Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: God’s Design for Marriage

1.  The essence of the Fall in Genesis 3 was separation.  That is what death is, and the Fall brought death into the world.  There is now separation and alienation where there was once harmony.  Mankind is separated from God and from each other.  The Fall brought about estrangement in our relationships especially that of marriage.

2.  In Genesis 3:15 God promises a Redeemer through the line of the woman who would defeat Satan.  This is called the “proto-evangelium” or “protevangelium.”  “The first announcement of the gospel in the Scriptures…” (Moody Handbook of Theology)

3.  Genesis 3 also contains the first act of manmade religion when Adam and Eve sought to cover their sin by using fig leaves.  They thought they could cover their sin by their own works.  In an act of grace God provided animal skins for their covering thus demonstrating their inabilility to cover their own sin by human effort.  It is the consistent teaching of Scripture that humans cannot atone for their own sin (Isaiah 64:6), but must accept God’s provision for them by faith (Ephesians 2:8-10).

4.  The Fall brought fear into relationships.  Gary Smalley in The DNA of Relationships list the following core fears.  For women the fear of disconnection (not being valued), for men it is the fear of helplessness or being controlled. (see www.thednaofrelationships.com)