1. God's world was perfect
no deception, only truth
no hatred, only love
no war, only peace
perfect fellowship (between man and his wife, between man and God)
2. Satan envisioned a world of deception for man.
we live under the chaos and curse of Adam having followed the devil.
In Genesis 3, we learn three things about the evil one's deception:
1. Satan says that the word of God is not true.
God says you shall surely die.
The evil one says you shall not die.
Sometimes the hiss of the serpent comes from preachers who deny God's truth.
2. Satan teaches that rebellion against God is good.
Satan says that it is good that your eyes be open and that you become like God. He does not convince you that you will do harm to yourself and die. If you commit immorality, it will be better for you, he says. In the end, he brought the whole world into agony, tears and death, not good.
3. Satan teaches that submission to himself is wise.
God had given a command to not eat from the tree. Satan had given a command to eat from the tree. Will they submit to God or Satan? When Adam and Eve ate of the tree, they set Satan on the throne of their heart. Satan promises a world of Genesis 1 and 2 but gives the world of Genesis 3. Yet man is still responsible for the destruction that is about us. If Adam and Eve had resisted Satan, nothing would have changed. Adam choose disobedience, destruction and death and this choice was made on behalf of those he represented. The consequences of his sin are visted justly on us since Adam is our representative head.
Two bright spots give us hope
Gen 3:15 - seed crushes head of serpent
Gen 3:21 - God clothes them yet men still make fig leaves |
