In Gen 3:6-21, you’re going to see something about yourself.  You’re going to see the pattern that you follow when you sin.  Adam and Eve sinned in Gen 3:6; Adam and Eve “did eat.”  And you have sinned.  When you sin:

You’re going to cover sin up – Gen 3:6-7 – Adam and Eve knew they had sinned and tried to cover up with aprons of fig leaves.  All have sinned, Rom 3:23, and all will sin.  And you know when you’ve sinned.  Dylan pushed the Bible away.  Tom felt defiled.  You know when you cuss or when you steal.  But when people sin, “most men will proclaim everyone his own goodness,” Prov 20:6.  Proclaiming your goodness is your apron of “fig leaves.”  Religious sinners are some of the hardest to reach, Lk 18:9-14.  Solomon said, “he that covereth his sin shall not prosper,” Prov 28:13.

You’re going to hear the voice of God – Gen 3:8 – “they heard the voice of the Lord God.”  The Holy Spirit reproves the world of sin, Jn 16:8.  The work of the law is written in your heart and your conscience bears witness, Rom 2:15.  The Pharisees, in Jn 8:9, who set up that woman taken in adultery couldn’t cast one stone at her because they “were convicted by their own conscience.”  Though Jesus didn’t speak one audible word to the Pharisees, they heard from God.  Until your conscience is fully defiled and seared, your thoughts will either accuse or excuse you.  After your conscience is seared, it gets harder to hear from God. 

You’re going to try to hide – Gen 3:8 – Adam and Eve tried to hide “themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.”  That’s the natural thing to do.  When we were kids, one child would poop in his pants.  We always knew when he did because he would hide.  From the beginning of the Bible to the end, men try to hide from God, Rev 6:16.  It won’t work, Ps 139:7-12.  You can’t hide from God.  Some of you are trying to hide right now; you’re afraid.  It’s not working.  He sees you.

You’re going to make excuses – Gen 3:11-13 – Adam blamed Eve, and by implication, he blamed God.  Eve blamed the devil.  You need to take full responsibility for what you are doing or for what you’ve done because God is going to hold you fully responsible.  I’ve heard gays blame God by saying, “he made me this way.”  That’s just a convenient excuse.  And it’s also a lie.  After trying to excuse himself, Adam finally said, “I did eat,” Gen 3:12.  After trying to excuse herself, Eve finally said, “I did eat,” Gen 3:13.  You must quit excusing yourself and admit that you have sinned and are sinning.

You need to let God cover your sin – Gen 3:21 – the Lord God made coats of skins and clothed them.  Therefore, the sheep that he killed for this purpose had to shed their blood.  Jesus, the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sin of the world, shed his blood to cover your sin.  And he is the only way that your sin will ever truly be covered.  You must admit your sin to God and let him cover it in the blood of Jesus.

Conclusion: whether you are saved or lost, covering up sin is what men do.  If you are saved, you cannot cover you sin up.  Quit trying to hide from God and quit believing lies and making excuses.  Get it out and under the blood of Jesus. If you are lost, you must receive Jesus Christ and be saved through his shed blood.