The Fall of Man

Man Created in the Image and Likeness of God

Man did not begin as a sinner. God created Adam innocent, upright, and without corruption. Genesis 1:26 states:

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Genesis 1:27 continues:

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

To be created in the image and likeness of God does not mean that man was physically identical to God, for “God is a Spirit” (John 4:24). Rather, man was created as a personal, moral, rational, and spiritual being. He possessed intelligence, emotion, will, moral responsibility, and the capacity to know, worship, obey, and fellowship with his Creator.

God also created man as a being composed of body, soul, and spirit:

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
—1 Thessalonians 5:23

Adam was created in innocence. Ecclesiastes 7:29 declares:

“Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.”

The presence of sin in the world cannot therefore be blamed upon God. God made man upright. Sin entered when man voluntarily turned away from the commandment of God.

God Gave Man a Clear Commandment

God placed Adam in the garden of Eden and generously provided for his needs:

“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.”
—Genesis 2:16–17

God’s commandment was neither unreasonable nor unclear. Adam was surrounded by abundance. Only one tree was forbidden. The command established that man was a creature under the authority of his Creator.

The issue in Eden was therefore not hunger, hardship, or necessity. It was whether man would believe and obey the Word of God or reject it in favor of his own judgment.

God warned Adam plainly that disobedience would bring death. Death in Scripture includes separation. Physical death separates the soul and spirit from the body. Spiritual death separates the sinner from fellowship with God. Adam did not physically die the moment he sinned, but death immediately began its work in him. His unhindered fellowship with God was broken, and physical death became certain.

The Temptation of the Serpent

Genesis 3 records that the serpent approached Eve and began by attacking the certainty and authority of God’s Word:

“Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”
—Genesis 3:1

Satan’s method was to create doubt concerning what God had said. He then openly contradicted God:

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.”
—Genesis 3:4

God had said, “thou shalt surely die.” Satan said, “Ye shall not surely die.” The temptation in Eden centered upon whose word would be believed.

Satan also suggested that God was withholding something desirable:

“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.”
—Genesis 3:5

The temptation appealed to the same three avenues through which sin continues to operate:

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
—1 John 2:16

Genesis 3:6 shows these elements clearly:

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food…”

This was the lust of the flesh.

“…and that it was pleasant to the eyes…”

This was the lust of the eyes.

“…and a tree to be desired to make one wise…”

This was the pride of life.

Eve accepted the serpent’s word above God’s Word.

Adam’s Deliberate Rebellion

Eve was deceived, but Adam knowingly disobeyed God. First Timothy 2:14 states:

“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”

Adam could not claim that he misunderstood the commandment. God had personally spoken it to him. He deliberately chose to eat the forbidden fruit:

“She took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”
—Genesis 3:6

Adam’s sin was an act of willful rebellion against the revealed authority of God. He chose the word of the serpent, the influence of the woman, and the desire of his own heart above the direct commandment of his Creator.

This was more than eating forbidden fruit. It was unbelief, pride, disobedience, ingratitude, and rebellion. Adam attempted to determine good and evil independently of God. In effect, the creature sought to take the place of the Creator.

The fall of man was not caused by a defect in God’s creation. It occurred because man used his God-given will to rebel against God.

The Immediate Results of the Fall

Spiritual Death

God had warned, “in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Immediately after sinning, Adam and Eve became spiritually alienated from God.

Their first reaction was shame:

“And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked.”
—Genesis 3:7

Before the fall, Genesis 2:25 says:

“And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.”

After the fall, innocence was gone. Their consciences accused them, and they attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves.

Human Efforts to Cover Sin

Genesis 3:7 says:

“And they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

Their fig-leaf coverings picture man’s inadequate attempts to conceal guilt. Human morality, religion, good works, ordinances, ceremonies, and self-reformation cannot remove sin.

Sin cannot be covered by the works of man. It requires a covering provided by God.

Later, Genesis 3:21 states:

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.”

An innocent animal had to die for them to be clothed. This points forward to the necessity of substitutionary sacrifice and ultimately to the Lord Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).

Fear of God

After sinning, Adam and Eve hid themselves:

“And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.”
—Genesis 3:8

Sin changed their attitude toward God. Before the fall, they enjoyed His presence. After the fall, they feared and avoided Him.

The sinner’s natural response is still to hide from God rather than confess his sin. Men hide behind excuses, religion, philosophy, morality, pleasure, or unbelief, but no one can escape the presence or judgment of God.

Blame and Excuses

When God confronted Adam, Adam answered:

“The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.”
—Genesis 3:12

Adam blamed the woman and indirectly blamed God, saying, “The woman whom thou gavest.”

Eve then said:

“The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”
—Genesis 3:13

Both admitted the act, but each attempted to shift responsibility. Sin produces pride, dishonesty, self-justification, and blame. Fallen man naturally excuses himself rather than humbling himself before God.

Nevertheless, every individual is personally accountable:

“So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
—Romans 14:12

The Entrance of Sin and Death into the Human Race

Adam stood as the representative head of the human race. When Adam sinned, sin and death entered the world:

“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:”
—Romans 5:12

Adam did not merely bring harmful social conditions into the world. His fall brought sin, condemnation, corruption, and death upon mankind.

Romans 5:19 states:

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

Humanity inherited from Adam a fallen and sinful nature. Adam could no longer produce innocent descendants after his fall. Genesis 5:3 says:

“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image.”

Adam had originally been made in the image of God, but after the fall he begat children in his own fallen likeness. Every descendant of Adam enters the world possessing a nature inclined toward sin.

Everyone Is Born a Sinner

David testified:

“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”
—Psalm 51:5

David was not accusing his mother of committing an immoral act. He was acknowledging that from conception he possessed a sinful nature inherited through the human race.

Psalm 58:3 similarly declares:

“The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

A child does not need to be taught selfishness, dishonesty, anger, or disobedience. These things arise from within because the sinful nature is already present.

The Lord Jesus explained:

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,”
“Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:”
“All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
—Mark 7:21–23

Man is not basically good and later corrupted only by his environment. Although surroundings can encourage particular sins, sin originates in the fallen human heart.

Jeremiah 17:9 states:

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

Everyone Is Also a Sinner by Choice

Although everyone is born with a sinful nature, no one may excuse his personal sins by blaming Adam. Each individual willingly chooses to sin.

Isaiah 53:6 says:

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.”

Notice the personal language: “we have turned every one to his own way.” Sin is both inherited corruption and personal rebellion.

Romans 3:10 declares:

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”

Romans 3:23 adds:

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

“All have sinned” means that sin is universal. No nation, race, social class, educational level, or religious background is exempt.

Man does not become a sinner merely because he commits his first sinful act. He sins because he possesses a sinful nature. Yet his sinful nature does not remove his responsibility. He acts willingly and is therefore personally guilty before God.

James 1:14–15 explains:

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”
“Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

The phrase “his own lust” emphasizes personal responsibility. Satan tempts, the world entices, and the flesh desires, but the individual chooses to yield.

Sin Is Falling Short of God’s Glory

Romans 3:23 does not say that men merely fall short of one another’s standards. It says they “come short of the glory of God.”

God’s holiness is the standard:

“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;”
“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
—1 Peter 1:15–16

A man may compare himself with criminals, drunkards, or openly immoral people and conclude that he is good. However, the proper comparison is not with other sinners. It is with the perfect holiness of God.

By that standard, every person is guilty.

Sin includes doing what God forbids:

“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
—1 John 3:4

Sin also includes failing to do what is right:

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
—James 4:17

Sin may be committed in thought, word, motive, attitude, or action. Therefore, even a respectable and religious person remains guilty before God.

All Men Deserve Condemnation

Because God is holy and just, He cannot ignore sin. The guilt of sin requires judgment.

Romans 6:23 states:

“For the wages of sin is death.”

Wages are what a person has earned. Death is not an arbitrary punishment imposed by an unjust God. It is the rightful wage of rebellion against the Author and Giver of life.

The Bible describes several aspects of death resulting from sin.

Spiritual Death

A lost sinner is physically alive but spiritually dead:

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.”
—Ephesians 2:1

Spiritual death means separation from the life and fellowship of God.

Physical Death

Physical death entered the human race because of sin:

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
—1 Corinthians 15:22

Every funeral, grave, disease, and aging body bears witness to the consequences of the fall.

Eternal Death

Those who die without Christ face eternal separation from God in the lake of fire:

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”
—Revelation 20:14

Revelation 21:8 states:

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Condemnation is universal because sin is universal:

“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already.”
—John 3:18

Every unsaved person is already under condemnation. Salvation is not a matter of good people earning heaven and bad people going to hell. All are sinners, all are guilty, and all need the mercy and grace of God.

The Fall Affected All Creation

The consequences of Adam’s sin extended beyond the human soul.

God told Adam:

“Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”
“Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee.”
—Genesis 3:17–18

Work existed before the fall, but toil, frustration, weariness, and hardship entered because of sin.

Romans 8:22 says:

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

Pain, decay, disease, conflict, natural disorder, and death are not characteristics of the original creation as God made it. They are consequences of a world under the curse of sin.

The fall also affected marriage and family relationships, producing selfishness, conflict, domination, sorrow, and pain. It affected society, as seen immediately in Cain’s murder of Abel. It affected worship, government, labor, and every human institution.

No part of earthly life has escaped the damaging influence of sin.

Man Cannot Restore Himself

A fallen sinner cannot remove his own guilt or restore himself to innocence.

Romans 3:20 says:

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

The law reveals sin but cannot cleanse the sinner. A mirror can show that a face is dirty, but it cannot wash the face. In the same manner, God’s law exposes guilt but cannot provide justification through human obedience.

Titus 3:5 declares:

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.”

Religion, baptism, church membership, charity, morality, reformation, and good intentions cannot reverse the fall or pay the penalty of sin.

Man’s condition requires divine rescue.

God Promised a Redeemer

Even while pronouncing judgment in Eden, God gave the first promise of redemption. Speaking to the serpent, God said:

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
—Genesis 3:15

This prophecy looked forward to the virgin-born Son of God. Christ would suffer, but He would ultimately defeat Satan.

Where Adam failed, Christ obeyed. Where Adam brought sin and death, Christ provided righteousness and life.

Romans 5:18–19 states:

“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

Jesus Christ bore the judgment that sinners deserve:

“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree.”
—1 Peter 2:24

He died, was buried, and rose bodily from the dead. Salvation is offered freely to every sinner who believes on Him.

Romans 6:23 gives both the penalty and the remedy:

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Death is the wage man has earned. Eternal life is the gift God freely gives through Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Man was created upright, in the image and likeness of God, with the privilege of knowing and obeying his Creator. Nevertheless, Adam knowingly rebelled against God’s commandment in Eden.

Through Adam’s fall, sin and death entered the human race. Every person is born possessing a sinful nature, and every accountable person confirms that nature by personally choosing to sin. There is none righteous. All have sinned. All have come short of the glory of God. All therefore deserve condemnation and death.

The fall explains the universal presence of guilt, corruption, suffering, conflict, sorrow, and death. Man cannot repair his condition through religion, morality, ceremonies, or good works.

The only remedy is the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The first Adam brought sin, condemnation, and death. The Lord Jesus Christ, the last Adam, provides righteousness, justification, and eternal life to all who believe.

“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
—1 Corinthians 15:22