The Fall of Man

By Roy Loney

[Page 3]

     Before the Lord created man he set forth in plain words what was to be man's position in the world. "Let us make man in our own image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth" (Gen. 1:26). Created to be a king, a ruler, occupying the highest position of all of God's created beings, made in the image of God he was supposed to act like a God. Although given dominion over all the earth, yet he was to be under the authority of God, submissive to him. The Lord placed this first pair in the garden of Eden, supplied them with everything necessary for their physical well being. Just one restriction was placed upon them: "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" (Gen. 2:16, 17). There was no reason for them to eat of this tree, for fruit in abundance was elsewhere to be found, and could be eaten without restraint. But the Lord was putting man to a test, and that test was obedience. Man alone of all of God's creatures can render willing obedience to his Maker. Obedient service is the highest form of glorification to God.

     Man was not only made in the likeness of God, but in the beginning he was as pure as God. Placed in that garden of delights, supplied with every need, and given a companion that was "bone of his hone and flesh of his flesh" there was no foreseeable reason why man should not have enjoyed an idyllic existence of unlimited duration: But into this happy place came a creature with wicked intentions, who brought ruin and death both to man's earthly happiness and to his body. The serpent, in whose form dwelt the devil, approached the woman with smooth words and fair speeches. The woman was deceived and persuaded to eat of

[Page 4]

the forbidden fruit. Denying the truth of God's statement that death would follow the eating of the forbidden fruit, by saying "Ye shall not surely die." Thus the woman was made eager to eat of that which was both good for food and pleasant to the eyes, and the means of making one wise, she foolishly ate of the fruit and gave of it to her husband. Paul states that "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression" (1 Tim. 2:14). It is affirmed that "Every transgression and every disobedience received its just recompense of reward" (Heb. 2:1, 2). In this case the punishment was swift and complete. The man, the woman, and the serpent received the "just recompense of reward." Satan's lie "Thou shall not surely die" was exposed by the divine sentence "Dust thou art and unto dust thou shall return." "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned" (Rom. 5:12).

     "The wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23) and we know that there are different kinds of deaths. If a person lives for sinful pleasures, he is dead while he lives (1 Tim. 5:6). The Ephesians had been "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). Spiritually and morally man was dead as soon as he sinned in Eden, and for that reason he was cast out of the garden and separated from the tree of life. Now, "it is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment" (Heb. 9:27). It would be useless to speculate as to what the condition of mankind might be now if the first pair had not sinned. We do know that sin has brought death and all its terrors into the world. The thousands of cemeteries, the constant funeral processions and the sorrow of the bereaved ones is the result of that first sin. Certainly man did not fall upward to a better position when his eyes were opened to know good from evil. Such knowledge is not necessary to man's happiness. The perfect innocence of a babe is far more pleasing to God than the educated man's selfishness and pride. Sin, instead of leading man into greater blessings has thrown his crown of rulership into the dust. The earth supplies him with food only after arduous toil. The beasts serve him only after they are laborously tamed, and so degraded has man become that he worships and serves the creature more than the Creator who is blessed forevermore. Made to be a king, man has become a slave to his own lusts, and no power within him can set him free. He must now look to God for redemption and eternal life.

     "The Churches of Christ Salute You" (Rom. 16:16). (Editor's Note: The above is in tract form. Write Roy Loney, 927 Louisiana, Lawrence, Kansas, for samples and prices).