“You Can Only Give What You Have”

In Genesis 3 we witness the tragic turning point of the world. Through the serpent’s temptation, Adam and Eve receive what sin always gives—doubt, fear, shame, and death. Having listened to a voice that did not come from God, they could only pass along what they now possessed: brokenness instead of blessing. The fall reminds us that apart from the Lord, humanity cannot produce righteousness on its own. We can only give what we have—and since the fall, our nature is corrupted by sin.

Yet even in judgment, God’s mercy shines. The curses pronounced in the Garden reveal the seriousness of sin, but they are not the final word. The Lord sees Adam and Eve in their need—ashamed, exposed, and afraid—and He acts. He clothes them, a sign that He Himself provides the covering they cannot make. Most importantly, He promises that the offspring of the woman will crush the serpent’s head—the first proclamation of the Gospel, pointing forward to Jesus Christ.

From a confessional Lutheran perspective, this text clearly shows both Law and Gospel. The Law exposes the depth of our fall and our inability to restore ourselves. The Gospel announces that God does not abandon His people. Instead, He moves toward sinners with promise and provision. What humanity lost through disobedience, Christ restores through His obedience, suffering, and death. Because He gave His life, we now receive life—freely, by grace.

The comfort for us today is this: God has not changed. Just as He pursued Adam and Eve, He continues to seek, forgive, and clothe His people with Christ’s righteousness through Word and Sacrament. In a world still marked by the effects of the fall, we live in hope, trusting the Savior who never quits on His creation.

In Christ, we now have something new to give—His mercy, His forgiveness, and His life.