Why Genesis 3 Matters
We cannot make sense of this world if we do not understand Genesis 3. Why do we see distress, decay, and death constantly around us? Why do we see calamity, chaos, and corruption continually before us? The world will tell you that distress, decay, and death is a mere process of life. The world will tell you that calamity, chaos, and corruption is due to a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion training. The Bible, however, gets to the truth of the matter on all issues facing this world: “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Without an understanding of the doctrine of sin, nothing in this world will make sense. Concerning this, Dr. Stephen Wellum writes:
“God created us good, but in space-time history, Adam, as our covenant-head, rebelled against God’s command. The result: sin and death entered the world, our human nature was corrupted, and the entire world was placed under a curse (Genesis 3:14-19; Rom. 6:23; 8:20). Thus, in Adam, humanity moved from an original state of goodness to our present fallen state.”[i]
In this article I would like to briefly address how the opening chapters of Genesis speak of the total depravity of man and the need for regeneration to enter the Kingdom of God.
The Doctrine of Total Depravity
To begin, every aspect of our humanity has been affected by Adam’s fall into sin (Genesis 3; Ps 51:1; John 3:19; 5:40-44; 6:44; Romans 8:8; Ephesians 2:3). In Genesis 2, God gave Adam, the federal head of humanity, a command: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Instead of obeying the Lord God, Adam ate of the forbidden fruit and rebelled against God’s command which is a sin. The Apostle Paul writes: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). In Genesis 3, we see that Adam’s sin against God not only provoked His holy wrath, but it plunged the whole human race into death and decay, chaos and corruption. As a result of original sin, Adam’s rebellion enslaved the whole of humanity. Our minds are ensnared, our affections and feelings are corrupted, and our will is enthralled with the ways of the world.[ii] In the words of C. H. Spurgeon, “sin is not an accident, but the genuine outcome of their corrupt hearts.”[iii]
Corruption in the Early Chapters of Genesis
As we work through Genesis, we see the “genuine outcome” of man’s corrupt hearts. In Genesis 4, Cain murdered his brother Abel. Lamech murders a young man and goes outside of God’s design for human sexuality, taking two wives for himself. As we come to Genesis 6, we see a direct contrast to Genesis 1. Prior to the fall, in God’s good and perfect creation, we see that “God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Now, in the fallen world, we see that “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth” (Genesis 6:5, 12).
The Bible gives us a clear diagnosis of the sinfulness of man and the wickedness of our sinful heart. If we are to live, we need God’s supernatural work in our life. Concerning this, Spurgeon writes: “The drift of the gospel is, that man is dead in sin, and that divine life is God’s gift. Apart from the vivifying influence of the Spirit of God, men’s souls must lie in the valley of dry bones, dead, and dead forever.”[iv] The Apostle Paul writes:
“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:21-23)
Therefore, “it is necessary,” Spurgeon writes, “that the Spirit of God should operate to change the will, to correct the bias of the heart, to set man in a right track, and then give him strength to run in it.”[v] The doctrine of total depravity shows us the need for the doctrine of regeneration.
The Doctrine of Regeneration
Next, since man has fallen into sin, and is spiritually dead by nature, it is the work of God the Holy Spirit alone to bring life to the individual through regeneration (Ephesians. 2:1).
What is Regeneration?
Theologian Anthony Hoekema defines regeneration as the following:
Regeneration is “that act of the Holy Spirit, not to be separated from the preaching and teaching of the Word, whereby he initially brings a person into living union with Christ and changes his or her heart so that he or she who was spiritually dead becomes spiritually alive, now ready and willing to believe the gospel and to serve the Lord.”[vi]
Regeneration involves a new heart and a new spirit – the natural man, being spiritually dead, cannot produce this new birth in himself.[vii] Jesus said in John 3:3: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Man is passive in regeneration; he is born of the Spirit, born of God, and not born of anything in man, not his blood, his flesh, or his will (John 1:13; 3:5-6).[viii] Regeneration is a sovereign work of God the Holy Spirit where grace works on the nature to give it life. In regeneration God renews the whole man. Joel Beeke writes, “God really and effectually renews the mind to understand the gospel, renews the heart to believe it, and renews the will to desire and respond to God.”[ix] In other words, regeneration “is a universal change of the whole man. It is a new creature, not only a new power or new faculty. This extends to every part. It is as large in renewing as sin was in defacing.”[x]
The Greatest Need of the Hour
In a day of chaos and corruption, we can be tempted to address the symptoms of the problem, rather than the root of the problem. While we must certainly bring Christian witness and influence into all spheres of life, we must never forget that the greatest need of the hour is for God the Holy Spirit to work mightily through His regenerating power in the hearts of men. We must strive for righteous reform in all areas of life, but we must also plead for God to pour out showers of reviving blessing upon the hearts of men. In a day that is plagued with the fear of death, we must prepare men and women for death by declaring “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Eternal life is found in Christ alone. In John 11:25, Jesus said: “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”
Concluding Thoughts
To conclude, this article has sought to briefly address how the opening chapters of Genesis speak of the total depravity of man and the need for regeneration to enter the Kingdom of God. As total depravity is proclaimed, sinners are faced with the reality of their rebellion against God and are given the background for understanding God’s gracious dealings with men. As we come to grips with this reality, we begin to see that God’s love extends to the vilest sinner. Therefore, our task is to freely offer Jesus Christ to all sinners. In Jesus Christ, we have a willing and able Savior to save us from that which will destroy us.
[i] Stephen J. Wellum, Systematic Theology: From Canon to Concept, vol. 1 (Brentwood, TN: B&H, 2024), 415.
[ii] John Benton, Evangelistic Calvinism: Why the Doctrines of Grace Are Good News (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2006), 7.
[iii] C. H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students (1894; repr., Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1954), 338.
[iv] Spurgeon, Revival Year Sermons, 52.
[v] Ibid., 53.
[vi] Anthony A., Hoekema. Created in God’s Image, 85.
[vii] Joel R., Beeke and Mark Jones. A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage, 2012), 469.
[viii] Ibid.
[ix] Joel R., Beeke and Mark Jones. A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life, 474.
[x] Ibid.
