The Gospel in the Garden
Scripture Reading — Genesis 3:1-19
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.
Guilt, shame, separation, and judgment describe the world we inherited as descendants of Adam and Eve. We cannot stand in the presence of the holy God; our guilt and shame make us impure. Pain in childbearing, toil involving sweat and tears rather than joy and fulfillment, suffering from all kinds of struggles and temptations—this is our lot.
But worst of all is the enduring conflict between the offspring of the woman and that of the serpent. Because of sin, our human community has been fractured and corrupted.
Even at the dawn of sin, however, God promises a Savior from all our troubles. His good news promising salvation is preached already in the Garden of Eden. To the serpent, God says, “He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Through the Savior, the powers of evil will be crushed.
The New Testament fulfills this prophecy. Jesus has paid the price of our sin and has defeated death so that we can have new life. Jesus has freed us from the devil’s grip and from our slavery to sin. Through God’s grace we can look forward to evil being overthrown. Romans 16:20 even proclaims, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”
Believe the gospel and receive its benefits today!
Almighty God, I need to hear that all guilt, shame, separation, and judgment have been taken out of my life. My heart is filled with praise for your amazing grace in Jesus. Amen.
About the author — Dean Deppe
Dean Deppe has been a pastor in inner-city, suburban, and rural churches. Currently he teaches New Testament theology at Calvin Theological Seminary. His courses include one on the parables of Jesus. He and his wife have four grown children.
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