Texts for the First Sunday in Lent: Genesis 2:15-17 and 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19
And so it began. Adam and Eve are in the Garden of Eden. The Garden is lush with fruit hanging from every tree. God has one firm instruction for Adam and Eve – they are not to eat the fruit from one tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. If they did so, they would die.
Everything changes when a serpent, Satan, appears and says to Eve, “Did God really say….?” Eve explains that God said they could eat from any tree except one. If they eat from that tree, they shall die. The serpent, seizing the opportunity, tells Eve that the fruit from that tree will give her wisdom and allow her to be like God. Seems like it would be a good thing, right? So Eve eats the fruit and offers some to Adam.
The serpent created doubt about God’s words – did God really say? And, you won’t die from eating that fruit. The only thing that would happen is that Adam and Eve would “be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen. 3:4-5) The serpent moved from planting seeds of doubt about what God said, to denying and rejecting what God really did say.
It is the Fall of Mankind – temptation, sin, unbelief in what God said. Adam’s fall brought sin to all of humanity. From this point forward, all humanity will be born in sin. However, since Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection, there is a path to the forgiveness of our sins.
In his letter to the Roman church, the apostle Paul is writing of the fall and pointing to hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith in the risen Saviour gives us forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life with Him in heaven. That is a promise we have from God.
Yes, God really promised that for us who believe when He sent His Son to the cross to take on all of our sins so we would be made righteous and be justified. Known as the “divine exchange”, it is a gift beyond comprehension from a loving and compassionate Savior. He took on our sins which He didn’t deserve so we could have His righteousness which we don’t deserve.
In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, he explains the Sacrament of Holy Baptism. In answer to the question, “What benefits does God give in Baptism?”, Luther answers, “In Baptism God forgives sin, delivers from death and the devil, and gives everlasting salvation to all who believe what he has promised.”
Sin continues to be part of our daily lives. We try, but we can’t get it right all the time. But, if we humbly confess our sins, God has promised us forgiveness. He won’t hold our sins against us.
This is what God really said! Amen.
Marsha Schroeder
Church Elder