But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5

When God created the heavens and the earth He declared that everything was good. Indeed, all that God had created, the plant life, animals and yes, even humans; everything God had made was good. Yet we look at our world today and we can say with certainty what God once said was good has fallen. In their desire to become like God, Adam and Eve disobeyed the One who is the author of all life and followed the lies of the serpent in the garden.

Created in God’s image and likeness, Adam and Eve knew the goodness of God’s love. In fact, it was all they knew; there was no need for any other understanding. The serpent, however, used his skills in deception to lead Adam and Eve into a life of disobedience. After eating from the forbidden tree, their eyes were opened but not to what they had hoped. Instead of becoming as God, they had become separated from God.

No longer sinless, Adam and Eve were banished from the garden. They could no longer walk with God or talk with Him. The only way to restore the relationship they enjoyed before their fall, would be for Adam and Eve to remove the stain of sin, but this is not something humanity has the ability to do. Yet even in the garden, God promised to rescue his fallen children, the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head conquering evil forever. We understand this to be the first instance of God’s promise of a Savior which is Christ the Lord.

God promised a savior who would take away the sin of the world. Today, on this second day of Advent we have the blessing of God’s salvation, grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus paid the ransom for our sin. Now, living in a restored relationship with our God, we await Christ’s coming again and His revealing the fullness of the kingdom of heaven.

Heavenly Father, in your goodness and mercy you gave your only Son as sacrifice for our sin. We give you thanks for your mercy and ask that you guide us by your Holy Spirit that we may follow your ways and live according to your will. In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.