GOD'S QUESTIONS TO ADAM AND EVE

By David J. Riggs

(Note: Some of my notes for this lesson came from a sermon preached
on the same topic by Tommy Andrews).

Intro.
   A. We can learn much from the story of Adam and Eve in the first
      few chapters of Genesis.
      1. Adam and Eve were our first parents. This is our beginning.
         This is how we got here.
   B. Adam and Eve sinned and from that time the plan of redemption
      was put into motion.
   C. At first, man was in a beautiful paradise and had close
      communion with God.
      1. However, all of that was lost and can only be regained
         through Christ in eternity.
   D. In this lesson we want to discuss only a small portion of the  
      story of Adam and Eve.
      1. We want to look at the questions God asked Adam and Eve
         after they had sinned.
      2. God, being infinite in wisdom, asked some very thought-
         provoking questions.

I. GOD'S FIRST QUESTION WAS: "WHERE ARE YOU?" Gen. 3:9
   A. God knew where Adam was, but He wanted Adam to take an
      inward look at himself.
      1. Where are you Adam? His truthful answer should have been:
         "I'm over here hiding because I have sinned against You."
   B. We can think of the question, "Where are you?" in terms of our
      own situation.
      1. Where are you in your relationship with God?
         a. Please make the question personal. Where are YOU in
            your own personal relationship with God?
         b. Are you a Christian?
            (1) If not, certainly, you need to become one. You
                need to be "in Christ," and a member of the body
                of Christ. 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1
         c. Again, where are you? Are you a faithful Christian? 
            (1) Where do you stand in your obedience to God?
                Are you truthfully doing His will on a daily basis?
                Have you truly given up self that you might live a
                life of faithful service? Are you a faithful,        
                diligent soldier of the cross?
            (2) If you have need of improvement, will you
                improve or will you just ignore it?
   C. Sometimes people say, "I'm not sure where I stand in relation  
      to God."
      1. We can know where we stand by examining the Scriptures. 1
         John 5:13
      2. All of us need to give diligence in showing ourselves
         approved to God. 2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Pet. 1:10
      3. All of us need to understand the essentials of being with
         God, fearing God, and serving God.
         a. The writer of Ecclesiastes made a list of the "vain
            things" of life. Fearing God and keeping His
            commandments was certainly not on his list.  Eccl.
            12:13-14

II. GOD'S SECOND QUESTION: "WHO TOLD YOU THAT YOU WERE NAKED?" Gen.
   3:11a
   A. Adam answered in vs. 10, and God replied with a very pertinent
      question in vs. 11.
      1. Adam and Eve were naked all the time they were in the
         garden. Gen. 2:25
         a. They, as such, were in an innocent state, but now they
            had eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
            They had sinned and their innocent state had been lost.
         b. People who have knowledge of good and evil know
            when they are naked. Those who have no knowledge do
            not know. Heb. 5:14
   B. Let's look at the first part of God's question, "Who told you
      that..."
      1. Often in talking with people on religious things, they say,
         "...Such and such seems like it ought to be right." We ask,
         "Who told you that?"
      2. When we hear people say, "One can be saved by faith only."
         We ask, "Who told you that?" James 2:24
      3. "Baptism is not essential to salvation." Who told you that?
         Mark 16:16
      4. "A preacher ought to be called, Reverend." Who told you
         that? Psalm 111:9
      5. "You don't need to partake of the Lord's Supper on every
         first day of the week?" Who told you that? Acts 20:7
      6. "You do not need to come to all the worship services?" Who
         told you that? Heb. 10:25
      7. Who told you that you do not have to strive to the best of
         your ability in the kingdom?
      8. Who told you that you can sit back and be complacent and
         not be interested in the direction in which the Lord's work 
         is going?
      9. Who told you that you have no responsibility toward
         teaching the lost of your community?
   C. Thus, it is good for everyone to think regarding the source of
      their information.
      1. Remember, much of the information Adam and Eve had
         received had come from Satan.

III. GOD'S THIRD QUESTION: "HAVE YOU EATEN FROM THE TREE OF WHICH I  
   COMMANDED YOU THAT YOU SHOULD NOT EAT?" Gen. 3:16
   A. God knew that Adam had eaten, but He wanted him to see his
      sin.
   B. Getting people to see their sins is very difficult. Often      
      people can see the sins of others, but not their own.
      1. We need to be very objective in examining ourselves. 2 Cor.
         13:5; Ezek. 18:27-28
      2. All of us sin. 1 John 1:8-2:2
         a. We should never be so bold and brazen as to think we
            do not sin or live above sin.
   C. Adam tried to blame his sin on Eve, and Eve did on Satan. Gen.
      3:12
      1. This is human nature. We don't like to admit we are guilty  
         of sin. If we have done something wrong, we try to prove    
         that others caused us to do it.
   D. True godly sorrow is necessary; otherwise, we will never be
      forgiven. 2 Cor. 7:10
      1. There will be many in the judgment who will be lost because
         they committed sins of which they never repented.
      2. We must walk humbly before God with a broken and contrite
         spirit. Isa. 66:2; Psalm 32:5; 34:17-18; 51:1-2,17; Luke    
         13:3; 18:10-13; Acts 3:19; 17:30-31

IV. GOD ASKED, "WHAT IS THIS YOU HAVE DONE?" Gen. 3:13
   A. This fourth and last question was addressed to Eve and, again,
      God is trying to get her to consider the seriousness of her    
      sin.
      1. No doubt she would like to think that she had only eaten a
         little fruit off a tree. "Surely, there's nothing wrong with
         that!"
      2. Many people have the same attitude toward their sin. "It's
         not all that bad!"
   B. What have you done Eve? You did what God told you not to do.
      1. God had said, "In the day that you eat of it, you will      
         surely die."
      2. You've lost your home, Eve, in the garden of Eden, and all
         those wonderful things that went with it.
      3. What have you done? You've brought sin into the world and
         all of its consequences. Your sin will affect all people who
         will ever live.
      4. What have you done? You've brought sorrow upon women
         and the pain of child bearing.
   C. How many through the ages have used the expression, "What
      have I done?"
      1. A drunk driver, after having a wreck which killed several
         people, will say, "What have I done?" Yes, what have you
         done?
      2. A married person, through unfaithfulness to their companion,
         seeing that companion walk out of their lives never to      
         return, will cry in bitter tears, "What have I done?"
      3. Sometimes a mother, after seeing the corruption and
         rebellion of a child, will say, "What have I done?"
      4. Sometimes a young person, after becoming addicted to
         foreign substances in their bodies, will say, "What have I
         done?"
      5. In a fit of anger, the father hurts (or even kills) another
         family member and cries, "What have I done?"
   D. Sometimes the answer to the question, "What have I done?" is,
      "Nothing."
      1. What have I done in serving the Lord? The answer is, "I
         haven't done anything?"
         a. I've just sat idly by. I've not taken an active part in  
            the kingdom.
         b. I've not actively tried to teach and influence others.
         c. I've not tried to teach my family or encourage my
            brethren.
         d. I've just sat here and done nothing. James 4:17

Concl.
   A. Thus, in the story of the fall of Adam and Eve, God asked some
      revealing questions that are beneficial to all.
      1. "Where are you?" Where are you in your relationship with
         God?
         a. If you are not a child of God, you need to become one.
         b. If you are out of fellowship with God, you need to be
            restored.
      2. "Who told you that you were naked?" Who told you this or
         that about how you should live and how you should worship
         God? What is the source of your information?
      3. "Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you
         that you should not eat?" Have you sinned? Have you done
         things that are not right, that you are ashamed of?
      4. "What is this you have done?" Have you done things you
         need to repent of? Have you humbly repented?
   B. All of us should be able to say, "I have repented of all my    
      past sins and am standing right with God. I am in Christ where 
      there is no condemnation, and if I were to die today, I would  
      be with the Lord forever."
      1. What a blessed thought! May it be true of every one of us.
         Rev. 14:13

Chart:
God's Questions To Adam and Eve

"Where are you?"
                     
"Who told you that you were naked?"
                        
"Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you
should not eat?"
                        
"What is this you have done?"