The Origin of Sin

The Origin of Sin                                                                               July 10, 2022

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is carried away by his own lust.  Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” (James 1:13-15)

Have you ever wondered where love originated from?  The apostle John tells us that it originated from God.   His very nature is love and if one claims to be His child then they will love as He loves (I John 4:7-11). 

How about sin?  Have you ever wondered about its origin?  Did God create it or was that even possible?  Who was the first being to have ever sinned?  The first recorded sin of mankind is found in Genesis 3:1-19.  Sin occurred when Eve and Adam disobeyed God’s commandment.  They were forbidden by God to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil for if they did then in that day they surely would die (Genesis 2:16-17).  Up to this point I’m not sure if either of them even knew what death was.  Had they seen death in plants, animals, birds, etc.  up to this point?  The Bible doesn’t say.  What death are we talking about here?  If it referred to physical death then why didn’t they die that very day?  Some may believe that it refers to the pronouncement that on the very day they sinned they began to die physically.  Or others believe it refers to their spiritual death where one is separated from God and His blessings because their sin made that separation (Isaiah 59:1-2).  The prophet Ezekiel tells us that the soul that sins shall die spiritually.  However, if that man turns away from all his sins and observes God’s statutes and practices  justice and righteousness then he shall surely live and not die (experience an eternal separation from God).  Read Ezekiel 18:19-23. 

Back to Adam & Eve’s sin.  Here’s how sin originated with them.  Up to Genesis 3 the only voice recorded in scripture that spoke to Adam & Eve was God’s.  Then in Genesis 3:1-5 a different voice speaks to them and it contradicts God’s voice.   This causes Adam & Eve to doubt that God meant what He said.  Notice Genesis 3:6, “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), and that it was a delight to the eyes (lust of the eyes), and that the tree was desirable to make one wise (boastful pride of life), she took from its fruit and ate; and gave it to her husband with her, and he ate.”  See I John 2:16.  It’s how the serpent (3:1) works, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9).  He entices people with lust and James says they get carried away (from the right attitude before God to the wrong attitude) by lust (James 1:14).  When Eve got carried away by it she was able to entice her husband to do the same.

Who was the first being to have sinned?  Was it Eve or was it the serpent, Satan himself?  It was Satan for John writes, “the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning.  The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (I John 3:8).

When did sin originate in your life?  What day did you begin to die spiritually?  I don’t remember what day it all began with me but I do remember that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil in my life and without His help I would be forever dead spiritually and eternally separated from God.  What about you?  Have you obeyed the gospel of Christ and received the forgiveness of your sins by being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and are you walking in God’s light (I John 1:5-7) so that you will not spiritually die (Acts 2:38; II Thessalonians 1:3-12)?  If you haven’t, please consider doing so and together, we can alongside Jesus, destroy the works of the devil in our lives.

Brian Thompson