God's original design for men included three key areas to bring Him glory: a will to obey, work to enjoy, and a woman to love. Sin broke this design when Adam failed to protect Eve from the serpent's deception, introducing rebellion and religion as two ways humans reject God.

• Sin affected all three areas of God's design: our will to obey (struggling with sin), our work (thorns and thistles), and our relationships (conflict with our wives)
• The solution isn't to "man up" but to "bend our knee and look up" to Jesus
• Genesis 3 contains the first gospel promise—the coming "serpent crusher" who would defeat evil
• Adam and Eve made coverings of fig leaves (religion), but God provided garments of skin (grace)
• The first blood shed in human history pointed to Christ's sacrifice as the perfect covering for sin
• At the cross, we see both perfect justice (sin punished) and perfect grace (Christ taking our place)
• True masculinity begins with surrendering to Christ, not self-improvement

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God gave Adam three things for dominion: work to enjoy, will to obey, and a woman to love, establishing a blueprint for biblical manhood that remains relevant today.

• Genesis 2:18 presents the first "not good" in Scripture - man being alone
• God created woman as a helper (azer) equal in value but fulfilling a complementary role
• Adam named all animals, getting his world in order before receiving Eve
• Single men should practice loving relationships with mothers, sisters, and female friends
• Men need to have their lives in order before being qualified to receive "one of God's daughters"
• Marriage follows God's order: leave parents, cleave to spouse, then become one flesh
• Reversing God's design leads to shame in relationships
• Sex is like fire - beautiful in its proper context (marriage) but destructive outside it
• Men must reject the cultural tendency to commodify women for selfish purposes
• Restoration comes through confession, the blood of Jesus, and commitment to love sacrificially

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We explore God's intention for man in the garden by examining the second gift God gave Adam: a will to obey, revealing that God values relationship over rules and showing how obedience leads to abundant life rather than restriction.

• God's posture before the fall was relationship-focused, not rule-focused
• In Genesis 1-3, there were many "thou shalts" but only one "thou shalt not"
• The enemy always tries to make us question God's word, work, and worth
• Obedience is not simply about right vs. wrong, but about life vs. death
• Every time we follow God's way—even when difficult—it leads to life abundant
• When we reject God's design for money, sex, and power, it leads to destruction
• God gave Adam three things: work to enjoy, will to obey, and a third gift (coming tomorrow)

Share this podcast and leave us a five-star rating and review to help equip other men for the fight.

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Want to connect? Email communication@coe22.com