The Origin of sin and its effects

1. The Origin of sin and its effects The Bible says death is the consequence of sin, and all have sinned. This study will look at the origin of sin through the story of Adam, Eve and the serpent. We will also explore a vital question: Who is responsible when you sin – you or some supernatural tailed/horned being called satan

2. Who is responsible for your sin?You and you alone! • “Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from God. For God is not tempted by evil, and He tempts no one. But each one is tempted by his own lusts, being drawn out and being seduced by them. Then having conceived lust brings forth sin. And sin being fully formed brings forth death”. - Jam 1:13-15

3. Lets start from the very beginning • The serpent that tempted Eve and brought sin into the world was • created by God and • a mere animal • “more” subtle than other animals Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. [Gen 3:1]

4. The Beginning • Was the creation of the Serpent • Good? • Bad? • It was Good because • “and God saw that it was good” - Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31 • But, • What Good did it bring?

5. Who is man?Created in the Image of God • And God made man in his image, in the image of God he made him: male and female he made them. [Gen 1:27, Jam 3:8-9, Gen_9:6; 1Cor 11:7]

6. Who is man?Created With Free Will • Potential to Glorify Him or Dishonor him • The Potential to sin and with the potential to obey • Potential to walk in Light or Darkness

7. Freewill is not evil – It is God’s Gift to mankind • God gave man the ability to build • Man can choose to build houses, temples or bombs • God gave man the ability to see • Man can choose to see to go places, see his children play, help other or use his eyes to lust • God gave man the ability to do work • Man can use the same hand to pray, earn his living or stab his neighbour

8. Freewill is not evil – It is God’s Gift to mankind • God gave man the ability to speak • With it we give praise to our Lord and Father; and with it we put a curse on men who are made in God's image. [Jam 3:9] • To bring Glory to God We need to understand • Light as opposite of darkness • Peace as opposite of conflict • Justice as opposite of injustice

9. Man has a choice to Obey God or Disobey God • God gave Adam a commandment • But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, If you take of it or put your hands on it, death will come to you. [Gen 3:3] • Obedience is only possible if disobedience is also possible

10. Man has a choice to Obey God or Disobey God • Eve choose to use her eyes lustfully • And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and a delight to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and gave it to her husband. [Gen 3:6] • God had given Eve eyes • Eve misused it • Later Adam also misused it

11. God created man to glorify God of his own freewill • This only have I seen, that God made men upright, but they have been searching out all sorts of inventions. [Ecc 7:29] • Each one is responsible for his own good actions and sin • “Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from God. For God is not tempted by evil, and He tempts no one. But each one is tempted by his own lusts, being drawn out and being seduced by them. Then having conceived lust brings forth sin. And sin being fully formed brings forth death”. - Jam 1:13-15

12. Who was the Serpent? • The serpent was created cunning • The Serpent was not created cursed • Till the Point of Sin it walked And talked with Adam and Eve • It was cursed only after Adam and Eve sinned Let us try to understand more of the serpent through the curse it received

13. The Curses on the SerpentWho was the Serpent? What was its Significance? • you are cursed above all beasts • You shall go on your belly • you shall eat dust • enmity between you & the woman • enmity between your seed & her Seed • He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel Gen 3:14

14. Crawling Keep your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the earth. [Col 3:2] Eat Dust (= Death) Phi 3:19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on worldly things. Serpent thinking is CURSED That is why the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile toward God. For it refuses to submit to the authority of God's law because it is powerless to do so. Indeed, those who are under the control of the flesh cannot please God. [Rom 8:7,8] The Curses on the SerpentWho was the Serpent? What was its Significance? The Serpent signifies the use of freewill to do evil (sin)

15. The Curses on the SerpentWho was the Serpent? What was its Significance? • The literal Serpent is not Important • Snakes today are just like any other animal, biologically they are not cursed, but only metaphorically • The Curse is applicable to people • who think like the serpent (fleshly) • And walk not in the spirit • The Serpent represented the Rebellious/Disbelieving ‘Mind’ of Eve and later Adam • The Serpent signifies the use of freewill to do evil that leads to sin

16. The Curses on the SerpentWho was the Serpent? What was its Significance • Who is the seed of the serpent? • Jesus identified them as evil men who gratify sin • Offspring of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. • The good man out of the good treasure of the heart puts forth good things. And the evil man out of the evil treasure puts forth evil things. [Mat 12:34-35]

17. The Curses on the SerpentWho was the Serpent? What was its Significance • Who is the seed of the woman? • Jesus Christ • What would he accomplish? • Crush the head of the serpent while he himself will be bitten at the heal • Bitten by the heal = Death on the Cross • Serpent = Unbelieving Jews who by Roman Authority crucified Jesus • Crush the serpent = Defeat of sin (what Adam failed to do) • For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [Heb 4:15]

18. Who is satan? A survey of few passages in the old testament containing the word satan

19. The Hebrew meaning and usage of the word satan • From Strong’s Dictionary • Hebrew “saw-tawn‘” • an opponent, adversary, withstand. • The word just means enemy or foe and it could be used either as a good or bad foe depending on the context

20. Balaam and Satan • The Hebrew word satan occurs first in Num 22:22 and is translated as adversary (AV), foe, etc. • And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary (satan) against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. [Num 22:22-23]

21. Balaam and Satan • Who is referred to as satan in the above passage? • The angel of God • Why? • Because Balaam opposed God’s will, God opposed Balaam by his Angel • Does satan here have a tail or horns or is evil? • No! Notice also how the Donkey A mere animal speaks like the serpent

22. David is ‘satan’ to Achish • The next time we see the Hebrew word satan used is in 1Sa 29:4 • And the princes of the Philistines were wroth with him; and the princes of the Philistines said unto him, Make this fellow return, that he may go again to his place which thou hast appointed him, and let him not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he be an adversary (Hebrew word satan) to us: for wherewith should he reconcile himself unto his master? should it not be with the heads of these men?

23. Solomon’s satan (enemy)Rezon • And God stirred him up another adversary, Rezon the son of Eliadah, which fled from his lord Hadadezer king of Zobah: And he gathered men unto him, and became captain over a band, when David slew them of Zobah: and they went to Damascus, and dwelt therein, and reigned in Damascus. And he was an adversary to Israel all the days of Solomon, beside the mischief that Hadad did: and he abhorred Israel, and reigned over Syria. [1Ki 11:23-25]

24. And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it. [1Ch 21:1-2] And again the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number Israel and Judah. For the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which was with him, Go now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beersheba, and number ye the people, that I may know the number of the people. [2Sa 24:1-2] LORD God as satan

25. Satan means • Adversary / Enemy /Opposition • It is not responsible for human sin • Satan or the enemy can be good or bad The Bible does not draw a picture of satan with tail and horn. It is purely human imagination

26. Summary – We are responsible for our own sins! • Jesus taught sin is from within: • For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil thoughts come, as well as sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, cheating, shameless lust, envy, slander, arrogance, and foolishness. All these things come from within and make a person unclean." [Mar 7:21-23] • And sin deserves death • For the wages of sin is death [Rom 6:23]