Lesson 3: Corruption, Part 1

“The Seven C’s of History” (Creation, Corruption, Catastrophe, Confusion, Christ, Cross, Consummation) help us remember the big events which have affected—and will affect—the history of the universe.

“. . . but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

We’ve seen that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth and everything was very good (Genesis 1–2). The next “C,” Corruption, found in Genesis 3, is sad.

From Perfection . . .

For a while, things were perfect in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve lived in a beautiful garden (planted especially for them by God) and could eat of any tree in Eden, except one. This first couple had a perfect relationship with their Creator, a perfect marriage and a perfect place to live. The animals, which Adam ruled over, got along perfectly. Something has obviously corrupted this “very good” world into the world we see today, which is full of sickness and death.

To Imperfection . . .

Adam and Eve both knew they could eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden except the one known as the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God had forbidden them to eat of it, telling them that they would surely begin to die (the Hebrew in Genesis actually says, “dying, you shall die”) the very day they ate of it.

The devil, who took the form of a serpent, knew what God had said, but he caused Eve to question God’s words by asking, “Did God say you weren’t to eat of any tree of the garden?” and then lying, “You won’t really die.” Eve believed the serpent, rather than God, and ate the forbidden fruit. Then she gave some to Adam, who hadn’t been deceived by the serpent but ate it willingly (1 Tim. 2:14). This caused them both to immediately die spiritually (be separated from God) and to begin to die physically.

Because of his disobedience (sin), all of his descendants (this includes you and me!) are born with sin in our nature. because of Adam’s sin, our bodies will die. because of Adam’s sin, God cursed His precious creation. The world we see today, while reflecting God’s original creation, has been corrupted by sin.

To Perfection . . .

The good news of this sad tale is that God did not abandon His creation after Adam’s sin! He promised that one day He would send a Savior, the “seed of a woman” to bruise the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). This Savior, Jesus Christ, was indeed born of a woman without a human father, about 4,000 years later. He died on the Cross, and rose again to save His people from their sins, so indeed dealing a death-blow to (bruising the head of) the devil (serpent).

Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough

Because God is holy, His standard is perfection (Matthew 5:48). Because we sin, we are unable to work our way to Heaven (Romans 3:23). Eternal life is a gift offered by God (Ephesians 2:8-9) to those who realize they are sinners and are in need of a Savior, who is Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ died on the Cross and rose from the grave to pay for sin and to purchase a place in Heaven for those who turn from their sin and believe on Him (Isaiah 53 & John 3:16).

Want to learn more? Read the entire Answers for Kids Student Handout Set online!