A STUDY BY
GARY RAY BRANSCOME
Lesson 7
While the record of Adam and
Eve’s disobedience is history, the Bible sums up the spiritual
significance of that disobedience in the words, “By one man sin entered
into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned,” (Romans 5:12). In other words, because of Adam’s
sin we are all sinners, and “by nature the children of wrath,” (Ephesians
2:3).
In order to understand the
spiritual significance of the fall, it is important to know that God did not
create us as “children of wrath.” On the contrary, Adam and Eve
were created with a nature that was a reflection or image of God’s
righteous nature (Genesis
At the same time, we are all by
nature blind to the truth of the gospel, lost in our sins, and totally unable
to save ourselves. [Romans 3:10-23, Matthew 5:48, Acts 17:27, Acts 4:12,
Galatians 3:21, Acts 8:22, Proverbs 24:9, Deuteronomy 5:21, Colossians 3:5,
Romans 10:3,4, Genesis 6:5, John 8:44, Ephesians 2:3, 2Peter 1:4, Jude 18,
Romans 8:6, Romans 5:12,17,18,19, Psalm 58:3]
While the Apostle Paul deals with
the spiritual significance of the fall (in the fifth chapter of his epistle to
the Romans), every statement of Scripture that condemns sin or speaks of our
inability to save ourselves also relates to the fall, for all such statements
reveal our fallen nature. When the Bible tells us that, “There is none
righteous, no, not one,” we know that there is none righteous because of
the fall (compare Romans
[Note: “By one man‘s offence death reigned
by one… By the offence of one judgment came upon all
men to condemnation… By one man’s disobedience many were
made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous”
(Romans
Because of the fall, our nature is
now in accord with the nature of Satan. Or, as Christ put it, “Ye are of
your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a
murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no
truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar,
and the father of it” (John
Racism, nudism, Darwinism, and
Freudianism are all ways in which people deny guilt. Racists deny that their
own race is a vile sin-corrupted race, nudists deny that their sinful nature
makes clothing necessary, Darwinists deny that we are accountable to a creator,
and Freudians see nothing wrong with immorality (Genesis 3:21). Many of the
problems in our society are caused by the willingness of so many to call good
evil and evil good. Those who butcher babies call themselves “advocates
of choice,” those who pervert sex call themselves
“gay,” those who lie call their lies diplomacy, and the enemies of
God call themselves “liberal” (Isaiah 32:5, James 4:4).
Contentiousness is called concern, murder of the aged and handicapped is called
“good death” or “mercy killing”, and suicide
(self-murder) is called “death with dignity.” It is hard to find
anyone who is truly honest about sin (Isaiah 64:6, John
Because of sin, our natural
tendency is to love ourselves, seek our own advantage at the expense of others,
and grab the biggest piece (Philippians 3:21). At times self-love can become so
intense that a person will actually hate himself because he is not as tall,
handsome, or eloquent as he wants to be.
[Note: At the beginning of the twentieth century, a
large segment of our society ascribed to the idea that “All men are
basically good.” Looking back, the events of that century are the best
refutation of that delusion that anyone could give.]
At times I have pointed out the
impure desires, wicked yearnings, and self-deception of the human heart only to
be told, “That isn't sin that is just human nature. Everybody is like
that.” However, that is just another way of denying sin. Of course
everybody is like that! That does not make it right. On the contrary, that is
why “judgment came upon all men to condemnation,” and why we need a
Savior (Romans
Far from being unimportant or
insignificant, the Biblical record of the fall is basic to the salvation
message. We need a Savior because we are lost and cannot save ourselves, and we
are lost and cannot save ourselves because of the fall (Acts
1.
What is the sin by which all flesh is guilty before God?
2. What are we all by nature blind to?
3. Why do we find it much easier to deny our sins than to admit our guilt?
4. Name four ways in which people deny guilt.
5. What are many of the problems in our society caused by?
6. Why do people sometimes hate themselves?
7. What does Jeremiah 17:9 say about Human nature?
8. What is the Biblical record of the fall basic to?
9. Why do millions see nothing wrong with killing babies in the womb?
10.What do people want to be told?