The Fall of Man: The Nature of Sin and its Consequences
Introduction
Today, we will explore the profound journey of humanity—from Adam’s fall from grace to our redemption through Christ. Understanding the origins and effects of sin is crucial to living a victorious Christian life.
As we examine sin’s nature and impact, we’ll discover how God’s redemptive plan restores what was broken and empowers us to walk in freedom.
The downfall of man began with a command which God had given them. Genesis 2:16-17, Hebrews 1:1-3
The Tripartite Nature of Man During the Fall and the Effect of Redemptions
Scripture reveals that man is a tripartite being. The word tripartite is from two words - tri-part (i.e. man in three parts).
- Spirit: The part of us designed to connect with God.
- Soul: The seat of our intellect, will, and emotions.
- Body: Our physical form, subject to decay and death, awaiting ultimate redemption at Christ’s return (Romans 8:23).
The Serpent tempts Eve
Genesis 3:1-7
From Genesis 3:6, we can deduce how sin made its appeal to eve. Sin usually manifests itself in three different dimensions or we can say it has three attributes. - 1 John 2:15-17.
Notice that the 3 attributes of sin were described when Eve fell, those attributes are still at work today.
If you notice from Genesis 3:6, it describes perfectly the 3 major attributes of sin,
- Lust of the flesh - She saw it was good for food (her body wanted to see what it tasted like)
- Lust of the eyes - It was pleasant to the eyes
- Pride of Life - It could make one wise.
We find similarities in the temptation of our Lord Jesus. Matthew 4:6
The Impact of Sin
Genesis 3:7-11
The Devastating Effects of Sin
Sin’s reach extends far beyond the individual, creating ripple effects that touch countless lives. This truth emerges clearly from the story of Adam’s fall.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, they couldn’t have imagined how their actions would affect all of creation. Romans 5:12 What appeared to be a private act of disobedience unleashed consequences that echo through history. It is still true today.
Creation’s Distortion
When Adam fell, everything good within him became twisted. Where faith once reigned, fear took hold. But the damage extended beyond man hearts—it affected all of creation.
God originally created animals as peaceful herbivores. Genesis 1:30. Yet after sin entered the world, the natural order of the world was corrupted. Everything went out of order. And disorder reigned in the earth.
The Psalmist describes this disorder in Psalm 82:5.
Romans 8:19-22 further illuminates this truth.
Increasing Darkness in the Last Days
Jesus warned in Luke 21:11 that in the end times, disasters would increase in frequency. And alongside these disasters, sin will rapidly increase. People will walk in greater darkness and wickedness.
This is why it hurts God when we live in sin. Beyond grieving His heart, we bring pain to ourselves and those connected to us. Consider a husband who mistreats his wife or constantly picks fights—if this behavior isn’t addressed, it can distort their children’s understanding of marriage and relationships. Sin spreads like a contagion.
What is Sin?
To live victoriously, it is crucial that we know and understand what sin actually is. Jesus came to help us overcome sin.
While no definition of sin is comprehensive because the bible tells us sin is a mystery 2 Thessalonians 2:7. Two key aspects help us grasp its essence:
1. Sin is Disorder
At its core, sin represents disorder—a deviation from God’s perfect design. God created the universe with exquisite order, from the celestial bodies to the microscopic cell. Sin disrupts this divine harmony, introducing chaos where God intended order.
When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, basically all they were saying was, they wanted to chat their own course, they wanted to order their own lives by themselves. Isn’t that what we do today? Trying to order our lives by ourselves?
When we sin, we essentially say, “My way is better than God’s way.” We attempt to order our lives our way, which inevitably leads to disorder and chaos.
Just as a complex machine falters when operated against its design specifications, human life malfunctions when we live contrary to God’s blueprint of order.
So when we sin, we bring disorder to different areas of our lives. We must strive to reject it and live through the help of the Holy Spirit in its entirety.
2. Sin is Corrupted Knowledge/Wisdom
Sin is corrupted Knowledge/Wisdom
Genesis 2:16-17. It is interesting that the tree Adam and Eve were not to eat of was called the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil. We can say All sin is corrupted Knowledge.
Think about it, Eve always passed by that tree with the knowledge they weren’t supposed to eat of, but when the serpent spoke, she gained a new, deceptive perspective (Genesis 3:6-7).
Genesis 2:25
Hebrews 11:13-15, James 3:13-17).
Living righteously is a matter of wisdom.Isaiah 1:15-18
Sin begins as knowledge and then becomes desire-when we are tempted James 1:14, he implants thoughts. But we are called to demolish arguments that oppose God’s truth (2 Corinthians 10:5). Victory over sin starts in the mind.
Overcoming Sin
To overcome sin which is corrupted knowledge, you need a higher knowledge stored in abundance within you to overcome it through the help of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 119:11 The Word transforms our minds, aligning our thoughts with God’s wisdom Colossians 3:16
How diligent are we to hide Gods word in our hearts?
God’s Word transforms our minds, replacing corrupted wisdom with divine wisdom. 2 Timothy 3:14-15.
The summary of overcoming sin is: If you can’t think about it, you can’t do it. Hebrews 11:13-15.
Every Thought seeks to convey knowledge. Words convey knowledge as they represent mental representations of information acquired through experience and learning.
Chased Out of The Garden
Genesis 3:22-24
It looked like all hope was lost for man. Sent out of the Garden, separated from God. Man had lost everything.
God always had a plan*. Jeremiah 29:11.*
God is teaching us, that no matter what is happening in our lives. It might look like all hope is lost. But God is never done. Jeremiah 29:11.
Conclusion
So this topic leaves us with two thoughts,
- Sin is deadly and has devastating consequences when people continually give themselves to it. It is far reaching. It doesn’t just affect us. It affects a lot more around us(including people) so we must ask for God’s help to continually grow in our hatred for it (which is the fear of the Lord).
2. No matter how far gone you think you are, it is never “Checkmate.” God always has one more move for you. Even if it looks like there is no hope for you. The Devil and demons might even be rejoicing over you.Through Christ, you can be restored, redeemed, and victorious over sin.
Life Group Questions
- The sermon outlines three distinct temptations faced by both Adam and Jesus: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. How can we recognize and combat these specific temptations in our own lives today? Do you think sin still can be categorized to reflect these same categories today? Give examples.
- The sermon discusses how the consequences of sin can extend beyond the individual to impact families, communities, and even creation itself. Can you share examples(either personal or not) where one person’s sin has affected a broader circle? How can we become more aware of and take responsibility for these ripple effects?
- The sermon presents sin as a “corrupted knowledge” that distorts our understanding and leads us away from God’s design. How can we cultivate discernment in our lives to differentiate between “earthly wisdom” and “heavenly wisdom”? What practices or habits can help us in this pursuit?
- How can we effectively incorporate Scripture into our daily lives to replace corrupted wisdom with divine wisdom? What specific strategies can we adopt to deepen our engagement with the Bible?
- The closing story illustrates that no situation is truly “checkmate” with God involved. How can we maintain hope in our lives, especially during difficult times when we feel defeated or overwhelmed by situations in our lives? What role does community play in supporting one another to recognize that “the King has one more move”?