Once sin had separated them from God, the first people had no power to get back, though many, in every century, have longed to return to the Garden. To understand this, it is important to recognise that the main problem with sin is not simply that it is an event, but that it is a condition. Sin is not just something we do – it is also something that we are. So, we are faced with a double challenge: the challenge not merely of changing our actions, but of changing our nature. The problem of sin is thus more of a problem than perhaps we might realise. Can a leopard change its spots? Can an elephant walk a tightrope? Can a monkey write fiction? You get the picture! We are utterly helpless when it comes to dealing with our own sin without God. Period. When sin struck humanity with its first and fatal blow, they were powerless to get back, however hard they might try. There was only one way that they could ever be restored to God, and that would be by removing the barrier of sin that stood in the way. And as we have seen, this was impossible, for we have no power to change our own sinful nature, no power to defeat it, and no power to take the sin out of ourselves. At the Cross, Jesus Christ achieved the greatest victory of all – He defeated sin. If you don’t yet know the joy of sin forgiven, receive Jesus today.