Relational Break

I was reading in Genesis 3 this morning and I began to think of the effects of our sinful acts. Of course there are the effects of our sin that are far-reaching, but the immediate effect is a relational break.

Look at the immediate effect of Adam and Eve's sin (vs. 7-8);

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

this is the first relational break that our sin brings about - a relational break between us and God. This break is a wedge that has been driven between God and mankind since the first sin and it still exists today.

Yet, God in His grace, invites us into His presence (vs. 9-11);

But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

We are invited to draw close to God, however sin drives us further and further away from His presence. And still, even in the midst of our sin, God calls us back to Himself. In love and grace, God gives us the opportunity to confess our sin to Him and to be reconciled.

However, what we see is more evidence of the relational break that sin brings about (vs. 12);

The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

This relational break, this distance that sin puts between us and God - this distance that sin puts between us and the ones we love - it does not have to exist.

God, in His infinite love and grace sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay our sin debt and we no longer have to bear the shame, the guilt, and the pain of our sinful actions.

In the garden God shed blood to cover the shame of Adam and Eve in the Garden (vs. 21);

The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

In much the same way Christ Jesus shed His blood on the cross to cover the shame of all of mankind (Isaiah 53:5);

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Let us no longer be separated from God and one another. Christ has paid the price and made communion available to all.