And my topic tonight is the sinfulness of sin. The sinfulness of sin. That's why we read from Genesis chapter 3.
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Jesus Christ was the first president from 1923 to 1929. And he was notorious for the brevity of his speech. And one day he went to church. He wasn't a member. His wife was. She must have been indisposed or something. But he went to church. And when he came back afterwards, she asked him, what did he preach about?
And Coolidge said, sin! Hmm, said his wife. What did he say? He was against it. Now it's true. God is against sin. But there's a lot more to say about it.
And we're going to look at some of the things that the Bible says to us about it. The sinfulness of sin. But sin is the beginning. The beginning is Genesis chapter 1. It's creation.
And if all good servants have three points, I do have three points for you. My sermon can be divided up into the three basic points of biblical teaching. And that is creation for redemption.
We are looking at the sinfulness of sin. So we'll see most on the fall. But we start in the beginning. Like all good stories start. We start in the beginning. We start with creation.
And there's two things I want you to learn about, hear about creation tonight. In the beginning. In the beginning is not creation. In the beginning is God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
God in Trinity. Three in one. One in three. Perfect love and communication from all eternity before the world was made. And then God speaks. And the world comes into being by his word.
It speaks about, in Genesis chapter 1. About the world we see. The created world. But there was an unseen world too. A world of unseen spirits.
That's going to come in Genesis chapter 3. When Satan comes into the garden and spoils it.
But what does it want us to see about creation is two things. God did it all and it was good.
Six days. Six days. God created. After each day. He said. And it was good.
That is the first thing to know about creation. God did it. First thing. Second thing. It was good.
Because that's not what we see today. We see a messed up world. But that isn't how it started.
Our world started. Our world started with God. A good God. A good creation.
This isn't the place to go into detail about how God did it. Over what period of time.
When he did it. If you want to talk to me about that. We can talk afterwards.
But the point of Genesis. That we see in chapters 1 and 2. Is to know these two basic things.
It all comes from God. Creation. And it's good.
And the second thing to know is. That ain't the way it is.
It's messed up. It's fallen.
And how did that come about?
We've seen creation. Briefly.
We are going to see fall in more detail.
Because we are talking about the sinfulness of sin.
And of course.
The Bible gives definitions of what sin is.
I could give you definitions.
Like it's lawlessness.
Transgression. Breaking God's law.
Falling short of God's standards.
Because all have sinned.
And come short of the glory of God.
But the Bible doesn't actually deal in abstract propositions.
It teaches propositional truth.
But it does it through stories.
And it's a story we are looking at.
The story in Genesis chapter 3.
And it's a story about what really happened.
There really was a man called Adam.
And from him there really came a woman called Eve.
This is not a myth.
This is not a fairy tale.
The New Testament tells us about a first Adam.
And a second Adam.
Jesus Christ.
And if Paul speaks the truth about the second Adam.
Jesus.
In whom we have salvation.
He speaks the truth about the first Adam.
Jesus is real.
Adam was real.
We are not dealing with myths and fairy stories.
It is a story.
But it is a true story.
Of the fall.
And what happened?
Satan came in.
In the form of a servant.
And he messed up.
By tempting Eve and Adam.
To rebel against God.
Origins of evil.
We don't know.
Where Satan got his ideas from.
The scripture tells us.
That God.
What God has revealed.
Is for us and our children.
The secret things belong to him.
And where Satan got his idea.
Of rebellion against God.
Is a secret thing.
That only God and Satan know.
We don't know.
What we know.
Is that Satan.
From somewhere.
Came.
And entered into this.
Created seen world.
And brought into it sin.
By tempting Eve.
And she spread it.
To Adam.
And they fell.
And we.
And all of creation.
Are messed up.
Because of it.
And what was Satan's technique.
In bringing this.
Sin.
Into the world.
How did he do it?
First thing is.
He says.
Has God said.
You can't eat of any tree.
Of the fruit.
Of the garden.
He gets Eve.
To doubt.
God's word.
Doubting God's word.
Whether it's true.
First.
Of the devil's.
Techniques.
Here.
In Genesis.
It's vitally important.
That we know.
That God's word.
Is true.
We believe it.
And we submit to it.
Isaiah chapter 66.
And verse 2.
This is the one.
To whom I will look.
He who is humble.
And contrite in spirit.
And trembles.
At my word.
Did Eve.
Tremble.
At God's word.
No.
She questioned.
She doubted.
That was the seed.
That Satan sowed.
In her mind.
What is your attitude.
To God's word.
Do you read it.
Believe it.
Accept it.
And tremble at it.
And put yourself beneath it.
Or do you say.
Well I don't think that's very good.
No.
That isn't the way.
That things should be.
The way I want to go.
In 1967.
I started reading for.
A London diploma.
In theology.
At all nations.
A qualification.
Of the University of London.
During the exams.
In the middle of the exams.
I walked out.
Why?
Because the examiners.
Didn't tremble.
At God's word.
I was only prepared.
And I'm only prepared.
To study God's word.
On the basis.
That God is.
He has.
Revealed himself.
In Jesus Christ.
And the Bible.
Is a trustworthy record.
Of that revelation.
Did the examiners.
Of the University of London.
In theology.
Work on that basis.
No they didn't.
If Jesus quoted.
The prophet Isaiah.
And there was one prophet Isaiah.
But the examiners.
Of the University of London.
Wanted me to consider.
Whether there were.
Two or three Isaiahs.
I'm sorry.
It was a non-question.
A complete and utter.
Non-question.
God had spoken.
In Jesus Christ.
He said.
There was one Isaiah.
End of.
End of discussion.
Yeah.
I'll.
I'll study.
In theology.
What.
Some.
Strange things.
That people.
Beling.
But I refused.
To be examined.
By the strange people.
For.
A qualification.
In theology.
Anyway.
I had already had a degree.
From the University of London.
I wasn't that bothered.
I was fortunate.
I didn't need some more letters.
After my name.
But.
I wanted to tremble.
At God's word.
And Eve.
She.
Was led.
To doubt.
And.
The next thing.
That Satan.
Instilled into her mind.
Apart from doubting.
Was that God.
Was severe.
Has God said.
That you may not.
Eat of any tree.
Of the garden.
Very severe.
And then.
She replied.
Oh we may eat.
Of any tree.
Except the tree.
Of the knowledge.
Of good and evil.
And we mustn't touch it.
Rubbish.
He hadn't said that.
He said.
Don't eat it.
So there was this.
Misapprehension.
That somehow.
God is severe.
God is hard.
He's a stern taskmaster.
How did Jesus tell us.
To approach God?
Our father.
Jesus.
Gives us.
The picture.
The image.
Of who.
God is.
We can't see God.
He's a spirit.
How do we know.
What he's like.
We know what he's like.
Because he's revealed himself.
In Jesus Christ.
You want to know.
What God is like.
Is he a severe judge.
Is he far away.
Not involved.
In his creation.
No.
He's coming to his creation.
In the person.
Of his son.
A loving.
Compassionate.
God man.
Who sacrifices himself.
For sinners.
God is not.
A severe.
Tyrant.
Don't listen.
To what Satan says.
Don't listen.
To what the world says.
Don't listen.
To what other religions.
Say.
About God.
If you want to know.
The truth.
About God.
Read the Bible.
Believe on the Lord.
Jesus Christ.
Because he is the image.
Of God.
But Satan.
Is encouraging.
Rebellion.
Satan's encouraging.
Rebellion.
And.
He goes on.
He actually.
Denies.
What God has said.
The devil.
Is a liar.
And the father of lies.
Eve said.
Well he said.
That we would die.
If we ate it.
And Satan says.
You will not surely die.
God knows.
That when you eat of it.
Your eyes will be opened.
And you will be like God.
Knowing good and evil.
Now.
Satan.
Now just flatly.
Contradicts.
What God has said.
God has said.
Eat from that tree.
Death.
Satan says.
Eat from that tree.
It will be good for you.
You will know all about good and evil.
You don't want to.
Stay in.
In ignorance.
Eat from that tree.
You will die.
And so.
Satan.
Offers.
Something pleasant.
And desirable.
Eve sees.
That it's.
Pleasant to look at.
And it would be good to eat.
And Satan tempts.
Satan is the master fisherman.
He knows.
How to hide.
His barbed hooks.
With sweet.
And pleasing.
Beds.
He offers.
Something.
Enjoyable.
And it leads.
To death.
Tell the story.
Of a young man.
Cycling by the roadside.
He sees a booklet.
The booklet.
He stops.
He picks it up.
It's been thrown away.
As litter.
What is it?
It's a pornographic magazine.
He looks.
He reads.
He's sexually stimulated.
It leads to him.
Wanting.
Such books.
To look at them.
To buy them.
To be stimulated.
By them.
And it's just the age.
Of print.
And photographs.
It's before the age.
Of the internet.
But as the years.
Go on.
He becomes addicted.
And this.
Is what.
He does.
And what.
Did Satan.
Offered.
Satan.
Had offered.
Pictures.
Which led to him.
Feeling good.
And where was it.
Going to lead to.
To.
An addiction.
It could lead to.
Infidelity.
To sexually transmitted.
Diseases.
It could lead.
To.
Failure.
To have.
A happy.
And faithful.
Marriage.
Satan.
Offers.
Something.
That's good.
And foolish.
Men.
And women.
Accept it.
He leads us.
Astray.
That's his temptation.
Because he says.
You won't die.
He hides.
All the consequences.
Of sin.
In a.
Sweet.
Fruit.
By the way.
The Bible doesn't say anything.
About apples.
The tree of knowledge.
Of good and evil.
But.
It doesn't stop there.
The sin.
The effect.
Is spread.
It is.
Spread.
Further.
Sins entered.
By doubting God's word.
By misrepresenting God.
By denying God's word.
By falsely offering.
A better way.
And then.
Sin spreads.
And she entices.
Her husband.
To eat.
She also.
Gave some.
To her husband.
Who was with her.
And he ate.
She spread the sin.
Paul tells us.
Bad company.
Ruins.
Good morals.
Adam had been innocent.
Until Eve.
Tempted him.
Interestingly enough.
Before Eve.
Adam wasn't in a good place.
I said everything was good.
Do you know the only thing that wasn't good.
Before the fall.
Man alone.
Not good.
For a person.
To be on.
Their own.
So God.
Made a helper.
For him.
And it was good.
There wasn't a problem.
They'd been told.
To do two things.
In that garden.
What were the two things.
They were told.
Everybody knows.
That they were to.
To till the land.
And.
To get.
The earth.
To produce.
The crops.
To subdue the creation.
And the other thing.
They were told.
To enjoy.
Was sex.
They were told.
To.
Fill the earth.
To replenish it.
So God told them.
To enjoy one another.
Physically.
There was nothing wrong.
With sex.
Sex isn't sinful.
In the right place.
In Eden.
In marriage.
But something.
Went wrong.
And the woman.
Who was created.
To.
Help Adam.
She.
Passed on the temptation.
And she led him.
Astray.
There have been Christians.
Who wrongly portrayed.
The female sex.
As temptresses.
And said.
That men should aim.
For chastity.
Monasticism.
Etc.
Forbidding marriage.
That isn't what.
The bible says.
It's good.
For male and female.
To be together.
That's why.
God.
Created them.
And some Christians.
Just see women.
As being temptresses.
And some women are.
There are some.
You shouldn't listen to.
I remember.
If you remember.
Paul's sermon.
On good sex.
And bad sex.
About.
The bad sex.
In the book of Proverbs.
And the good.
With your wife.
But.
Here.
We learn.
It wasn't a woman.
Being a woman.
That was the problem.
It was rebellion.
Against God.
And she spread it.
To Adam.
He shouldn't have listened to her.
There are some women.
You men.
Should all of us listen to.
Your mother.
And your wife.
My wife says.
I never listen to her.
But.
I think that's what she says.
Seriously.
This is where the good advice is.
Not the temptress.
Fortunately.
I mean.
Soliciting.
For.
Immoral purpose.
Purposes.
Is against the law.
And it is.
Hidden away.
So.
Men.
Very often.
Are protected.
But.
The world around.
Says.
Just get involved.
Sexually.
And.
The bible says.
No.
Purity.
Chastity.
Before.
And fidelity.
Faithfulness.
Within marriage.
Church.
But this temptation.
Wasn't.
About sex.
Them being naked together.
Wasn't a problem.
The problem was.
Disobeying God.
They did.
And the effect.
Was spread.
To us.
All their.
Progeny.
So.
We see sin.
We see it.
Sinfulness.
We see what it.
Consists of.
In these.
Verses.
In Genesis.
Chapter 3.
Doubting that God.
Spoken.
Misrepresenting God.
Denying his word.
Falsely offering.
A better way.
Enticing.
Others.
But that was just part two.
And the lengthiest part.
Of my talk.
Tonight.
The final part.
Creation.
Fall.
Redemption.
And.
You don't.
Normally think.
Much about redemption.
In Genesis.
Chapter 3.
You think about rebellion.
And you think about the curses.
But.
Redemption.
Salvation.
Is to the fore.
And you will say.
Well yes.
You're going to take us to Genesis.
3.15.
And the promise of salvation.
I am.
But before that.
Before that.
Is.
God's initiative.
And that's the first thing to know about salvation.
It's God's initiative.
God takes the initiative.
In calling and saving.
What did Adam and Eve do?
They hid themselves.
They put some leaves together.
To cover their private parts.
They were suddenly ashamed.
That they were naked.
Why we don't know.
Because they.
They were naked before.
And there was no problem.
But sin.
Had brought.
Death and it had brought shame.
And it had brought separation from God.
They hid themselves.
Separation from God.
That's what sin does.
Sin separates us from God.
And God comes looking.
That is the good news.
That is the gospel.
God takes the initiative.
He comes and he calls sinners.
He calls sinners tonight.
To trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
God takes the initiative here.
He comes looking.
He says to Adam.
Where are you?
And when Adam says where he was.
God says.
Why?
Why are you hiding?
Wasn't like this before.
What's happened?
And then God takes the initiative.
In the remedy.
And promising a saviour.
He brings judgment.
And he also brings a promise.
Of salvation.
But we'll be coming to the Lord's table.
And what did Eve do?
What did it say that Eve did with the fruit?
She took and ate.
Take.
Eat.
Do those words sound familiar?
Amen.
Taking and eating.
Genesis chapter 3.
Brings death.
Taking.
Eating.
Drinking.
Brings life.
Brings you to the tree of life.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
Who is the way.
The truth.
And the life.
We will experience that at the table.
But.
Before that.
Genesis 3.15.
The promise.
Of salvation.
The promise.
Of salvation.
And it first of all.
God deals with the first.
Being responsible.
For this mess.
And that's Satan.
And then Eve.
And then Adam.
In the order.
But Satan.
Amazingly.
To him.
The promise of salvation.
To mankind.
Is given.
What does God say?
What does he say?
To Satan.
That there's going to be.
Conflict.
Enmity.
Strife.
Between.
The seed of the serpent.
And the seed of the woman.
The whole of the history of scripture.
Is that conflict.
Between those who are the seed of the serpent.
Who follow the way of Satan.
And the seed of the woman.
Those who will follow.
God's way.
And the seed of the woman.
Comes together eventually.
In one person.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
He is the seed of the woman.
He is the one.
Who will crush.
The head.
Of the serpent.
And triumph over him.
Yes.
The serpent will bite his heel.
The serpent will cause.
The seed of the woman.
Christ to suffer.
He suffers.
In.
Our.
Place.
But he triumphs.
He is the triumphant one.
He is the one.
Who crushes.
Satan's head.
You remember.
Get in.
Gave us that wonderful.
Hip hop music.
About the head crusher.
Well.
I can't.
Emulate that.
But.
That's what we're talking about.
We're talking about.
The victory.
Of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's what he says.
And.
Paul says.
The end of Romans.
He will shortly.
Crush Satan.
Under your feet.
The victory.
Is assured.
The promise.
Is there.
Even spoken.
To Satan.
Of all.
Creatures.
So there we have it.
Sin.
Fall.
Redemption.
And the redemption.
Means.
God takes the initiative.
And it means.
He sends.
The seed of the woman.
The Lord Jesus Christ.
To triumph.
And to undo.
All the effects.
Of sin.
The rebellion.
In him.
The tribes of Adam.
Boast.
More blessings.
Than their father lost.
That is the good news.
Of the gospel.
But do you know.
The God.
Who calls.
Are you hiding.
Are you responding.
Are you going to take.
And eat.
From the tree of life.
Believing.
On the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Thank you.