A GARMENT

OF INNOCENCE

Lesson 3 for April 16, 2011

A PERFECT ENVIRONMENTAdam and Eve were placed in a perfect physical and spiritual environment when they were created.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTGod placed the first couple in a garden created especially for their comfort.

That garden was rich in healthy food, they had an agreeable and satisfactory work and they were surrounded by varied vegetation and tame animals that were company suitable for them.

SPIRITUAL ENVIRONMENTGod went for a walk with them in the garden every afternoon, so they learnt more and more of God’s love.

The angels went with them and gave them greater knowledge every day.

How can we have such a relationship with our Creator in a world corrupted by sin?

God tells us in his Word how we must relate to Him

and how to enjoy the benefits of His company.

Studying God’s Word• “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,

and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”(2 Timothy, 3: 16-17)

Praying to God and being vigilant• “praying always with all prayer and

supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians, 6: 18)

Trusting God• “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither

sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matthew, 6: 26)

Knowing God• “And this is eternal life, that they may know

You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John, 17: 3)

GARMENTS OF INNOCENCE

Our first fathers were clothed in the light of God’s glory before sin. It was similar to the glory that shined on Moses’ face when he spoke with God (Exodus, 34: 29-35).

“The sinless pair wore no artificial garments; they were clothed with a covering of light and glory, such as the angels wear. So long as they lived in obedience to God, this robe of light continued to enshroud them”

E.G.W. (Patriarchs and Prophets, cp. 2, pg. 45)

God tested their loyalty in the same way He tested the other worlds He created. Like the inhabitants of those worlds, they were free to choose whether do right or not.

Ellen White visited other worlds and talked to their inhabitants in a view:

“I asked one of them why they were so much more lovely than those on the earth. The reply was, “We have lived in strict obedience to the commandments of God, and have not fallen by disobedience, like those on the earth.” Then I saw two trees, one looked much like the tree of life in the city. The fruit of both looked beautiful, but of one they could not eat. They had power to eat of both, but were forbidden to eat of one. Then my attending angel said to me, “None in this place have tasted of the forbidden tree; but if they should eat, they would fall"”

(E.G.W., Early writings, “God’s love for His people”, pg. 39)

Although they were surrounded by a perfect environment, Adam and Eve chose to disobey their Creator and they lose their garments of light and met shame, suffering and death.

A HUMAN GARMENTWhen they were aware of their sin, they tried to hide it by clothing in garments made by humans: a fig-leaf covering.We still try to hide or justify our sins with human works or reasoning.Those tries to cover our sins before God are nowadays as pathetic as they were at that time.

“A fig-leaf apron will never cover our nakedness. Sin must be taken away, and the garment of Christ’s righteousness must cover the transgressor of God’s law. Then when the Lord looks upon the believing sinner, He sees, not the fig leaves covering him, but Christ’s own robe of righteousness, which is perfect obedience to the law of Jehovah. Man has hidden his nakedness, not under a covering of fig leaves, but under the robe of Christ’s righteousness”E.G.W. (The upward look, December 30)

A DIVINE GARMENT

“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them” (Genesis, 3: 21)The garment of light that they lost could not be replaced by a human made garment, but only by a divine made one.God sacrificed an innocent lamb to provide a garment for the sinner couple. The divine garment meant that man cannot be saved by his own works. Salvation is provided by God who sent his Son to die for us.Only the blood of Jesus can forgive sin.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans, 3: 23-24)

“Sin is disloyalty to God, and [is] deserving of punishment. Fig leaves sewed together have been employed since the days of Adam, yet the nakedness of the soul of the sinner is not covered. All the arguments pieced together by all who have interested themselves in this flimsy robe will come to nought. Sin is the transgression of the law. Christ was manifest in our world to take away transgression and sin, and to substitute for the covering of fig leaves the pure robes of His righteousness. The law of God stands vindicated by the suffering and death of the only begotten Son of the infinite God”

E.G.W. (The upward look, December 30)

A garment of

light

The innocence of a sin-free

life

A fig-leaf covering

Trying to cover sin with our own works

A garment of animal skin

God covers our sin with the

blood of Jesus

“The Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a covering, the robe of his own righteousness, that he will put on every repenting, believing soul who by faith will receive it” (E.G.W., Review & Herald, 11-15-1898)