Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-05-08
LESSON FOR MAY II.
SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
LESSON rExr-caenesis a.1-24

LESSON TEXT-Genesis 3:1-A.
GOLDEN TExT-The wages of sin Is
death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.-Rom.
So
DEVOTIONAL READING Psalms 81:
1-1s
ADDITIONAL MATERIAI1-Rom. 1.ls-
e. James lis
PRIMARY ToPIc-Disobeying Our
Heavenly Father
JUNIOR TOPIC-How Disobedience
Separates Us From God
INTERMEDIATES TOPIC - Destructive
Power of Sin.
SENIOR AND ADULT TOPIC-The Ma
ture and Results of Sin.
An outlook upon the world proves
that man is not what he should be.
Then. too, apart from gospel influence
there is no sign of improvement. The
only way of accounting for the discrep-
ancy between what man is and what
he should be is by the Fall. This is
the way that the Bible accounts for it.
The Introduction of sin is the answer.
!. The Temptation (Gen 3:1-6).
Man possessed free will, in the ex-
ercise of which he turned away from
God and his commandment. This was
done at the instance of the devil
working through the serpent. He did
not appear as he really was. but in dis
guise. The method employed was "a
finding the woman while alone; ~ in
Sinuating doubt into her mind as to
Gods word and love. At his sugges-
ton she began to believe that God did
not mean what he said. and that he
was unlllnd in placing restrictions upon
them. In this the devil slandered God,
even accusing the Almighty of jeal-
ousy and fraud. (3) Appeal to inno-
cent appetite. a. She gazed upon
the fruit which God had forbidden.
Looking soon begat lust. 90 She
lusted after that which God had for
hidden. That which God has forbid
den should not be looked at lest the
flesh should lust for it.
II. THE Fall (3:6-S).
From lusting to indulgence was
short step. This act of disobedience
has brought on all the worlds woe and
misery. Eve not only disobeyed, but
involved Adam in her sin. Aspiring
TO be gods, they became the slaves Of
san. They came to know good and evil,
but by sad experience. They knew sin
without the power to free themselves
arom it.
III. The Consequences Of the Fall
e :o-24)
/. The disturbed relationship with
God wv. o, 10) She familiar inter
course which man ioyed with the Al
mighty was MARI 1. and broken by
sin. Sin makes life ntolerable in the
divine presence. Z lam and Eve not
only hid from G rs presence, but
Adam began to make excuses and even
laid the blame on God.
2. The serpent was degraded and
henceforth became "A type of sin and
Satan ". IA; CT Mum. 81 %; John
3 IA; Rev. 2:9). This doom was pro
nounced without trial. In the case of
man It was not so.
8. The undying enmity between the
two seeds ". 10: cf. John s :40-45;
Matt. % :33). The antagonism thus
begun reached its climax in the cruel
ffxion OF Christ Satan's seed has been
ever since endeavoring to destroy the
Lords work and his workers.
4. The ultimate victory of the wom
ans seed ". 15). Satan harassed the
woman's seed; bruised his heel, but
finally the stroke was made which
crushed the serpent's head (John -
81: Heb. 2:14; John 8 ~. This was
the first CLEAN of the glorious light Of
the gospel of Christ. The victory was
marvellous, but the cost was Infinite
lisa. 3d. Cor. 5:2D.
s. judgment upon the woman ".
16). This relates to her as a wife and
mother; also to her subordination to
man. This is Gods decree, and all ef-
forts of freeing ones self from it
>Aare fightings against God.
6. Mans new relationship to the
nth wv. 1910 The earth was
ursed on his account. Because of the
frank growth of thorns and thistles
man must make an increased effort to
exist. Man with his sinful nature would
be in a bad state without the neces-
sity of toll (Rom. 8:19-22).
z. Death " 19). This includes
physical and spiritual death-both the
result of sin.
8. Expulsion from the garden ".
24). This was an act Of great mercy.
To have partaken of the tree of life
and live forever in sinful state would
have been intolerable.