Fact #1 – Men are sinners and separated from God – Their Creator.

In order to understand what the Gospel message is and why we need Jesus Christ, we need to look at the history of man as recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures with emphasis on the book of Genesis – the first book of the Bible – the book of beginnings.

Man was created by God for relationship and for His divine purposes.

Within the core of all of us there is a need for purpose and relationship. We are not meant to be alone, an island to ourselves, but rather we desire friendship, fellowship, intimacy, communication and relationship both horizontally ( with other people) and vertically – ( with God). The basis of the Gospel starts with the premise that God created the universe and all living things.

In particular He created mankind in His image and likeness and He performed this creative work with the intention of establishing a close and loving relationship with man, one that will last beyond this earthly existence on to a heavenly one that lasts forever. This relationship is built on the basis that God is the center of man’s existence and He is to be trusted and honored as Lord of all, worshipped and obeyed.

In addition to this we were not created to simply live, exist, work…. and then eventually die and just simply cease to exist. God created us with an everlasting purpose and that purpose is to know Him, serve Him and worship Him as the only Lord of all creation not just in this life but also in the life that is to come. It is only in Him that we will find true fulfillment and purpose – Col. 1:16, Job 12:10, Isaiah 44:2, Ps. 139:15,16, Romans 11:36, Proverbs 16:4, Isaiah 43:7.

When God created the first man Adam He stated “ It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper comparable to him” – Genesis 2:18.

In Genesis 1:26-28, 2:19-25 we see the process by which God created the woman Eve and from these two ( Adam and Eve) united in companionship and commitment, the institution of marriage and the family was established. The first (3) chapters of Genesis also give us a description of the fellowship and relationship that God had with Adam and Eve. He spoke with them and was with them in a form of a visible presence at various times in this first earthly home of man ( the garden of Eden). This place and period of time was characterized by innocence, service to God and unbroken fellowship between Adam, Eve and their Creator. Genesis 2:25 states “And they (Adam and Eve) were both naked, the man and his wife and were not ashamed” .

There was no knowledge of evil, no shame in their nakedness. There was no consciousness of evil or sin because there was none. There was no inward principle of evil within them and the result of this was a joy and satisfaction in their union with one another and ultimately with the Lord God Himself. There is not an extensive record in Genesis describing this state of “sinlessness and innocence” but enough details are provided for us to clearly see that this original state of man was good and complete both in their relationship with one another (Adam and Eve) and ultimately with the Lord their Creator – Genesis 1:31.

Sin and evil entered the world and the relationship with God was broken and marred.

In the garden, Adam and Eve enjoyed the special relationship that they had with God. However, this relationship demanded a denial of their willful desires and a submission to the will of their Creator. There was one prohibition that God made. “ Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you will not eat” – Genesis 2:16,17.

Why was this denial of eating from this tree made by God? Why the prohibition? Many Bible scholars believe that God wanted Adam and Eve to grow in their trust and confidence in Him. They were pure and innocent but they were also un-tested and their moral character was undeveloped. They had untried virtue and they had not made a deliberate attempt to choose right instead of wrong. True love and relationship must choose and decide. It cannot be simply mandated, it must flow out of a free will decision and choice to love and honor.

Genesis chapter 3 informs us that Satan came into the garden in the form of a serpent and he questioned God’s Word and His divine purpose. Satan appealed to Adam and Eve’s inward will and potential to deny God and to do that which was contrary to Him. Satan essentially presented them with two options – God’s way or their own way. Satan’s evil plan and purpose was to introduce to Adam and Eve the temptation to live and act independent of God. As a result Adam and Eve chose their way and ate from the tree.

I John 2:16 describes how this temptation process leading to sin takes place and we see it in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve.- “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life”. By lust is meant that which is contrary to God and His moral standards. She (Eve) “saw that the tree was good for food” – the lust of the flesh; “that it was pleasant to the eyes” – the lust of the eyes; “ and a tree to be desired to make one wise” – the pride of life.

This was the temptation process and when the temptation was yielded to it produced sin – (a violation of God’s will and standard) – “ she took of the fruit and did eat it and also gave it to her husband with her and he ate of it” . – Genesis 3:1-6. The result of this choice to sin and act contrary to God’s clearly established will brought devastating results.

What is Sin?

Sin is rebellion against God. It is a defiance against His sovereign will and purposes and instead is centered in man’s self –centered, self-focused and self-directed choices. It is a deliberate decision to ignore God and follow the dictates of man’s own desires and impulses. Sin makes no room for God’s rulership and instead self rules as the king and lord of the human heart. This is exactly the choice that Adam and Eve made.

The first result was that Adam and Eve’s eyes were opened to their nakedness before God. Prior to this they experienced no self-consciousness or embarrassment regarding their physical bodies. But now they looked for a way to cover themselves with fig leaves-Genesis 3:7. Now their consciences condemned them and they hid themselves from God. “Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden” – Genesis 3:9.

Genesis 3:7-24 provides a listing of the results of sin as:

1. Separation from God.

2. Pain in child bearing.

3. Hard physical labor for mankind’s existence and survival.

4. Cursed soil and conditions of the earth.

5. Physical death and separation from the garden and from the tree of life.

The most valuable loss for Adam and Eve was their loss and right to communion and intimacy with God. This separation from God created a spiritual vacuum and a darkness developed within man that completely changed the course of human history. As we continue to read through the book of Genesis we see that man’s evil heart and decision to choose sin progressed. Genesis 4:1-15 records the first human murder and it was Adam’s two sons Cain and Abel who were involved. Many years later we read of the evil of Noah’s generation.

Genesis 6:5-7 – “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually and the Lord God was sorrowful that He had made man on the earth and He was grieved in His heart”. Verses 11,12 – “The earth also was corrupt before God and the earth was filled with violence”.

This progression of sin and evil that started in the garden of Eden continued to the point in which God judged the earth in the days of Noah with a flood . The present reality of the existence of sin and evil in the world today is an undeniable fact. With man’s freedom came the abuse of this privilege and the result has been the awful and bitter penalty of sin which has been afflicted on the whole human race.

The following Scriptures provide us with a description of man’s sin before God.

Psalm 14:1-3 – “The fool has said in his heart “there is no God”. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, There is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside. They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, no not one.”

Jeremiah 17:9,10 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? I , the Lord search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways.”

Isaiah 59:1-4 – “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; nor is His ear heavy that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perversity. No one calls for justice nor does any plead for truth. They trust in empty words and speak lies; they conceive evil and bring forth iniquity”.

Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way”.

Romans 3:19,23 – “All the world may become guilty before God… All have sinned”

Man’s true spiritual condition is most clearly demonstrated in the lack of a heart of submission and reverence for God; an absence of awe for His power and greatness and a loss of fear of living and acting contrary to His holy nature. This lack of a proper response to God is rooted in an arrogant, self-sufficient attitude of sin that produces a life lived as if there were no God. The result of this sin is the judgment of God. This is where we all are in varying degrees. Opposed to God, self-willed, self-centered and destined to experience the judgment of God for our sin. Yet God Who is rich in mercy and compassion has always offered forgiveness for sin and restoration to Himself. His mercy, compassion, forgiveness and restoration is based in His love for us and this reality is consistently presented to us throughout all of the history of man as recorded in the Scriptures.