What is the fall of man? What happened at the fall of man?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The fall of man refers to the event when Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, bringing sin into the world (Genesis 3). This act led to the curse of sin affecting all humanity, resulting in pain, suffering, and death (Romans 5:12). Even though mankind's fellowship with God was broken, God promised redemption through Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:15). Christ's death provides a way for humanity to be reconciled with God and escape the eternal consequences of sin (Romans 5:10-11). Ultimately, Jesus will restore all things when He returns, and the effects of the fall will be erased forever (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Two important events took place prior to the fall of man. One of them was the creation of the universe. God created the world and all within it, and He called it good (Genesis 1:1-31). The other event was when Satan rebelled against God in heaven and was cast out.
• The story of creation and the fall can be found in Genesis 1—3.
• Mankind was created in God's image and was designed to live in fellowship with Him. God fashioned Adam, the first man, from the earth: "then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature" (Genesis 2:7).
• God placed Adam "in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it" (Genesis 2:15) and told Adam he could eat from any tree in the garden except for one—the tree of the knowledge of good and evil at the center of the garden. The consequence for doing so would be to surely die (Genesis 2:16-17).
• After the creation of Adam, God said that it was not good for man to be alone, so He created the first woman, Eve, from Adam's rib (Genesis 2:18-25). God blessed them, told them to "be fruitful and multiply" and gave them dominion over the earth (Genesis 1:28).
• Genesis 3 introduces a new character, the serpent. The serpent was described as: "more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made" (Genesis 3:1), and he was Satan in disguise. Satan had already been thrown down from heaven because of his rebellion towards God (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17; see also Luke 10:18).
• The serpent spoke with Eve and hinted that God was withholding truth from Adam and Eve by not letting them eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; he told her that if they ate the fruit from the tree that they would become like God (Genesis 3:1-5). Eve ate the fruit from the tree and then gave some to Adam and he ate it (Genesis 3:6). At this moment, known as the fall of mankind, sin entered the world (see Romans 5:12). Sin is anything we say, think, do, or feel that is against God’s being.
• Adam and Eve’s introduction of sin into the world caused the Earth and all its inhabitants to be under sin's curse (Genesis 3:14-19).
• Even in the depths of Adam's despair over having forever compromised his unhindered fellowship with God, man's original purpose, God promised that He would bring redemption through the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15).
• Adam and Eve's eating of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil caused them to realize their nakedness and experience shame for the first time. In the garden of Eden, God killed an animal and used the skins to create a covering for Adam and Eve's nakedness (Genesis 3:21).

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Sin brought God's judgment on mankind, which has the punishment of eternal death: "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). However, God made a way by which humans could find a pardon for sin.
• God covering Adam and Eve’s nakedness with animal skins in Genesis 3:21 was a picture of the ultimate redemption to come when Jesus, the Perfect Lamb, was slain as the sacrifice for mankind's sins (John 1:29; Revelation 13:8).
• We can experience the forgiveness of our sins by crying out to God and putting our faith in Jesus Christ as the one true source of our redemption. Through Jesus, we can be reconciled with God (Romans 5:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:18).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Ever since Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, humanity has encountered pain, suffering, and toil in every aspect of their lives—from the struggle of providing for a family and finding a home to experiencing pain in childbirth. It is all a result of the curse God brought on the earth after they sinned. This event is referred to as the fall of man because the curse that Adam's sin brought on the world did not just apply to him but to every human being who has ever and will ever live. While we still suffer under the curse as a consequence of the fall, we have the hope of eternal salvation.

As we live on the earth where the consequences of the curse surround us, we "groan inwardly" as we await the final redemption when Christ returns to earth (Romans 8:22-23). Christ is going to replace all things that have been tainted by sin (Acts 3:21); He is going to create a new heaven and a new earth: "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind" (Isaiah 65:17; see also 2 Peter 3:12–13; Revelation 21:1). On this day, the effects of the curse will be fully obliterated and sin will no longer have a place. Humanity will be fully redeemed and restored in every way. Until that day comes, we persevere with hope, knowing that Christ has already secured the victory. Though we still live in a world marked by the fall, we look forward to the day when God will wipe away every tear, death shall be no more, and pain will be a thing of the past (Revelation 21:4). In Christ, the curse has an expiration date—and the future is one of complete restoration, joy, and unbroken fellowship with our Creator.

UNDERSTAND

• The fall of man began when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.
• Adam and Eve's disobedience brought sin into the world, affecting all of humanity.
• Sin's curse led to suffering, pain, and death, but God promised forgiveness, redemption, and restoration through Jesus.

REFLECT

• How has sin affected your life personally, and how do you see its consequences in the world around you?
• How does the promise of redemption through Jesus give you hope amidst the struggles caused by sin’s curse?
• How does knowing that Christ has secured the victory over sin and the curse influence how you live today?

ENGAGE

• How can understanding the fall of man deepen our appreciation for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in reconciling us to God?
• How does the fall of man highlight the need for redemption, and what role does the promise of restoration play in our current hope as believers?
• How can we encourage each other to persevere in faith, knowing that the effects of sin and the fall will one day be completely eradicated and redeemed?