THE GENESIS OF SIN

THE GENESIS OF SIN – the purpose of this teaching is firstly to clean the minds of people from the misconceptions that Satan through his craftiness has implanted into the minds of people hence making the body of Christ less effective. Also by understanding the genesis of sin, we will expose Satan’s methods of temptations and conclusively learn to live above sin.

THE MISCONCEPTION
Satan has through time pasted deceived man that the origin of sin was as a result of fornication. This teaching weakens the moral commitment to serve Christ in righteousness. “If Adam and Eve did it, why can’t you,” whispers Satan into the ears of many people.

Let us analyze a few scriptures to straighten this out.

And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. (Genesis 2:23-24 KJV)

Adam’s exclamation when he saw Eve explains it all. The first word to consider is “now” which means “at the present time, not the past or future”. The second observation is the use of words bone of my bones, which signifies “joining together”. The body of humans is made up of bones joint together called the skeleton. So the word bone of my bones signifies the concept of joining things together. The third observation is the use of words flesh of my flesh. You see it is not possible to distinguish where flesh is joined to together. Hence, the concept of flesh spells the word oneness. A complete wholeness as joint bones wrapped in one piece of flesh .
Therefore, to paraphrase Adam’s speech it will sound like this, “This is at this present time, the one I am joined to, and we are inseparable”.

This sounds like marriage to me, and if married then cannot commit the sin of fornication.

Christ said the same thing. Male and Female joined together (bone to bone) by God and made one flesh, hence, inseparable.

And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (Matthew 19:4-6 KJV)


WHAT IS THE TREE OF LIFE
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9)

To explain the tree of life I will lend wisdom from the scripture that says, “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:” (Isaiah 28:10 KJV). Therefore, let us put precept upon precept. King Solomon found out that the tree of life is the wisdom of God.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. ……… She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. (Proverbs 3:13-18)

WHAT IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17)
If the tree of life is the Wisdom of God, then tree of knowledge is the Wisdom of Man or simply the wisdom of the world, which descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, and devilish. (James 3:15). This knowledge canalizes the mind. Hence, it is written by the revelation of the Spirit, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:6)

But the wisdom that is from above (THE TREE OF LIFE) is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (James 3:17 KJV)

Notice the linkage between spiritual mindedness and qualities for the wisdom from above.

In conclusion, the knowledge of good and evil shifts the focus or mind of man from God to self.
IS KNOWLEDGE SIN?
Knowledge in itself is not sin, but when by the knowledge desire or lust is developed then it becomes sin.

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever: (Genesis 3:22)

The above scripture states that God also knows good and evil yet without sin.

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. (Genesis 3:6 KJV)

Hence, Eve just did not end up by knowing but she desire it i.e. craved or lust for the fruit. Therefore the above quoted scripture says, “She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat it”. The knowledge to be like God, knowing good and evil, led to the lust for it, which is the weakness of human beings. No wander the Apostle Paul wrote that “For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died”. (Romans 7:9 KJV)

Jesus explains it this way, “But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart”. (Matthew 5:28 KJV) Notice the issue is the lust and not the looking.

With this background, lets then analyze the process that led to sin under the title Worldliness.

WORLDLINESS
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. (Genesis 3:7)

Worldliness is a product of the THREE Temptations of Satan which Apostle John outlined in 1 John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:16 KJV)

1. The lust of the flesh – when the woman saw that it was good for food (Genesis 3:7) also in the case of Jesus the same temptation is repeated by: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (Matthew 4:3)


2. The lust of the eyes - when the woman saw that it was pleasant to the eyes (Genesis 3:7) and also in the case of Jesus the same temptation is repeated by:

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them (PLEASANT TO THE EYES); And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. (Matthew 4:8-9 KJV) EMPHASIS MINE

3. The pride of life - when the woman saw that it was a tree to be desired to make one wise (Genesis 3:7) and also in the case of Jesus the same temptation is repeated by:

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Matthew 4:5-6 KJV)

Notice how unnecessary proud people execute their authority of their subordinates. Just because Jesus is the head of the temple (pinnacle of the temple) Satan tempted him to exercise pride over His angels.

In all these three temptations Jesus was without sin which means that he did not yield to lust after the things Satan brought to his attention.

Therefore, to conclude this subsection we understand that these three categories of temptations are the ones Satan uses to refocus man from God to Self. Firstly, through fleshly desires such as fornication, drunkardness, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, etc. Secondly, through the lust of the eyes such as having nice things such as posh cars, designers cloths, homes, etc which are not sin in themselves but the passions for them that leads to ignoring the existence of God is the sin. Thirdly, the pride of life that leads to self-exaltation.

DID THEY DIE?
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:17 KJV)

For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Romans 8:6 KJV)
CAUSE OF UNANSWERED PRAYERS
Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. (John 9:31 KJV)

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: (1 John 5:14 KJV)

Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. (James 4:3 KJV)
SINGLE EYEDEDNESS
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23 KJV)

WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT THEY WHERE NAKED

To explain this concept I will start by explaining what it means to be clothed. Listen to Job’s understanding of being clothed.

I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. (Job 29:14)

David had the same understanding too.

Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy. (Psalms 132:9)

Isaiah had the same understanding too.

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)

Therefore, righteousness that is to stand right with God is clothing. Which means not standing right with God is nakedness. Hence, Jesus Christ put it this way:

If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin. (John 15:22 KJV)

Hence, meaning that because they were aware of the consequences through warning by God they was no longer any covering for their sin – nakedness! OK, so I have explained the first nakedness quoted in the verse below.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7 KJV)

How then do you explain the following verse? That is the nakedness before the fall.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:25 KJV)

A cross examination between the verse above and the verse below answers the question.

For thy violence (SIN) against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee (CLOTHED), and thou shalt be cut off forever (EXPELLED FROM EDEN). (Obadiah 1:10 KJV)

Hence, both naked, the man and his wife imply that they had no sin.

How honestly would God create man in his image and likeness and leave him naked when every other creation like him is clothed including himself.

ANGELS ARE CLOTHED TOO
And Cornelius said, Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and, behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, (Acts 10:30)

And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and swore by him that liveth forever that it shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished. (Daniel 12:7)

IT IS FOR GLORY AND BEAUTY

And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. (Exodus 28:2 KJV)

GOD IS CLOTHED TOO

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train (SKIRT) filled the temple. (Isaiah 6:1 KJV)

COAT FOR COVERING OR OUR CLOTHING
Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9 KJV)

Made to stand right before God by the blood of Jesus.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:13-14 KJV)

CONSCIENCE
Internal or self-knowledge, or judgment of right and wrong; or the faculty, power or principle within us, which decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions and affections, and instantly approves or condemns them. Conscience is called by some writers the moral sense, and considered as an original faculty of our nature. Others question the propriety of considering conscience as a distinct faculty or principle. The consider it rather as the general principle of moral approbation or disapprobation, applied to ones own conduct and affections; alledging that our notions of right and wrong are not to be deduced from a single principle or faculty, but from various powers of the understanding and will. (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

THE CUNNING SERPENT
Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1 KJV)

CUNNING
Knowing; skillful; experienced; well-instructed. It is applied to all kinds of knowledge, but generally and appropriately, to the skill and dexterity of artificers, or the knowledge acquired by experience. (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. (Revelation 12:9 KJV)

SEWED FIG LEAVES

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. (Genesis 3:7 KJV)

This implies an attempt to stand right with God by Human wisdom (the religions of the world: note - Christianity is a relationship with God and not a religion). Only the blood of Jesus can make us stand right with God.

And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. (Matthew 21:19-21 KJV)

IT’S A SIGN (THE LAW)
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (Matthew 24:32 KJV)

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. (Luke 21:29-30 KJV)

HE KNEW IT WAS NOT YET TIME FOR FIGS
And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. (Mark 11:13 KJV)

And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. (Mark 11:20-21 KJV)

He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why encumbereth it the ground? (Luke 13:6-7 KJV)

Our Lord's cursing the fig-tree near Bethany (Mar_11:13) has occasioned much perplexity from the circumstance, as mentioned by the evangelist, that “the time of figs was not yet.” The explanation of the words, however, lies in the simple fact that the fruit of the fig-tree appears before the leaves, and hence that if the tree produced leaves it ought also to have had fruit. It ought to have had fruit if it had been true to its “pretensions,” in showing its leaves at this particular season. “This tree, so to speak, vaunted itself to be in advance of all the other trees, challenged the passer-by that he should come and refresh himself with its fruit. Yet when the Lord accepted its challenge and drew near, it proved to be but as the others, without fruit as they; for indeed, as the evangelist observes, the time of figs had not yet arrived. Its fault, if one may use the word, lay in its pretensions, in its making a show to run before the rest when it did not so indeed” (Trench, Miracles).

LIKENED TO STRONGHOLDS
All thy strongholds shall be like fig trees with the firstripe figs: if they be shaken, they shall even fall into the mouth of the eater. (Nahum 3:12 KJV)