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*The Bible reading can be found at the bottom of the page if you need it.↓

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Dig Deeper:

Sin.

Sin enters the world, and it's easy to read the story of Adam and Eve simply as a story without recognizing the patterns that are still active in our lives today. Isn't it interesting that the devil still uses the same tricks? There's nothing new under the sun. As Scripture says, he is “crafty” (Genesis 3:1), so why do we still fall for it? Why are we so blind to his schemes?

The enemy lies. He takes something good, something attractive—like the fruit in the Garden (Genesis 3:6)—and presents it as desirable, but he mixes in just enough truth to make it convincing. He tells them, "You will know good and evil," but he leaves out the consequences. The truth is, Adam and Eve did come to know the difference between good and evil, but it was a tragic knowledge that brought nothing but pain and destruction. It shattered their relationship with God, brought shame, suffering, death, and even murder. The effects of that sin rippled out in ways they never imagined.

How often do we fall into the same trap today? Every time we sin, we are believing a lie. We're tricked into thinking that something or someone will satisfy us, that it will make us whole. Let's take sex before marriage as an example. Sex is a beautiful thing; it's something God created to be good, desirable, and attractive. But Satan distorts it. He shows us the good—he makes us want it—but he hides the context and the consequences. He doesn't remind us that sex is designed by God to bind a husband and wife together for life. Outside of that context, we lose sight of the purpose and the beauty of it.

It's like fire. Fire is a wonderful thing when it’s contained in a fireplace—it provides warmth and light. But if you set a fire loose in your house, it becomes destructive.

The same is true with sex. The devil manipulates us into thinking we can enjoy it outside of God's design, without facing the devastating consequences.

So how do we fight against these lies? We need to identify the lie, recognize the danger, and fear the consequences. God, in His grace, has laid those consequences out for us in Scripture. That’s why we have to fight with the truth. The Bible tells us to "take up the sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17). Our only offensive weapon against the enemy’s schemes is the Word of God. This life is a battle, and we have an enemy who is waiting to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). So, don’t forget you’re in a battle, and don’t show up without your sword—because if you do, you're not just fighting a battle, you're setting yourself up to be defeated.

Extra explanations that were helpful to me for some questions I had while studying!
https://www.gotquestions.org/Cain-and-Abel.html https://www.gotquestions.org/tree-of-life.html https://www.gotquestions.org/I-will-put-enmity-between-you-and-the-woman.html

Reflective Questions:

1. How may you downplay or ignore the consequences of sin in our own lives? What can we do to better understand and fear the consequences of our choices?
2. Satan presented something that seemed good to Eve, but it was outside of God's design. What are some things in your life that seem "good" or desirable, but may not be God's intended purpose? How can we align our desires with God's will?
3. Despite the fall in Genesis 3, God provides a promise of redemption. (JESUS!!!) How do we see God's grace working in our own struggles with sin? What are ways we can lean into God's grace while fighting against sin?

I just want to remind you all, as we talk about fighting sin, that we don’t do it to earn God’s love—we do it because we’ve already been loved, immeasurably and unconditionally, through Jesus. Sin is destructive, and God’s commands are simply His way of protecting us. You’re not saved by fighting sin; you’re saved by trusting in Jesus and His sacrifice for you. It’s only through Him that we have access to a relationship with the Father.

BIBLE READING: Chapter 3

3 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”

4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.