God's Plan For Saving Man
LESSON ONE - IN THE BEGINNING
The Bible takes us back to the beginning with God. It takes us to the end where it closes with the people of God at home with God. Its "Alpha" and "Omega" - its "A" and "Z" - is God.
In order to understand the things that transpired in history and are recorded in the Bible, one should have some understanding of the "beginnings," of the things God did for man, and of the things which gave cause for the plan of redemption. All we know of such is that found in the Bible. In this lesson we propose to consider the beginnings, emphasizing the beginning of sin and the promise of redemption.
I.
THE BEGINNING OF CREATION.A. "Beginning" refers to the beginning of the present creation.
B. Behind creation there were 3 persons( Gen. 1:1-2; John 1:1-3 ).
II.
THE BEGINNING OF MAN.A. Man was created in the image of God, to rule and have dominion over God's creation ( Gen. 1:26-28; 2:7-8 ).
1. Man was given work to do( Gen. 2:15 ).
2. But his prime duty is to bring glory to God through obedience ( Ecc. 12:13-14 ).
B. Man is a triune being: body, soul, spirit( 1 Thes. 5:23 ).
1. We are God's offspring( Acts 17:28-29 ). God is a spirit ( John 4:24 ).
2. Man is a moral being who has the right to choose between right and wrong ( Rev. 22:17; Josh. 24:15 ). Now man must choose between obedience and disobedience.
III
THE BEGINNING OF SIN.A. Only one restriction was placed on man in the garden( Gen. 2:16-17 ).
1. This was a positive law, not a moral law.
2. It wasn't for the purpose of tempting man, but a test of his faith ( James 1:13-15 ).
B. The temptation came from Satan in the form of a serpent. He is introduced to us in chapter 3. Notice the 3-fold appeal(vs. 6). We are tempted in the same way ( 1 John 2:15-17 ).
C. Sin is acting contrary to God's will.
1. There are sins of "Commission"( 1 John 3:4 ).
2. There are sins of "Omission"( James 4:17 ).
D. All of us have sinned( Rom. 3:23 ). We stand in the same place as Adam and Eve, guilty as they were and condemned, with the same prospects they had. We need to know something about the consequences of sin and how to escape.
IV.
THE BEGINNING OF SIN'S CONSEQUENCES.A. SHAME: they made aprons of fig leaves. This was man's first effort to cover his sins, and this was a failure( Prov. 14:12 Jer. 10:23 ).
B. FEAR: they hid themselves( Mat. 10:28; Heb.10:31 ).
C. THEIR JUDGMENT WARPED: they should have known better than hide. How is our thinking changed?( 1 Tim. 4:1-2; Phil. 3:18-19 ).
D. COWARDICE: No one would accept the blame( Gen. 3:11-13 ).
E. THE CURSE upon: the serpent( vs. 14-15 ), the woman( vs. 16 ), and the man( vs. 17-19 ).
F. SEPARATION FROM GOD. They were driven from the garden( Isa. 59:1-2; Eph. 2:1, 12 ).
G. PHYSICAL DEATH on all Adam's offspring( 1 Cor.15:22; Rom.5:12 ).
1. We are Adam's physical offspring, so we inherit that which is his physically - physical death.
2. Spiritually, from birth, we are God's offspring. Therefore we are born spiritually innocent and alive. Man becomes a spiritual descendent of Adam only when he does that which Adam did - sin.( Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 5:12 )
V.
THE BEGINNING OF REDEMPTION.A. IN PROMISE: Gen. 3:15. The seed of the woman would bruise the serpent's head. Which signifies defeat, a bruise on the head or the heal? ( 1 Cor. 15:55-57 ).
B. IN TYPE: Because man could not cover his own shame, God provided a covering through the shedding of blood ( Gen. 3:21; Heb. 9:22, 11-12; 1 Pet. 1:18-20 ).
1. We see that in the death of Jesus we have redemption.
2. How can we fellowship Jesus in his death so that we might receive remission of sins ( Rom. 6:3-4; Acts 2:38 ).
CONCLUSION
:A. ALL OF US ARE SINNERS.
B. WE ARE ALL IN DANGER.
C. WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT?
In these 3 chapters we find God's story of "beginnings." The beginning of Creation, of Man and his purpose, of Sin and Redemption, the fullness of which remained a silent purpose in the mind of God until fulfilled in Jesus, and revealed by the Holy Spirit. The unfolding of this plan of redemption shall be our study in future lessons.