II.

Objections to the Genesis Account of Creation

1. Are there Two Contradictory Versions of the Creation Story in

Genesis 1 and 2?
This is a common argument used against the traditional understanding of Genesis (i.e., God created
everything in six normal-length days approximately 6,000 years ago). This argument attempts to
show that inconsistencies exist between the first two chapters in the Bible. Critics and skeptics use it
in their efforts to show the Bible cannot be trusted. Some Christians who believe in billions of years
use it in trying to show that these chapters should not be understood in their plain sense. However,
the argument is based on a misunderstanding of Genesis 2.
Genesis 1:12:3 provides us with a chronological account of what God did on each of the days during
Creation Week. Genesis 2:425 zooms in on Day Six and shows some of the events of that day. The
particular issue that people have with Genesis 2 is that the order of the creation of man, animals, and
trees seems to be contrary to the order stated in Genesis 1.
Following the creation of man, Genesis 2:9 mentions that God created trees, including the tree of life
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, then Genesis 2:19 mentions the creation of certain
land animals. At first glance this seems to be a contradiction because Genesis 1 has the animals and
trees created prior to the creation of man; however, both issues can be resolved by an understanding
of the original language and the translation process.
The Hebrew word for formed in both passages is yatsar. The NKJV, KJV and NASV properly
translate the verb in its perfect form. However, this Hebrew word may also be translated in its
pluperfect form. In this case, it would read that God had formed these creatures, as some other
translations have it (e.g. ESV, NIV, etc.). This rendering eliminates any problem with the chronology
because it refers to what God had already done earlier in Creation Week. This would mean that the
plants (Genesis 2:9) and the animals (Genesis 2:19) had already been formed by God earlier in
Creation Week. William Tyndale was the first to translate an English Bible directly from the original
languages, and He also translated the verb in its pluperfect form.
Furthermore, to automatically assume that this is a contradiction portrays the author of Genesis in a
pretty dim light. Was he so inept that he couldnt keep from contradicting himself in the first two
chapters or were these chapters written with two different focuses? Rather than immediately
assuming that the writer could not get his facts straight in the first two chapters, one should dig a little
deeper (as you have done by asking us) to see if there is a better explanation.
While man and the devil often do attempt to [distort] Gods Word, we can have confidence that Gods
Word is true and accurate from the very beginning.
Tim Chaffey, AiG-US

2. How Could Adam Name All the Animals in a Single Day?

How could Adam have named millions of different species on Day 6 if it was only 24 hours? This is a
common objection to a straightforward view of Genesis 1.
There are several factors, which may not be immediately obvious to the casual reader, that need to be
considered. First, Adam did not have to go out and round up or track any of these animals. Genesis
2:19 clearly states that God brought the animals to Adam. Second, although many have claimed that
the number of species that Adam had to name would have numbered in the millions, the actual
number would almost certainly have been only a small fraction of this. Adam did not have to go out
and round up or track any of these animals.
Note that Scripture explicitly states that Adam named all the livestock (Hebrew behemah), the
birds of the air (Hebrew oph hashamayim) and all the beasts of the field (Hebrew chayyah
hassadeh). There is no indication that Adam named the fish in the sea, or any other marine
organisms, nor any of the insects, beetles or arachnids. In fact, of the two million known species, 98%
are invertebrates, which include a variety of animals, from sponges, worms and jellyfish to mollusks
and insects. The remaining 2% are vertebrates and number approximately 40,000 species. This
number is further reduced when the 25,000 marine vertebrates and four thousand amphibians are
discounted, since they clearly do not fit into any of the categories of animals listed in Genesis 2:20.
In addition, assuming that speciation has been an on-going occurrence since creation, the 11,000
vertebrate species in question would have most likely descended from a much smaller number of
proto-species. Each would be the ancestors of animals in the group that taxonomists call a genus (or
possibly the higher taxonomic order known as a family) and what the Genesis account calls a kind.
Since many genera contain dozens, even hundreds, of species, it is far more likely that Adam had to
name only a couple of thousand of these proto-speciesa task which could easily have been achieved
in a few hours. (Assuming Adam had to name 2,500 proto-species (genera), and he named a single
proto-species every five seconds, it would have taken him approximately three hours and 45 minutes
to complete the task if we include a five-minute break every hour.)
It is important to note that Gods purpose in parading all the animals before Adam was not merely so
that he would give them names. It was also to reinforce the fact that he was different in kind from the
rest of creation, so that none of these animals could ever serve as a physical, emotional, intellectual or
spiritual companion. So God made from Adams rib a companion who was suitable (Genesis 2:21
24).
Andrew Kulikovsky

III. Three Main Views on the Origin of the Soul

1. Pre-existence: This view holds that human souls exist eternally in a previous and higher
state before being united with human bodies in the time-space world. This theological
perspective was deeply influenced by ancient Greek philosophy. Distinguished philosopher
Plato (427347 BC) believed in eternally existent souls. This view has been associated with
such Eastern religious concepts as reincarnation and the transmigration of souls (souls
entering into a new body after death). In Christian history this position was held by the
controversial church father Origen (AD 185254) as well as by the heretical movement
known as Gnosticism. Subsequently in Christian history this position was condemned as a
doctrinal heresy. Today the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormonism) holds
to a version of this doctrine.

2. Creationism: The creationist view (not to be confused with scientific creationism) holds
that God directly creates a new individual soul for everyone born into this world. Even
though the soul is supernaturally created by God, the body for every new human is
generated by the parents. The exact moment the soul is created is debated amongst
creationists. However, most evangelical creationists maintain that the soul is created by
God at the moment of conception. Others have attempted to argue that the creation of the
soul doesnt come until implantation, or after implantation, or even at birth. All three of
these views are fraught with difficulties.

3. Traducianism: This view maintains that human beings derive both their bodies and souls
from their parents through procreation (sometimes referred to as generationism). This
perspective insists that only the soul of Adam was created directly by God whereas all other
human beings have their immaterial soul passed on through a spiritual-physical
process.The position of traducianism was first held and defended by the North African
church father Tertullian (c. AD 160220). It remains a viable doctrinal position today
among some evangelical theologians though clearly a minority position. The viewpoints
strongest appeal is that it is perceived as being the best explanatory theory regarding how
original sin is transmitted to all of humanity.The word traducian comes from the
Latin tradux, which means branch of a vine. This means that every human being is a
branch off of his or her parents. Both soul and body are generated by father and mother.
This is in opposition to the creationist view that says God creates every new soul directly.
Traducianism seems to have overwhelming support from Scripture. First, God said that He
had finished His work of creation on day six (Gen. 2:2) and is resting from His work (Heb.
4:4). Therefore, it would contradict Scripture if He is creating souls today. Second, the
creationist perspective doesnt make sense of the fallen nature of man, while traducianism
does. Creationists must suppose that God creates each soul with a sinful nature. However,
the best explanation of inherited original sin is that both fallen soul and body are generated
by the human parents. Romans 5:12 appears to indicate that we all sinned through one
man, which points to everyones connectedness to Adam and his original sin. Now, it must

be stated that on the traducian view, the parents are only the instrumental cause of the new
human soul. God is still the efficient cause. Therefore, both creationists and traducianists
believe that God creates all souls; creationists claim God does it directly, while traducianists
believe He does it indirectly through parents.

IV. The Image of God in Man

1. Some Historical Views
Traditional Catholic: Image consists of divine wisdom, justice, virtue, holiness and
truth, all of which were completely erased by the fall.
Martin Luther: Mans original righteousness
John Calvin: Encompassed in image the idea of nature, thus suggesting that the
image of God was lost and finally restored in Christ.
Karl Barth: Refers to the creation of man as male and female (an analogy between the
sexes and the persons of the Godhead).
Charles Ryrie: The image of God involves mans being given dominion over the earth
and his capacity for moral action, both of which have been disturbed by the entrance of
sin so that he lost his dominion and corrupted his moral abilities. Soul, spirit, heart,
mind, will and conscience are all facets of mans immaterial nature, and it is often
difficult to make hard and fast distinctions between them. It seems to be an
oversimplification to say that man is body, soul and spirit, for soul and spirit do not fully
categorize the immaterial part of man, and they are not always distinct. The heart
(not the organ, of course) seems to be the most inclusive concept of all aspects of the
immaterial part of man. It is said to be the seat of mans intellectual life (Matt. 15:15:1920), his emotional life (Ps. 37:4; Ro 9:2), his volitional life (Ex 7:23; Heb 4:7), and his
spiritual life (Ro 10:9-10; Eph 3:17).

V.

Gods Primary Reason in Creating Man

(and it wasnt because He was lonely!)
To be an authoritative Regent of all that God had created on Earth (Gen. 1:26). As an image
bearer, man was a true representation to all the world of the One who had created it. He
was rational, creative, intelligent, powerful, feeling and purposeful in what he did.
A. Five Verbs Used by God Relating to Mankinds Overall Purpose
To Have Rule [raw-daw: ] To have dominion over, dominate (vv. 26-27)
Be Fruitful [paw-raw: [

] To flourish, bear fruit
To Multiply [raw-baw: [
] To increase, be great, grow

To Replenish [maw-lay: [

] To fill, be full
To Subdue [kaw-bash: ] To bring into subjection, into bondage

B. Observations
a. In Gods proclamation, man was ordained to rule over, have dominion
over, be masters over His whole animal creation. What authority is
missing from this commission? What might be the reason for this?
b. From the beginning, God intended for the human race to flourish. Mans
rule over creation was thereby never intended to be the task of just one man,
but it is the task of all men (let them rule).
c. Bringing creative order out of chaos is the natural instinct of man and a
healthy person will exercise an inclination toward that (at least in some
areas). Even the biggest slob will have order in some small area of his life.
d. This commission from God was never rescinded in scripture, meaning that
mankind is still responsible to some degree for that task. However, two major
changes have resulted from his choice to disobey God:
1. Man has given his control of the world over to Satan (Jn.12:31; 14:30;
16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4)
2. God has subjected (to bring under control, power, or dominion; to make
subject; to subordinate; to subdue) creation to futility (fruitlessness,
pointlessness, uselessness, vanity, ineffectiveness, inefficacy, failure,
barrenness, unprofitability, impotence, hollowness, emptiness, forlornness,
hopelessness). When did He do this?

VI. Gods Secondary Reason in Creating Man

Simply put, Adam was created to be a gardener. In Gen. 2:5, we are given the
need that had arisen which occasioned for the necessity for the creation of man.
Now no shrub of the field was yet in the earth, and no plant of the field had yet
sprouted, for the LORD God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to
cultivate the ground.
In addressing this need, we are then told in verse 15 that
Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to
cultivate it and keep it.

Observations
a. A mans purpose in life is divinely tied to his work.
b. Before the fall, Mans work was always fruitful [implied by the curse placed on man
after the fall; Gen. 3:17-19]
c. Manhood involves cultivation [,, to work, serve, cultivate]
d. Manhood involves keeping [, ,
to protect, defend, guard, preserve]
e. Man was created as a dependent being (not independent: all that existed in the
garden and on the whole earth was created and sustained by God)
f. Man was created as a relational being (Genesis 2:18). In all of the 6 days of
creation, this is the only time that God said, It is not good.
From this statement, we understand that there is something about being a man that
cannot be realized apart from a relationship with a woman. Conversely, because
woman was made for man (1 Cor. 11:8-9), we understand that the full realization of
what it means to be a woman can take place only in a relationship with a man.
In Summary, Man was created to be so tied in with his creator that he would walk with
full assurance of his creative purpose, experiencing fruitfulness in his labors and
enjoying the blessing of relationship with the woman whom God made specifically for
him and from him. The man was designed to cultivate and keep his garden, and was
likewise to cultivate and guard his relationship with his wife (notice the similar use of
metaphor in the Song of Solomon 4:12-16). Cultivation and protection/preservation
were the two major thrusts of what it meant to be a man, in both his work and
relationships, all under a walk of dependency on the creator (cf. 1 Peter 3:7).
VII.

Gods Purpose in Creating Eve (Women)

1. Eves Role as Regent

To begin with, it has been argued by some that only the man was given the task of
ruling over creation. However, Genesis 1:26-28 makes it clear that the woman was
to serve as a co-regent. The use of the third person plural pronoun (them) in verse
28 would refer back to the persons indicated in the nearest prior usage, which would
be both the man and the woman (vs. 27). They both received the commission to
rule, but the passage in 1 Corinthians mentioned above also makes it clear that the
man is the head regent and why. She was created to be a helper for the man. This
would involve aiding him in the accomplishment of his primary duty as regent over
the Earth. It is also obvious that this help would involve the natural propagation of

mankind through the bearing of children whereby their commission could be

fulfilled.

2. The Need that gave Rise to the Creation of Eve

Just as the man was created to be a gardener because there was no man to till the
ground, woman was created to be a mate for the man because it was not good for
man to be alone. In other words, man was to find his fulfillment in his work, but the
woman was to find her fulfillment in relationship. As stated above, Gods creation of
the woman was to fill the relational void in mans life (Genesis 2:18-25). There were
two words used to describe the way that man would approach his work (and
relationships), and there are two words used in scripture to describe the approach
that the woman would take in nurturing her relationship with the man:
a. Helper [( ay'-zer)]: to help, assist, aid.
It is your destruction, O Israel,
That you are against Me, against your help.
Hosea 13:9
b. Suitable [( neh'-ghed)]: Corresponding to him i.e. equal and adequate to
himself. In contrast to the animals who were not suitable to him (Genesis
1:20).
Observations
1. A womans purpose in life is divinely tied to her relationship with her
husband and also with his work.
2. Before the fall, there were no relational issues between the man and his wife
(paradise indeed!).
3. Womanliness involves the concept of helping the man to achieve through a
helpful attitude (cf. 1 Peter 3:6).
4. Woman was created as a dependent being (in need of protection and
relational fulfillment with both God and one man).

VIII.

Other Gleanings from Genesis 2

a. Woman was taken out of the Man so that she would share his attributes and DNA, but she
would be different (vs. 23).
b. Neither God nor anything else in creation could satisfy the relational and purposeful need in
man except a woman (vs. 22)
c. From the beginning, marriage has been declared to be with one person only (vs. 24).
d. Because of the way that God designed them, the man was to be the one to leave his father and
mother, not the woman (vs. 24)
e. Nudity was not a shameful thing before the fall (but it is now, vs. 25)

IX. The Sequence of Events Leading to the Fall (Gen. 2:1ff)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Association
Deception
Temptation
Consideration
Self-deception
Decision
Action
Temporal Satisfaction
Long-term Mortification

1. Association

a. It is very evident in scripture that this was no mere serpent that Eve had an encounter
with. All of creation would have been in harmony with God at this point. There had
been no fall of man and so no curse on creation. Satan possessed and spoke through the
serpent, just as his demons have possessed and spoken through people (Matt. 8:31).
b. The Bible advises Gods people not to associate with the following
Those who do not know the Lord (Josh. 23:6-13)*
Adulterers (Ps. 50:18)
Gossips (Pr. 20:19)
A man given to anger (Pr. 22:24)
Those given to rebellion (Pr. 24:21)
Carnal believers (1 Cor. 5:9-11)
Arrogant, divisive believers (1 Thess. 3:14; Titus 1:12-16; 3:9-11)

*These all reference the kind of people that you hang around with and whose counsel
and advice you follow.
c. Best Overall Counsel Psalm 1:1
How blessed is the man who
1) does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
2) nor stand in the path of sinners,
3) nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
d. So then, who are we supposed to associate with?
1. Those who have never given their lives to Christ as Savior (John 4:9; 1 Cor. 5:10)
Association here should be taken only in the sense that you are actively relating to
those without Christ so that you may influence them in regard to salvation. It does not
endorse things like hanging out at the bar with your unsaved buddies or missionary
dating.
2. Other Believers (Acts 9:26; Hebrews 10:23-25)

2. Deception
a. Definition: To lead someone into believing something untrue.
How can someone do this?
What was untruthful about the serpents comments?
1. The suggestion that God was not being truthful.
2. His lie that they would not die.
3. His comment that they would be like God.
4. His implication that God was selfish and unloving.
Even telling a part of the truth to give an impression of something that is not the truth is
deception. Have you ever done this?
b. What does the Bible say?
Proverbs 30:8a Keep deception and lies far from me
Psalm 4:2 O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach? How long will
you love what is worthless and aim at deception?
Isaiah 28:15 we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves
with deception.
Jeremiah 14:14 Then the Lord said to me, The prophets are prophesying falsehood
in My name. I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they
are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own
minds.
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty
deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of
the world, rather than according to Christ.
2 Thessalonians 2:8- 10 Then that lawless one will be revealed whose coming is in
accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with
all the deception of wickedness for those who perish.
2 Peter 2:13 They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and
blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you .

3. Temptation
a. The definitive verse regarding temptation:
Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God; for God cannot be
tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he

is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to
sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
James 1:13-15
b. Discussion Questions:
1. What makes something tempting?
2. How can we resist it?

4. Consideration
a. Eves Three Considerations (Genesis 3:6)
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 desirable to make one wise,
she took from its fruit and ate
b. This has Remained Satans 3-fold Strategy: I Saw I Desired I Took
Example 1: Achen
when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of
silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and
behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.
(Joshua 7:21)
Example 2: King David
Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the
kings house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very
beautiful in appearance. So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, Is
this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? David sent
messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had
purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house.
(2 Samuel 11:2-4)
c. Questions for Discussion:
1. Can you think of any New Testament Examples?
2. Can you think of any time in your own life when you have done this or had someone do
it to you?
3. At which point does this situation become sin?
d. 1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh (the woman saw that the tree was good for food) and
the lust of the eyes (it was a delight to the eyes) and
the boastful pride of life (it was desirable to make one wise)
is not from the Father, but is from the world.

5. Self-deception
While deception from others may be relatively quick, self-deception takes longer. That is again
why time is required between verses 5 and 6.
Self-deception employs all of the elements involved in the initial deception, except that Eve
must now lie to herself. It follows consideration, but it is at the point where she has already
decided to pursue the thing forbidden and now just has to justify it.
Remember, the best liars are the ones who have convinced themselves that their fabrications
are true. After all, the objections of conscience must be quieted.

6. Decision/Planning
Once a person has justified the commitment of the transgression, a plan (scheme)
must be developed as to how he can obtain that which is desired. Often one may
take advantage of an opportune moment, but more often the act will require some
degree of planning.

7. Action

When an opportune time arrives or is created, the action of taking in inevitable. Steps 8 and 9
come quickly afterward.

8. Temporal Satisfaction
Sin does bring with it some satisfaction, but it only lasts a moment.
The apple was probably the best tasting fruit that Eve had ever eaten, but only for a moment.
After she and Adam had bit into it, they did also come to know good and evil at least to this
extent: they knew that they were naked and they also knew that what they had done was not
good, but evil! They had done something very wrong and had betrayed the trust of One who
had provided them with true satisfaction. The first emotion that they felt was SHAME, leading
to an attempt to CONCEAL themselves (sin almost always seeks to clothe itself in secrecy. We
want the fruit of sin, but without the exposure, the shame and the penalty). Secondly, they felt
another new emotion they had never known FEAR (and fear from the One who loved them
most); Finally, Adam, then Eve, both were UNREPENTANT and attempted to take the focus
off of himself/herself by directing the blame somewhere else. This was an act of cowardice.

While the pattern may not always be the same, the elements involved
in Adams sin have remained the same
Examples:
Achen (Joshua 7)
He Saw vs. 21a
He Desired (lusted) vs. 21b
He Sinned vs. 21 c
He Deceived vs. 21 d
He Would not Repent
He Was Punished vv. 22ff

David (2 Samuel 11)

He Saw vs. 2
He Desired (lusted) vs. 3
He Planned vs. 4a
He Sinned vs. 4b
He Would not Repent vs. 5
He Deceived and plotted to Conceal his Sin vv. 6-27
He was Punished Chapter 14ff

Amnon [2 Samuel 13]

Driven by his own lust, Amnon (the son of David) refused wise
counsel and schemed to deceive and forcefully have relations with his
half-sister, Tamar. After satisfying his lust, he then realized the
shamefulness of what he had done. But instead of asking forgiveness
and repenting, he acted our of hatred toward the very person whom
he had offended, just as Cain had done. By separating himself from
the target of his sin, he believed he could separate himself from the
sin itself.
9. Long-term Mortification
(i.e. A feeling of humiliation or shame, as through some injury to one's pride or self-respect.
The death of one part of the body while the rest is alive)
Esau sold his own birthright for a single meal afterwards, when he desired to
inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought
for it with tears.
Hebrews 12:16-17

X.

Gods Judgment

A. Gods Judgment On the Serpent (Genesis 3: 14-15)

1. It was cursed (14a) damned, doomed
2. It would be reduced to crawling (groveling; 14b)
3. It would be at enmity with the woman whom he had deceived (15a)
However, before God pronounced His judgment on Adam and Eve, He inserted a
promise in verse 15. We call it The Protoevangelium (ie., the first promise
proclamation of the good news) In the midst of mans greatest downfall, God still provided
hope of redemption. Throughout every generation since Adam, all men have been saved in the
same way by grace through faith in the promises of God.

Before we look at the judgment God delivered on the woman and the man, it
would be good to remember that God designed people for both impact and
relationship. Both of these are critical in regard to our sense of self-worth,
but (generally speaking) the relational aspect will be more important to
women, and the impact aspect to men. The judgment that God gives will
target each of them in these very areas.

B.

Gods Judgment On the Woman (Genesis 3: 16)

1. Pain in Childbirth: Woman would have a continual reminder of the consequences of

her sin by the pain she would be subjected to in bearing children. However, the
implication of this passage and the following statements demonstrate that the pain the
woman was to experience would be in more than just childbirth. Now her relationship
with her husband would be in doubt. The very thing for which she was created (ie., to be
a companion and helper to her husband) had been thrown in doubt. Her biggest fear
now was the loss of relational security. Maybe she could maintain it, but maybe not, and
it would all be understood by her as relating to her sense of adequacy as a woman. Is
she beautiful enough, intelligent enough or desirable enough to get and keep her
relationships?
2. Desire for her Husband: The two-fold meaning of ( tesh-oo-kaw') in the
original sense of stretching out after; a longing desire. (used 2x in OT besides here)
Song of Solomon 7:10 - an affectionate desire. In this sense, desire would relate to
the fact that Eve, instead of avoiding her husband due to the impending pain that was to
accompany childbirth, would instead long for relationship with him a relationship
where he would be the authority.
Genesis 4:7 A controlling desire. Used in this sense, desire would have the
meaning of wanting to control. In contrast to sins desire for Cain, he was told that he
must rule over it (same Hebrew word as below, used also in 3:16). In other words,
Eves natural impulse now would be to control her husband, but he would be the
authority.
It has been observed that women have often tended toward four distinct ways to
maintain relational security:
a. Seduction: The methodology here is obvious. In order to maintain
relational security, the woman attempts to control her situation through
seduction and coercion by means of sensuality.
b. Controlling: This woman believes that keeping everything under control
gives her the security. She is the one who controls her husband ond others
around her through nagging and intimidation.
c. Victim: I call this the White Knight syndrome. This is the woman who is a
perpetual victim. In some way, she puts herself across as being in desperate
need of someone to rescue her or think for her. In the victim mode, she will
be the person that nothing ever goes well for. All of life is one great injustice.
She has been victimized by everyone and you feel the pull to come in and
rescue her. But if you do, you will find the life being sucked out of you in an
unending attempt to rescue this person. You feel guilt to even think of telling
her No for another get together, and when you eventually do you will find
yourself now on her list of people who have uncaringly victimized her. Again,
this woman usually found out at an early age that she can gain attention and a
feeling of value if people come in to rescue her, so she is always looking for
something to be rescued from.
d. Helpless: The Dumb Blonde syndrome, well known to everyone, is not just
limited to blondes. This woman is just another version of the victim above.
She is too stupid to handle life herself, so she needs someone to come in and
rescue her, think for her and keep her safe from her own lack of common
sense and wisdom.

The loss of relational security as a result of rejection in a relationship is the greatest fear
for woman. This drives her in an attempt to control her world through one of the above
methods, but success doesnt mean that she is fulfilled. It simply keeps the possibility of
rejection at bay, but her deepest longing (that she be securely loved without any fear of
ever being rejected for not measuring up in some way) remains unfulfilled. But the risk
of giving up control and the fear tied to it is too great, and so she continues to
implement her strategy as best as she can. Unfortunately, her controlling ways only
reinforce the belief deep inside of her that she doesnt measure up in some way. The
pain of this realization must be ignored or sedated through some fore of pleasure, but it
continues to rear it ugly head now and again in those quiet moments when we dare
consider reality.
Even though these manipulative strategies may sometimes succeed, the conviction in a
woman that she cannot ever possibly live up to her sexual identity as the woman that
God created her to be can drive her to avoid those things that are a part of what it means
to be a woman. They will tend to avoid putting on make-up, will dress less feminine and
definitely less seductive, because sexual relationships must be avoided (especially with a
man). They feel less threatened as they behave more manly and more comfortable in
relationships with other women. As they pursue this course of life, their conviction that
they do not measure up as a woman and will never have the relational security and
acceptance that they were created to have becomes more and more solidified.
3. Subjection to her Husband: he shall rule over you )
( maw-shal')(used 81X in OT)
to rule, have dominion, reign
C. Gods Judgment On the Man (Genesis 3: 17-24)
Eve was deceived, but Adam listened ( ,
shama; to hear with obedience. Cf. Deut .
6:4) to his wife in contrast to the command given him by God. His act was one of direct
rebellion (cf. Rom. 5:12).
1. Toil and Failure: God cursed the ground (and the serpent) but not the man or the
woman. They simply had to deal with the cursed situation that they now found
themselves in. For Adam, the curse hit him squarely in the area of his purpose for
being created (ie. as a gardener). Before the fall, Adam enjoyed a perfect world with
no weeds, diseases, varmints or insects to contend with. His work as an
agriculturist/farmer was guaranteed success, just as were his other endeavors in life
such as his relationship with his wife and all of creation.
Now, however, thorns and thistles would come up instead of fruit. His efforts
would not guarantee success. Everything in his world would challenge his adequacy
as a man to succeed in his work and relationships. Whereas confidence had been his
way of approaching life, now he was haunted by uncertainty, doubt and fear. And his
greatest fear became the fear of being seen as inadequate. To state it another way,
everything that God created a man to be is now in doubt with each individual man.
There is something about being a man that he cannot measure up to. His sexuality is
now threatened. How would he handle this? Generally, it has been observed that
men handle the fear of inadequacy in 3 different ways. Depending on their
upbringing, childhood experiences and successful experimentation, they usually
subscribe to one of the following:

a. Avoidance: The idea here is to avoid anything that I feel inadequate at. A good
way to do that is to put down the thing that I am avoiding as not important, a
gimmick, something anybody can do, unmanly, or not my cup of tea. Or
maybe Ill just avoid it quietly. In relationship to others, this type of man tends to
be withdrawn unless he knows and is comfortable with specific people. His fear
is that he is really inadequate when it comes to relating to others, so the best was
to handle life is to avoid personal interactions when he can.
b. Control: One man called this the Archie Bunker syndrome. This man avoids
being exposed by controlling everyone around him. As long as he has control, he
can put off his inadequacy on others or at least keep them from seeing where he
doesnt measure up.
c. Excuses: I like to call this one the Han Solo syndrome. In Star Wars, Part 3,
when his spaceship would not launce into hyper-drive, he screamed out, Its not
my fault! This person always has some excuse for making mistakes or in some
way not measuring up. Its that other persons fault or its YOUR fault, but never
MY fault.
All three of these strategies, however, have an unexpected consequence. Wherever a
man employs a strategy of avoidance to run from the fear of inadequacy, it has the
unexpected effect of confirming his fear and robbing him of his sense of self-worth.
I wouldnt have to avoid people if I were able to converse with them without looking
like a complete boob. But by avoiding them, I am saying to myself that I am a
complete boob! I confirm my fear to myself even though I have hidden it from
others!
The pangs of this affirmation and the increased fear of discovery now drive the man
to compensate for it somehow and to seek some way of gaining a sense of adequacy.
He will usually find this in some kind of conquest. At work, in sports or in
relationships, all men have a favorite avenue for reinforcing their diminished
masculinity! In extreme cases, the man will come to the conclusion that he can never
measure up and will then seek to avoid anything that risks exposing his sexual
insufficiency. He will conclude that he must avoid those things that require
manliness, and will begin to move toward the feminine side. Not only might he
avoid some of the usual manly things, but he will also avoid that one relationship
where God created man to experience his greatest sense of what it means to be a man
with his wife.
Each step of avoidance moves a man further and further away from what God
created him to be, confirms his fears, and can lead to homosexuality, cross-dressing,
and gender identity issues. Eventually, the man that God created is a twisted
corruption and abomination, incapable of understanding the God who made them
(cf. Romans 1:26-32).
2 Death: The first death was an animal (Genesis 3:21), but mans immediate spiritual
death (Ephesians 2:1) and his eventual physical death were sealed on the day that he
took of the fruit. (See Romans 5:12-14,18)
3 Exile: Genesis 3:22-24

XI. The Problem of Threatened Sexuality

A. Pre-fall Perfect People
When God created Adam, scripture tells us that He did so because there was no man to cultivate the
ground (Genesis 2:5). So He made man and then planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and
there He placed the man whom He had formed (vs. 8). This commission given to man is reiterated
again in verse 15 where we are told, Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the Garden of
Eden to cultivate it and keep it.
Man was created to have impact. He was commissioned with the capacity to be creative, industrious
and productive in the environment that God had given him. He was also charged with the responsibility
to protect that environment and everything within it. These are things that are of first importance for
the man and in which he finds his identity as a man. We see that played out in all that men do to this
day.
However, in spite of the fact that men were created for impact, had a perfect environment in which to
exercise that, and also had a personal relationship with the God of the universe, there was a capacity
that they could not realize without a woman. We are told this in Genesis 2:18 where we are told that
God said, It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him. From this
we understand that there was a capacity for manliness that could not be experienced apart from a
relationship with a woman. Or to state it another way, the fullest sense of what it means to be a man
can come only in relationship with a woman. This is true in both the sense of having impact and in
regard to relationship. By cultivating a relationship with his wife, Adam would also have an impact on
her that nothing else in all of creation could have.
On the other hand, Eve was created for the expressed purpose of relationship with the man. Genesis
2:22 tells us that, The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man,
and brought her to the man because it was not good for man to be alone. Her created purpose was
expressly tied to the man. Paul reminded the Corinthians of this when he said, the woman is the
glory of man. For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man; for indeed man was not
created for the womans sake, but woman for the mans sake (11:7b-9). She would have impact as well,
but the greatest sense of what it meant to be a woman was intricately tied in with the relationship that
she was to develop with the man. In other words, the greatest sense of what it means to be a woman is
tied in with a relationship with a man.
With both the man and the woman, the greatest realization of each ones potential for
impact and relationship would be found with a member of the opposite sex.

B. Post-fall Imperfect People

The sin of Adam and Eve and the resultant penalty for that sin affected them in their relationship with
God, each other, and all of creation. At his most basic level, man was created as a dependent being. He
was not designed to live life apart from a relational dependency on God. As Paul said, in Acts 17:24-28,

The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as
though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all
things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the
earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation,
that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though
He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist ..

In regard to this, Dr. Larry Crabb has noted that, it is impossible [for me] to function without using the
resources that God has designed me to use. Anything less than full dependence leads to improper
functioning. The central essence of the fall is a denial of this dependency. We feel that we must retain
control and we deny our need for God. The degree to which we fail to acknowledge our existence as
dependant creatures will have a direct impact on our ability to obediently follow God and, therefore, to
function as He intended us to.
This walk of dependency was now gone, but there were other consequences because of the fall. For the
man, the unchallenged abundance and productivity that could have been his was now gone. Instead of
the ground yielding its strength, it would now yield thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:17-19), leaving man
with a sense of defeat in the core occupation for which he was created. This was only one aspect of the
new situation he found himself in. Everything that he was intended to have an impact on was now to
bringing him thorns and thistles- even his relationship with Eve. The very areas where his manliness
was to have been felt most keenly had become the areas of greatest threat. Maybe he would succeed in
his efforts, but there was no guarantee. Failure became a direct challenge to his manliness, exposing his
inadequacy as the man that God created him to be.
The same was true for the woman, but her greatest threat now came in her relationship with the man.
Their sin had brought about a threat to her relationship with the man on a number of fronts. He had
not protected her before she took of the fruit, nor in the interaction with God in the Garden afterward.
The relational security and fulfillment that she had experienced before the fall was now gone. The
possibility of rejection, abandonment and feelings of worthlessness now became real in her
relationships with others, especially her husband.
In a nutshell, the greatest fear for both the man and the woman has to deal with a deep inner sense of
inadequacy. We fear the possibility of being seen in this light because that would lead to shame and
rejection, so we develop strategies of life that attempt to minimize our chance of exposure. We develop
belief systems that attempt to explain what it is about ourselves that is inadequate, and then we work to
avoid those things that may expose us. One of the chief ways that we seek to do this is through
avoidance of those things that we believe will present the greatest possibility of exposure. Understand,
we dont think this through as we come up with our fears and strategies. It all happens as we, as fallen
creatures, seek to survive in a fallen world.

XII. Understanding How People Function

Therefore I will yet contend with you, declares the LORD,
And with your sons sons I will contend.
10
For cross to the coastlands of Kittim and see,
And send to Kedar and observe closely
And see if there has been such a thing as this!
11
Has a nation changed gods
When they were not gods?

But My people have changed their glory

For that which does not profit.
12
Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
And shudder, be very desolate, declares the LORD.
13
For My people have committed two evils:
They have forsaken Me,
The fountain of living waters,
To hew for themselves cisterns,
Broken cisterns
That can hold no water.

Jeremiah 2:9-13
Observations from this passage:
1. People are thirsty
2. There are two ways that we can seek to quench our thirst. Only one is effective.
3. The ineffective method is one that we have devised. This may give temporal satisfaction,
but their results are unsatisfying and will ultimately fail.
4. The effective method is uncontrollable, but deeply satisfying and eternal.
As one empty barrel relating to another, we often look to each another as a source for filling
our barrel. We seek out those whom we believe are capable of giving us what we feel we need
in order to quench our thirst and avoid those whom we feel will drain us. Maybe a girlfriend, a
wife, a boyfriend a husband, an employer, a teacher, a friend, a pastor or other. It doesnt have
to be just one person, but it must be someone whom I determine has something that I believe
will help kill the hunger pangs of my soul.
The big problem is that those people are just as empty as you are, and unless you have
something to offer them that helps fill their emptiness, they will have little time for you.
So we develop cleaver strategies that have as their goal our own self-fulfillment and then
we convince ourselves that we are doing it for legitimate, maybe even noble reasons.

In the end, we most often wind up relating to one another on a shallow level. This is often
because the other person fears getting into the type of discussion that will expose who they
really are inside. However, it is also because I fear getting too deeply involved! This is because
I might get into something that I cannot handle, or that it may expose who I really am inside.
So then, what do we most often see displayed by ourselves and others?
Manipulative emotions
Shallow conversation
Emphasis on physical appearance
Convenient distractions
Time restrictions
Resistance to deeper reflection
All of these things are designed to prevent others from seeing that our barrels are actually
empty.

The truth is that we all are longing to have our barrels filled, but we fear opening up in order
for that to happen. Opening up means vulnerability. The prospect of having our emptiness
exposed leads to a fear of
Abandonment, rejection and ridicule
As a result, our lives take on a two-fold strategy:
1. Find a way to anesthetize the nagging pain of emptiness through distractions, gaining
acceptance from others, achieving a degree of importance or stimulating ourselves with
pleasure. We look to fill our emptiness in the way that a hungry person looks to satisfy
his hunger but its only temporary and the hunger always returns.
2. Find a way to prevent others from seeing who I fear I really am. As long as they cannot
see the real me, they cannot hurt me too deeply. The outer part of the barrel conceals
who we really are.

The natural man is an empty barrel, determined to avoid pain and pursue
pleasure!