Consequence For You (Only Men)
Before we get into this, let’s be honest with each other. Man has sinned. The woman has sinned. Many of us quickly point out that the woman first ate the forbidden fruit. Although this is true, and she did receive a consequence for her sin, men are not out of the woods. And man’s consequence of sin is no joke. Do you know where Adam was while Eve communicated and ate with the serpent? Maybe he was out obeying God and taking dominion over the earth? Maybe he was naming some animals and doing some manly things? Let’s see:
Genesis 3:6
6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
He was right beside her the whole time. Instead of obeying God and ruling over creation, he allowed creation to rule over him and his bride. Well done, Adam (sarcasm).
The Mans Consequence For Sin
And if we read further, Adam doesn’t stop there. God calls Adam to give an account, and instead of owning his failure and disobedience, he turns around and blames God for his trouble. Sadly, Adam wasn’t deceived (1 Timothy 2:14) but made a choice all on his own to look towards his wife for validation and not to God. Due to all of this, God issues this punishment:
Genesis 3:17-19
17 And he said to the man, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘Do not eat from it’: The ground is cursed because of you. You will eat from it by means of painful labor all the days of your life. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. 19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your brow until you return to the ground, since you were taken from it. For you are dust, and you will return to dust.”
It’s a bit much. Allow me to simplify this. God is telling Adam that he will work hard his entire life. Whatever he does reap will never be as great as it could have been. And lastly, his life will eventually come to a sad ending of death. And that death established during his reign as King on Earth will be passed down from generation to generation.
Romans 5:12
12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned.
The Punishment Of Men Is Not A Reward For Women
Has anyone thought of it that way before? Probably not. But the reverse seemed true in our ignorance, so I might as well mention it. Nothing about the curse and punishment of man is a reward for the woman. And it should never be celebrated the opposite way as well. More than ever, we must come alongside each other as image bearers of God and work towards unity. The man has had it hard. The woman has had it hard.
Fortunately, where Adam failed, a last Adam has succeeded (1 Corinthians 15:45), thus restoring the proper way. With Christ (new Adam), we can come together again with pure and restored hearts. Our original image-bearing roles have been restored. Let’s celebrate and live that way!
Galatians 3:27-28 (CSB)
27 For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. 28 There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.
