Love God Greatly: In the BeginningSample
Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. God said if they did this, they would die. Even though they did not physically die at that moment, they were dead in a spiritual sense. They would die because of their sin. They were dead, separated from God because of their sin.
But Adam and Eve’s God, our God, is rich in mercy. He loves us, even though we are dead in our sin. God loved and cared for Adam and Eve. He covered the disgrace of their sin with clothing. These coverings were made from skin, meaning an animal had to die as a sacrifice in order to cover them.
God sent Adam and Eve out from the orchard. Sending them out of the orchard may have seemed like the worst option, but it was God’s provision and care. Instead of allowing them to be tempted and possibly eat from the tree of life, God sent them out of the orchard.
We too are separated from God. We are dead in our sins, just like Adam and Eve. We need a covering, a sacrifice for our sins. Jesus Christ is that covering. Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself so we could be spared from the punishment of sin.
We are saved by the grace of God. In the same way God, in His great grace, provided coverings for Adam and Eve and sent them out from the orchard, God provided a covering for us in Jesus. His sacrifice is grace alone. Through faith, we can accept God’s gift of grace, Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in Him we accept the provision He has given us, for our lives and for our salvation.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You alone are the covering I need. You have saved me by Your grace alone. There is nothing I have done to earn my salvation. I have placed my faith in You for my salvation. Help me continue to place my faith in You every day. You alone are my covering and my provision. Amen.
Scripture
About this Plan
In this Bible study, we’ll explore the first eleven chapters of Genesis, discovering the beginnings of creation, sin, grace, redemption, and promise. We can learn to love God greatly by studying His character, especially the aspects that are challenging and raise more questions in our faith. May we be expectant that He will reveal Himself to us in new ways as we seek Him.
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