Scripture Focus: Genesis 3
The devil tempts us to fall but God tests us to strengthen our faith in Him. James 1 says that the testing of our faith produces patience. Jesus prayed in Matthew 6 that the Father should not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil. It’s obvious from Genesis 3 that when Adam and Eve trusted in the devil, they disobeyed God and sinned against Him and consequently fell from glory. The devil has nothing to offer except to steal, kill and destroy what God has for us (John 10:10).
There are three things Genesis 3 teach us:
#1. Satan uses lies and deceptions to cause us to sin. (Genesis 3:1-7)
Right in Genesis 2:16-17, God declared that on the day they eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they will surely die. Satan, the master deceiver, mishandled God’s word and caused the couple to fall from grace. In the temptation of Jesus Christ in Matthew 4:1-11, He deployed the same strategy. We must raise our spiritual antennas to detect the lies of the devil.
#2. God hates and punishes sin. (Genesis 3:8-21)
With the fall of man came God’s judgment and punishment. We learn from this section that God is a Holy Judge who does not spare sin. He hates it and deals with it. In the ultimate end, He will deal with sin and let His saints dwell with Him without it.
#3. God’s light cannot dwell with the darkness of Satan. (Genesis 3:22-24)
God is light and in Him is no shadow of darkness. Indeed, John 1 says when His light comes, darkness cannot comprehend. Therefore, after the judgment of Adam and Eve, their sin drove them away from the presence of God. When we sin, it breaks our confidence to approach Him. But thanks be to God, His mercies restore us to fellowship.
Even in His punishment, God was gracious in predicting His plan of deliverance for the human race. In Genesis 3:15, He said the Seed of the woman (Jesus Christ) will bruise the head of the serpent (Satan). When the devil comes around, we must resist him to flee and then submit to God alone.
Take Action: Resist any idea that raises itself against the knowledge of God.
