He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” [2] And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, [3] but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” [4] But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. [5] For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [6] So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. [7] Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
[8] And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. [9] But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” [10] And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” [11] He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” [12] The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” [13] Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
[14] The LORD God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
[15] I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
(Genesis 3:1-15 ESV)
(1 Timothy 2:1-7 ESV)
Sometimes we need someone to speak for us. Like a lawyer or some other help.
We are in dire straights. We are a corrupt trapped people. We are separate from God. Even our good works are tainted by sin. We sin so often we can't make up for our sin at all.
All sacrifices do is remind us of our sin. An animal can't remove sin.
Plus human are finite, and therefore we can't pay an infinite price. Humans have been for a long time and will continue to be. So the human that covers our sin needs to cover it for all people. Only Christ can do this. He is the only infinite person.
How do we know this?
1. God's law
2. The whole bible from Genesis through to the Revelations
Genesis Three. Adam and Eve sinned, listening to the serpent rather than God.
God came to them saying "what's up" and they laid blame. So God punished them but also gave them a promise....someday the woman's offspring would crush the serpent's head.
We see this theme throughout the old testament. Jeremiah calls wicked leaders to account. "Then I myself shall gather up the remnant". "I will I've them good shepherds". "I will give them a good king.....and this king will be called Yahweh is our righteousness".
So God shows us the need for a mediator. He fulfilled his promise of Genesis.
He removed the power of the devil on the cross and the rising from the dead.
So trust him. Keep trusting him.
His words are true.
A. He must be a true man because the justice of God requires that the same human nature which has sinned should pay for sin. 1 He must be a righteous man because one who himself is a sinner cannot pay for others. 2
17. Q. Why must he at the same time be true God?
A. He must be true God so that by the power of his divine nature 1 he might bear in his human nature the burden of God's wrath, 2 and might obtain for us and restore to us righteousness and life. 3
18. Q. But who is that Mediator who at the same time is true God and a true and righteous man?
A. Our Lord Jesus Christ, 1 who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption
19. Q. From where do you know this?
A. From the holy gospel, which God himself first revealed in Paradise. 1 Later, he had it proclaimed by the patriarchs 2 and prophets, 3 and foreshadowed by the sacrifices and other ceremonies of the law. 4 Finally, he had it fulfilled through his only Son.