Connect Genesis 3:11 with Romans 5:12 on sin entering the world. Setting the Scene • Eden was a real garden, Adam and Eve real people, and Genesis 3 records a literal historical event. • Romans 5 is Paul’s Spirit-inspired commentary on that event, explaining its universal impact. The First Confrontation: Genesis 3:11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the LORD God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” • God’s question reveals that a moral boundary has been crossed. • The emphasis lies on obedience: one clear command was given, one command was broken. • Notice the immediate effects: shame (“naked”), fear (they hide), and a ruptured relationship with the Creator. • In a single moment, sin moves from possibility to reality, and the perfect order of creation is disrupted. Paul’s Commentary: Romans 5:12 “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” • “Through one man” points directly back to Adam in Genesis 3. • Sin “entered”—it was not part of God’s original design but broke in like an intruder. • Death is sin’s inseparable companion; spiritual separation happened instantly, physical death followed. • The consequence is universal: “all men” now share both sin’s guilt and its penalty. Connecting the Dots • Genesis 3:11 records the first acknowledgment of sin; Romans 5:12 traces its ripple effect through every generation. • Adam functions as the head of the human race; his act of disobedience legally and spiritually affects every descendant. • The moment Adam ate, sin gained a foothold; Paul says that foothold became a highway, carrying death to everyone. • The two verses together form a historical-theological chain: – Historical link: one literal act in Eden. – Theological link: one comprehensive outcome—universal sinfulness and mortality. Key Takeaways for Today • Sin is not merely a mistake; it is willful rebellion against God’s clear command. • Death’s presence in the world confirms Scripture’s diagnosis of humanity. • Recognizing Adam’s role prepares the heart to appreciate Christ’s role as the “last Adam” who reverses the curse (Romans 5:17-19). |
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