Human beings who are separated from God (Gen.3:7-10)
-In this world, people are wandering to seek true happiness, peace, and rest. Recently, in South Korea, a female died due to drinking. She met a male at an alcoholic rehab center in Korea. After they left the rehab center, they stayed in a motel room. They were drinking during three days. Eventually, she died because of the internal organ damage by alcoholic drink. This incident shows one aspect of miserable states of human beings.
-In order to become happy, people in this world pursue money, success, fame, power, physical attraction, pleasures, and so on. In the Bible, King Solomon had all things that most people want and envy. However, after he had and enjoyed all things, he confessed sincerely before God.
Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher; “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.”
-The worldly method or thing cannot satisfy the spiritual thirsty of human beings. However, only God can provide us true happiness and peace.
2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,
-The reason why human beings are unhappy is that they leave God. What is this state of separation from God?
1.There is the cause of all problems (Three fundamental problems)
1)Sin
①They closed their ears to God’s Word (Gen.2:16-17).- They did not trust in God’s Word.
②They opened their ears to sayings of Satan (Gen.3:4-5). - They chose and followed the deception of Satan.
③Human beings committed sin by disbelief and disobedience toward God’s Word through the deception of Satan (Gen.3:6).
2)Separation from God
①Human beings who have sin try to resolve their problems with other methods
Genesis 3:7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings
-After sin, they recognized they were naked. They tried to cover it through fig leaves. However, this method is a temporary and imperfect method.
②Shame, anxiety, and dread came upon them who had committed sin
-Before the fall of Adam and Eve, there is no shame, anxiety, and dread. However, sin brought them into the life of human beings.
Genesis 3:8 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.
③Human beings who have sin make themselves alienated from God
Genesis.3:9-10 Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
-Human beings became separated from God by sin.
Isaiah 59:1-2 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
④Humankind who has sin cannot meet God
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
⑤Man who are separated from God falls into eternal curse and unhappiness.
3)Slaves of Satan
①Human beings were deceived by the serpent, who is the devil and Satan (Rev. 12:9-10).
②Because of sin, they become the children of the devil
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
2.How can you meet God?
1)Understand the sate of human beings who are separated from God
①the spiritual dead state
Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
②the state that are caught up
-People fall into the addition and obsession.
They can not find the true source of the blessing and happiness. Therefore, they try to find their own method to fill their emptiness.
Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
-They are under the influence of Satan.
③the state that has been blinded
2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
-They cannot know the spiritual truth by their own efforts. Therefore, we need God’s grace to know it.
2)You must know the method of God (the method of God is Jesus Christ)
①Confirm the incarnation, cross, resurrection, and indwelling of Jesus Christ for our salvation
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
-Why did Jesus become the flesh? It is because He saves us from sin, Satan, and separation from God.
②Confirm faith, acceptance, and confession in the Bible
-To accept Jesus Christ with faith is the beginning of the life of God’s child.
John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
-To accept Jesus Christ with faith means that we confess with the mouth and believe in Him with the heart.
Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
-Therefore, to admit Jesus Christ as our Lord, Savior, and Master is to believe in, accept, and confess Him.
Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
③When we believe the Word of God, God’s work takes place
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
④Always confirm all things through the Word of God.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
-God’s Word is our standard. God’s word is the power to make us change.
conclusion
1)Abide in Jesus’ Word
John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”