It is difficult to point to the most pivotal point in the Bible. Undoubtedly there are only a few pivotal points, (for which I think humanity must be happy) within the Bible (the fewer the better I say). Something went wrong- it was fixed (in a sense) and soon the final correction shall come. The fall is at least the most pivotal point after the words that God spoke in creation and saw that it was good and the most pivotal point before an angel cried “Great joy, to you this day- a Savior has been born. As such, this point in Genesis three receives a lot of attention. I have noticed how often it is mentioned in teachings and it is interesting that it is not hotly debated as to what the exact sin was. The fact that it is discussed so much makes sense in light of the fact, that it is the moment when all of creation turned on it’s heal and headed a different direction than what God had planned. It would be a long time before the birth of God’s only Son, for the world to have the hope of turning once again.

What fascinates me is that so many pastors and scholars have differing opinions of what occurred exactly. What was it in the heart of man that caused him to turn away? What was the sin that caused him to turn away from his creator? What was the root of desire within the heart of man??

In Anne Voskamp’s book “One Thousand Gifts”; she attributes the fall to ingratitude. That we were not satisfied with what God gives and indeed we were not satisfied with God Himself (p.15). The lie that Satan tells is a lie of a fuller life, a promise of hidden pleasures and truths within Creation. Mrs. Voskamp points out that it was true, what he promised…we at that point could not see the ugliness and death that we were soon to behold, but the fullness of the truth was couched in the lie.

In Paul Tripp’s book “Instruments in a Redeemers Hands” (p47-48), He sees the serpent as a counselor. One who uses the truth and interprets it differently than God had said. Tripp highlights the profitability of the fruit as useful for gaining wisdom. In eating of the fruit it would make Eve independently wise and thus autonomous from God. Satan’s lie is one of autonomy and self sufficiency. Tripp states that Adam and Eve must deny two things in order to follow Satan’s Lie: 1. they must deny God and who He is and what He says. 2. They must deny themselves, in that they were created for a specific purpose and that purpose is thwarted in believing the lie.

In the Truth Project the whole thing is attributed to a decision to believe the truth claim of God vs. the truth claim of the devil. That it is in fact the cosmic battle of the truth vs. lie and that truth and lie decision are echoed in every aspect of our world views.

I have also heard in discussions it was a lack of trust, a lack of faith, an abundance of doubt, naiveté, and gullibility. I have heard that it was in fact the Big three: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the sinful pride of life (This can be seen by reading vs. 6 slowly).

I think that perhaps this is an area of the Bible that in fact can become intensely personal. What I see in those verses may in fact be what resides specifically within my own heart. I had always seen that Adam and Eve had not been willing to trust God. Intentionally or unintentionally my mind glossed over certain details of the passage and focused on aspects that seemed more personal- like my own lack of trust in God. As Mrs. Voskamp noted she sees a lack of gratitude- but perhaps that is her own struggle within life?

So what went down…How did the crime against God unfold? I will tell you one man’s interpretation and much of this is speculation. But let’s take the speculation and run a little bit- knowing that we do not know the full and complete truth. When I read it the image I see is an innocent and gullible Eve. Almost unwittingly she partakes, yet she still partakes, because she doubts. Is doubt sin? In some sense undoubtedly…in other senses not at all. It all depends on the heart. So Eve who acted first, was she the guilty party?

No…I think not. Adam stood by. He heard as well as Eve. He said nothing, because his coward’s heart wondered. It decided to let her try first and perhaps see what would happen. He saw something He could not have. He could not know what it tasted like, what it smelled like, what benefits it would impart. Why would anything be denied him? Was it not all for him? He could be like God as the serpent said. What does that say or show; Conniving?, Duplicity?, Cowardice??

I think what occurred in that simple act was every sin imaginable. It was a lack of trust, lack of faith, doubt, mistrust, slander, desires for power/ position, to taste what was denied, cowardice, selfishness, greed, and murder. It was in fact the breaking of each of the Ten Commandments (Duet 5:5-21)

1. They placed the serpent and themselves above God.

2. They worshiped an Idol or creation in choosing the fruit over the Creator God.

3. They took the Lords name in vain by calling him a liar.

4. They broke the Sabbath by breaking the rest of God after His creation

5. They did not honor their Father by standing for Him in deserting Him.

6. Adam murdered Eve by allowing the sin with penalty of death..Knowingly!

7. They committed adultery by breaking from their lawful bride and loving another .

8. They stole what was rightfully Gods possession.

9. They bore false witness against God.

10. They desired what was not theirs: God’s position, power.

In sin, Adam created the cancer that pervades every human and indeed the creation itself. As the nature, law and righteousness of God was assaulted.

But the beauty of what God has done in Christ Jesus is to correct every wrong, to right every injustice. Jesus brings restoration of the commandments.

1. Jesus places God the Father in His rightful place as the only God and Father.

2. Jesus states that worship of the Father occurs in Spirit and Truth.

3. Jesus Glorifies the name of the Father

4. Jesus provides our rest and Sabbath from the world.

5. Jesus brings honor and glory to the Father

6. Jesus raises us from the dead

7. Jesus brings us back into communion with Him as the groom and us as the bride.

8. Jesus restores what was stolen

9. Jesus bears witness of the truth and God’s work in our lives..we too shall provide that witness to those around us

10. We find our true position and power in Him; the Holy Spirit, as Children of the Father

That first Adam ruined it all, and was complicit with the enemy of God. The second Adam has provided a way. We can speculate as to what exactly occurred in the first sin. It’s fun to theorize. But ultimately it is really only in the atonement of that sin that we find satisfaction. We find a concrete answer to this weird and confusing life. We find a God who loves us and is not content that we should perish- but has provided a way to eternal life. We find hope.

It is a good question. Do you ever ask yourself why? You in a funk? A little down? Hard hearted and don’t really care? Whatever! Stupid people. Why is this so irritating? How come I am so easily upset? Where is the Peace of God? Why am I so anxious?

What follows on the heels of these moods? Perhaps a little lack of faith- you need to grow more and are insufficient. What can you do to solve it? Maybe God left you on your own to solve this one? Perhaps…its punishing a little. Maybe God’s plan for your life is not so big. What’s the point of it all?

What follows on the heels of these thoughts? Do I really believe this junk? Is there really a God? Is it not really- the last breathe and then….the computer turns off. Plug is pulled. Finito. Kaput. Game over man.

Why are you downcast O my soul? Life not working out? Something’s up.. Maybe I just have my skivvies in a twist.

God helps me…He gives me the answer.

Psalms 42:11 NASB Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

You see it does not really matter why I get downcast. He tells me to hope in Him. The day will come; I WILL yet praise Him. He said He is faithful. He said He is true. Truthfully I see no reason to doubt Him. He has not failed me. In fact He saved me.

I must set my hope in Him. Not a raise. Not breakfast. Not a car that runs, a house that sells, an economy that does not look like it will crash, not in my kid’s good confession, not in my dismissal of government education, not in cash, credit, relationships, a good marriage, dogs that don’t barf, comfort- security, or anything else.

My hope is in the Lord. Jesus. My hope is that God demeaned Himself by taking on physical flesh. Died intentionally for me and better yet was raised for me. To Live….Oh wonderful words; to Live.

To set my hope in Him…that’s it.

Psalms 43:3-5 NASB O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. (4) Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God. (5) Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

In thinking this idea over my thoughts ran through a line of questioning. By answering the questions I was confronted with some potential outcomes for the line of thinking that I held. Such questions as; So, would omnipresence mean there would have to be a physical presence of God within every moment of time in every place? Would God even now be present at the fall, the flood, the exodus, the cross, the establishment of the church, the reformation, and the holocaust? I know that God could perfectly track the motion and movement of every electron bonded to every carbon atom, within the drop of blood and sweat rolling down the brow of the crucified Christ in history past, right now, just from memory. So why would His physical presence be necessary and required to continually observe, command, and record across all of space and time?

Obviously it would not. Sovereign means sovereign, but God is still bound by His own Nature right? If God is omnipotent, then there is nothing that He cannot do that does not defy His own nature and by His own reason. He does not make square circles or cannot make a rock too heavy for Him to lift. So, if he is omnipresent that means everywhere right? Yes, even everywhere at every time. Yet we know that God existed before there was a universe or there was even a function of time. Time is time after all because it is measurable, and it is really only measurable because of the significance of decay or work expended. So God exists outside of time…does His omnipresence require Him to be present in all of time? Or could He just be present in the present, and know the past fully, as well as the future? But still what is wrong with God being present in all times and all places?

This is the problem I ran into; within that definition of omnipresence, it would mean that God is at the crucifixion of His Son; right now as you read this. It would in fact mean that so long as God allows this time line/ dimension/ or reality to exist that He would eternally be present at the sacrifice of His Son. While possessing it own beauty this in fact presents some problems for the Christian to ponder. He would in fact be forever atoning for what was declared to be “accomplished” or “finished”.

But even more bothersome is the implication of this view of omnipresence in the nature of the Godhead itself. You see for this view of omnipresence to be correct; then there is an implication that God is continually being crucified. He is continually bearing sin. Most crucially, He is continually being separated from the Father as the Father continually brings the full weight of His Holiness and righteous judgment to bear upon a man bearing the insidious and rebellious sin of an entire world of people across time. Jesus bore the unutterable, unknown despair, of having the Father removing, departing, and separating from His very own Son. It would mean that there would be a black hole in the existence of the trinity; a forever cancerous wound of separation where the Trinity is broken asunder. The beauty of this line of thinking is that the God of the universe is forever atoning for our sin, paying the price, demonstrating His love. It would bring new meaning to the scars on His hands and why they never vanished following His rise from the grave. It could also shed some light to how the lamb will be present with those sent to hell (Rev 14:10) and also removed as in 2 Thes 1:9. But it would also mean that God is forever suffering, that His own existence would orbit this singularity of division and despair within the most holy and perfect union of the Godhead. Though unthinkable, some may assume that God may even be stuck in His own vortex of self sacrifice by His own nature.

The alternative view is much simpler and the one I am leaning towards at this time simply because of the problem of an eternal division of the Trinity poses in my mind. That God is indeed outside of time. That He is perfectly in the present, fully occupying all space in this moment. I know that God has entered history as the God/Man: Jesus. I also know that the Godhead also enters time and abides with us in our transformation as believers. I also know that He perfectly knows the past as well as the future, because He has declared it. He has declared Himself to be the Alpha and the Omega (Rev 22:13) He has told us the end so that we may know He is God (Is 46:10).

Isaiah 43:10 ESV “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.

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