Opened Eyes to the Fact of Original Sin

"Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves lioncloths" (Gen. 3: 7, ESV).

The verse above records the sad truth that "the eyes of both" Adam and Eve "were opened" to the reality of their guilt and sin before God; whereas the Devil said, "your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil" (3: 5). Yeah, their eyes were opened alright, in three ways: (1.) to the lie of being God, (2.) knowing good from evil, (3.) and to the fact of their disobedience to God's command (see Gen. 2: 16-17). "They knew they were naked," naked and exposed by their conscience to their guilt and shame before God; whereas, originally they "were both naked and were not ashamed" (2: 25). As to their past, they knew not sin, but their acquaintance to it brought great consequences (see Rom. 5: 12).

The man and his wife knowing they were "naked" went and "sewed fig leaves together and made themselves lioncloths," which was an attempt on their part to hide their sin and shame before God.  Adam and Eve soon learned the fact that God's eyes are opened to all things, even to their sin, "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Heb. 4: 13; and see Prov. 15: 3). Next, we read of Adam and Eve hiding themselves from the very "presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden" (3: 8).

Interesting, man's association with the trees in the garden can be seen in a threefold manner:

1. Man's partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil--resulted in man's firstfruit of disobedience.

2. Man's wearing of the fig leaves of a tree--resulted in man's first self-righteous act to redeem himself from his sin.

3. Man's hiding himself among the trees of the garden--resulted in man's first attempt to hide [or separate] himself from his consequences and accountability to God for his sin.

Man's threefold reaction to God's presence and call to him (see Gen. 3: 9):

1. "I was afraid," --Adam's fear as a result of his sin.

2. "I was naked," --Adam's guilt and shame as a result of his sin.

3. "I hid myself" --Adam's separation from God as a result of his sin.

What is so wonderful about the law of first mention in the book of Genesis is the truth that the Lord gives the first man and his wife, the remedy for his sin. "And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them" (Gen. 3: 21). "Fig leaves" representing man's work of salvation will never do to remedy the problem of man's sin (see Prov. 14: 12; 16: 25; 1 Cor. 2: 14). No, not even the sacrifice of animals for man's sin under the Old Covenant will do either, though it did point to the One who would be the supreme sacrifice that would remedy man's problem of sin. Only the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary will ever remedy man's sin (see Heb. 10: 1-4, 11-14). Of course, today, many look by faith to what Christ has accomplished for man's sin on the cross at Calvary in the past as a means for Salvation (see John 3: 3, 7, 16; 19: 16-42).