What Went Wrong?

Just three chapters in, the Bible introduces a story of catastrophic failure. A serpent appears in a well-ordered garden with an alternate plan to the one God has set in place. The first two humans exchange the truth of God for a lie. Though created as God’s royal image-bearers and commissioned to reign and rule as His representatives, they trade submission for self-rule. Instead of making God’s name great, they choose to make a name for themselves. Instead of the work of building God’s kingdom, they choose to build on their own terms. In response, God articulates the tragic consequences of their sin and rebellion. Of our sin and rebellion: exile, depravity, and death.

Genesis 3 asks and answers questions all humans must grapple with: Why is the world filled with suffering and injustice? What went wrong? And just how bad is the problem?

In Christian theology, these questions are addressed in the doctrine of sin. We call the study of the doctrine of sin “hamartiology,” from the Greek word hamartia, meaning “sin.” The doctrine of sin examines our rebellion against God and its consequences of exile, depravity, and death.

It is one thing to have an understanding of the concept of sinfulness; it is another to personalize it. To think specifically of how each of us has rebelled against God’s holiness. How we have lied, stolen, cheated, hated, and lusted, and how we, just like our first parents, are often found hiding behind the trees, hoping nobody will see our depravity.

Sin is not just a theological concept. It is personal. It has impacted each and every one of us. Sin is something each of us knows far too much about. We have been sinned against, and we have sinned against God and others. The world would have us believe that the greatest problems in the world are external to us, but the Bible tells us the greatest problem is in all of us.

If we externalize all that is wrong with the world, we will believe the solution is inside of us. But when we realize the problem is in us—all of us—we realize the solution must be outside of us. We need someone to come and save us. When we personalize sin, we realize we no longer need to hide behind the trees but to embrace the Man who hung on the cursed tree in our place.

Humans are people of the dust, made in God’s image for the purpose of representing Him to all of His creation. Our refusal to submit ourselves to His good rule has led to exile, depravity, and death.

Our only hope is that one day, God will make all things right. That our exile will end so we can enjoy the presence of God forever. That our depravity will be healed so we can live in obedience to God. And that, one day death will be defeated, so we can stand over the grave of death, mocking it, declaring: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:54–55).