Literature Essays on Human Sinfulness in Genesis
The book of Geneses introduces the origin of mankind through God’s creation. The same book conveys a sad ending of man’s relationship with his creator as a result of sin. Before the fall of man, God used to interact and fellowship with man (both male and female) in a close relationship. Sin came as a result of man’s deviation from God’s command (Biddle 359). God and man were in agreement, and man was expected to obey the statutes prescribed to him by his creator (Biddle 57). The only way man could live for his purpose of creation was through linking up with his creator. Sin significantly transformed human relationships with God, with the natural world, and with other humans. There are various incidences in the bible that portrays consequences of human sinful nature in relation to God, natural world and other humans. This includes incidences in the book of Genesis such as Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel, Flood of Noah, and Tower of Babel.
In the Garden of Eden, there was an agreement between God and man, that man should not eat of a specific tree in the garden. Nevertheless, the serpent (Satan) managed to persuade the woman otherwise in order to fall away from Gods plan. It was a crafty strategy hatched by Satan in order to convince man to disobey God and therefore become sinful and get the wages of sin, which is death (Biddle 360). When Adam and Even sinned, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden and Cherubs was deployed to guard the garden as accounted that, “after sending them out, the LORD God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden.” (Gen 3:24). The ground where the man would till was cursed and the labor pain of child birth was multiplied. This became the basis of the fall of mankind, and as a result, God’s nature (immortality) in humanity was taken away. The fall of man had tragic consequences in human life because it brought about death.
The worst effect of sin was separation from his creator. God designed man to be unique among all His creation, and as a representation of His own image. Genesis chapter one confirms that God fashioned man in order to become the ruler of his creation. According to Gen 1:28, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”. Psalm 8:4-6 confirms that man is peculiar among God’s creation, he was made a little inferior than angles, he was crowned with great honor and glory, and he was made a divine ruler of all God’s creation on earth. However, as a result of sin, the fellowship between man and God was constrained (Wiley 217).
Sin transformed the relationship between humans, causing men to turn against other men (Caneday 34). Genesis chapter 4 to 11 shows upsurge of sin and the penalties that comes with it. Genesis chapter 4 provides an insight on fatal effects of sin, such as murder and apostasy, through the life of Cain. A domestic dispute is evident in the family of Adam, rooted in anger and jealousy and leading to murder. Cain and Abel were the first offspring’s in human genealogy who became victims of sin’s fatal effect. Jealousy and anger manifested when Cain and Abel were called to give sacrifice to God. Though Abel was younger, he offered the best sacrifice to God while Cain’s sacrifice was not regarded. This prompted Cain to respond vehemently to God’s disapproval arousing bitterness and anger in his life. At the end, Cain was unable to overcome the controlling power of sin and ended up murdering his own brother. As a result, God pronounces curse upon his life and cursed the ground where he cultivated.
As Cain’s progeny increased and became mighty on earth, consequences of sin followed it. Though they raised great city and made great advance in civilization, sin was out to destroy them through rapid upsurge in immorality, corruption, violence and pride. Grounded in self-love and human glory, men gathered to build a tower would challenge God’s supremacy. However, their intention was shortly cut by God through a great punishment that subjected the earth to great floods. The consequences of human sinfulness prompted God to destroy the earth through floods (Biddle 63). The human population was once again reduced to a small family of one man; Noah. After the floods, there was significant multiplication of human populations. Nevertheless, corruption and violence increased as men engaged in sinful actions against Gods command. Later on, they decided to build a tower after their own glory, “then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth’” (Genesis 11:4). God intervened and destroyed men’s intention by giving them different languages. Later, men starting fighting against one another based of their different languages.
Conclusion
Sin found its way through the first man, Adam and Eve after they disobeyed Gods instructions in the Garden of Eden. Sin destroyed the vital relationship that would usher man into the divine purpose of his creation. Every time human beings went out to seek their own glory, God used his divine ways to alt the human sinful intention. In doing so, the nature and innocent creation that were under man’s dominion suffered fatal consequences. It is quite evident that sin significantly transformed human relationships with God, with the natural world, and with other humans.
Work Cited
Biddle, Mark E. “Genesis 3: Sin, Shame and Self-Esteem.” Review & Expositor 103.2 (2006): 359-370.
Caneday, A. B. “The Language of God and Adam’s Genesis & Historicity in Paul’s Gospel.” The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 15.1 (2011): 26-59.
Wiley, Tatha. Original sin: Origins, developments, contemporary meanings. Paulist Press, 2002.
New International Version. Biblica, 2011. BibleGateway.com, www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-International-Version-NIV-Bible/#booklist.