Why is mankind fallen and disobedient, and why is there so much human suffering according to Genesis 3?
Genesis 3 records sin entering when Adam rebelled and ate, making mankind a fallen race, totally disobedient to everything God says. As a result, there have been 6,000 years of human suffering, degradation, corruption, evil, and wickedness, all beginning in the garden. The only remedy is the remedy God Himself provided.
Les explains that Genesis chapter 3 is the account of sin and all its horrendousness making its appearance when Adam rebelled and ate. If you can understand chapter 3, Les says, you can understand why mankind is a fallen race, totally disobedient to everything God says. As a result of that fall, there have been 6,000 years of human suffering, degradation, corruption, evil, and wickedness, and it all began back there in the garden. Les then points out that God comes to the conclusion in Romans chapter 3 that this is the problem, and the only remedy is the remedy God Himself has provided. That remedy flies in the face of human reasoning. Coming into verse 19, Les notes that it is not a very pretty picture, because that is what God sees whenever He looks at a human being still in old Adam. That is where He saw me, that is where He saw you, and that is where He still sees every lost person. The unbelieving individual God sees has a mouth full of cursing and no fear of God. When Paul says we know, he is talking about solid ground—not wishful thinking, not something only a theologian could dream of, but basic scriptural fact.