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Broken

Therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.

Genesis 3:23
Broken Book Cover

Have you ever watched a two-year-old trying to get a beloved toy back from a sibling or play-date buddy? Violence. Who taught a two-year-old to forcefully grab the toy, bite the kid, shove her sister, and lord over her victim when she already has a fake cupcake from the miniature kitchen (never mind that there are five other identical cupcakes strewn about on the floor)? Or, who taught your four-year-old niece to blame her aunt who lives 180 miles away when confronted about the “Big Apple Red” nail polish streaking up and down the bathroom walls? Children reveal the worst kept secret about humanity—we all have a propensity to lie, cheat, steal, and harm. But why?

eden has fallen

Yesterday we realized the very good news of the Trinity’s love for us and our role and responsibility to be like God—just, good, loving, kind. What happened? God never forces love, so when he made humanity, he gave us the choice to love him in return. Part of our love for God gets expressed through our obedience to God. Adam and Eve faced the choice to obey God’s command—eat whatever you want, the whole garden is yours, abundance and goodness at your fingertips, but don’t eat from this one tree—or to disobey and listen to the voice of another. In God’s good creation humans sat atop the created order, but now Adam and Eve chose to put themselves under the influence of the serpent. They were meant to rule, not succumb. In a moment of arrogance, weakness, and confusion, our first parents doubted God and listened to the voice of a liar. Cosmic terrorism broke into God’s perfect creation and everything felt the effects of sin. Everything.

the consequences of sin

Lions no longer lounge with lambs—they hunt. Trees no longer easily produce fruit—they labor. The sun no longer warms our bodies—it scorches. And humans no longer enjoy unhindered fellowship with God—we suffer. The effects of Adam and Eve’s rebellion reverberated from Eden and reached the farthest galaxy and penetrated the smallest atom. Sin broke everything. One of the far-reaching effects of sin gets passed down through every umbilical cord. Our first parents’ rebellion altered our DNA, and now every human is born with the propensity to do great harm and is born into a world that testifies to this truth. A full picture of the gospel recognizes that we need saving from the cosmic brokenness that was inaugurated in the garden.

The gospel declares the good news that someday we will return to Eden, lions will lounge with lambs, trees will freely feed us, the sun will tickle our skin with warmth, and we will walk with God.

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Have you considered the far-reaching effects of sin created by Adam and Eve’s rebellion? How do you see this play out in your own life and in the world around you?

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Comments (6)

I have lived my life my way. Sin leading my life. Leading my choices. Controlling me. Sin in contagious if we let it be. We need to choose our contagious to be the Lord. Without our Father we are nothing. Without him we are sin. Let me be the Lord our God, let your Word live through me, Help me be contagious to others in what they see, hear and let me love, let all Glory be to you Lord.

Far-reaching? Look at what is happening all over the globe! War continues to be the way humans try to solve their problems; power and greed abound. Homelessness, poverty, hunger, the slave trade are all thriving. Humanity seems to be on the brink of annihilating themselves. Our planet is truly a war zone, with very few bright spots. The devil is plotting daily how to us bring us down, both individually and corporately. Without the hope that Jesus gives us, what would we have to live for?! I pray He has mercy on us and comes soon!!

I see it everywhere through family discord , pain and suffering and generational sin holding people in bondage leading to depression and anxiety and plagued with suicidal thoughts – in my profession as a mental health therapist! But I also know to be true that God made a way for us to live in this broken world and experience joy and freedom BUT that is ONLY through his son Jesus! That is why it is so vital and urgent that this truth reaches All people!!

Goodness, sin is destructive in all realms of life. It’s so hard to watch as we….Brothers and Sisters often tear each other apart and forget we are to love one another, and do all in love. There is so much pain, and bitterness that overcomes our hearts. I’m so grateful for the Spirits who helps us to fight back against our flesh.

I often only see the consequences of sin through that of broken humans, so it was a good reminder to be reminded afresh that sin affected EVERYTHING!!!
I see the affects of sin in my own life as I struggle with depression, anxiety, and lack of self-control,
I see the affects of sin in the world around me when I see murdering, lying, stealing, suicidal, SOO MUCH BROKENNESS!! The fact that we tear fellow believers down on a regular basis is sickening.
And I see the affects on the earth around me when I see drought, hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding among other things.
Thank you for the reminder that sin broke everything.

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