Skip to content

Growing in Grace

"Watch your life and doctrine closely"

Menu
  • Recommended Reading
  • About
  • Writers’ Guild
  • Contact
Menu

The Fall of Man

Posted on December 3, 2018 by James Williams

Brokenness is all around us. It doesn’t matter your political views or your religious beliefs, everyone can see that something is wrong. Murder, hate, envy, jealousy, and oppression continue to be prevalent. Everyone seems to be chasing happiness and fulfillment yet even the most ‘successful’ can’t seem to find it. Hopelessness abounds and suicide rates are on the increase. What happened to God’s good creation?

We continue our study of Great Doctrines of the Bible by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (MLJ) by examining chapter 16 entitled, “The Fall.”

MLJ briefly begins by providing a few false explanations that have been given to explain the state of the world. First is the idea of dualism. Dualism states that “there is a god who controls the evil as well as a god who controls the good” (179). These two forces, which go by different names depending on one’s belief system, battle each other. Things go wrong when the “evil god” makes progress and when the good side prevails things go well in the world. However, this is not a view supported by Scripture.

Other theories place much emphasis on the ability of man to progress. They argue “if men and women had more knowledge and were better educated and more cultured and better trained they would get rid of all this” (180). This also goes against the teaching of Scripture, and the experience of history (we continue to learn and make advancements in technology, science, medicine, etc. without ‘fixing’ our sin problem).

Instead, the problem goes all the way back to Genesis 3. Adam and Eve disobeyed God which introduced sin and death into the world. Satan whispered questions of doubt, “Did God really say?” He led them to believe that God was withholding good, but if they just ate the fruit they could “become like God.” When we begin to question God’s Word and doubt his goodness, it leads down a dark path. Ever since then, the curse of man has shown itself over and over. We continue to question God’s Word and doubt his goodness.

MLJ lists at least seven results of the fall:

  1. Consciousness of flesh– previously, Adam and Even were unselfconscious about their bodies and their nakedness caused no shame. They immediately tried to cover themselves with fig leaves.
  2. Guilt– as soon as they ate, they felt for the first time, guilt. “They were immediately condemned within themselves and became guilty” (186).
  3. Lost fellowship with God– until the fall, Adam and Even enjoyed relationship with God and the “highest bliss possible” (186). After that, when they heard the Lord coming they ran from him instead of running to him.
  4. Spiritual Death– they were kicked out of the Garden in which they enjoyed fellowship with God.
  5. New relationship to nature– Adam was told that by the sweat of his brow he would grow food, for the ground was cursed with thorns and thistles.
  6. Perversion in moral nature– we see the results of this especially in their son, Cain, who killed his brother. By the time one gets to Genesis 6, we see that “every intention of the thoughts of his [mankind] heart was only evil continually” (v.5).
  7. Physical death– Because of sin, it would be impossible for man not to die. All will “return to the dust” (Gen. 3:19). Romans 5:12 confirms: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered the world, and death by sin…”

MLJ concludes:

“So then, let me sum up the results in this way: certain legal results happened at once. Man immediately came under condemnation and was punished by God, whereas formerly he had only been blessed. Spiritually, he immediately fell from his original righteousness…he was separated from God at once. (187).

The Fall not only affected Adam and Eve, but all of humanity until now. We live in a cursed world and we still see the effects of sin. The only cure for this curse is that which was brought about through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

The continued effects of sin will continue to be addressed in the next chapter (17) entitled, “Adam’s Posterity and Original Sin.”

Other posts in the “Great Doctrines of the Bible” series:

  • Mind, Heart, and Will: Examining the Great Doctrines of the Bible
  • How Can We Know Anything About God?
  • Does the Bible Claim to be Authoritative?
  • The Existence and Being of God
  • The Warnings and Comforts of God’s Attributes
  • A God We Can Trust
  • Lloyd-Jones On The Mystery Of The Trinity
  • The God Who Knows: The Eternal Decrees of God
  • What Does the Bible Say About Angels?
  • Who is Satan?
  • The Creation of the World
  • 3 Aspects of God’s Providence
  • The Creation of Man
facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet

0 thoughts on “The Fall of Man”

  1. Pingback: Growing in Grace- Links 12/7 – Growing in Grace
  2. Pingback: The Pollution of Man – Growing in Grace
  3. Pingback: God’s Eternal Plan of Redemption – Growing in Grace
  4. Pingback: The Covenant of Grace in the Old Testament – Growing in Grace
  5. Pingback: Consider Jesus – Growing in Grace
  6. Pingback: The Incarnation – Growing in Grace
  7. Pingback: Biblical Evidence for the Deity of Christ – Growing in Grace
  8. Pingback: Biblical Evidence for the Humanity of Christ – Growing in Grace

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to receive all new posts:

About Me:

My name is James Williams and I serve as one of the pastors at FBC Atlanta, TX. I love preaching, writing, reading, growing vegetables, and running. My wife, Jenny, and I have four children and are actively involved in foster care. Read More…

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Follow Me
Instagram

Check out the audio blog:

Reading Through Leviticus

Many well-meaning Bible reading plans have derailed in Leviticus. Why does Leviticus feels tedious to us?

Blog: www.growingingrace.blog

Follow me on Facebook or Twitter!

I pray this episode served you well! Please consider leaving a rating on Apple Podcasts as this will help others find the podcast, and please share on social media!

Reading Through Leviticus
Reading Through Leviticus
March 9, 2023
I’ll See You in Heaven
February 21, 2023
Doubts and Questions in the Christian Life
January 19, 2023
Driven By Awe: Missions
November 14, 2022
Driven by Awe: Faithful Endurance
September 27, 2022
Driven By Awe: Fighting Sin
September 8, 2022
Driven by Awe: Humility
August 22, 2022
Driven by Awe
August 3, 2022
God Is Everywhere, Why Should I Go To Church?
May 29, 2022
Thinning the Peaches
May 16, 2022
Search Results placeholder

Subscribe:

RSS
Facebook
Facebook
fb-share-icon
Twitter
Visit Us
Follow Me
Instagram
  • Book Reviews
  • Christian Living
  • Devotional
  • Driven by Awe
  • Foster/Adoption
  • History
  • Links
  • Martyn Lloyd-Jones
  • Poetry
  • Theology
  • Uncategorized
  • Writing

Recent Sermons: Revelation 12- The Great Accuser

https://www.growingingrace.blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Revelation-12.m4a

Psalm 91- Fear and Foolishness

https://www.growingingrace.blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Psalm-91-Fear-and-Foolishness.m4a
©2023 Growing in Grace | Built using WordPress and Responsive Blogily theme by Superb