Originally posted: 01/03/2019

Grace: “The freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.”

This chapter – The Fall – there is so much, and so much people often try to dispute. Many attempt to discount the reality of Adam and Eve in the garden through evolution. Genesis 1 refutes evolution.

Often we don’t think it’s fair; just because Adam and Eve blew it we all have to suffer the consequences. I confess I used to feel like that. But one day it hit me. God’s creation produces “after their kind,” (Genesis 1: 11, 12, 21, 24, 25).

When God created man, we were made after His kind, in His image. But when Adam and Eve rebelled and chose their own way over God’s will, they became sinners. Every human born after that (which is all of us), would be born “after their kind.”

But now, let’s Consider His Grace!

• His Grace gave us freedom to choose rather than forced allegiance.
  • Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. ¹⁶ The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; ¹⁷ but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die,” (Genesis 2:15-17).

• His Grace sought Adam and Eve out even when they had rebelled and were hiding from His Presence. He continuously and relentlessly seeks us out.
  • They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ Then the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?” (3:8-9).

• His Grace provided an opportunity to admit to their guilt, even though they stringently played the blame game.
  • And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” ¹² The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” ¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate,” (3:11-13).

• His Grace put His plan of redemption into action – the promise of the One Who would come and bruise the enemy’s head, even way back then!
  • “And I will put enmity
    Between you and the woman,
    And between your seed and her seed;
    He shall bruise you on the head,
    And you shall bruise him on the heel,” (3: 15).

• His Grace covered their nakedness with garments of skin, a graphic illustration of the necessity of blood to cover our sin.
  • The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them, (3:21).

• His Grace removed them from the Garden, so that they would not eat from the tree of life and live in an eternal state of separation from the LORD God.
  • Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— ²³ therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken, (3:22-23).
    

As we consider His amazing Grace, how should we respond?

• Let us be honest about our sin. Confession means to agree with God about our sin and to not put the blame elsewhere or try to cover it up by our own “fig leaves.”
  • If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, (1 John 1:9).

• Let us accept His offer of grace provided in Jesus Christ alone. We cannot cover our own sin. Only the blood of Jesus shed on the cross can pay the due penalty of our sin.
  • In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, (Ephesians 1:7).

• Let us receive His Grace, the gift of forgiveness, salvation and eternity in His Presence through faith in Jesus!
  • For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (Ephesians 2:8).

• Let us worship Him today with hearts and lives of gratitude, for His Grace is truly amazing!
  • Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship, (Romans 12:1).

Let’s Grow Together!