The Doctrine Of The Fall Of Man (Which Is The Foundation Of The Gospel)
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI
Biblical Authority Ministries, March 18, 2026 (Donate)
Introduction
A good friend of mine and mentor, Dr. David Menton, once said
to turn to the middle of the Bible. As I started, he gently told me, “It’s Genesis
chapter 3”. I immediately knew what he meant and grinned!
By his assessment, the entirety of the Bible can be broken into 3 parts:
·
Pre-Curse (Genesis 1-2)
·
Curse (Genesis 3-Revelation 19)
·
Curse Removed (Revelation 20-21)
Genesis 3 was the turning point for the whole Bible—the entire
reason virtually all of the next 66 books of God’s Word was written!
The Fall of man in Genesis 3 brought immense change to the world—a curse, a broken relationship with God, and the need for salvation. From Genesis
3-Revealtion 19, God is solving the sin problem and being patient with man unto
repentance. But that patient will only last a certain amount of time.
Many often say that the Bible should be read in terms of Creation,
The Fall, and Redemption/Gospel. That’s one way of looking at it, since the Gospel
of Jesus Christ is what allows sinners to get saved and enter into heaven—a perfect
place for all eternity without the curse! And I have no problem with that use.
But I understand Dr. Menton’s assessment. The matter of sin
needed to be dealt with properly and at the right time, and that is exactly
what our Triune God did. We are living in the time after Gospel has been made
known to us and we are waiting patiently for the revealing of the sons of God
(Christians; Romans 8:14-19).
Because the Fall of man is of intricate importance, let’s
discuss this doctrine—after all, it is the foundation for the Gospel!
God Made Everything Perfect (Pre-Curse)
God’s creation was originally perfect, lacking nothing and
free from corruption. Scripture declares,
“He is the Rock, His work is
perfect; For all His ways are justice” (Deuteronomy 32:4, NKJV).
At the culmination of Creation Week,
“God saw everything that He had
made, and indeed it was very good” (Genesis 1:31, NKJV).
There was no death, no suffering, no decay—only harmony
between God, man, and the created order. Evil, after all, is not a created entity,
but is instead a parasite due to one’s own desires (James 1:13-15).
Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, were uniquely created
in the image of a rational, moral, spiritual, eternal, and ruling God (Genesis
1:26–27—from dust and then from Adm’s rib and flesh). This means they possessed
rationality, moral awareness, and spiritual capacity. Adam and Eve were not
merely physical beings but had eternal souls.
It also shows why God gave man dominion over the earth (something
to rule over). Unlike animals, man was designed for fellowship with God and
given dominion over creation. This is why the whole creation fell and when Adam
sinned (Romans 8:22).
The Problem: God Must Punish Sin (The Curse)
Adam, as the covenant head of humanity, was placed in the
Garden of Eden and given a clear command:
“Of every tree of the garden you
may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not
eat” (Genesis 2:16–17, NKJV).
This command established what theologians often call a
covenant of obedience or probation, covenant of life. Though many simply call
it Adam’s Covenant (Hosea 6:7). Adam was not created sinful but upright
(Ecclesiastes 7:29), with the ability to obey or disobey (this is called the
power of contrite choice). The warning attached to the command was severe:
“for in the day that you eat of
it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17, NKJV).
This death was not limited to immediate physical death but more
of an ingressive sense—you will begin to die. In Hebrew the word for die is
repeated twice in Genesis 2:17 (die, die), which slightly varies the meaning.
It means you will start to die and your end will be death. As God
said, they will return to dust (Genesis 3:19).
But this death also included a deeper and more devastating
reality—our eternal souls will also receive an eternal punishment
unless something can be done.
In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve rebelled against God. Tempted by
the serpent, Eve was deceived, and Adam willfully followed her lead and ate
after a conversation (Genesis 3:17; 1 Timothy 2:14).
Their act of disobedience was not merely eating fruit; it
was a rejection of God’s authority and an attempt to define good and evil on
their own terms. They basically elevated their own thoughts to supersede God
and His Word. This is the essence of sin: lawlessness and rebellion against a
holy God. It was essentially high treason against God.
The consequences were immediate and far-reaching. First,
spiritual death occurred instantly. In other words, their relationship with God
was broken.
“Then the eyes of both of them were
opened, and they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7, NKJV).
Shame, guilt, and fear replaced innocence. When God
approached, Adam hid, demonstrating separation from the One he was created to
commune with (Genesis 3:8–10).
Spiritual death means that the human soul is corrupted by
sin. As Scripture later explains,
“the carnal mind is enmity against
God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Romans 8:7,
NKJV).
This doctrine is often referred to as being depraved—not
meaning that man is as evil as possible, but that every aspect of his being is
affected by sin (e.g., Romans 1:18; 1 Timothy 6:5; Titus 1:15). Humanity is now
morally unable to save itself or seek God rightly apart from divine
intervention.
Second, physical death entered the world. Though Adam did
not die physically the same day, the process began immediately—as mentioned before.
God declared,
“for dust you are, and to dust you
shall return” (Genesis 3:19, NKJV).
Death, disease, and decay became universal realities. The
apostle Paul later explains,
“Therefore, just as through one man
sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men”
(Romans 5:12, NKJV).
Third, the curse affected all creation. The ground was
cursed, bringing forth thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:17–18). Labor became
toilsome, childbirth painful, and human relationships strained. The harmony of
the original creation was fractured.
This condition is inherited by all humanity because all of
our lives were in Adam when he sinned. So when he sinned, we all did. Through
Adam, sin is imputed or “transferred” to his descendants.
“For as in Adam all die” (1
Corinthians 15:22, NKJV).
This is the doctrine of original sin: all people are
born with a sinful nature and stand guilty before God. As David confessed,
“Behold, I was brought forth in
iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5, NKJV).
The Solution: God Must Punish Sin (The Curse)
Because God is infinitely holy, He cannot overlook sin.
“You are of purer eyes than to
behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness” (Habakkuk 1:13, NKJV).
His perfect holiness (often described as omnisanctitas)
demands perfect justice (often described as omniiustitia). Sin against
an infinite God carries an infinite guilt. Therefore, the just penalty is
eternal separation from God, described in Scripture as hell—to clarify this separation
is a separation from all His goodness and blessing.
God still upholds the existence of the sinner's soul (and body) in hell, just as
he upholds Satan’s being in hell as well. One must note that Satan is a captive
in hell and being punished by God as well. Many often mistake this and think
Satan rules or leads in hell, but he doesn’t.
Jesus Himself spoke of “everlasting
punishment” (Matthew 25:46, NKJV).
At this point, mankind appears utterly without hope.
Spiritually dead, morally corrupt, and under divine judgment, where we cannot
rescue ourselves. No amount of good works (Isaiah 64:6, these are filthy rage to God!), moral striving, or "religious activity like attending church" can undo the guilt of sin.
“There is none righteous, no, not
one” (Romans 3:10, NKJV).
This leads to the essential question: how can a just God
forgive sinners without compromising His holiness? The answer lies in the
foundational doctrines that bridge the Fall and the Gospel: the doctrines of:
(1) substitution—where Christ was
our substitute
(2) atonement—where Christ took the
punishment for our sin on the cross in His death
(3) imputation—where Christ’s
righteousness is transferred to us
(4) grace—where the eternal grace
of God rests on believer who place their faith in Christ
Even in Genesis 3, God revealed the first promise of
redemption. Speaking to the serpent (influenced by Satan who just sinned by his own prerogative), He declared,
“And I will put enmity between you
and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise His heel” (Genesis 3:15, NKJV).
This protoevangelium, or “first gospel,” prophetically points forward to a
coming Redeemer who would defeat sin and Satan. Where Adam led man into sin, Christ leads us out, hence is often called the Last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45).
Additionally, God demonstrated the principle of
substitutionary atonement when He made garments of skin for Adam and Eve
(Genesis 3:21). This required the death of an innocent animal, foreshadowing
that sin requires a blood sacrifice. This innocence from the animal was basically transferred or imputed to one offering the sacrifice for a time to cover their sin.
“Without shedding of blood there is
no remission” (Hebrews 9:22, NKJV).
This means without blood, there can be no forgiveness. Throughout
the Old Testament, this theme continues in the sacrificial system which began
in Genesis 3:21. Animals were offered as substitutes, bearing the penalty that
sinners deserved. However, these sacrifices were temporary and pointed forward
to a greater, perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1–4).
The Gospel is the fulfillment of this promise. God Himself
provided the solution that man could never achieve. The second Person of the
Trinity, Jesus Christ, took on human flesh.
“And the Word became flesh and
dwelt among us” (John 1:14, NKJV).
He was fully God and fully man—able to represent [all of] humanity
and yet without sin. Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life, fulfilling the law
that Adam failed to keep. Then, in the ultimate act of substitution [once for
all], He bore the penalty of sin on the cross.
“Who Himself bore our sins in His
own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24, NKJV).
On the cross, He endured not only physical suffering but
also the full wrath of God the Father against sin. As Isaiah prophesied,
“the LORD has laid on Him the
iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6, NKJV).
This satisfied the justice of God and pleased Him (Isaiah 53:10). Sin is punished, yet mercy is extended. Christ appeased the wrath of God (Romans 3:25). It is also redemption, as He paid the price to free us from bondage (Ephesians 1:7), and reconciled us by restoring the broken relationship between God and man (2 Corinthians 5:18–19).
Christ’s work was confirmed by His resurrection.
“He is risen!” (Matthew 28:6,
NKJV).
The resurrection demonstrates victory over sin and death and
assures believers of eternal life. The response required is not works but
faith. Salvation is a free gift of grace.
“For by grace you have been saved
through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians
2:8, NKJV).
One must believe that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, died
for your sins, and rose again (Romans 10:9, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4).
Thus, the Fall of Man sets the stage for the greatest
display of God’s glory—the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Where sin brought death,
Christ brings life.
“For as in Adam all die, even so in
Christ all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22, NKJV).
Conclusion (Curse Removed)
It is through Christ that we can be saved and enjoy His
goodness and blessing for all eternity—with the God we love! We often call this
“heaven” in a generic sense.
We have all fallen short and sinned against God—so we all deserve that punishment. But Christ took that punishment on Himself. We, as Christians, look forward to time when there will be no more curse, no more brokenness, and no more tears. There will be a new heaven and a new earth and we will have perfect fellowship with God forever (Revelation 21-22).
Bodie Hodge, Ken
Ham's son in law, has been an apologist defending 6-day creation and opposing
evolution since 1998. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as
a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers
News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.
Bodie
launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal
website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken
on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and
universities. He is married with four children.
Mr. Hodge earned a
Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a
Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and
running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic
materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a
grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar,
Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.
His love of science
was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one
year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and
scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over
25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.
