GEN 3:9 And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

>>When Adam had sinned it created a great gulf between himself, and a holy God. LUK 16:26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

>>Outside of the grace of God man's enmity and rebellion is so great that man would never return back unto the Lord. LUK 16:27-31 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

>>The first reason for this is because the affections have been corrupted by reason of the fall. GEN 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.

>>The second reason for man's refusal to return unto God is that by nature of the fall man's nakedness before God's all seeing eye causes him to desire to find a place to hide from the light. GEN 3:7-8 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.

>>Reason would say that Adam should have gone crying through the garden--Lord where art thou!!!

>>As soon as Adam had sinned One would think he should have gone crying through the garden--Lord where art thou?

>>When Adam saw how naked and open his sins were before the eyes of God One would think Adam should have fallen before the Lord--crying out for mercy saying, I have sinned--I have sinned!!!

>>Adam should have--confessed God's justice--and pleaded for mercy

>> However Adam fled from God because he saw that he stood naked before the searching eyes of God GEN 3:8 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.

>>God is calling to each one of us, "Adam where art thou?" Do we attempt to hide behind some fig leaf, or does our heart cry out like Job? JOB 23:3-9 Oh that I knew where I might find him! that I might come even to his seat!

4 I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments......

V: 8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: As it is with all those in whom the Spirit has worked the work of regeneration; The LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

>>There has never been a single instance where a sinner sought his God first. ROM 8:7-8 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

>>Adam would have never returned unto the Lord. A lost Sheep will never returns to the fold unless sought out by the great shepherd. ISA 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

>>No man can come--except the father draw JOH 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

>>Man can commit iniquity but it takes grace to know it is iniquity--or to feel the guilt of it EPH 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

>>Sin poisons the conscience as painlessly as drugs poison the body.

>>Unless God comes with the call of grace saying "Adam where art thou," man would sleep into death as a man freezing to death.

>>We are, and will remain spiritually dead until God arouses the conscience---Saying, "Adam where art thou," as we see in EPH 5:14 Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.

>>It is not until God effectually calls, "Sinner--Where art thou"-- that we feel pain from sin

>>The prodigal son--felt no pain until he came to himself LUK 15:14-17 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

>>As with the prodigal son, it is the goodness of God that convinces of sin and leadeth thee to repentance. ROM 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

>>In GEN 1:27 we read "God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them," but now we must ask "Adam where art thou."

>>Adam has left his station wherein God placed him and has become corrupted through sin. ROM 3:10-18 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:

14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:

15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:

17 And the way of peace have they not known:

18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

>>When we hear God call "Adam where art thou," we must answer--in the room of a thief---a rebel-- a traitor.

>> To so many the Lord might say---"Sinner-- where art thou" -- I gave you a godly mother who cared for you, and prayed for you-- I gave you a God fearing father who has so earnestly prayed for your conversion.

>>Is the Lord Jesus knocking on someone's door today saying, "sinner where art thou" I have so often spared thee REV 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

>>But sinner, Where art thou? Still in the camp of the enemy--walking in rebellion against such a loving God? Adam where art thou--is a seeking voice JER 31:20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.

>>"Adam where art thou" is a pleading, beseeching voice--the Lord has no pleasure in your death. EZE 33:11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

>>You may answer- I am in such a place where I can not come to answer the threatening of the broken law. JER 3:13-14 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.

14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

>>You may answer-- But I cannot repent--I am so bound under the power of sin---Look unto Jesus!!! ACT 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

>>There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repenteth LUK 15:2-7 And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

3 And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

>>Has your soul become as a dried fig? Are you again turned away from the peaceful fold, bleating upon the mountains? JER 50:6-7 My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.

>>Our blessed God has promised you in EZE 34:23-24 And I will set up one shepherd over them, [i.e., the Lord Jesus Christ!!] and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.

>>Adam where art thou? Where are you walking? Do you walk in the footsteps of Christ? 1JO 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

>>The election of God are sanctified unto obedience 1PE 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.