Original Sin

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“Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2: 5-8

What exactly was the sin of Adam? What exactly was the “forbidden fruit?” The real sin of Adam (and Eve) is found in the words of the serpent. “God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God.”  The sin of Adam, the “original sin” was a sin against the first commandment. I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other God’s before me,” especially not ourselves.

It is a sin each of us struggles with. It is the door to all other sin. It’s like a gateway drug. If we make ourselves out to be God then it is easy to take His name in vain because our name is the important one. The Sabbath is our day to do with as we please. If I am god, then I don’t have to honor my parents – they should honor me. If I am the deity then I have the power over life and death, all possessions are mine, I can do to anyone exactly as I please.

Unlike Adam who wanted to be God’s equal, Jesus, who was in fact equal to God, demonstrates for us by his incarnation, that being God, playing God, and acting like God is not in our best interest, just as it wasn’t in Adam’s best interest. The first commandment was given to Adam not Moses. “Don’t try to be ME. It won’t work. It’s not good for you and it’s not good for your neighbors. You’ll only get yourself and others into trouble.” Ironically, what Adam wanted to seize by his own will, God wanted to offer freely by His grace. Through faith in Jesus we all have been given a sharing in Christ’s divinity.

And so, sin and death entered the world because someone wanted to play god. And the game continues even now. Because men and women continue to see themselves as the important thing, misery plagues our world. Because men and women (all of us to some extent) continue to play God every corner of the earth is witness to war, hunger, poverty and disease. Because of personal, corporate, national and global greed countless people suffer needlessly and we all bear some responsibility.

In the words of the Bob Dylan song, we all have to “change our way of thinking.” We need an attitude adjustment so that like Christ we will become humble servants to one another, putting the welfare of our neighbor ahead of our own. Then we can sing with the psalmist “All the ends of the earth have seen the glory of God.” Psalm 98

Father, as we strive to imitate your Son in His humility and service to all people may we come to share in His divinity as He humbled himself to share in our humanity.