In the book of Genesis chapters 1-3 we read about the creation and the fall of man. A simple illustration of the fall of man is understood in the account of Adam and Eve. Genesis 2:16-17; "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." (NASB) Genesis 3:6; "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate." (NASB)
God had given His word to Adam and Eve; they were not to eat of the fruit. They disobeyed His word and as a result they fell. This is the first sin we read about in the Bible. When man sins, he falls. As you read in the Bible, mankind sinned against God many times. Even today mankind sins against God. Romans 3:23 says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," (NASB) Punishment is a just recompense of those that sin. God told Adam and Eve, "for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die," (NASB) This is just what happened. In Genesis the third chapter we read that Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden of Eden and no longer had access to the tree of life. Which, if they ate from it, they would live forever, (Gen. 3:22&24). Death is a result of sin; not only physical death but also spiritual death. Death is a separation. Sin causes one to be separated from God, (Isaiah 59:1&2). Romans 2:5-6, "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds:" (NASB)
God is a just God and one who lives in sin will be punished by God. There are many more passages that speak about this punishment. Because of the intended size of this lesson, we will speak of just one more, "And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, . . ." 2 Thess. 1:9 NASB
We can see by these passages the awful state of mankind and the need for something and/or someone to rescue us from the punishment of sin. Romans 5:8-9 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." (NASB) We cannot now go into all the details about this passage; but we do know this:
- God loves us.
- Christ died for us.
- Through Christ's blood man can be justified.
- Through Christ, man can be saved from the wrath of God.