The main reason for consequences to sin is not the sin itself, but our unwillingness to deal with that sin God's way.

     The problem of the Garden begins with the forbidden fruit, but it does not end there.  In fact, it would seem from the continuation of the story that the consequences of Genesis 3 have as much to do with how Adam and Eve responded to their failure as they do the failure itself.  As we see the difference between king David and king Saul, having a heart after God's heart is not the absence of failure, but the willingness to deal with failure in a biblical way.  Today we want to examine more closely the problems with how Adam and Eve dealt with their failure.

Questions (Print and Study or just pick up your bible, a pen, and a few sheets of paper and step into the Bible Study Lesson)

  Looking at Genesis 3:7-8 and identify Adam and Eve's first approach to dealing with their sin.

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We see in verse 7 that Adam and Eve start by hiding from each other.  They try to cover their nakedness with fig leaves.  Next, in verse 8, they try to hide from God among the trees of the Garden (where they should have stayed in the first place).  It is our natural flesh response to try to hide when we sin.  Pride never wants to be found out.  Humility, on the other hand, is quick to take responsibility for failure.  In Adam and Eve we see our tendency to hide when we sin.  It is this very tendency that alienates us from other believers and from God, and which gets in the way of putting the sin behind us.

   What do God's questions to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:9-11 reveal about His method of confronting our sins?.

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Perhaps the most profound lesson here is that God comes to man.  We see here that God alls out to Adam asking, "Where are you?"  Of course, God knows where Adam is, but He wants Adam to admit where he is and why he is there.  It is an invitation to repent.  God comes "in the cool of the day."  He waits until the sin is done and there is time to reflect.  He comes personally ("Where are you?").  He also comes with accountability.  He will not let Adam and Eve succeed in their hiding.  He comes in judgment, but with it there is a mingling of mercy, for He promises to send a deliverer.  Clearly from the narrative here, God holds Adam more accountable than Eve even though she was the first to eat of the forbidden fruit. Failing to lead rightly is sin.

  Look at where Adam and Eve place the blame for their sin.  What can we learn from this about our own tendencies in dealing with sin?

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We see in Adam's response that with one statement he tries to shift the blame for his sin to both Eve and God.  He says, "that woman (blaming Eve) that You gave me..." (Blaming God).  Eve takes the same approach, for she tries to shift the blame onto Satan ("the serpent deceived me...").  Our human tendency is to blame someone else, instead of taking responsibility for our sins.

  Briefly list all the consequences of sin that are found here in Genesis 3:14-24.

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To the woman --- __________________________________________________________________

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To Adam and the ground--- __________________________________________________________

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To the animals --- _________________________________________________________________

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To mankind --- _________________________________________________________________

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The Consequences of Man's First Sin:

To the Serpent
P To crawl in the dust.
P Enmity between him and mankind.
P Ultimate judgment (the seed will crush his head).

To the Woman
P Pain in childbirth
P Subjection (would always be under husband's rule)

To Adam and all of Creation
P Hard labor and sweat would now be required to grow food.
P The ground would now grow thorns and thistles.
P Ultimate physical death for both mankind and the animal world.
(Animals were immediately killed to provide clothing for Adam and Eve.)
P Expulsion from the Garden of Eden into a harsh and forbidding world.
P The consequence of a sinful nature.
 

 Compare how Adam and Eve covered their sin in Genesis 3:7 with how God dealt with it in Genesis 3:21.  What observations can you make?

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In Genesis 3:21 we have the first suggestion of animal sacrifice in the Bible.  The "garments of skin" God clothed them with cost some animals their lives.  Though the text does not say, it appears that God ha already revealed to Adam and Eve that an innocent animal must die for them to live.  Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (see Hebrews 9:22).

"...One may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." (Hebrews 9:22).

Click Here for Printable Version of Lesson 7