The Gospel in Cain & Abel: The Need for True Worship
Most of us think of the Gospel as something that begins in the New Testament—with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, His death on the cross, and His resurrection three days later. And that’s true—it’s the heartbeat of our faith. But what if I told you that the Gospel was first preached long before the manger, before the prophets, before Moses parted the Red Sea, or Abraham looked up at the stars? What if I told you that the good news of God’s plan to save us echoes all the way back to the very beginning—to a garden, a choice, and a promise? Welcome to Genesis 3, where the story of sin begins—but more importantly, where the story of redemption is first unveiled. This is ‘The Gospel in the Fall: The First Sin & the First Promise.’
Genesis 3 isn’t just a chapter about failure—it’s a chapter about hope. It’s the turning point of the Bible’s narrative, where everything changes. It explains why our world is broken, why we feel pain, why death casts its shadow over us all. But it also reveals a truth far greater: sin and death don’t get the final word. God does. And right here, in the ashes of humanity’s rebellion, He plants a seed of hope—a promise that will grow through every page of Scripture until it blooms in the person of Jesus Christ. Today, we’re going to unpack four key aspects of the Gospel hidden in this chapter: First, God’s character and purpose—how even in judgment, He’s merciful and relational. Second, human sin and our desperate need for redemption—why we’re separated from Him. Third, Christ’s presence in the promise—a prophecy of a Savior who will undo what sin has done. And fourth, the call to faith and repentance—God’s invitation to trust Him, even in exile. This is where the Gospel story begins, and everything that follows—Abraham’s covenant, the Law, the prophets, and the cross—flows from this moment in Eden. Let’s step into the garden and see how it all unfolds.
Eden Before the Fall
Before we get to Genesis 3, we need to set the stage. In Genesis 1 and 2, God creates a world of beauty and order. He speaks, and light pierces the darkness. He forms the seas, the sky, the land—and then, as the crown of His creation, He makes humanity. Adam and Eve are placed in Eden, a paradise where they walk with God in perfect harmony. Genesis 2:25 tells us, ‘The man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.’ No guilt, no fear, no separation—just intimacy with their Creator. God gives them purpose: to tend the garden, to rule over creation, to reflect His image. And He gives them freedom, with one boundary:
“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’”
This is Eden before the fall—a world we can barely imagine. God walks with them in the cool of the day, as Genesis 3:8 hints. He’s not a distant deity but a relational God, delighting in His people. The garden is alive—rivers flow, fruit ripens, animals roam in peace. Everything is as it should be—until a shadow slithers into the picture. Enter the serpent, described in Genesis 3:1 as ‘more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.’ This isn’t just an animal; this is Satan, the adversary, stepping onto the stage to challenge God’s word and tempt humanity’s heart. The question he poses to Eve will change everything: ‘Did God actually say…?’ And with those words, the battle for our souls begins.
