Holy Devotion
Bible Devotional
Genesis 3:12-13 - Responsible for others

Scripture:

Genesis 3:12-13
12 The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate."
13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
NASU


Thoughts:

The New Testament affirms that Eve was truly deceived, but Adam sinned.

1 Timothy 2:14
14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.
NASU

Obviously Adam sinned by disobeying God's direct prohibition of the fruit, but I think there may be more.  If Adam was indeed there with Eve as she was being tempted by the serpent, then he passively watched all of this take place.  He didn't intervene as Eve was being deceived.  He didn't correct the wrong notions of what God had said concerning the tree.  He sat quietly by and let Eve make this tragic choice of their future.  He watched as she entered unknowingly into sin.

This is an uncomfortable point I imagine for most of us.  What do we do when we see someone teetering on the edge of sin; playing with temptation, perhaps blind to the danger before them.  Do we speak?  Do we get involved?  The Bible exhorts us to do this very thing.  Rather than following in the footsteps of Adam, we need to come to the aid of our brother or sister:

Galatians 6:1
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.
NASU


Prayer:

God, forgive me for a sinful passivity when I should help others.  Help me to lovingly find the words to say to help those around me, should they begin to stray from Your path.

Amen

 
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