Kieran's Comments: The Beginning of Sin and Death

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. In addition to everything else, this means that they entered the world they, like God, were upright (cf., Ecc. 7:29) God placed them placed in “a garden toward the east, in Eden.” (Gen. 2:8) Their task was simple: “... cultivate it [the garden] and keep it.” (vs. 15) They had but one prohibition: “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). Being in the image of God, man possessed the liberty to obey or to disobey.

As far as the Biblical account is concerned, the very first time that Satan tempted the man, man sinned. The manner in which he did this “in the beginning” is the same way that he tempts man today: he appeals to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the vainglory or pride of life (cf., 1 John 2:16).

(Genesis 3:1-4) Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'“ The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!"

Satan did not approach the woman as an enemy; he disguised himself as a friend – “as an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:14). In his concern for the Corinthians over their willingness to tolerate those who did not preach the same Jesus and the same gospel that he had preached when he was first among them, Paul wrote that he was afraid that what had happen to Eve would happen to them.

(2 Corinthians 11:3) But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."

Through his craftiness, “the serpent deceived Eve” (cf., 1 Tim. 2:14) leading her away from God and in this same way he was well able to lead the Corinthians away from Christ. How did the devil deceive Eve? “He did so by using incentive, enticement, inducement, motive (Gen. 3:1-6).” (Larry Ray. Hafley, Watchman, “How Do God and Satan Influence Us?” Online:

(Genesis 3:1-6) Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'" The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

(As an aside, this is the origin of the doctrine that a child of God can sin and not die. Adam was indeed a child of God - Luke 3:38)

Satan began the process of drawing man from God by asking Eve a question: (Gen 3:1) “Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?” At the very least this question was meant to plant a seed in her heart that God was too restrictive. In her response the woman said that God placed only one restriction upon them – “... from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.” Some have accused Eve of adding to the law of God. If so, she committed a heinous sin even before she ate of the fruit. The Bible, however, does not affirm this. Biblically speaking, the sin of Eve and Adam is associated only with the eating of the tree, not with adding to the word of God and it is there that we should leave this matter (cf., Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible, Gen. 3:2-3; John Gill, The New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible, Gen 3:3. Online: ).

The woman speaks of God’s liberality: “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat.” There was but one restriction: “... from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.” The devil does not challenge that God had given such a restriction, but he takes issue with Him with regards to the consequence of that eating. He charges Jehovah with lying: (vs. 4) “The serpent said to the woman, 'You surely will not die!'” Only one word was added that changed the whole counsel of God with regard to this tree. The word “not” Furthermore, Satan lead the woman to believe that the Lord was keeping them in ignorance because He did not want anyone else to be as wise as He: (vss. 4b-5) “'You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'”
Having planted in the heart of Eve distrust of the Lord. Satan utilized her lust to finish the job. The fruit had three attractive qualities: it was pleasing (attractive) to her eyes, it was good for food and it would make her wise like God. Everything about the fruit of this tree presented a strong appeal. At that “moment it was the most desirable thing in the world. The only thing to hinder her from eating that fruit was her respect for the word of God and her fear of the consequences of eating it; but the serpent had ... destroyed these restraints ... she was now ready to follow the devil instead of God. (Whiteside, Genesis - Deuteronomy, 21)

The scripture says: (Genesis 3:6) When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Eve was beguiled; Adam was not: (1 Timothy 2:14) “And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Adam did not believe the devil's lie. Nevertheless, he sinned through the strong persuasion of his wife. This is evident from what the Lord told him in Gen. 3:17: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'....” John reminds us: “sin is lawlessness” – “the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4) It doesn't matter if this lawless behavior is done with a high hand – with one's eyes open, like Adam – or if it is transgression is the result of being deceived – like Eve. Previously, God told them that in the day that they ate of the tree they would die (Gen. 2:17); and die they did. On that very day they found themselves separated from God; for that's what spiritual death is – separation from God. (Isaiah 59:1-2) "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear." And this separation manifested itself ...

1. In shame

(Genesis 3:7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

Aware of their nakedness and stripped of their innocence the man and the woman sought to cover their shame – to hide it – by aprons of their own devising made from fig leaves. This proved too inadequate. As Homer Hailey rightly says: “All false religions are efforts by man to provide his own covering for sin.”

2. In fear

(Genesis 3:8-10) They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

Prior to this the man and his wife were in communion with God, but sin changed this. Now they were afraid of Him – afraid for Him to see them. So Adam and Eve attempted to hide themselves from their God. But no man can hide from Jehovah!

(Psalm 139:12) Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
(Jeremiah 23:24) “Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
(Hebrews 4:13) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

There is one other point that needs to be made about fear. Through long indulgence the sinner may become so hardened by sin that he ceases to fear the Lord. Paul spoke of such people when he wrote: (Romans 3:18) “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

3.· In an unwillingness to take responsibility.

(Genesis 3:11-13) And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Did you notice that both Adam and Eve confessed their sins, but with an excuse attached to it? Adam said: Yes, I ate, but it was “the woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”
Eve said: Yes, I ate, but “the serpent deceived me.” Instead of confessing their sin and pleading for mercy, both sought to justify themselves by shifting the blame to another. “In blaming another each laid the blame ultimately on God. If God had not given him woman, he would not have sinned; therefore, Adam reasoned that God was to blame. If God had not put the tree there or had not made the serpent whom the Devil used, the woman would not have sinned; therefore, Eve concluded that, again God was to blame. From that eventual moment this has been the cry of sinners in rebellion against God. If God had not made me thus and so, I would not have sinned; therefore, I am not to blame. God's answer throughout the Bible is that man is responsible for his own sins. God points to the right way, but man prefers his own way. Only a moral coward would seek to blame another for that which he alone is responsible.” (Hailey, 23) And sin has made moral cowards out of each of us!

It is evil when we justify ourselves even as we confess our sins, to admit to sin but in the same breath indicate that someone else caused it. When we sin we must take the responsibility without excuses. Excuses only hinder repentance. Therefore, confess your sins so that you can obtain forgiveness.