Original Sin Explained!

For Thursday, October 29, 2026:

Original Sin Explained

Genesis 2:16-17 NLT: “The Lord God warned Adam, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden — except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

Genesis 3:4-5 NLT: “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

Everyone knows the basic story of original sin, Adam and Eve eating the forbidden apple. But as Paul Harvey said, we need the rest of the story. As God inspired Bible text, he oftentimes described supernatural and spirit-world things in human terms, so that mankind could understand. Analogies. So there was no apple, and there probably wasn’t a tree. Original sin is about disobedience, not fruit.. God had said “no,” but the couple succumbed to Satan’s temptation.

The serpent represents Satan, who assured the woman that they wouldn’t die. Satan and his demons lie all the time. Imagine Satan telling you what God will or will not do. Ridiculous, right? They shouldn’t have believed Satan then, and we shouldn’t believe him now. Satan and his demons still have the capability of inspiring sin and raining havoc into our lives. Jesus said we can and should cast out demons using his name.

Satan told the couple they could “be like God, knowing both good and evil.” That’s the sin, wanting to be like God. If true, they wouldn’t need God any longer. Of course that’s not true. Satan was lying again. No human could ever replace God, but Lord knows we try all the time. People tend to want to direct their own lives rather than submit to the Lord. We’re reluctant to slide over and let someone else drive.

If Adam & Eve were tempted by being offered knowledge of good and evil, they apparently did not previously have that. God hadn’t yet given any rules, any commandments, any laws. His only request was to stay away from the tree of knowledge. Without knowing good from evil, anything would have been OK. But with that knowledge, they’d have to toe the line. Now that they can discern good from evil, many more things could go the wrong way!

Did they die right then? No, God is merciful. While they were sinning, God was making clothes for them, for they now knew they were naked. As punishment, man would have to work for a living, and women would have pain in childbirth. Weeds would grow in our gardens, and tribulation would grow in our lives. And yet we survive. God would later send his Son on a mission trip to earth. His purpose: rescuing mankind. With Jesus, we would be forgiven for everything that went wrong! Yes, God is merciful!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

The Father’s House

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Truth & Freedom Church