The fall of man is the reason mankind is in the mess they are today. Let’s take a look at the fall of man when Adam and Eve committed the first sin and then had both physical and spiritual death.
Fall of man
Spiritual death
In Genesis 2, Adam and Eve (and the human race) were doomed for spiritual death after the serpent deceived Eve. But scholars are going to argue that there’s an error in the Bible because they didn’t die after they ate the fruit.
Genesis 2:17 “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.”
But this verse shows that it’s spiritual death, not their body.
Romans 7:6 “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”
Christ delivered that problem through salvation. He solved that spiritual death problem.
Ephesians 2:1 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”
Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)”
Physical death
Adam and Eve were doomed for physical death later on. God told Adam and Eve, ‘Because you sinned against me, you will die physically.’ They were otherwise supposed to live forever.
Genesis 3:19 “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
Christ delivered us from that physical death problem through salvation again. Because He raised Himself from the dead, one day we will also rise from the dead at the rapture and go to heaven.
1 Corinthians 15:16-18 “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”
Eternal death
Adam and Eve were also doomed for an eternal death, but Christ solved that problem by offering the free gift of eternal life (salvation).
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:”
cf Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Adam and Eve also doomed all of God’s creation, human beings, nature, and animals to death as well.
Genesis 3:17-18 “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: 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; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;”
Christ will one day solve that problem and save all the earth and animals from that problem in His ultimate redemption plan when He came the perfect lamb sacrificed for our sins.
Romans 8:20-22 “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
This fallen nature goes all the way back to Adam, which is why we’re studying the nature of man.
Human Nature Of Man
Man is born in innocence. Adam and Eve were innocent before they took the fruit and gained the knowledge of sin.
Genesis 3:5 “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.”
In verse 22, because now man knows good and evil, God imputed sin on them and God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. They indeed gained more knowledge, but they gained knowledge of sin (Genesis 3:7) and lost their innocence. When they eat fruit of the forbidden tree, they had no shame of nakedness (Genesis 2:25). They were innocent.
The main trouble with man is the mouth.
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.”
Everything the man works for is to satisfy his mouth.
Ecclesiastes 6:7 “All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.”
Whatever our heart feels and sins, it comes out of our mouth.
Matthew 12:34 “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
The source of Eve’s (the first woman) sin is the mouth.
Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.”
Man is born with immature nature
God commanded man not to eat the fruit (Genesis 2:16), but man was tempted that he put the fruit into the mouth and disobeyed God’s command.
Look at babies; the first thing parents usually tell their babies not to do is not to put something into their mouth. What do babies do? They put something in their mouth.
Man is born with an immature nature; they blame someone else for their mistakes.
Genesis 3:11-13 “And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.”
Satanic Tendency Of Man
1) Positivity
Human being tends to love positivity. Positivity is of the devil. All of Lucifer’s speeches are positive.
Isaiah 14:12-14 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”
‘Yea’: the devil loves the word yes. The first word that the devil used to tempt man was ‘yes’.
Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”
The devil does not like negative things. The word death is a negative word, so the devil says “You’re not going to die.” The devil likes to get rid of negative things.
Genesis 3:4 “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:”
The devil likes to make sin (eating fruit) so positive.
Genesis 3:5 “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.”
2) Critiquing the word of God
Notice what Satan does with the word of God; he critiques and questions the word of God.
Genesis 3:1 “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”
Here is how people critique the word of God:
i. They subtract the word of God.
Eve misquoted God’s word; she subtracted the word ‘freely.’
Genesis 3:2 “And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:”
ii. They add to the word of God
Eve added ‘neither shall ye touch it.’
Genesis 3:3 “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.”
iii. They change the word of God
When God said the consequences of eating the fruit, He said that ‘thou shalt surely die, with certainty. But Eve only said ‘lest ye die’ (Genesis 3:3), you might die, you could die, you may die. It is without certainty.
Those were the two satanic tendencies in the fall of man.
Temptation Of Man
Beauty
Notice how the devil started his temptation. He used a beautiful serpent to attract Eve’s attention (Genesis 3:1).
Satan will use something beautiful to attract our attention. That’s how sin starts. That’s how Satan will come to you, something beautiful to attract your attention.
2 Corinthians 11:14 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Job 31:1 “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?”
Psalms 101:3 “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.”
Being alone
Notice that Satan tempted Eve when she was alone (Genesis 3:1-4). The temptation to sin is powerful when we’re alone.
When Satan tried to attack Jesus, He was by Himself. When the devil left, the angels accompanied Jesus. Christians don’t get tempted by the devil when they’re around other Christians. There is strength in numbers.
Matthew 4:1-3 “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”
Close to sin
Satan started to tempt Eve when she was close to the tree (Genesis 3:1-6). Temptations are stronger when we’re close to sin.
The Bible says we should run away from our lust, not stand and be bold and fight against sin. Don’t underestimate the power of lust.
2 Timothy 2:22 “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
How Satan attacks
Satan tries to weaken the word of God. Satan questions the word of God (Genesis 3:1). Eve quoted the Bible during her temptation (Genesis 3:2-3). Satan tries to weaken the word of God (Genesis 3:4-5).
Even when Jesus quoted scripture against Satan, Satan didn’t run away. He tries to weaken the word of God. Our temptation ends when the devil stops attacking. Until then, keep quoting scriptures against the devil.
Luke 4:8-13 “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.”
Every temptation in the world comes to us in 3 forms:
1. lust of the flesh (tree was good for food)
2. lust of the eyes (pleasant to the eyes)
3. pride of life (to make one wise)
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.”
cf 1 John 2:16 “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.”
Superiority Of Man
Man is superior to a woman. Eve was deceived into eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6), Adam was not.
cf 1 Timothy 2:13-14 “For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”
The Bible says sin came to the world by Adam, not Eve. Adam took responsibility for the mess of this world, not Eve. This is because the woman is not responsible for the reproduction of the seed. The woman is the carrier of the seed, but the man is the producer of the seed. That’s why man is responsible for the mess of his seed today.
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:”
Romans 5:19 “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”
The woman is of the man.
1 Corinthians 11:8-9 “For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.”
The woman was not called Eve in the beginning; she was called Adam. The man takes all the responsibility. Notice that the woman was called Eve after God kicked them out of the Garden of Eden. During her time in the Garden of Eden, she was called Adam.
Genesis 3:20 “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.”
Genesis 5:2 “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.”
A woman has less privilege than a man because it’s a curse that the woman is under. Why shouldn’t the wife rule the husband? Mankind is in the mess we’re in today because man, Adam, listened to a woman, Eve, and ate the fruit.
Genesis 3:16-17 “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;”
Deliverer For Man
This seed will bruise the serpent’s head and the serpent will eat dust.
Genesis 3:14-15 “And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: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.”
When will this happen?
It’s not at Calvary but in the future, the millennium.
Romans 16:20 “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
In v17, it’s at the times of new heavens and the new earth(eternity). In v25, here is the time when the dust is the serpent’s meat.
Isaiah 65:17 “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”
Isaiah 65:25 “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent’s meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD.”
All Satan’s attempts to destroy Israel (Jesus’ lineage)
Satan doesn’t like that his head will be bruised and he’d be eating dust, so when you’re reading the Bible, you will notice how Satan tries to corrupt the seed. In Genesis 6, the devil has his angels mingle with Adam and Eve’s seed to corrupt this seed. We can’t have a pure Jesus Christ, a pure seed coming out from a corrupted seed with the devil and human.
Genesis 6:1-2 “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”
Genesis 6:4-7 “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”
Thousands of years later, the devil tried to use Pharoah to wipe out all the children of Israel because he knows that the next generation of Israel is the lineage of Jesus Christ.
Exodus 1:15-16 “And the king of Egypt spake to the Hebrew midwives, of which the name of the one was Shiphrah, and the name of the other Puah:And he said, When ye do the office of a midwife to the Hebrew women, and see them upon the stools; if it be a son, then ye shall kill him: but if it be a daughter, then she shall live.”
Thousands of years later, the devil tried to use Haman (Persian empire) to kill all Jewish people (Esther 3:6). The Persian empire was in control of the world at that time, so they had the power to wipe out an entire nation if they wanted to.
Esther 3:12-13 “Then were the king’s scribes called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and there was written according to all that Haman had commanded unto the king’s lieutenants, and to the governors that were over every province, and to the rulers of every people of every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people after their language; in the name of King Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king’s ring. And the letters were sent by posts into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the spoil of them for a prey.”
The deliverer, the promised seed, Jesus, was born. The devil again tried to use King Herod to kill every baby at Jesus’ age at Bethlehem.
Matthew 2:13 “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
When Jesus grew up, the devil still didn’t want to quit. He wanted to corrupt the seed, so the devil tried to make Jesus commit suicide.
Luke 4:9 “And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:”
Until the end of Jesus’ life, he tried to corrupt the seed. The devil tried to make Jesus die at Calvary, but Jesus raised Himself from the dead after that.
Hebrews 2:14 “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”
You can find the original bible study here.