Week 3: Genesis 3

This is where it all goes south. Satan begins his temptation by planting a seed of doubt, and it snowballs from there: “Did God really say?” (v. 1, emphasis mine). Eve then misquotes God’s prohibition. God never actually said she could not touch the tree—only that she should not eat of it. This seed of doubt continues to grow until vv. 4-5, when Satan flat-out contradicts God’s Word by convincing Eve that God is holding out on her. She and Adam sin, eat the fruit, break the world, and suffer the consequences. We have been reaping the bitter harvest ever since. Sin always leads to death. It separates us from God, from the world, from one another, and—most importantly for our purposes—from ourselves. Sin puts us at odds with ourselves, introducing conflict between who we believe we are and who God says we are. This, ultimately, is why we suffer from disorders like anxiety, depression, fear, and gender dysphoria. All brokenness can be traced back to the Fall.

Reflection Questions 

1.) What role do deception and doubt play in the events of Genesis 3? 

2.) What were the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin (see vv. 14-19)? 

3.) Read Romans 1:18-32. What happens when we exchange God’s truth for lies? How can sexuality or gender become an idol?