I. Introduction

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The fall of mankind by disobeying God and eating the forbidden fruit is recorded in Genesis 3.

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II. Death Before the Fall

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There was no death of vertebrates (humans and animals, including fish, before the fall). Plants definitely died before the fall and are not considered to be “living” like vertebrates. There was probably also the death of insects, bacteria, skin cells, etc. before the fall.

(from Lita Sanders “No death before the Fall?”)

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III. The Results of the Fall

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1) Adam and Eve were ashamed of their nakedness.

2) Their fellowship with God was broken.

3) All humans now have a sin nature and die. They don’t like to admit that they are responsible sinners.

4) God pronounced judgment on the serpent, men, and women.

5) Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden.

6) God starts speaking of the way of salvation.

(1-6 are from Jonathan Sarfati “The Fall of Man”)

7) The fall corrupted the image of God in man, but did not destroy it.

(from Lita Sanders “Did the Fall destroy God’s image in man?”)

8) Some animals started eating meat after the fall.

9) There was suffering and death after the fall.

(8-9 are from Jonathan Sarfati “When did animals become carnivorous?”)

10) The whole universe fell under the curse because of the fall of man.

(from Jonathan Sarfati “The Fall: a cosmic catastrophe”)

11) Nature was thrown out of balance so that some plants and animals became poisonous and some plants and animals developed or put the original design to use as defense and attack mechanisms to protect themselves or prey on other animals. Nature was no longer designed to live in complete harmony.

(from Gavin Cox “T. Rex, cats, and attack-defense structures”)

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IV. The Importance of Death Coming After the Fall

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The gospel is based on the fact that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins (death). This means that death according to the Bible is the result of the fall of man. If, as evolution claims, there were millions of years of death before the fall. Then what was the point of Christ dying to pay the penalty for our sins? The very message of the gospel is affected by trying to add millions of years of death before the fall.

(from Jonathan Sarfati “The Fall: a cosmic catastrophe”)