THE GOD OF ACCOUNTABILITY (1)

Genesis 3 & 4

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   God has many unique and fascinating characteristics.

1.    He is eternal.

2.    He is love.

3.    He is holy.

4.    He is wise.

5.    He is just.

6.    He is longsuffering.

7.    He is powerful.

 

B.   He is also the God of accountability.

1.    This is something we learn from both Genesis 3 and Genesis 4.

2.    Rather than just delving into the text, let’s study these chapters by “Word Association.”

a.    Our word “accountability.”

b.    What are some other words that are associated with this word?

 

I.             RELATIONSHIP

 

A.   Anytime there is accountability, there is a relationship that exists between the parties involved.  This relationship involves some type of hierarchy between the individuals.                     

1.    Parent/child

2.    Employer/employee

3.    Teacher/student

 

B.   In the two cases that we are studying, there are four relationships that are involved.

1.    Creator/creature                            God is the architect.

2.    Spirit/flesh                                    God is transcendent.                 

3.    Deity/man                                     God is the eternal one.

4.    Father/son                                    God is the superior.

 

C.   Verses:

1.    Genesis 1:26-27

 

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…So God created man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 

2.    Genesis 2:7

 

And the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

3.    In Luke 3:38, Adam is described with these words:  “…which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.”

4.    I Corinthians 15:45-47

 

And so it is written, This first man Adam was made a living soul…Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural…The first man is of the earth, earthy…

 

5.    Genesis 2:22

 

And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

 

6.    Genesis 4:1-2a

 

And Adam knew even his wife, and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.  And she again bare his brother Abel…

 

7.    Important points:

a.    God created.  Man was formed.

b.    Man was of the dust.  He was natural.  He was earthy.

c.    Children were the offspring of man.

 

II.           LAW

 

A.   If a person is going to be held accountable, there must be some type of standard to which he is accountable.

1.    This can be a commandment.

2.    It can be a law.

3.    It can be a covenant.

 

B.   Adam and Eve were given a command to obey (Gen. 2:16-17).

 

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:  for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

 

1.    The command was understandable.

2.    The command was doable.

3.    The command came with the consequences attached.

 

C.   In Genesis 4, we have the two sons of Adam and Eve coming before God with their sacrifices. 

1.    In the context of Genesis 4, we do not have a specific command revealed that was given to Cain and Abel.

2.    However, we know one was given due the revelation provided us in Hebrews 11:4 regarding Abel’s faith.

 

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain…

a.    Abel’s sacrifice was offered by faith.

b.    Romans 10:17 is clear about the place from which faith originates.

 

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the law of God.

 

c.    Abel heard what God had authorized and brought precisely that.

3.    Listen also to God’s words to Abel in Genesis 4:6-7.

 

And the Lord said unto Cain, why art thou wroth?  And why is thy countenance fallen?  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?  And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door…

 

a.    Cain was expected to “do” something by God.

1)    Commandments are given to be done.

2)    Cain had not done what God expected to be done.

b.    “Sin” lieth at the door.  (NOTE:  Sin is the transgression of the law, 1 John 3:4).

 

III.         FREE MORAL AGENCY

 

A.   In order to be just, the one who is the inferior in the relationship must have free moral agency.

1.    Individuals must be able to choose for themselves.

2.    The persons can choose to obey, or the person can choose to disobey.

 

B.   NOTE:  This is one of the perverted aspects of Calvinism.

1.    A select group, a numbered group has been predestined by God to heaven.

Only this group can answer the call of the gospel.  Only this group can be saved eternally.

2.    Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 3

a.    III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels^a are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death.^b

Mat 25:41; 1 Tim 5:21. • b. Prov 16:4; Rom 9:22-23; Eph 1:5-6.

b.    IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated and fore-ordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so certain and definite that it can not be either increased or diminished.^a

John 13:18; 2 Tim 2:19.

c.    VI. As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, fore-ordained all the means thereunto.^a Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ,^b are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified,^c and kept by his power through faith unto salvation.^d Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.^e

Eph 1:4-5; Eph 2:10; 2 Thes 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2. • b. 1 Thes 5:9-10; Titus 2:14. • c. Rom 8:30; Eph 1:5; 2 Thes 2:13. • d. 1 Pet 1:5. • e. John 6:64-65; 8:47; 10:26; 17:9; Rom 8:28-39; 1 John 2:19.

 

3.   Note, however, that the gospel is to be preached to all.

a.    “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…” (Matt. 28:19).

b.   “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

c.    “And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47).

4.   God calls all men by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14), but only the elect can answer the call.  (Ex., inviting individuals to come get homemade ice cream, but they have been chained to their seats and cannot come).

5.   God has not limited the number of those who can be saved.  He longs for all to be saved to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 2:4).

 

C.   The text:

1.   Adam and Eve chose to violated God’s will.

a.    Genesis 3:6

 

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit there of, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

 

b.   Romans 5:12; 1 Cor. 15:22; 1 Tim. 2:14

2.   Cain chose to disobey God (Gen. 4:3, 5a).

 

And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord…But unto Cain and his offering He had not respect…

 

3.   Abel chose to obey God (Gen. 4:4).

 

And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of the flock and of the fat thereof.  And the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering.

 

D.   NOTE:  God did not predestine any of these individuals to do what they did.  He gave them a choice.  They choose to disobey God, or, they choose to obey God.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   So far we have looked at three words associated with accountability:  relationship, law, and free moral agency.

 

B.   In our next lesson, we will look at two more words.  Following that, we will make application of all of this to us.

 

C.   If we could leave you with just one point after this lesson, it would be this:  One day, we WILL stand before God and give an account.