Doctrine #4: The Fall of Man
The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve. [Jeremiah 17:9-10]
The importance of sound doctrine cannot be overstated. The devil has snuck into the thoughts of believers, churches, pastors, and teachers. Some messages that are being taught render the Word almost ineffective. There is a watering down of the Word to where it no longer has power. There is too much fluff and not enough sound doctrine taught.
Sound doctrine serves as the unwavering solid foundation, to which we base everything else on.
Benefits of Sound Doctrine
- Sound doctrine will give you a firm foundation to speak from.
- Sound doctrine will help prevent you from receiving the antichrist spirit.
- Sound doctrine gives you discernment about heaven and hell.
- Sound doctrine will allow you to live a holy life.
- Sound doctrine will keep you from falling away from the faith.
- Sound doctrine will prevent you from being deceived.
- Sound doctrine will help you from going insane in this crazy world.
- Sound doctrine will help you to STAND FIRM.
DOCTRINE #4: THE FALL OF MAN
This to me is one of the most tragic stories. My goodness, it shows that when we are disobedient to God the effect it has. We have all heard of the ripple effect, it’s a chain of consequences made by one decision. The magnitude of our choices is evident through the ripple effect. The choices that we make affect not only ourselves but many people around us. We don’t even know sometimes the effect that it can have.
WE WERE PERFECT WHEN CREATED
God created humans for fellowship and to enjoy His creation. We were perfect and our relationship with God was perfect.
Then God said, Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground. So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. [Genesis 1:26-27]
WE WERE GIVEN EVERYTHING WE NEEDED
Even from the beginning, God provided us with everything we needed. Notice that humans were created last after everything else was created for us! God loved us from the start of creation and still does. He still to this day provides us with everything we need. It’s just beyond comprehension.
Then God blessed them and said, Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground. Then God said, Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food. And I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life. And that is what happened. [Genesis 1:28-29]
WE HAD A PERFECT LIFE
If you could imagine a perfect life the Garden of Eden was it. Perfect relationship with God, wonderful fruits, gold, abundant waters, a partner to share life with etc. etc. There was no pain, sorrow, work, or struggle. Life was absolutely perfect, and we could talk and walk with God.
Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches. The first branch, called the Pishon, flowed around the entire land of Havilah, where gold is found. The gold of that land is exceptionally pure; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there. The second branch, called the Gihon, flowed around the entire land of Cush. The third branch, called the Tigris, flowed east of the land of Asshur. The fourth branch is called the Euphrates. The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die. [Genesis 2:8-16]
SIN ENTERED THE WORLD
The biggest reason this doctrine is so tragic is because this is what separates us from God. This is what brought sin into the world. This is the root of all pain and suffering. This is when humans allowed satan to deceive and sneak into their lives. One decision can alter the course of our lives for good or bad. This decision was horrific. Because of this decision, the battle of good and evil, what is right or wrong is a battle we are still fighting in our minds with the stupid devil.
The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves. [Genesis 3:6-7]
ONE DECISON – RIPPLE EFFECT
The tragedy continues…because of ONE voluntary decision to disobey God, the ripple effect is enormous. Because of this decision, we all will incur physical and spiritual death. Because of ONE man’s disobedience, we are all now separated from God.
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. [Romans 5:12)
The consequences for a man:
And to the man he said, Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, (1) the ground is cursed because of you. (2) All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. (3) It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. (4) By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return. [Genesis 3:17-19]
The consequences for a woman:
Then he said to the woman, I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you. [Genesis 3:16]
PARADISE LOST AND SEPERATION FROM GOD
This is the most tragic thing of all Adam and Eve were banished from their perfect lives in the beautiful garden of Eden. Subsequently, sin had entered into mankind and the entire human race. Because God is perfect, He cannot be in the presence of sin, therefore man was separated from God.
So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. [Genesis 3:23-24]
WE ARE ALL SINNERS (before Christ)
We are born into sin, we have a sinful nature, and unfortunately very wicked. Without Christ, we are fallen, and we are not good people. We are under a curse and have a rotten core that needs to be expelled.
BUT GOD, like always has made a way for us to be reconciled to him. There is only one way. We must be born again…
Jesus replied, I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God. What do you mean? exclaimed Nicodemus. How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again? Jesus replied I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. [John 3:3-5]
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DOCTRINE #1: ALL SCRIPTURES ARE INSPIRED BY GOD
In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created and his life brought light to everyone. [John 1:1-4]
DOCTRINE #2: ONE TRUE GOD
But for us, There is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through whom we live. [1 Corinthians 8:6]
DOCTRINE #3: THE DEITY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [Isaiah 9:6]
DOCTRINE #4: THE FALL OF MAN
The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve. [Jeremiah 17:9-10]