Walking With Christ

Genesis 2:25
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.(ESV)

Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.(ESV)

Genesis 3:10
And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”(ESV)

Let’s follow Adam’s progression here. Before the fall, there was no fear or shame. After eating the fruit, Adam felt exposed and needed something to cover himself. Adam and Eve made their own version of a covering. It wasn’t until they heard God walking in the garden that they felt fear for the first time.

The fig leaf covering was the first layer of separation—between husband and wife, and between mankind and God. The shame they felt came from the realization that they were exposed and vulnerable for the first time. Instead of accepting responsibility for his feelings of exposure due to his decision to eat the forbidden fruit, Adam tried to shift the blame to Eve, who then blamed the serpent. This was the second layer of separation—between husband and wife, and between mankind and God.

First, they tried to hide their sin. Then they both tried to shift the blame and punishment for their decision. They lied by trying to cover their sin and then justified it by blaming others. They wanted to remain where they were, as they were, because they had become rooted in their sin.

Adrenaline, or epinephrine, is the same chemical responsible for both fear and excitement. The same chemical and physical reactions occur in the body with both emotions. This is the “fight or flight” response that prepares the body to respond to anticipated events. Adam and Eve felt fear because they were suddenly exposed to previously unknown dangers. This fear caused them to try to avoid what was coming. If they had framed the situation differently, they would have responded differently, and the result could have been completely different. If they had anticipated a chance to learn more about their Creator and His love for them, they might have called out to God for help instead of fearing His response. If Adam had taken responsibility for his choices and asked God for forgiveness, we can only imagine how life might have been different. Had Adam and Eve taken responsibility for their own sins, they might have experienced God’s grace differently, perhaps even remaining in the garden. Instead, they chose fear and isolation, remaining in their sin.

I want to close with this: Fear is a normal part of human existence, but it is not natural. It was not part of the original design. Fear is a response to potential threats, but there were no threats in the garden. Adam and Eve were afraid of how God would respond to what they had done. They gave in to fear rather than trusting God to help them. That feeling of separation and vulnerability was compounded by the knowledge that they could not fix what they had broken, ultimately blinding them to the One who could fix it. Fear is the enemy of trust. When God says that He will provide for and protect what is His, choosing to embrace fear instead of trusting Him is akin to calling God a liar, which can make fear a sin. Note that there is a difference between feeling fear and accepting or choosing fear over trusting in the Lord. When we feel fear, we need to identify the source and figure out why we see danger instead of opportunity. Faith and trust are the antidotes to the poison of fear. Remember that vulnerability and feeling exposed will either drive us to hide or draw us closer to God and into deeper intimacy with our Creator. Ultimately, God’s response to Adam and Eve’s sin wasn’t immediate wrath but, rather, seeking them out. He asked, “Where are you?”(Genesis 3:9) even though He knew the answer. This shows His desire for reconciliation and relationship, highlighting God’s love and grace even in the face of human failure.

In what areas of your life are you allowing fear to dictate your actions? How can you choose to trust God more fully today?