LESSON 3 - THE FALL OF MAN

January 21, 1888.

SIDE LIGHTS. - “Great Controversy,” Vol. 1 Chap. 3.

  1. In what condition was the whole creation when it came from the hand of God? Gen. 1:31.
  2. Did this include man also? Eccl. 7:29, first part.
  3. Did man retain his uprightness? Rom. 5:12.
  4. What prohibition had God laid upon the pair in the garden of Eden? Gen. 2:17.
  5. Who first partook of this forbidden fruit? Gen. 3:6.
  6. Was Adam deceived as to the consequences of the act? 1 Tim. 2:14.
  7. How was Eve deceived? 2 Cor. 1:3.
  8. Who was the serpent? Rev. 20:2.
  9. How did he begin his work? Gen. 3:1.
  10. When Eve repeated the prohibition, what did the serpent reply? Verse 4.
  11. What did he say that eating from the tree would do for them? Verse 5.
  12. In so saying, what imputation did he cast upon God?
  13. In telling them that by eating the forbidden fruit they should be like God, what was Satan instilling into their minds? Ans. - Pride.
  14. What was the cause of Satan’s fall? Isa. 14:12-14.
  15. What always follows pride? Prov. 11:2; 16:18.
  16. What was it that brought the heathen nations into their deplorable condition? Rom. 1:22, 23.
  17. What was the result of Adam’s transgression? Gen. 3:17-19.
  18. Was he allowed to remain in the garden? Verses 23,24.
  19. How extensive were the consequences of his fall? Rom. 5:12.
  20. Did death pass upon all men regardless of their character, just because Adam sinned? See last clause of Rom. 5:12.
  21. What kind of nature do all men inherit? Mark 7:21-23.
  22. By what means may we get rid of this evil nature, and have a better one? 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:4.

NOTES.

The first words of the serpent to Eve were calculated to reflect upon God’s justice, and to arouse in her the feeling that she had not been treated by the Lord with the consideration due to her. “And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” The Hebrew of the word translated “Yea,” is itself a question, and the idea is, “Is it so, that God hath said,” etc., indicating surprise that God should do such a thing. This was a most artful, insinuating way of arousing discontent.

IN verses 4 and 5 the serpent becomes more bold, and openly contradicts what God had said, and as openly charges him with injustice, in keeping Adam and Eve in an inferior position. Said he, “Ye shall not surely die; for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” This is a literal translation. The idea is that they might be equal to God as well as not, but that God had arbitrarily placed that prohibition upon them, so that he might lord it over them. Thus Satan fanned into open rebellion the pride and discontent which he first aroused. He caused our first parents to fall in the same manner that he fell. Compare Satan’s words to Eve with the teachings of modern Spiritualism that what the Bible calls evil is a necessity, and the only means by which men can reach the highest development.

“BY one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5:12. God did not allow death to come upon all mankind to punish them for Adam’s transgression, but because “all have sinned.” By his transgression Adam lost the moral likeness to God with which he was created, and so he transmitted to his descendants a perverted, sinful nature. Where Adam sinned they sinned.

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