Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, June 29, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

THE ONLY SIN COVERING IS A SKIN COVERING

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Genesis 3:9-21

Text: Genesis 3:21

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Introduction: Two books of the Bible that the devil hates the most are the book of Genesis and the book of Revelation. Satan has his ministers at work in seminaries, colleges, and even churches, endeavoring to spread doubt and unbelief about those two books. Genesis tells how Satan was involved in the corruption of man and this world. Revelation tells how Satan is going to ultimately burn forever in the lake of fire. No WONDER that he hates these books!

We believe in Genesis, Revelation, and all 64 books in between them, as being the infallible, inspired, inerrant, immutable, invincible, impregnable, indestructible, immaculate, and intact word of God! The events of our scripture reading today occurred exactly as we read them.

However, God has also seen to it that every book of the Bible points to the Son of God. Jesus said:

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

After His resurrection, Jesus spent time with two of His discouraged disciples:

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

This morning I want to show you that our text, which tells of God’s provision of clothing for the couple in the garden, is not only about Adam and Eve. It is also about JESUS. And it is also about YOU. What a glorious picture there is in this chapter about Jesus and His wonderful salvation for sinners. Let me show you some things this morning that point all the way from the garden to Golgotha, all the way from Eden to Emmanuel, and all the way from the coats of skins to the completion of salvation for the sinner.

I. THERE WAS A SIN PROBLEM

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 thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Adam and Eve had a sin problem. Everyone since then has had a sin problem, too.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

A. They had a confrontation with the devil

B. They gave consideration to doubt

C. Eve was corrupted by deception

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear,lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

D. Adam made a choice by deliberation

1 Timothy 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

II. THERE WAS A SELF-MADE COVERING

Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Isaiah 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:

These man-made aprons or coverings remind us of man-made religions, designed to atone for man’s sins without getting GOD’S covering.

A. This was their own decision

Where do you think the religions of the world originated? God didn’t start them any more than He told Adam to make aprons!

B. The aprons were their own design

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

III. THERE WAS SHAME UNREMOVED

Genesis 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

A. Their covering was insufficient

John 14:6

B. Their covering was incriminating

The religious efforts of man merely expose his own wickedness and hypocrisy as he fails to live up to the standards he sets up in his own religious system!

IV. THERE WAS A SEEKING LORD

Genesis 3:8-9 And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

A. He came to them

When they were hiding from him

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

B. He confronted them with their sin

V. THERE WAS A SUBSTITUTE SLAIN

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

A. The substitute was innocent

1 Peter 1:18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

B. The substitute was indispensable

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

VI. THERE WAS THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

A. So that they could be clothed

B. So that they could be cleansed

Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

VII. THERE WAS A SKIN COVERING GIVEN

Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

A. This was a supernatural covering

It appeared to come from this world, from an animal, but it actually came from God.

Jesus appeared to come from the human race, but He actually came from God!

B. This was a sufficient covering

After Adam and Eve put on the aprons of fig leaves, they knew hat they were still naked.

When God covered them with HIS covering, they were CLOTHED and COVERED!

C. This was the SAVIOR’S covering

They were covered by coats of skins, probably from a lamb!

The Lord covers us with His own righteousness! We are IN Him, safely clothed and covered by the Lamb of God!

GLORY TO GOD for Heavenly clothing! You talk about “name-brand” clothes! Oh, my! Do you have the name-brand of Jesus, the name-brand of heaven, on the covering for your nakedness? What kind of fabric composes your garment? Is it religion of this world, or the righteousness of Christ?

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

God’s robe of righteousness is not only IMPORTED, but it’s also IMPARTED, and, praise God, IMPUTED! Amen!

Conclusion: Oh, what a blessing to be on the other side of the cross! What a blessing to be able to look back, not only to the cross, but also all the way back to the couple in the garden and see how THEIR covering was not only God’s provision for their bodies, but also God’s prophecy of salvation for BELIEVERS today! Such a blessing indeed:

Romans 4:5-8 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.