God is just, and this is evident in His dealing with the first deception and sin. When God confronts humanity about their disobedience, they are both quick to blame someone else. Adam blames his wife, the woman blames the serpent, and God deals with all three. None of them are innocent in this, and so God deals with all three.
To the serpent, the one who deceived them to sin, he is cursed above all other creatures, enmity is put between him and humanity, and there is the decree of an on going struggle but the ultimate victory lies with humanity as the serpents head will be crushed.
To the woman, the one who who deceived, she is given pain in child birth, her role as a life giver is now going to be difficult and full of pain, there will be sorrow in her role. Now instead of a partnership between man and woman, husband and wife, she will be subject to his leadership. She was to be a life giving essential helper, but she will have pain in child birth, a longing for her husband, and he will rule over her as they were to rule over creation together.
To the man, the one who stood by and did nothing, watching as all of this unfolded, the ground is cursed, as is his labor. Because he failed to lead his work will now be difficult and unfulfilling. life will be a struggle for him, and this struggle will result more difficulties. Then God reminds him that he is now mortal, subject to death, and will work the ground until he returns to it. The final statement of judgment puts man in his place, "For dust you and to dust you shall return." Man ate the fruit in order to become like God, but in spite of this desire and the efforts God reminds him that he is nothing more than dust. Man's efforts to advance himself have simple put him in his proper place. He enjoyed a high position of honor, God's crowning creation made in His image, but the desire to be like God, the refusal to act, have cost him this position.
God deals with all sin, the one who led others into sin, the one who was taken in by a lie, and the one who stood by and watched it all go down. God is just, and everyone is held accountable for their actions. Let us live in humble submission to the authority of God, knowing that He is just, and that everything will be dealt with by Him.
Fight the lion, 1 Peter 5.1-11
TO GOD ALONE BE THE GLORY!
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