Tag Archives: Genesis 3

The Longing to be Known

There is something in us that wants to be seen, known and understood. We want someone who notices when something is wrong before we have to explain it. The comfortable feeling of not having to try to impress others. And, the longing for someone to understand our quirks.  A person who has seen our worst, and somehow still wants to be around us.

Isn’t that one of the things we love about a great friendship or marriage? And yet, at the same time, we spend an incredible amount of energy making sure people don’t know too much about us. 

We tend to tell the parts of our story that make us look the way we want others to see us. When people ask, “How are you doing?” We give generic answers like, “Great!” Honestly, who knows if we’re great. It doesn’t matter. It’s just this tension inside of us wanting to be known and at the same time keeping people at a distance.

WE WERE CREATED TO BE KNOWN

The opening chapters of Genesis describe something that is almost difficult for us to imagine. Genesis 2:25 says:

“And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.”

Obviously, the verse is describing physical nakedness, but there’s something bigger happening. It’s a relationship where there is nothing to hide. A relationship without shame or pretending. No wondering, “If you knew this about me, would you still love me?” They are completely exposed and completely safe.

That’s the kind of relationship humanity was created to experience, one with God and with others. But then Genesis 3 enters into the story. Humanity decides we want God’s creation without God’s authority. Adam and Eve reject God, and sin fractures everything God created to be good.

AND THEN WE START HIDING

Immediately after Adam and Eve eat the fruit, Genesis says: “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.” And what do they do? They cover themselves with fig leaves. Then when they hear God walking in the garden, they hide.

Before sin, naked and unashamed. After sin, cover and hide. Nothing about the human body changed between Genesis 2 and Genesis 3, but something changed inside of them. For the first time, humanity experiences shame and fear, and we’ve been covering ourselves ever since. 

Today, we just have better fig leaves. We can cover ourselves with success, romance, money, accomplishment, or even the image we present to other people. Shopping and entertainment can become ways to distract ourselves from things we’d rather not face.

Even religion can become a modern-day fig leaf. We can learn to say the right things, make the right choices, and present ourselves in a way that keeps anyone from looking too closely. The fig leaves have changed, but the instinct hasn’t. We still want to cover the parts of ourselves we’re afraid for others to see.

AND THEN GOD SHOWS UP

One of my favorite moments in Genesis 3 happens immediately after Adam and Eve hide. God calls out to Adam: “Where are you?” Obviously, God isn’t wandering around the garden wondering where Adam went. He knows. That’s what makes the question so powerful. Adam is hiding from Someone who already knows where he is, and God still moves toward him.

This is why Jesus is so important. When Jesus arrives, He knows our souls are longing to be known. In John 4, Jesus meets a woman at a well. She has a complicated story. Jesus knows it. He knows about her past. He knows the parts of her story she probably wouldn’t lead with when meeting someone new. And yet Jesus sits down and talks with her.

That’s what makes Jesus so different. Most of us think: If you really knew me, you might not love me. Jesus reverses that fear. He already knows us, and He moves toward us anyway. There is nothing we’re going to confess that causes Jesus to say: “Wait. You did what?” Jesus knows the parts of our story we’ve worked really hard to keep hidden. And He still went to the cross for us.

TO BE FULLY KNOWN

Maybe that’s why we want someone to really know us? We were created for a kind of relationship where we could be completely known without hiding. Sin made us afraid of that.

So, now we spend our lives looking for people who will know us while simultaneously making sure they don’t know too much. But Jesus offers something different. He doesn’t ask us to convince Him that we’re doing great. He already knows how we’re doing! He knows when we’re afraid. He knows we’re faking and really ashamed. He knows when we are trying to keep areas of our life covered up. And He hasn’t moved away. 

In fact, He’s moving toward us right now. It’s because the thing we’ve been looking for all along isn’t someone who thinks we’re impressive. It’s someone who knows exactly who we are and still says: “Come to Me.”

Why Do We Want to Live Forever?

There is something strange about the way human beings think about death. We know we’re going to die. Nobody is surprised by this information, and yet something deep within humanity keeps reaching for life. Why is that?”

One would think going to a funeral would be a big clue, or the fact that we see ourselves aging over the years. And yet, we spend an incredible amount of time, energy, and money trying not to die.

David Sinclair, a genetics professor at Harvard Medical School and prominent longevity researcher, has even discussedthe possibility that advances in aging research could dramatically extend human lifespan. Think about that. We aren’t just trying to live healthier. We’re trying to figure out how to keep living.

In addition, it doesn’t take too many conversations with friends to hear them talk about taking supplements, drinking shakes, and trying any new fad to help them prolong death as much as possible. 

We monitor our blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, sleep cycles, steps, calories, and whatever else our watch decides we should be worried about today. None of those things are bad, and taking care of our bodies is good. But, why is everyone so determined to stay alive?

DEATH ISN’T NORMAL

Sometimes people will say at a funeral, “Death is just a natural part of life.” But we don’t really believe that do we? If death is simply natural, why do we fight it so hard? Why does the death of someone we love feel so wrong? Maybe it’s because somewhere deep within the human experience, we know death isn’t the way things are supposed to be. 

The opening chapters of Genesis tell a very different story about death than our culture often does. Genesis 1–2 describes humanity living in God’s creation with access to life for eternity. There’re no texts from a family member in the middle of the night about someone going to the hospital. Everything is perfect! But, then Genesis 3 happens and sin fractures everything God created to be good.

One of those consequences is that death is coming, “For you are dust and dust you shall return.” Genesis doesn’t ask us to make peace with death by pretending death is beautiful. Genesis says death is an enemy. Something has gone terribly wrong and death is like an alarm to humanity going off, “Something is wrong.”

DEATH IS COMING

Maybe that explains something about humanity? We were created for life, so that even though we know death is coming, we are trying our hardest to live as long as possible, so that we don’t have to think about the inevitable. 

Obviously, there is nothing wrong with going to the doctor or exercising. Please go to the doctor. But underneath our efforts to extend life is an interesting human longing: we don’t want this to end. But Genesis 3 keeps ringing the alarm: death is coming. 

AND THEN JESUS SHOWS UP

Isn’t it interesting that when Jesus shows up He largely talks about life? It’s like He knows the longings of our soul! Jesus could talk about so many different subjects but instead He makes bold claims like, “I am life!”

In fact, Jesus confronts death at the cross and 3 days later conquers death. Jesus doesn’t simply offer people advice about how to make the most of the years they have left. He doesn’t give helpful tips on how to live life. Instead, Jesus says, “I know where you can find life!”

Elsewhere Jesus describes Himself as the bread of life. In a conversation with a woman Jesus offers living water. It’s almost as though Jesus keeps speaking directly into this ancient longing humanity has carried since Genesis 3.

We say: “I don’t want to die.” Jesus says: “Come to Me and you can live.” We have a longing for something that lasts and Jesus says, “Come to Me and you will find everlasting life.” Genesis 3 says humanity will return to the dust, so Jesus goes into the grave, the very thing humanity has spent its entire existence trying to escape, and He rises from the dead.

DEATH IS STILL COMING

Death is still real and painful, but now through faith in Jesus, death is no longer final. This doesn’t mean followers of Jesus can stop caring about their health. It doesn’t mean we don’t grieve at funerals. But followers of Jesus can walk into those moments with a different kind of hope.

Our hope isn’t: “I’m sure the doctor will give me good news.” Our hope is: “Whatever the doctor tells me, I’m with Jesus.” We can pray boldly for healing in scary moments because we believe God is powerful enough to heal, but we can also wait confidently in those moments when He doesn’t heal.

Christian hope isn’t confidence that everything will work out the way we want. It’s confidence that Jesus has already determined how the story ultimately ends. That’s why a follower of Jesus can grieve deeply and still have hope. We aren’t pretending death doesn’t hurt. We’re declaring that death doesn’t win.

Everything We Really Want is Also Really Hard

Most people want meaningful relationships, but relationships take work. Many of us want children, but parenting can bring some of the deepest joy and deepest pain of our lives. We want meaningful work, but work can exhaust us. We want community, but then we discover community involves people…and people are messy! Why is that?

Genesis 3 Gives Us the Answer

In Genesis 1–2, God creates the world and calls it good. Adam and Eve are created in His image, brought together as husband and wife, and given meaningful work. Everything is as it should be.

Then sin enters the story. By Genesis 3:16, God tells the woman: “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth, in pain you will bring forth children; yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” Suddenly the very things God created as good become difficult.

Something Isn’t Right

Pain in childbirth isn’t God randomly deciding to make life miserable. It’s His judgment and our sin has consequences. But it isn’t final judgment. Adam and Eve are still alive. God is still speaking to them. Children will still be born. Marriage still exists. God’s purposes for humanity haven’t disappeared. Even in judgment, there is grace.

But, the difficulty in humanity becomes an alarm ringing through creation: Something isn’t right. We weren’t created to live apart from God. That’s one reason the things we love can sometimes become the places of our greatest frustration. We keep discovering that we can’t make life work exactly the way we want it to. And sometimes that difficulty is the very thing God uses to draw us back to Himself.

Even Our Pain Can Point Us Home

One verse earlier, in Genesis 3:15, God had promised that the woman’s offspring would eventually defeat the serpent. Then, thousands of years later, the Apostle Paul writes:

“God sent His Son, born of a woman.” (Galatians 4:4)

Do you see it? The very place where we see the consequences of sin becomes the place through which God brings forth the One who becomes the answer to our sin. His name is Jesus!

The Danger of Uncertainty

If you’ve ever driven around the Domain in Austin, you know how quickly things can change. One week there’s a new apartment complex going up. The next week another restaurant closes. Tech companies are hiring, then laying off. Traffic patterns change, so that sometimes morning traffic is at 7:30am and sometimes 9:30am.  What?

Last Sunday, I stood in front of our church family, a church by the Domain in Austin, and realized we were living through one of those seasons.  We are in the midst of a ton of questions. Where are we going to meet? How is this all going to work financially? New positions on staff are need and just like in any church, we need men and women who are taking ownership beyond attending on Sunday morning.

In addition, how do we stay focused on our vision as a church family in the midst of uncertainty. The temptation to give into apathy and indifference is off the charts. After all, what does it matter? This is the voice that echoes through our church family right now. You can feel it on a Sunday morning. It’s palpable! As the elders of our church family, we know we don’t have all the answers. The people in our church family know we don’t have all the answers. And, like most people, our first instinct in the midst of uncertainty is to find certainty!

  • “If I just knew what was going to happen…”
  • “If I could just get an answer…”
  • “If I knew how this relationship would turn out…”
  • “If I knew whether this job was going to work…”

Then I’d finally have peace, confidence, clarity and everything would be great! But that’s not what Scripture teaches. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve didn’t lack information. They had everything they needed. They knew God. They walked with Him in the cool of the garden as friends. Can you imagine?

But something changed in their story. It wasn’t the information they possessed about God and one another. It was the uncertainty that entered the conversation when the serpent asked one simple question: “Has God really said…?” That question wasn’t about gathering information. It’s not like the serpent was genuinely wondering, “What has God said?” He knows! Instead the serpent was introducing uncertainty into the conversation.

Uncertainty Shapes Us

Here’s what struck me while studying Genesis 3. The greatest danger wasn’t that Adam and Eve had unanswered questions. The greatest danger was that uncertainty began shaping their relationship with God. That’s still true today. When uncertainty goes unchecked, we begin asking different questions.

  • “Can I really trust God?”
  • “Is He holding out on me?”
  • “Does He actually know what’s best?”
  • “Is He paying attention?”

The circumstances haven’t changed yet, but our hearts have started to look for something else in life to find stability. This is where the spiritual fight for our faith in Jesus goes live! The serpent never showed up with overwhelming power. He showed up with words and suggestions about truth.

He didn’t immediately tell Eve to rebel against God. Instead, he simply nudged her toward uncertainty. That’s how deception usually works. Rarely does it ask us to abandon everything overnight. Instead, it slowly erodes trust.

  • One conversation.
  • One thought.
  • One assumption.
  • One compromise at a time.

Responding to Uncertainty

One of the fascinating details in Genesis 3 is that Eve begins subtly changing what God actually said. God began with generosity in Genesis 2, “You may freely eat from every tree…” By the time Eve repeats God’s command, the emphasis on God’s generosity has disappeared. She even adds restrictions God never gave. That’s what uncertainty often does. It magnifies what we’ve lost while minimizing what we’ve been given. Uncertainty creates fear that becomes louder than gratitude.

In a city like Austin, it can give us this illusion of certainty. Tech companies keep moving into the city. Exotic cars keep appearing. We are surrounded by wealth and education in the capitol of Texas! It feels pretty certain! But it just takes a moment and any of those “certain” areas of life can change in a second. And, deep down, we know those areas of life are unstable and unreliable. Therefore, the goal isn’t to eliminate uncertainty in life. That’s impossible! The better question is, “Who am I becoming while I walk through uncertainty?”

This is critical because fear produces one kind of person. It’s the kind of person that gets wrapped up with insecurity. Fear stirs up passivity. Fear causes us to spend energy on something that might never happen. But, when we are in a place of trust it produces a different kind of a person. When we are layered in trust we will move toward people. We are clear in our thinking. One is controlled by outcomes, the other has a foundation.

The Gospel Speaks Into Our Uncertainty

Genesis 3 doesn’t end with Adam and Eve hiding forever. God comes looking for them. Read that last sentence again, “God comes looking for them.” That’s the gospel! Long before Adam and Eve searched for Him, He searched for them. Read the chapter for yourself and see. It’s amazing!

That story ultimately points to Jesus. Where Adam and Eve hid, Jesus stepped forward. Where they tried to cover their own shame, Jesus covered ours through His death and resurrection. The gospel isn’t simply that God gives us answers. The gospel is that God gives us Himself. That changes everything. Because certainty has never been found in perfect circumstances. It’s found in the unchanging character of God.

The future will still be unclear. Our economy will still fluctuate. Relationships will disappoint if we give them enough time. But the invitation of Jesus remains the same as He calls us to know Him, trust Him, follow Him, and invite others to do the same. Because, sometimes faith isn’t knowing exactly where you’re going, sometimes faith is knowing Who you’re walking with on the journey.

Why Marriage Is Frustrating.

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Sometimes in our marriages we get so frustrated, however, if you look in Genesis 2 we see that God didn’t intend for marriage to be frustrating. He created it us to be in a loving relationships with one another, intimate, fruitful, naked, and unashamed, however, in Genesis 3 we see sin enter the equation and distort the relationship of marriage and sin brings frustration.

Specifically for the husband when God created Adam He created Him to cultivate and care for the garden. He had a job, a responsibility, and it was a divine responsibility of stewardship, however, when sin enters into humanity it results in frustration. Look at Genesis 3:17:

17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; Cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it
all the days of your life. 18 “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you will eat the plants of the field; 19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread,
till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust,and to dust you shall return.”

Verse 17 starts off and sounds a little offensive, but who were Adam and Eve suppose to listen to? God. Yet, Eve listened to the serpent, and Adam listened to Eve and it resulted in disobedience. As verse 17 continues it explains that which was originally good has now become broken and distorted, and the land that was previously a blessing has now become difficult.

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