The Fall of Man
The Fall of Man
INTRODUCTION The story of the fall of man is taught by other religions than Christianity. Their stories may be distorted but they do recognize the awful fact.
Evolution creates problems rather than solves them; if Genesis is false, how do you account for the moral depravity and sinfulness of man ?
Other religions do not hold such a high and lofty view of God as we do, thus the width between the sinner and God is much greater with us. To some it is incompatible that a pure, holy, sinless God should have allowed sin and Satan to enter the Garden of Eden. The answer to that question is locked in with the mysteries of God Genesis 3 gives a full account of this awful tragedy in the history of man. This story does not tell of the advent of sin into the universe, for Satan had already sinned and been cast out of heaven. Ezekiel 28:12-15; Isaiah 14:9-14. This story tells how sin entered into the human race and made us sinners.
Some look upon this story as an allegory; it is too simple for that.
Some look upon it as a myth; we accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God and we accept this portion too as an integral part of that revealed Word of God.
We look upon this as truth and we accept it literally; the curses are certainly literal for they are in evidence about us daily (weeds and perspiration).
THE AGENT IN THE FALL
Genesis 3:1 Satan operating through the serpent. It is a remarkable fact that serpents have been and still are objects of fear by man; man is afraid of snakes. A lover of snakes is looked at quizzically. The pronoun "he" is used in Genesis 3:1, of Satan. The snake would have been "it". This is a case of demon possession.
THE SUBTLETY OF SATAN
Satan did not appear in his own person; he appeared as a beautiful serpent.
Some say that the serpent was the only creature that had the power of speech except man. (Josephus) If this is correct, Eve would think it was the serpent speaking.
Satan made the attack when Adam and Eve were apart. (There is strength in unity.) Satan attacked the weaker vessel and he did it when she was near the tree.
Satan presented the temptation through legal appetites, inclinations and desires for food and knowledge.
Satan began his attack by casting doubt upon the Word of God, "Yea, hath God said?"
Satan said that the tree would cause her to know good and evil, but failed to tell her that she would lose the power to do good.
THE TEST THAT GOD SET BEFORE ADAM AND EVE
Genesis 2:16-17, "And the Lord God commanded the man saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
STEPS LEADING TO THE FALL
Eve was too close to the tree; she should have fled from the place of temptation.
Perhaps she was standing admiring its beauty; admiring the forbidden thing soon leads to a covetous desire to possess or enjoy that thing.
She parleyed with the devil; never converse or argue with him, except as you quote Scripture to him.
She tampered with the Word of God; she added the phrase, "neither shall ye touch it." God had not said that in his command.
She subtracted the word "freely", from the original command.
She toned down the Word of God; God said, "Thou shalt surely die" and Eve said, “lest ye die. "
Genesis 3:6, She looked at the tree and saw that it was good for food, pleasant to the eyes and one that could make her wise if she partook of it.
THE ACTUAL SIN
Genesis 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 immediate results:
They became sinners. Their spiritual life died, Ephesians 2:1.
Their eyes were opened and they knew that they were naked.
They sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness.
They went and hid themselves from the presence of God; sin divides man from God.
GOD PRONOUNCES CURSES Genesis 3:14-19
On the serpent: Cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field. It was to crawl on its belly and eat dust all of its life.
On the woman: Pain and sorrow in childbirth. Her husband was to rule over her
On the man: The ground to be cursed and to bring forth thorns and thistles.
His life to be one of sorrow; to make a living with perspiration. To die and return to the dust from whence he came.
RESULTS OF THE FALL
All men irrespective of condition or class are now sinners before God.
Romans 3:9, ". . . for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin."
Romans 3:10, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."
Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"
Romans 5:12, "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned" There may be differences in degree but not in the fact of sin.
The whole world rests under condemnation, wrath, curse.
Romans 3:19, ". . . that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God."
Galatians 3:10, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."
Ephesians 2:3, ". . . and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."
Unregenerate men are regarded as children of the devil, not sons of God.
John 8:44, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. By the new birth we become sons of God, John 1:12.
The whole human race is taken captive by Satan.
1 Corinthians 4:4, "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel. . ."
The entire nature of man, mentally, morally, spiritually and physically has affected by sin.
The understanding is darkened, Ephesians 4:18, 1 Corinthians 2:14.
The heart is deceitful and wicked, Jeremiah 17:9-10.
The mind and conscience are defiled, Genesis 6:5, Titus 1:15.
The flesh and spirit are defiled, 2 Corinthians 7:5.
The will is enfeebled, Romans 7:18.
We are utterly destitute of any Godlike qualities, Romans 7:18.
CONCLUSION Man is born a lost sinner, an enemy of God. With the fall of man God promised a Redeemer and the plan of salvation. This prophecy (Genesis 3:15) God fulfilled about 4,000 years later at Calvary.
God took the fig leaves and gave Adam and Eve coats of skins. This is a picture of the blood redemption that is required to ransom a sinner.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
Why did God allow sin and Satan to enter the Garden of Eden?
Who was the agent in the fall of man?
Give 6 points to show satan’s subtleness.
What was the test that God placed before mankind?
Give 4 mistakes that Eve made before sinning.
Give 4 immediate results of their partaking of the fruit.
What curses did God pronounce as a result of the fall of man?
List 4 results of the fall that are evident toc:la3r with a Scripture for each.
Give 6 ways that each man is affected by sin. .
Quote the first promise of a Saviour.