As believers, we want to be parented by our heavenly Father. We try to listen and sense God’s direction so we can mature as His children. Yet, we struggle with problems and frustrations. Too often, we do as we’ve always done and life continues to be confusing and complicated.
Why is this? What causes us to live as though we are trapped and held captive to the world’s ill attitudes and patterns? What compels us to disregard God’s insightful help and remain weighed down? What is “the sin that so easily entangles us”? (a) [See end notes for all Scriptures]
The First Sin
The Greek word translated ‘sin’ in our Bible means ‘to miss,’ – as to miss a target or fall short of a goal. A sinner is one who misses the best intent or the ideal goal. Who among us, as children of God, doesn’t occasionally miss the goal and need restoring doses of God’s saving grace? (b)
As we examine sin’s first occurrence, we begin to understand the cause of our problems and discover the solution to our difficulties. Did you know that when we realize why we continue to miss the goal and our created purpose, our life focus and experience can really improve?
Desiring to father children, the Eternal One designed and created the natural universe as a place to birth His offspring into existence. This natural realm includes an ongoing array of beginning and ending cycles that provide a vast multitude of variables for us to choose from.
God’s creative intention for our life in this natural realm includes a blend of natural and spiritual realities. The first man and woman were placed in a Garden called Eden; “to cultivate and keep it” and have daily interaction with God, who came to them “in the cool of the day.” (c)
Even in that ideal environment, the first sin happened as Adam and Eve chose to ignore God’s guidance. Of all the variables to partake of, God advised them to restrain from only one activity: “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (d)
Adam and Eve ignored God’s instruction and chose to gain ‘wisdom’ from the knowledge of good and evil, which “is earthly, natural.” (e) Choosing to disregard God was the original act of sin. In doing so, they became more conscious of insights gained from natural experience.
God’s creative intention for our life includes a blend of natural and spiritual realities.
Clouded Perceptions
The Hebrew text in the above verse actually says: “…for in the time that you partake from it you will be dying.” The caution for sin was not a one-time consequence, but an ongoing condition from ongoing activity. This does not refer to a physical or spiritual death, but of our soul’s relationship with God.
The first sin and the root of all sin was and is a matter of ignoring our Eternal Father’s input. Such ongoing activity entraps us in the web of good and deathly perceptions that come from the wisdom gained from the productive and destructive (good and evil) activity of this natural life. (f)
The original sin brought a sense 
of separation from God that still complicates our ability to hear and receive God’s guidance. Our first parents’ decision to gain wisdom from natural experiences clouded their perceptions and their quality of life immediately began to deteriorate. Genesis portrays this loss as God allowing them to experience what they chose.
Most sins are simply secondary effects of the original sin of ignoring God’s insightful guidance. Jesus spoke of people living by this focus—choosing natural wisdom over spiritual—as “the living dead.” (g) Many are alive but without active interaction with God, they live as dead people.
Before separating from God, life is described as unashamed, with no excuses, blame, or cover-up. As they turned from God’s influence, they became more earthly minded than spiritual. Natural life is not sinful; we are sinful because we do not heed God’s guidance.
Many are alive but are spiritually inactive and live as spiritually dead people.
Arise From Deadly Sleep
What is the solution? The original sin in the Garden was followed by a lack of repentance. As Adam and Eve made excuses and blamed another, it kept them entangled in their separation. So, Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden (h) to experience the separation they chose and to stir a desire to repent and return to the guiding influence of God.
Adam and Eve were kept separated from the Tree of Life in the Garden of God by an angel with a flaming sword. Why a flaming sword? This is a visual that illustrates the redeeming purpose of repentance. When we repent, the sword of the Lord begins to cut away our entanglement to error and the flame consumes the dross of our error so we are able to live better lives. (i)
Our unrepentant ways are what keep us captive to destructive thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Repentance begins to release us from our commitment to error and invites the cleansing sword and flame of God to assist our deliverance. Remember, it is our fellowship with God and our acceptance of His word that is able to “save your souls” from living as dead people. (j)
God’s way of life in this natural world includes our fellowship with Him as our Eternal Father. His love for us, as offspring and as maturing children, is unlimited, unfailing, and unmatched by any example, other than Jesus Christ who is our only mediator with God. (k)
Responding to God as our insightful Father transforms us from being mere offspring into the intimacy of beloved children. (l) Our soul’s conscious awareness of spiritual realities remains subject to our choice. While we all fall short and sometimes way short, we can learn to be and do better. There’s no reason to remain weighed down by unhealthy worldly attitudes and patterns.
Our fellowship with God’s presence helps release us from our captivity to the frustrations, complications, and confusions of natural life. Beyond this direct personal benefit, we become better reflective resemblances of His love to those around us. This is truly a win-win choice!
Responding to God as our insightful Father transforms us from being mere offspring into the intimacy of beloved children.
a) Hebrews 12:1; b) Ephesians 2:5, 8; Titus 3:5; c) Genesis 2:15; 3:8; d) Genesis 2:16-17; e) James 3:15-17) f) Genesis 3:6; I John 3:15-17; g) Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:60; h) Genesis 3:22-24; i) 2 Corinthians 7:10; Hebrews 12:29; j) James 1:21; Ephesians 2:5-8; k) 1 Timothy 2:5; l) John 1:11-12
Keith Carroll, “The Relationship Guy”
Relational Gospel Founder
Created To Relate author