infection of all things with sin resulting in death

Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

The descent into sin and death is steep from Genesis 3 on. 

 

Respect for authority Replaced by Rebellion

Clear conscience Replaced by Guilt and shame

Blessing Replaced by Physical, spiritual, eternal punishment

Yhwh as friend Replaced by Yhwh as enemy to hide from

Trust Replaced by Terror

Love Replaced by Indifference and hatred

Intimacy with Yhwh Replaced by Separation

Freedom to obey Replaced by Slavery to sin

Honesty Replaced by Lying and deceit

Self-sacrifice Replaced by Self-centeredness

Peace (Shalom) Replaced by Restlessness/Chaos

Responsibility Replaced by Blaming and passing the buck

 

What are some biblical pictures of sin (taken from the narrative and the stories that make up the narrative but not all are explicitly named as I’ve named them here)?

Rebellion (1 Sam. 15:23 “…rebellion is as the sin of divination…” / Presumption / Folly / Treason / Death / Hatred / Spiritual adultery / Missing the mark / Wandering from the path / Idolatry / Pride / Selfishness / Blindness / Deafness / Hard heart / Stiff neck / Delusion / Unreasonable 

 

How does the Old Testament Present Sin?

1. A breaking of relationship
   1. Genesis 3. They now run from Yhwh. 
2. A breaking of social order.
   1. Shalom is broken. So we get murder, conflict, sickness, warfare. 
   2. Shalom is presented in Isaiah and Joel (rest of bible) as what is restored in the kingdom.
      1. Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:1-9; 32:14-20; 43:1-12; 60:1-22; 65:17-25
      2. Joel 2:24-29; 3:17-18
3. A breaking of the covenant.
   1. Jeremiah 11:10 (ESV) They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their fathers.
4. A violation of legal boundaries. 
   1. Psalms 119:126 (ESV) It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.
5. A violation of holiness leading to uncleanness, pollution, defilement, spiritual whoredom.
   1. Isaiah 24:5 (ESV) The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant.
6. A violation of God’s honor leading to shame and disgrace for the violators.
   1. Genesis 2:25 (ESV) And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
   2. Genesis 3:10 (ESV) And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”
7. An accumulation of sin through history.
   1. Genesis 15:16 (ESV) And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.”
   2. Romans 2:5 (ESV) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
8. Death.
   1. Genesis 5 “and he died”.

 

How does the New Testament Present Sin?

1. “Hamartia” – Missing the mark / wrongdoing / contrary to law
2. “Paraptome” – False step / trespass
3. “Parabasis” – Intent to disobey
4. “Asebeias” – Live contrary to / godlessness

 

What are our takeaways?

 

1. Sin has infected all people.

Romans 5:12-19 (ESV) 12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

 

1. Sin destroys relationships. 
2. Sin breaks the “good vibes” of all created order. 
   1. Shalom is intercepted by sin. 
3. Sin breaks covenant. 
   1. Covenant, biblically, is between Yhwh and man AND man and man. It comes with stipulations, blessings and consequences. 
   2. That means someone has let down their end of the bargain and has released the consequences of not keeping the deal into the relationship. 
4. Sin pollutes the soul. It leaves a foul stench in the soul. 
5. Sin dishonors the Lord and other image bearers by how it exalts the self committing sin and puts down the image bearing object or created object sinned against. 
   1. Sin against Yhwh exalts the sinner, and it then seeks to cast aside the Lord. 
6. Sin accumulates. 
   1. Don’t believe that because we sin, no one knows and there seems to be no consequences that there are none. 
      1. Passive wrath: Romans 2:5 (ESV) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
      2. Active wrath: Immediate consequences we often attribute to God making things even. 
7. Sin kills.