Hello World!
In part 1, we discussed where sin came from. In part 2, we discussed some examples of sin, and I went into sins I’m guilty of. In part 3, we will now discuss the solution. God’s plan to help conquer sins is seen as early as in the garden of Eden. As we saw in part 1, the origin of sin was the sin of eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan, the serpent, help enticed Adam and Eve to break God’s law by eating the fruit. God knew that Adam and Eve sinned, but he did not destroy them for their sin. We can read the account here in Genesis 3:6-24, but I want to focus on what God did at vs 21-22.
Genesis 3:21-22
The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”
After Adam and Eve ate from the tree, they learned of their nakedness, which is basically saying they received “sin” in their hearts. The knowledge of their nakedness is proof they disobeyed God’s command and because of that knowledge they attempted to try to clothe themselves in vs. 7.
Genesis 3:6-7
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
So do not miss this. Their sin of eating the fruit led them to understanding that they were naked and led them to make coverings for themselves. This is a direct attack onto God. When we sin, we tend to try to do things out of our own power, rather than trusting God to take care of us. Their sin of eating the fruit, caused them to sew fig leaves together as to cover themselves. In the same way, when we sin, it is easy for us to forget God and try to fix our problems ourselves. Not only does sin physically separates us from God, but it also alters our minds to say “We can do this ourselves, we do not need God.” God knew this, and so we see what happens in vs 21-22 as mentioned earlier. “God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” Our understanding of nakedness is due to the result of breaking one of God’s command. But instead of punishing us, he “clothes” us. And instead of ending our lives, he simply does not allow us to live forever (vs. 22). Now I can go deep into this topic, but I want to focus on the solution to the sin (and sins) that humans make.
The solution is to trust God. God is the answer to sin. By covering Adam and Eve’s nakedness, he is essentially covering the sin they committed. We see this repeated all throughout the bible. There are many examples, one of which also includes the Israelites during Passover (Ex 12:1-28). Here are additional examples of scriptures which talks about God’s mercy to his creation.
Psalms 32:1
Blessed is the one whose transgression (or sin) is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Proverbs 19:11
Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his (God’s) glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 10:12
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
1 Peter 4:7–8
The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.
God’s love is the solution of Sin and it all points towards one of the most famous bible verses.
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Eternal life was taken away from Adam and Eve. As mentioned above in Gen 3:22, Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden so they would not be allowed to eat the fruit and have eternal life. But that didn’t mean that God didn’t have a plan for them. He loves his creation, and although they sinned, he still loved them.
Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
The importance of Jesus Christ is that he is God in human form. He is the physical embodiment of God’s love, sent from heaven, to reconcile us with himself.
1 John 4:7-12
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
It is the love of God that solves the problem of sin. Without God’s love, it is impossible to be reunited with him. Just as God clothed the Adam and Eve in the garden, he clothes us today, through the blood of Jesus Christ, if we choose to accept his love. But if we do, we ought to live a life to make his love complete in us.
1 John 1:5-7
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
There is a decision that needs to be made. In order to receive this forgiveness, we need to understand that…we sinned. Adam and Eve knew they sinned for they confessed it to God, Genesis 3:9-13. What about you, do you believed you sinned? Even if you don’t know the law, have you transgressed against God’s command? I wrote down examples of sin in Part 2, are you guilty of anything I wrote there? Let me give you a quick answer as mentioned after the 1 John 1 scripture above.
1 John 1:8-10
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
The truth is we all fall short (Romans 3:23), we all turned away (Isaiah 53:6), No one is good (Psalm 14:3, Psalm 53:3, Romans 3:10-12, Mark 10:18)
This is what they call the good news. The faster we understand what Sin is and how it plagues our lives, the faster we can receive healing through Jesus Christ. And the faster we can understand what the WORLD is all about.
With thanks,
Ayodeji Alaketu
