Word of life – Rom 5:12

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned…”

(Rom 5:12 NKJ)

(30 Oct – 13 Nov 2011)

God put the first man to the test of obedience. Adam did not obey God but he obeyed the devil through his wife Eve, whereby he brought down sin, a curse and death on himself and on the whole human race. No one can doubt the reality of death. It touches not only the people around us but each of us without exception. Every day we encounter sin, which is associated with lies and evil, both in our neighbours and in ourselves. The mystery of the first sin is revealed to us in the third chapter of Genesis. Moreover, it points out psychological methods which the spirit of lies uses even today. First the enemy confronted the woman with misleading questions in which he deliberately exaggerated the reality. »“Has God indeed said: ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent: “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said: ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”«

Example of seduction: An older boy seduces a younger one with evil intent: “Has your father indeed forbidden you to watch TV?” “No, he has just forbidden me to watch pornography, because it is dangerous!” Or: “Has your dad indeed said that you can’t be friends with anyone?” “No, he said that I must not be friends with boys who are doing bad things.”

But a mere dialogue with the devil is a defeat!

The Apostle John, who keeps repeating in his Letters that we should love each other, on the other hand warns us against heretics and says that we must not receive them into the house nor greet them: “For he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.” (2Jn 11)

Adam’s wife had a dialogue with the devil; she sincerely tried to defend the truth and that was the first step into a trap. The enemy needs to establish contact, to carry on a dialogue, and then he suggestively and falsely denies the essence of the truth. “The serpent said to the woman: ‘You will not surely die. For 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.” (cf. Gen 3:1-8) The devil is a liar and a murderer, and his servants have always been professional liars. These liars seduce moral people into sexual perversions, the use of narcotics, euthanasia… They falsely assure them: “All this is good, you will not die, try it, do not fear, do not be old-fashioned, your eyes will be opened.” If young people do not believe their parents who love them but believe false friends and consequently commit a forbidden act and eat the forbidden fruit, it ends in disappointment, deadly AIDS, and after euthanasia – suicide – in eternal death, in hell. But it’s too late then! Why did I not obey God’s Word, conscience, parents?

The root of the first sin was disobedience to God and obedience to the devil – the spirit of lies and death. This repeats throughout history of mankind. We all inherit this infection of the first sin and this genetic code. Thus, we all sinned in Adam, even though we were not physically present in Paradise. The painful fruit of evil and sin is evident at every step. We are born in original sin and during life we commit personal sins. Sin brings disaster upon the individuals and nations. Sin is not terminated by death, but unless man receives the Saviour from sin, Jesus Christ, after physical death comes eternal suffering.

Question: Whom do you obey? God or the devil?

Practical advice: “Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (Jam 4:7)