Trinity in the Fall
Notes
Transcript
Intro:
Today we look at Genesis 3 and the fall. This is a massively important passage as it a pivotal point in the history of the world. So much of the world changes in this chapter.
Today’s sermon is not a study of all the ways Genesis 3 changes things, but a look at how God’s response in this chapter.
Theme: God as Trinity was evident in the narrative of the Fall.
Roles in the Trinity:
Roles in the Trinity:
1 Peter 1:2 (NKJV)
elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: …
The Father Plans and leads.
The Father Plans and leads.
The Father has been referred to as the Monarch. Not because He is more important, but because, according to Scripture, He initiates both the plan of creation and the plan of Redemption.
He is also the one who, Scripture tells us, sent the Son, and co-sends the Spirit.
The Spirit reveals, convicts, and draws people.
The Spirit reveals, convicts, and draws people.
The Spirit does the detail work, or as the psalms puts it the finger-work.
In our earlier verse it calls all these roles together as “the sanctification of the Spirit.”
The Son, Jesus Christ, executes the plans.
The Son, Jesus Christ, executes the plans.
When flesh is needed, it is the Son that does the work. We will see this today and in upcoming sermons.
Since the Father’s plan is to gather a bride/church of worshipers, then it is the Son’s role to carry out the plan of redemption by coming and completing all the requirements.
Now He, as Rev 3.8 says, opens doors for us today.
The role each personage plays in the fall narrative.
The role each personage plays in the fall narrative.
Every occurrence of the word “God” in Genesis 3 is the plural word “Elohim.” So, from the rest of Scripture, most specifically from the New Testament, we are left to decipher which member of the Trinity is active.
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
This is a plan! God the Father planned to make the beasts of the field, and He planned for one to be more cunning.
There was also a plan regarding some forbidden fruit. Just ONE restriction, but it was enough to show mankind that they would choose something for themselves over a relationship with God.
Genesis 3:5 (NKJV)
“God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
This verse is spoken by Satan. We know from Jn 8.44 that Satan is the deceiver and the father of lies. Here we have a half truth that is intended to destroy people.
“God knows” each person of the Trinity is all knowing. This is about a result leading to disobedience.
“like God” The lie! While we may know good and evil, we are not holy and therefore not “like God.”
Application: Be careful about giving away what you have in hopes of getting what you may never be able to have!
Don’t sell our buildings in hopes of having a better.
Don’t give away our doctrine to get a crowd.
Don’t dump Fil in hopes of a possible better pastor who (fill in the blank…)
God has a plan for you, a hope and a future. That does not include disobedience or mistrusting Him.
And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”
These verses says a lot!
Voice - requires a body
Walking - requires a body
Visible presence among the trees - requires a body
Jesus is the only member of the Trinity known to take on a body. This is the physical manifestation of the Son in the Garden of Eden.
When we need someone with skin on, we look to the Son.
The Father exists in inapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16). No mortal can see the Father and live. Habakuk says the Father can’t even look on sin and evil, and we saw that at the cross. SO, this can’t be God the Father.
The Spirit is never described with physical traits. Yes, He speaks, but a spirit does not need to walk around.
Application: When mankind falls, the Son steps in; Still does the same today. When you fall, call out to Jesus who was tempted in all ways like us and yet without sin. Beyond that, He died and rose that we may have forgiveness.
Genesis 3:12–13 (NKJV)
Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
Now the Spirit is doing His work. He brings them to confession of sin. Both said, “I ate.”
John 16:8–11 (NKJV)
When He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
Application: People who say God has no part of their lives are lying. The Holy Spirit convicted in the Garden and is still doing it today.
So the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.”
Implicit in the fact that the Plan is from the Father, is the reality that He is the Judge of all the outcomes.
And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges.
Jesus was in a religious wrestling match with the Jewish leaders. He has been telling them that the Father is the one who judges all, and this is the conclusion statement.
Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.
Back to our passage in Gen 3. A judgment is being handed down on all parties involved. While the reincarnate Christ may have vocalised the words, they are the judgment of the Father. His plan now moves from creation to redemption.
Application: God has the best outcomes - even when we fail Him. I confess and seek His mercy because it is always better.
And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
Better to have skins than leaves!
These are made - not created - therefore the work of the pre-incarnate Jesus.
Application: What God makes for us is always better than what we could make for ourselves! 1 Peter 1.4.
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.
The Godhead is back at work again. Did you see the word “us”? Pastor Fil will get heavily into the “us” of the Elohim next week in Gen 1.26ff.
The Father sends them out of the Garden - plan
“He drove out” that is the role of the HS. to draw and to drive and to protect what belongs to God.
The Son executes the plan - He placed the Cherubim
Conclusion: God as Trinity was evident in the narrative of The Fall.
Conclusion: God as Trinity was evident in the narrative of The Fall.
Today we have studied a classic passage where we use Scripture to interpret Scripture. In doing so we have seen how the personages of the Trinity interact together. Be encouraged when you witness that God has a plan, the spirit draws and convicts and the Son is the one who paid the price.