WHEN SIN BECOMES YOUR FRIEND - PART 1

Part 1 of this blog was birthed through many tears and from words God spoke to my spirit early one morning between slumber and awaking.  I have had to pause and weep many times as I write, for the many dear ones who have locked hands with sin and cannot see the ever-tightening chains that surround them.  Part 2 is in the process of being written and will be posted in the next few days.

Genesis 3:8 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.

Every child who has sat in Sunday School knows the story of Adam, Eve and the “apple.”  They can tell you that God said they were not supposed to eat of the tree, the serpent told Eve it was ok, she wouldn’t really die, Eve ate the fruit, gave it to Adam, he ate and they realized they were naked. But is that really what happened?  Did Eve accidently pass the tree one day, listened to a snake and thought, “Why not?”  I believe there is much more to the “first sin” scenario then most of us think.  Look at your own life.  Have you ever just accidently or impulsively sinned?  Or did it involve a process, over time?  Was sin allowed to become your friend?

James 1:1-15 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

In my mind, the first “sin” scenario went something like this.  Every day, Eve would stroll through the garden, tending to it and admiring God’s handiwork.  When she came to the tree in the middle of the garden, Eve would linger, admiring its perfectly formed leaves, its luscious hanging fruit, and inhaling its enticing aroma. After lingering day after day, the aroma prompted her mind to imagine how sweet just one bite would taste and her body began to desire fulfillment.  You will notice, she hadn’t touched the forbidden yet, because when the serpent tried to twist God’s command, Eve told him, “God said we should not even touch the tree.”  Over months of lingering, desire was conceived,  sin was birthed and Eve reached out her hand.  Sin had become her friend.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.

 Once Adam and Eve “opened the door,” sin entered the world and has affected every person since that time.  For the first family it didn’t take long for friendship with sin to manifest itself in their children.  Genesis 4 speaks of a time when Cain brought a sacrifice to the Lord but instead of the “blood” sacrifice required by the Lord, Cain brought the fruit of his own labors; crops he had tended.  We aren’t given much information as to why Cain refused to bring a blood sacrifice, maybe he didn’t want to deal with the messiness involved in sacrificing a lamb, perhaps the crops he had tended grew especially well and with pride he presented what “he had accomplished” to God or maybe he just didn’t believe it really mattered as long as he gave God something.  We do know, however, that God did not accept this offering from Cain and Cain allowed anger to consume him.  God tells Cain to not be angry but just do the “right” thing.  Then God says something very interesting in Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” God told him, “Sin desires to be your friend, but if you refuse its friendship, rule over it and offer the sacrifice I desire, I will accept you.” The sad end to this part of the story is that Cain could not see past the "door" and Sin became Cain’s friend.

I was reminded by a dear friend of the old saying, “Sin always takes you further than you ever thought you would go and you end up in places you never thought you would be.”  Sin does not become just a “casual” friend, content to share a cup of coffee every few years, just to “catch up.”  No, Sin will not be satisfied until it is your ONLY friend, consuming your time, your desires and your will.  Sin puts on a beautiful façade, luring and enticing until you embrace and take hold of its hand.  Before long you notice that Sin never leaves your side as you stroll down its wide smooth path.  It continues to surround you, until you become entangled and inseparable; its thoughts become your thoughts, its desires, your desires, its will, your will; Sin has become your friend!