Jam Service

Are we important? • Yes • John 3:16 – “For God so LOVED the world that HE gave His ONLY son” • God values each of our life so much, that he made a way, for us to have eternal life. To live life here on earth and beyond.

Genesis 1:26 (New International Version)

Genesis 2:7 (New International Version)

“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

“the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being”

Man like God

The Test

• 1:26 – Ability to rule, work, take care of creation • 1:28 – Ability to create life, procreate • 1:29 – Ability to enjoy creation

Tree of Life • Not much was said about tree of life, but it says that it gives eternal life (3:22b)

• Two Trees

• God did not forbid them to eat from this tree

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Tree of Knowledge of G&E •Specific instruction to Adam not to eat from this tree, or “you will surely die” (2:17) •Eve knew about it as well (3:2)

Innocence Lost

The Lie

The Lie

• Satan in the form of a snake, reveals • 3:4 "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. • 3:5 "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

• Two parts 1) you will NOT surely die • 2) you will be like God, knowing good and evil • First part a lie, because they DID die, physical deaths, just as God said • Second part is true, they DID know good and evil

Innocence Lost

Modesty

• Adam was created a grown man, Eve a grown woman • They were created innocent, without the knowledge to differentiate good and evil • Just like babies and young children, they do not know what’s right from wrong. • No concept of modesty “Did Adam and Eve have belly buttons?”

Fall of Man = Part of God’s Plan? • Why did God create humans that will ultimately disobey him? • Why did God create Lucifer, who ultimately disobeyed him, became Satan, who tempted Eve to take the first bite? • Why did God create the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil?

Fall of Man = Part of God’s Plan?

Why would God create beings who will disobey him, which will ultimately require the death of His own son?

• At some point in their development, children realize that they are “naked”. • At around the same time, children also realize the difference between right and wrong. • After eating the fruit, they “lost their innocence”. First thing they realized was they were naked. A sign that they are recognizing right from wrong • 3:11 – God asked them “who told you, you were naked?”

God as a Parent • V8 – Adam and Eve like children, try to hide from God • V9 – God calls out “Where are you?” as if God didn’t know • V10 – Guilt ridden, Adam • V11 – God asks who told them they were naked, as if he didn’t know • V12 – Adam blames God and Eve • V13 – God asks Eve “What have you done?”, as if he didn’t know. And Eve answers correctly • V14 onwards, God grounds Adam and Eve • V21 – God still looks after them by making them skin (animal) garments

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Why the Test?

Why the Test?

Like One of Us

• Why did God still decide to test them on a test that he knows they will fail? • Why did God have to question them after the test? • An omniscient God would already know Adam and Eve’s excuses

• Not for God’s benefit, but for Adam and Eve’s benefit. • He wanted them to know that with their new found knowledge of good and evil, they are now capable of lying, and blaming each other. • Adam and Eve learned of their wretchedness, their sinfulness

• 3:22 – Only AFTER the fall of man that God says, “The man has now become like one of us” • Remember his initial purpose 1:26 (make man in own image) • So another aspect of God is endowed upon man • 1:26 – Ability to rule, work, take care of creation • 1:28 – Ability to create life, procreate • 1:29 – Ability to enjoy the bounties of nature • 3:22 – Ability to discern

Why Us?

Sequence of Event

A Suitable Helper

• Why did God desire to create a species in His image and likeness in the first place? • What is so special about us?

• 2:15 – God creates Adam first. Why? • 2:19 – 21 – Adam was alone for a time

• 2:18, 20b – God says it is not good for a man to be alone • No suitable helper for Adam to be found

• Why not create both of them at the same time?

Shadow of God “In his original, incorruptible form, Adam was in the image and likeness of God and given rulership over his own little universe, the earth. This Adamic microcosm was a type and a shadow of God's rulership over ALL things, all bundled up in Adam's rulership over the earth”

The Purpose

“The purpose of Eve to Adam is the shadow of mankind’s purpose to God.”

Verses to look up • Hebrews 2:5 – 13. Jesus calls us brothers • Romans 8:14-17. Joint Heirs with Jesus • Galatians 3:26-29. Children of God. Heirs according to the promise • 1 John 3:1,2 – When Jesus appears, we shall be like him • Romans 8:29-30 – Jesus is the “first of many” of his kind • 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 – The saints to judge the world as well as angels • 1 Corinthians 2:7-16 – No one has yet seen, heard or known what God has in store for us

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Our Response • Church = Bride of Christ • We are destined to rule with Christ • But not yet…

Our Response

The Tree of Life

• Earth = Spiritual Training Ground

• John 15:5 (New International Version)

• Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him”

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

• God prepares us for much greater things

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