God created Adam and Eve upright – sinless and perfect! Before Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God, they were perfect. They had a perfect relationship: no secrets, no harsh words, no sarcastic remarks. They had perfect love for one another. Eve respected Adam, and Adam loved his wife. They worked together in harmony. They were kind and gentle to one another. No strife, bitterness, or anger.

With the first sin came a multitude of inventions. This word invention has a negative connotation here. Adam and Eve’s invented the fig-leaf apron. They tried to hide their shame and guilt, but the aprons did them no good. God found them out. They were no longer “upright.” They were sinners. And sinners seek out many ways to either hide from God or hide their sin. Harsh words, sarcastic remarks, anger, bitterness, strife, and even murder soon followed. Over the centuries man devised many inventions to try to hide their sins from others and from God.

Somewhere around 600 BC Jeremiah preached repentance to the Jews of Jerusalem and Judah offering them God’s forgiveness and mercy. The people were consumed with their own ways and embraced the idolatry of the people of the land. God would devise evil against them:

Jeremiah 18:11-12 Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

The sinful people of Jerusalem sought out many inventive ways to escape God’s wrath; however, Nebuchadnezzar came with his armies and destroyed the city. Multitudes died or were carried away to Babylon. Some escaped to other lands. While in the land of Babylon many thousands of Jews left their idolatry and turned to God. Often, we are the same way. We wait until we have suffered serious loss before returning to God. God does devise devices to bring us to repentance.

Today, there are many people who struggle with behaviors that are destroying their lives. They keep trying this device or that device to try to fix their problems or give them victory over an addiction. God is there to fix their problems, but they do not want to bow before a Holy God. They keep trying to patch things with “fig leaves.” Secular solutions are tempting for those who do not love God.

We can no longer live an Edenic life until Jesus returns, but Jesus does do a work in our lives in which we become partakers of the divine nature when we put our trust in Him for salvation. We receive Christ’s Righteousness (‘Upright’-ness). Now that we have become Christians, we can love our wives and respect our husbands. We can replace lying with the truth. We can replace stealing with giving. Jesus gives us the power to put away all sin and replace it with love, kindness, tenderheartedness, and forgiveness. See Eph. 4:21-32.

Remember, in our own strength and wisdom we can only cover the problem; God transforms us! But we must ask God for His mercy and help, and then do things His way! Christians have no excuse for allowing sinful behaviors to destroy their lives! God wants us to live victorious lives! Jesus saves us from the penalty of sin when we get saved. As we walk with Him in our Christian life, He delivers us from the power of sin! Let’s not hide behind fig-leaf aprons. Let’s walk in Christ’s Righteousness free of guilt and shame!

Let God ignite the Holy Spirit within you to find creative, inventive ways to serve Jesus Christ!