Genesis chapter 3 tells the story of Adam and Eve being tempted by Satan and ultimately disobeying God’s command to not eat from that tree. This event is known as “The Fall of Man” since at that moment man fell from a state of constant fellowship with God.
How does “The Fall” affect us?
The penalty of Adam’s disobedience = spiritual death for all men
- Romans 5:12: “When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” (NLT)
- Romans 5:18: “Yes, Adam’s one sin brought condemnation upon everyone…” (NLT)
Why are we punished for Adam’s sin?
The relationship between us and Adam
- Realism – all persons really sinned with Adam; all men are “co-sinners”; human nature existed in its entirety in Adam, when he sinned, so did that nature
- Federalism – Adam represents us as our covenantal head; his guilt is imputed to us on the basis of his representation of humanity; immediate imputation = Adam’s guilt is imputed directly to us, independently of our own sin
Inherited guilt not fair?
- “We fell through no personal fault of our own; we rise through no personal merit of our own.”
- To challenge the system of Adam being covenantal head of humanity, is to challenge the One who created it
“As the patriarch of the human family, Adam made choices that continue to affect his descendants. We all have made additional choices ourselves, for which we are held responsible, but we continue as members of Adam’s family. We live in the penalty of his disobedience.”
The reality of our condition:
1. We begin life with a sinful nature:
- Genesis 8:21 – [after the flood] “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.”
- Ephesians 2:3 – “Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”
- Psalm 51:5 – “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.”
2. We are slaves to sin (the word “slave” has a very negative connotation, and for good reason; however, as creatures, we unavoidably have a master):
- Romans 5:16 – “Don’t you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master?”
- Romans 5:17-18 – “Once you were slaves to sin…”
- Romans 5:20 – “…when you were slaves of sin, you weren’t concerned with doing what was right.”
3. We are enemies of God
- Colossians 1:21a
- Romans 5:10
Ephesians 2:1-3 – “Once you were dead, doomed forever because of your many sins. You used to live just like the rest of the world, full of sin, obeying Satan, the mighty prince of the power of the air. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passions and desires of our evil nature. We were born with an evil nature, and we were under God’s anger just like everyone else.” (NLT)
In just these 3 verses, we learn:
- We all are born [spiritually] dead and we naturally want to please ourselves
- Satan is the prince of this world and he is the master of those who refuse to obey God
- Spiritual death is separation from God
“Already bearing the consequences of Adam’s sin, [people] quickly compound the problem with their own rebellious choices. As a result, everyone has a need for salvation.”
What’s the cure?
We are in need of a Savior to release us from the bondage of sin. We need to be rescued from the captivity of sin. We need salvation and forgiveness for rebelling against our Creator.
Salvation = deliverance; freedom from sin
According to scripture, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). In the OT, animal sacrifices were offered to God in order to gain forgiveness of sins. However, these were not perfect sacrifices and the ceremony had to take place over and over.
Because every creature is infected by sin, only one person qualifies to be the Savior from sin, and that is Jesus Christ. Jesus was God in the flesh; the God-man. Paul confirms this in Philippians 2:6, when he describes Christ as being, in very nature, God. [You can also see John 1 and Colossians 2:9]
As a perfect, sinless being, Christ provided the ultimate sacrifice by dying on the cross. No other sacrifice is needed when God himself takes on that role.
What does Christ’s death mean for us?
1. He died in our place / He endured the consequence of sin (which is death) so that we may live
- Galatians 3:13 – “Christ redeemed us…by becoming a curse for us…”
- 2 Corinthians 5:21 – “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us…”
- Isaiah 53:4-9 (NLT) * *
- 1 John 2:2 – “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins…”
2. We receive forgiveness of sins
- 1 John 1:7 – “…the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin
2. Through his death, we are reconciled to God (we are no longer enemies)
- Romans 5:10
- Colossians 1:22 – “…now he has brought you back as his friends. He has done this through his death on the cross in his own human body. As a result, he has brought you back into the very presence of God and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.” (NLT)
The choices of both representatives, Adam and Christ, are immediately imputed to those under their headship (Romans 5:12-21)
John 3:16 tells us that God loves us so much that he was willing to die in our place so that we may live.
Isaiah 30 tells the story of God’s rebellious children. They carried out their own plans instead of the Lord’s, they wanted to hear things that made them feel good instead of the truth, and they loved their sin.
Yet, God’s love is so vivid; it brings me to tears (v. 18-22)
Isaiah 1 – God pours out his agony of the sin of his people (v. 1-17); then gently offers his forgiveness and love (v. 18-19)
The resurrection
Christ’s resurrection illustrates his defeat over the power of sin. The wages of sin of death…and Christ lives.
I will sing of my Redeemer
And His wondrous love to me;
On the cruel cross he suffered
From the curse to set me free.
Sing, oh, sing of my Redeemer,
With His blood He purchased me;
On the cross He sealed my pardon,
Paid the debt and made me free.
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ
Dear God,
I believe that I am a sinner and I want to turn away from my sin. Forgive me for my disobedience. I believe that Jesus Christ is your son, that he died on the cross in my place, and that he rose from the grave. Please come into my heart and take control of my life from this day forward. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
