At its core the message of the cross, as it relates to sin, is God has clearly communicated to mankind the consequence of sin and His solution to the problem created by human sin. Mankind, in and of itself, cannot bring about a solution for sin, but must look to God for the answer to mankind’s sin problem. It’s very important to understand sin will always oppose God and His Word. Sin is the root problem and cause for all mankind’s problems. Sin impacts the life of both the saved and unsaved on a daily basis.
The Bible clearly states sin has created a state of enmity in all mankind toward God. Enmity can be defined as a state or feeling of being actively opposed or hostile to someone or something which may be expressed openly or concealed. For some this enmity toward God is expressed with great declarations of distain, but yet in others, this enmity toward God may be expressed simply as, “I really don’t have time for God right now.” Enmity toward God is not an attitude or feeling one develops over time, but it is a state of our will when we are born. And as a result, mankind does not seek after God.
Romans 3:10 - 12 – As it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understand, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one. Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in the paths, and the path of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (NASB)
Psalm 53:1-3 - The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” they are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; there is no one who does good. God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God. Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. (NASB)
In addition to mankind’s enmity toward God, the Bible clearly states sin has a consequence and that is DEATH. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…”. This death is not only of a physical nature, but also of a spiritual nature; for sin will in death condemn the unsaved to eternal suffering, separate from the presence of a loving and merciful God.
What God has spoken; He will do. In Genesis 2:16-17 God speaks to Adam:
The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (NASB)
The text is very clear God communicated to Adam there was a consequence for not obeying His command; what God communicated to Adam about obedience to His word has not changed for us today (this message is still very pertinent to man today). Sadly, we find in chapter three of Genesis all that lead up to Adam’s disobedience to God’s command and as a result God, in His absolute holiness, had to bring about the punishment He so clearly communicated to Adam; “for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” It’s very important to note God could not act in any other manner. He had spoken and He had to act on what He said; judgement was pronounced (Genesis 3:8-19). Adam’s death was not immediate, but in time Adam succumb to death just as God had spoken. For from the dust God had created Adam and to the dust Adam would return; “…for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (NASB)
The Apostle Paul speaks to the outcome of Adams sin on all mankind, “For since by a man came death….” (I Corinthians 15:21); “For as in Adam all die…” (I Corinthians 15:22); “For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners….” (Romans 5:19). As a result, all mankind has been born with a natural tendency or an inclination to sin and all mankind suffers the same consequence; death.
Romans 5:12-14 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. (NASB)
Let us remember, sin will always oppose God and His Word. Even the one who is saved battles with sin on an ongoing basis. Sin is still at work in the life of the saved to keep them from doing God’s will. The Apostle Paul speaks to this struggle in his letter to the church at Galatia when he wrote:
Galatians 6:16-17 – “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” (NASB)
God’s command to Adam regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was clearly communicated to Adam by God. The consequence of disobedience was clearly communicated to Adam by God. God had spoken and Adam was to obey. We have no indication from Scripture as to how long after God placed Adam in the Garden that Adam sinned. But the Scripture clearly indicates to us in Genesis 3 whose voice Adam listened to when he ate from the tree God had forbidden him to eat from; “… Because you have listened to the voice of your wife…”. Scripture indicates Eve was deceived by Satan in regards to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but Adam was not deceived. He ate freely, in complete disregard to God’s command, “from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’ and as a result, God had to act on His word regarding Adams disobedience.
Sin and its continuing impact on mankind is a result of man’s disobedience to God’s Word. God clearly communicates to mankind sin has an outcome, death, and God’s absolute holiness demands sin be punished. But as we will see in our next article, God in His mercy and love provided, through the cross, the means of reconciling sinful man back to Himself. God has defeated sin and its consequence of “death” and provided life for those who believe what God has spoken in His Word regarding His provision for salvation.
Biblical text:
Unless otherwise noted all Biblical text is taken from New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Romans 3:10 - 12 – As it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understand, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one. Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving, the poison of asps is under their lips; whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in the paths, and the path of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (NASB)
Psalm 53:1-3 - The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God,” they are corrupt, and have committed abominable injustice; there is no one who does good. God has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there is anyone who understands, who seeks after God. Every one of them has turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. (NASB)
In addition to mankind’s enmity toward God, the Bible clearly states sin has a consequence and that is DEATH. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…”. This death is not only of a physical nature, but also of a spiritual nature; for sin will in death condemn the unsaved to eternal suffering, separate from the presence of a loving and merciful God.
What God has spoken; He will do. In Genesis 2:16-17 God speaks to Adam:
The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (NASB)
The text is very clear God communicated to Adam there was a consequence for not obeying His command; what God communicated to Adam about obedience to His word has not changed for us today (this message is still very pertinent to man today). Sadly, we find in chapter three of Genesis all that lead up to Adam’s disobedience to God’s command and as a result God, in His absolute holiness, had to bring about the punishment He so clearly communicated to Adam; “for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” It’s very important to note God could not act in any other manner. He had spoken and He had to act on what He said; judgement was pronounced (Genesis 3:8-19). Adam’s death was not immediate, but in time Adam succumb to death just as God had spoken. For from the dust God had created Adam and to the dust Adam would return; “…for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” (NASB)
The Apostle Paul speaks to the outcome of Adams sin on all mankind, “For since by a man came death….” (I Corinthians 15:21); “For as in Adam all die…” (I Corinthians 15:22); “For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners….” (Romans 5:19). As a result, all mankind has been born with a natural tendency or an inclination to sin and all mankind suffers the same consequence; death.
Romans 5:12-14 - Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. (NASB)
Let us remember, sin will always oppose God and His Word. Even the one who is saved battles with sin on an ongoing basis. Sin is still at work in the life of the saved to keep them from doing God’s will. The Apostle Paul speaks to this struggle in his letter to the church at Galatia when he wrote:
Galatians 6:16-17 – “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.” (NASB)
God’s command to Adam regarding the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was clearly communicated to Adam by God. The consequence of disobedience was clearly communicated to Adam by God. God had spoken and Adam was to obey. We have no indication from Scripture as to how long after God placed Adam in the Garden that Adam sinned. But the Scripture clearly indicates to us in Genesis 3 whose voice Adam listened to when he ate from the tree God had forbidden him to eat from; “… Because you have listened to the voice of your wife…”. Scripture indicates Eve was deceived by Satan in regards to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but Adam was not deceived. He ate freely, in complete disregard to God’s command, “from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’ and as a result, God had to act on His word regarding Adams disobedience.
Sin and its continuing impact on mankind is a result of man’s disobedience to God’s Word. God clearly communicates to mankind sin has an outcome, death, and God’s absolute holiness demands sin be punished. But as we will see in our next article, God in His mercy and love provided, through the cross, the means of reconciling sinful man back to Himself. God has defeated sin and its consequence of “death” and provided life for those who believe what God has spoken in His Word regarding His provision for salvation.
Biblical text:
Unless otherwise noted all Biblical text is taken from New American Standard Bible (NASB)