Spreading 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)
God had warned Adam and Eve, “…in the day that thou eatest thereof [of the forbidden fruit] thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) Yet one day Eve ate of it. She didn’t fall dead. She gave it to Adam. He ate. He didn’t fall dead, either. But they noticed they were naked. They knew they needed clothes, so “…they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Genesis 3:7) By the way, that’s a good question for an evolutionist: When in the evolutionary process did people start wearing clothes?
Adam and Eve knew something was different, and it wasn’t good. They tried to rectify it with the fig leaf aprons. That obviously didn’t work, because they “…heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God…” (Genesis 3:8) They had never hidden from God before, but now they didn’t want to be around God. They were now sinners, alienated from God, and had died spiritually. God was right after all.
The serpent hadn’t told them that would happen. He had said, “…your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5) He convinced them to focus on the pleasure of eating the fruit, and to disregard God’s word. Now they knew good and evil. They had known good by seeing God’s goodness. Now they knew evil by doing something evil. They sinned against God.
Sin gives temporary pleasure. Hebrews 11:25 talks of “…the pleasures of sin for a season;” The devil tempted Adam and Eve to disregard God’s word and enjoy sin’s pleasure. The rest is history. People who tempt others to sin also do it to benefit themselves, not the one they’re tempting. The devil tempted Adam and Eve for his benefit, not theirs. Casinos and tobacco and liquor companies advertise to benefit themselves, not customers. Leading other people astray has a sinful pleasure all its own.
Men dressed as women interacting with young, impressionable kids do that. They encourage kids at a young age to do what they do: to reject the word of Almighty God, who “…at the beginning made them male and female,” (Matthew 19:4) It is not freedom from gender stereotypes. It is calling God a liar.
Jesus warned against tempting people to sin, especially kids: “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!” (Matthew 18:6-7)
Truth is, we’ve all listened to the devil and sinned. Not all have committed the same sins, but all have sinned; not once, but many times: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:23) Yet Jesus, in His love for us, “…bare our sins in his own body on the tree,” (1 Peter 2:24) Every sin we would ever do was placed on Him. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. He said, “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen;” (Revelation 1:18)
Jesus offered “…one sacrifice for sins for ever,” (Hebrews 10:12) God said it. It’s true. Jesus forgives sins, saves souls, and changes lives. There is no sin God cannot or will not forgive if you will receive Jesus as Saviour: “…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?” to learn more.
Brian Miller 7/7/2023