Connecting Church and Home

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Treasuring Christ :: Year 1: The Pentateuch

Connecting Church and Home Quarter 1, Week 6 :: Man’s Foolish Rebellion

What could be more ideal than living in a lush garden, fellowshipping with the God of the universe? This was the scene before our passage found in Genesis 3:1-13. Up until this point, Adam and Eve had found their highest good in God their Creator. They had enjoyed His fellowship and felt His good pleasure. Then they made a choice—a choice that God had warned them not to make. They chose to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This choice was not merely to eat the forbidden fruit, but to seek their highest good in themselves. At the heart of this rebellion is pride. Adam and Eve were not content to trust God’s wisdom and counsel. They made a prideful decision to trust their own wisdom instead. That one act of pride, a sin that God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19), devastated Adam and Eve and brought about the curse of sin for all creation.

Connect

“Few preachers of religion do believe thoroughly the doctrine of the Fall, or else they think that when Adam fell down he broke his little finger, and did not break his neck and ruin his race.” - Charles Spurgeon

The depravity of man is a doctrine that must be taught to children because it is the means by which we understand grace. We are utterly corrupt apart from God’s grace. By teaching your children this biblical truth, they will recognize both their need for God’s grace and His great supply in Jesus. Here are a couple of ideas for teaching your kids about the depravity of man:

• If you have younger children, reinforce this truth when they disobey. Ask them if they knew what they did was wrong. Sometimes they may answer “no” and then you should explain what offense took place. But most of the time, children know when they do something wrong. Ask them why they think they do wrong things. When they don’t obey you, they are refusing the grace of their parent’s instruction that God has provided for them. Be sure to remind them what Ephesians 6:1-4 teaches. • Reading through a local newspaper can illustrate this truth for older children. Depending on your child’s age, you may need to take precaution on what types of articles are included before reading through the newspaper together. Discuss the many stories about crime, murder, etc. Help them understand that all the training and social programs and all the educational efforts can’t do what Jesus can. Only Jesus can help us do what is right and what glorifies God. Read together Romans 3:23. We are all sinners because we choose to trust in ourselves and what we think is best instead of trusting in the goodness of God.

My Mission As Parent

• Do you downplay the seriousness of sin in front of your kids? • God knows what is best for you and your family. Spend time in prayer this week asking God to show you how you can be more dependent on Him.

Prayer Points

• Pray that the Lord will help you remember that you are a wicked, depraved sinner apart from Him. But in Him, you are a beautiful child of God. • Pray that you will begin to trust Him instead of trusting your own wisdom to make decisions. • Pray that your children will see you modeling trust in the goodness of God.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Copyright © Providence Baptist Church, 2013. All rights reserved. Permission is granted for reproduction only for the study of Life Bible Study curriculum by a licensed church during the licensed year. No online or other duplication is permitted