Genesis 3:11-13 – “He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.’ 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.’”
Genesis 4:9 – “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’”
In case we forget that sinful hearts are not inclined to repentance we see two reminders very early in scripture where God even asks leading questions and man chooses to either blame someone else for their sin or to be outright defiant. Adam points the finger at Eve for his sin and Eve points the finger at the serpent for her sin. Cain answers God as if God were being a nuisance in asking about Abel.
While the damage had already been done to man’s relationship with God, we see that the heart of sinful man is not inclined to ask God to forgive us for our rebellion, but to remain in it. Were it not for God’s gracious intervention in sending Christ, we would still be pointing fingers and giving smart alec answers. Praise God for the imposing his grace on our hearts. The Father sent the Son to save us from our sin. The Son lived a perfect life of righteousness, died vicariously for us (because we deserved it), and resurrected from the grave so we can live vicariously through him (even though we don’t deserve it). And the Spirit of God reveals this beautiful truth to our hearts when we are incapable of grasping it.
I’m thankful that while I spent my life being rebellious to God and blaming others for my sin, he imposed his grace on my heart. I don’t deserve it. I’m nothing but a finger-pointing smart alec.
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