The Fall: Perceptual, Relational, Moral Corruption

• Sin corrupted human perception, relationships, and moral nature
• God responded with love and a plan for salvation despite the fall
• The Fall reveals the relationship between deception, desires, and deeds, where false beliefs affect emotions, leading to sinful actions.

Perceptual Fall

• Eve's perception of God's truth was altered because of deception (Genesis 3:1-5)
• Serpent made her believe God withheld something good
• This planted doubt and distrust
• Eve saw forbidden fruit as good, leading to desires (Genesis 3:6)
• Diminished ability to discern truth, leading to false beliefs about God, themselves, and sin.

Relational Fall

• Relationship with God and each other changed (Genesis 3:6-12)
• Felt shame and covered themselves with fig leaves as self-justification
• Adam hid due to fear
• Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent, displaying broken relationships
• Fear, guilt, blame, and spiritual separation replaced trust and unity.

Moral Fall

• God judged the serpent, Eve, and Adam (Genesis 3:14-19).
• Romans 3:23 says Sin became part of human nature, affecting generations
• Humanity became enslaved to sinful desires and rebelled against God (John 8:44)
• The human heart became prone to sin, suffering, death, and separation from God.

Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions

• Thoughts (beliefs) influence emotions, which drive behavior
• Deception leads to rebellious/sinful actions
• The Fall began with a false belief about God, causing emotional disconnection and moral failure.
• The way one thinks determines how one perceives reality
• False beliefs lead to distrust
• Thoughts generate emotions like fear, anger, jealousy, or pride
• Emotional disconnection fuels rebellion
• Negative emotions lead to sinful actions
• Sinful actions reinforce false beliefs, continuing the cycle

Deception, Desires, and Deeds

• The serpent distorted God's word (Genesis 3:1-5)
• Eve's desires shifted away from God after believing the lie
• She saw the tree as good, pleasant, and desirable to make one wise" (Genesis 3:6)
• Deception created a strong emotional pull toward disobedience
• Eve acted and ate the fruit, giving some to Adam
• Actions reinforced shame, fear, and separation
• Thoughts (beliefs) shape emotions.
• Emotions (desires) drive choices
• Choices (deeds) reinforce beliefs, creating a cycle
• Genesis 3:15 promised redemption
• Jesus Christ can restore our perception, relationships, and moral nature through faith

God's Reaction

• God called out to Adam to give him a chance to confess
• Adam and Eve shifted blame
• God seeks them out, showing grace
• Holds them accountable and enforcing justice
• Provides hope and redemption through Christ
• Serpent's curse: condemned to crawl and be defeated (v. 14-15)
• Eve's consequence: Pain and struggle in relationships (v. 16)
• Adam's consequence: Cursed ground leading to toil (v. 17-19)
• Spiritual separation and physical death entered the world
• God will provide salvation (v. 21) that covers shame
• Expulsion from Eden: Punishment and protection from Tree of Life (v. 22-24)

Promises

• Promises are declarations of what will/won't be done, giving the recipient the right to expect fulfillment.
• Bible is full of promises, the greatest being salvation
• Genesis 3:15 promises redemption after the fall

Genesis 3:15 Key Symbols:

• Enmity: God implanted in humanity a resistance against evil.
• Seed: offspring (Jesus) would bring salvation.
• Head: offspring (Jesus) would defeat Satan
• Heel: Savior would be wounded (crucifixion)
• Daniel's prophecy: Messiah and crucifixion timing
  • Messiah would come after 69 weeks (Daniel 9:25)
  • He would be "cut off" (crucified) in the middle of the final week (Daniel 9:26-27)
  • His sacrifice would end the old system of offerings

Fulfilment

• Love in action: Jesus willingly laid down His life (1 John 3:16 and Romans 5:8).
• Promise: All God's promises were fulfilled in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Death

• Dust + Breath of Life = Living Soul
• It is not separate from the body. Life exists when the body and spirit are united
• Souls can die (Ezekiel 18:20)
• "The soul who sins shall die."
• The bible discredits the idea of an immortal soul
• The body returns to dust, and the spirit returns to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
• There is no consciousness after death
• The dead know nothing (Ecclesiastes 9:5-6)
• They don't participate in life, emotions, or events
• The dead do not praise the Lord (Psalm 115:17)
• It is described as sleep(Psalm 13:3 and John 11:11-14)
• Satan's deception through false signs and wonders exists (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10)
• Apparitions are not loved ones: deceptive works of evil.
• There is hope beyond the grave
• Jesus promises a resurrection of the dead (John 5:28-29)
  • Righteous will rise to eternal life
  • Wicked will face judgment.
• David is still in his grave (Acts 2:29)

Assurance

• Life is a mist that appears for a short time and then vanishes (James 4:14)
• Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Though he die, yet shall he live."(John 11:25)
• Hope is in Christ's power, promising eternal life to believers

Righteousness

• God's law is love and expresses His unchanging character(Malachi 3:6, James 1:17, Hebrews 13:8)
• The law is holy, just, and good, but humanity struggles to obey (Romans 7:12-15)
• Humans are sinful and cannot perfectly fulfill God's law(Romans 7:14-15)
• Attempts to earn righteousness through works lead to separation from grace (Galatians 5:4-5)
• Jesus Christ's obedience/sacrifice made righteousness available for all (Romans 5:19)
• “The Lord Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6)= Christ's righteousness is imputed
• The New Covenant is about transformation from within and not external laws
• God writes law in hearts and minds(Jeremiah 31:31-34).
• This transformation leads to intimacy and obedience
• Christ took on our sin to give righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21)
• Salvation is not earned by works but by faith in Jesus