HumanResponse 5: Eat the fruit

Genesis 3:9 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

The human response of Adam and Eve to one simple and clear command of God was direct disobedience: ”they did eat.” All of us human beings are ”in Adam,” and we have done, and continue to do, the same thing: sin against God, and disobey His direct command. The Holy Spirit convicts me of sin and guilt: I am the sinner; I disobey. Romans 5:19: ”For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”

So the Spirit also convinces me of forgiveness and righteousness: I am righteous; I have perfectly obeyed. And it is all because of Christ. My faith in Christ is counted as righteousness. God’s faithful response to my sinful response is Christ our righteousness. The ”Old Adam” from human birth lives in me alongside the ”new man” that lives in me from the new birth of baptism and faith. Daily repentance and faith in the gospel quickens us to be dead to sin and alive in Christ. And instead of responding to God from the old man, we respond from from the new life: ”Christ in you, the hope of glory.”