The Manhood Talks | Foundation & IdentitySample

Day 9 | Genesis 3 | The Fall

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Hey everybody! TeDese Ross back with you again, and welcome to Week 2: The Breaking and Remaking of Man. Last week we saw mankind made in God’s image — a reflection of God’s character and nature. So you gotta ask — what happened? With all the hatred and greed and hypocrisy in mankind, what kind of God-reflection is that?

Well, a broken one. Like a shattered mirror, God’s image is still in there but it’s badly distorted. Glimpses of kindness, faithfulness, self-sacrifice, love — beautiful — but all too rare. And it’s not just God’s image — consider all of God’s gifts in Genesis 2. Work is frustrating and can feel so pointless. Man’s freewill is used to do so much evil. And man’s relationship with woman is a mess. Again there are glimpses of greatness, but so much is broken.

So how did it happen and how do we fix it? That answer begins right where we left off in Genesis. We pick up at chapter 3, verse 1:

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1)

The story here is a familiar one. Satan takes the form of a serpent, and tempts Eve to disobey God. Now some people read this story as true events, and others read it as allegory. I’ll leave that argument for another study, but either way the lessons from the story are key to our study of manhood. So I want to focus here on the man. The serpent talks to Eve — but where is Adam? Wasn’t he the one given the responsibility? Let’s read on.

Satan begins by challenging God’s word, “Did God really say?” Then he misquotes God, “You must not eat from any tree.” As if God was all about restrictions — no freedom at all. Sneaky. But the woman corrects him — just don’t eat from the one tree, or you will die. Verse 4:

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5).

Notice the temptation — to be like God. If we’re made to bear God’s image, then isn’t wanting to be like God a good thing? Well, yes and no. To be more like God in love and kindness and patience — that’s great. But wanting to be like God in power and knowledge or wanting to be God — that’s dangerous.

So the woman listens to the temptation, and eats the fruit. But where is Adam? Why doesn’t he speak up? Step in — save the girl — do something. Back in verse 6:

“She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Genesis 3:6).

Watch that. Adam was with her. Looks to me like he was right there the whole time, and did nothing. He failed to lead, failed to protect, and in the end just went along with it.

Verse 7:

"Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves" (Genesis 3:7).

Pay attention here. They make coverings. And when they hear the Lord heading their way — they hide. This is the beginning of shame.

And notice in verse 9:

But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).

Why does God call to the man specifically? And why does he ask the man, “Have you eaten from the tree?” Because God set Adam as responsible first. So he gives Adam the first chance to respond. But in verse 12:

“The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it’” (Genesis 3:12).

Now that’s all true, but it’s also shirking responsibility. And that is the great failure of manhood.

God’s response is the curse. But the curse is more than just punishment — it’s consequences, and it’s part of a plan. A plan with a purpose. You can read the details, but I want you to pay close attention to what happens to God’s three gifts to Adam.

First the relationship with the woman. Without sin, Adam and Eve had it made together. But Eve separated herself from God’s plan, and now bearing children will be painful. The relationship with her husband is still there, but in verse 16:

“Your desire will be for your husband,

and he will rule over you” (Genesis 3:16).

Be careful how you read that “rule over.” We’ll come back later and talk about what it means to lead like Jesus — as a servant. But for now, notice that Eve will desire her husband — to grow together and be together. But Adam — Adam’s gotta go to work now.

And work — is cursed. In verse 17:

“Cursed is the ground because of you;

through painful toil you will eat food from it

all the days of your life” (Genesis 3:17).

Notice that work is now toil. And toil will be frustrating. Try to plant grain, and you get thorns and thistles with it.

And what about the will? Remember Adam’s freedom to eat from any tree in the garden — and freedom to eat from the tree of life — because God’s will for Adam was life. Well, Adam used that will to choose against God’s will. And the consequence — just as God warned him — was death. Verse 19:

"By the sweat of your brow

you will eat your food

until you return to the ground,

since from it you were taken;

for dust you are

and to dust you will return'" (Genesis 3:19).

So that’s the curse — and it changes everything. So what was God’s plan here? Why did he make work difficult, and relationships frustrating? Read Genesis 3 for yourself, and we’ll come back to that tomorrow.

For your journal, I want you to write your thoughts on this question:

Why did God hold Adam responsible — and speak to Adam first — when Eve was the one who sinned first?

And what does that say about manhood?

I’m only human after all — don’t put the blame on me. Blame it on the rain! Whatever you do, don’t put the blame on you.

One of the most important aspects of manhood is accountability, which in many cases, supersedes responsibility. Think about it, Jesus was not responsible for any of the world’s sin, yet he was accountable for it.

As men, you may not be responsible for the action perpetrated by someone under your leadership, but you are accountable. Responsibility is taking account for one’s actions, accountability is taking responsibility for the actions of others. Responsibility evolves into accountability. Responsible people grow into accountable leaders.

That’s it for today. See you back here tomorrow.

Read Genesis 3

All verses are quoted from the NIV.