The First Sin and God's Promise

God made the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, and gave them a lovely garden called Eden. They could eat from every tree but one. God told them that tree would bring death, so they must not eat from it. God gave them everything because he loved them, and he asked them to trust him.

One day a snake, the craftiest creature in the garden, spoke to Eve. The snake twisted God's words. It said God was holding back something good, and that eating the fruit would make them as wise as God. Eve looked at the fruit. It seemed delicious and beautiful, and she wanted that wisdom. She took a bite. Adam was standing right beside her, so she handed him some, and he took a bite too.

Right away everything felt different. They noticed they had no clothes and felt ashamed, so they made coverings out of fig leaves. That evening they heard God in the garden, and they hid in the garden.

God called out to Adam. Adam said he had hidden because he was afraid. When God asked what had happened, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the snake. Nobody wanted to say, I did wrong.

Sin always brings sadness. God told them life would now be hard: work would be tiring, having children would hurt, and one day their bodies would die. They had to leave the garden.

But God did not stop loving them. He told the snake that a child of the woman would one day crush it, and win. And before they left, God himself made them clothes from animal skins to keep them warm.

Christians understand that this promised child is Jesus. He came to beat sin and evil and to bring us back to God.