Adam: The First Bad Boy

This Bible Study was facilitated by Reverend Lettie Carr. The session focused on Adam, the "first bad boy," and the lessons derived from his story. Reverend Carr humorously notes that even God's children can be "jacked up" to encourage listeners.

Key topics included:

•Creation in God's image: God said, "Let us make man in our image," referring to the Trinity . Humans, like God, are triune beings with mind, will, emotions, body, and spirit, meant to reflect God.

•Dominion: God intended humans to have dominion over creation. Adam's assignments included being fruitful, multiplying, subduing the earth, tending the Garden of Eden, and naming the animals.

•The Commandment: God commanded Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, with death as the consequence. This instruction was likely given to Adam before Eve's creation.

•The Fall: The serpent tempted Eve, and she and Adam disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit. Adam, unlike Eve, was not deceived but knowingly disobeyed God, making him accountable. Temptation arises from one's own desires.

•Consequences: After the fall, they became aware of their nakedness and felt shame. They hid from God and engaged in blame-shifting. God pronounced curses: the serpent would crawl, Eve would have pain in childbirth and be ruled by her husband, and the ground would be cursed for Adam, requiring toil. Genesis 3:15 is identified as the first mention of the Gospel, foretelling the conflict between the serpent's seed and the woman's seed.

•Lessons from Adam: Listeners are urged to learn from Adam's failures regarding obedience, taking responsibility for their actions, and resisting temptation. The consequences of sin are always more substantial than they initially appear .