The serpent doesn’t really tempt Eve as much as he raises doubt about the truth of God’s Word. Do we still see that tactic today and how can we be ready for that? (Eve’s response to doubt was the real issue.)What do you think? Let's continue the discussion here.
As a result of this interaction with the serpent we now see guilt, shame, and fear enter humanity. We still battle these today even though we were created for wholeness and relationship with God. What is our role as a community in helping meet the needs of each other, and the greater community, who are struggling with guilt, shame, and fear?
Genesis 3 is both a story for then, but also a story for now. How do you see this doubt of God’s Word happening in your life and in our community?
What other questions or insights does this raise?
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Genesis 3
We continue with our walk through Genesis. Here we see the breaking of relationship between God and humankind. Here's the podcast. Here are the discussion points:
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3 comments:
So, I've got a billion different thoughts on this in about a hundred different directions, so they're going to get added to the comment section bit by bit.
First thing that occurred to me last night was we were reading through the text again is this: We humans have a real special relationship with the Creator.
Think about this:
The Fall happens, the mistake made. God asks the man why. The man is given a chance to answer, and he is able to put blame on the shoulders of the woman. The woman is given a chance to answer, and she is able to put blame on the shoulders of the serpent. The serpent is given no chance to answer or explain, he is immediately cursed.
The serpent is no less one of God's creations. Yet, it's not given the rights that man and woman are to defend their actions and defer blame. Only humans are.
Now think about that. We truly are valued by God as such, and given the ability to have such a relationship with God that we're allowed the opportunity to speak to Him, even when we are 100% in the wrong, and we're able to explain a situation to Him. The chance to repent and fess up is there, yes, but the chance to say anything at all is there, too. What a wonderful gift we have to have such a relationship opportunity.
Ok, now for thought #2.
It seems to me that Genesis 3 is just a microcosm for the rest of history.
Think about it:
Man screws up. God gives man a chance to repent. God delivers some sort of punishment. God gives a long-term promise. God gives a short-term solution.
Here: The screw up is eating from the tree. The chance to repent is obvious. The punishment is obvious. The "Crushing of heads" is the long-term promise. The giving of skins to wear is a short-term solution.
Even today, we're given the solution of having the Holy Spirit to guide us, though we remain completely incomplete. But, we have the long-term promise of Christ's return and our share in His Kingdom.
It's almost like God has no real creativity in story writing, and just keeps recycling the same plot over and over. Maybe he'll just build another Death Star now. Except the real answer here lies on our shoulders and we're unable to ever fully grasp onto the long-term promises of God, and we're stuck muddying the waters further, and needing more and more short-term solutions.
NOTE: This comment was left on the post titled "Earth Day" but pertains to Genesis 3. It has been moved here by the administrator.
Paul (w/out the guitar) said...
Lots of talk about doubt Sunday night. I think we'd like doubt to be OK, because we all have doubts, but the lesson from Genesis 3 is that doubt leads to sin. Note that doubt in itself isn't sin...but it is dangerous -- it LEADS to sin.
Doubt and faith certainly coexist, but not in harmony...they are always in tension with each other. Our spiritual growth (quoting Irwin Lutzer) is to change from one who doubts but has brief periods of faith, to one who has faith but has brief periods of doubt.
Why does God make such a big deal about faith? It's because there's only two ways to eliminate doubt -- knowledge and faith. When it comes to God, though, knowledge isn't enough. We'll never know enough to answer all the questions we have about God, and what He says, and what He does. Like "Why shouldn't I eat the fruit from that tree?" "Why does God have all these rules anyway?" "Doesn't God want me to improve?" "Doesn't God love me?" You see where doubt can lead if we don't have the answers and we don't have faith.
So how do protect ourselves from doubt...how do we develop the faith that keeps us from going down the path that leads away from God? One suggestion that works for me (after too many years, unfortunately) -- instead of holding onto what I don't know, I hold on to what I do know. God loves me. Jesus died for my sins. I've been gifted by the Spirit. Everything that God does, every command that God gives, is for my benefit. Those are Truths I can count on. There's nothing in the Genesis 3 story that contradicts any of those captial-T Truths. And there's plenty that supports them.
And they're great starting points when I start to consider the harder questions. Try it. Remember you can't take hold of God's Truth if you're holding on to your doubts.
Blessings......
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