ANALYZE AND DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF THE FALL IN GENESIS CHAPTER 3

ON HUMAN IDENTITY.

Introduction

God’s original plan by creating man in the image and likeness of Himself, is for man

to live in union with God’s divine life, and to rule over all creation. “In Genesis chapters 1

and 2 we see a perfect creation which receives God’s approval as being ‘good’ (cf.

1:10,12,18,21).”1 This plan was distorted when Adam and Eve were seduced by evil (through

the serpent) and they succumbed to the temptation and subsequently sinned against God.

This story of the fall of Man (the catastrophic tsunami) in Genesis 3 also known as

the “Fall of Man,” is not only a pivotal chapter in the Bible that describes the origins of sin,

suffering, and humanity’s separation from God, but also a pivotal moment in human history,

marking a profound shift in humanity’s relationship with God and fundamentally altering

human identity. This event, often referred to as the “Fall,” has far reaching consequences that

reverberate throughout the biblical narrative and continue to shape human existence today. It

also informs us of the strategies of Satan in tempting men.

In Genesis chapter 4, Adam and Eve, the first humans created in God’s image and

likeness (Genesis 1:26-27), succumb to Satan’s temptation, disobeying God’s command and

severing their perfect relationship with their Creator. This singular act of rebellion introduces

sin, shame, and guilt into human experience, irrevocably changing humanity’s trajectory.

The fall’s impact on human identity is multifaceted, influencing various aspects of

human existence, including spirituality, relationships, morality and purpose.

The fall of man in Genesis 3 resulted in a fundamental shift in human identity, leading

to spiritual separation, distorted relationships, and a marred reflection of God’s image, with

far-reaching consequences for humanity’s understanding of itself and its relationship with

God.

1
The Fall of Man (Genesis 3:1-24). Para. 6, bible.org/series
 Understanding the “Fall of Man” is very significant in Christian thinking
because the sin of Adam and Eve did not only lead their death, the consequence of
their failure also affected the entire human race. The Bible states that when Adam and
Even sin, they became enslaved to sin in a sense and when they brought forth children
into the world, their children were also brought into slavery or bondage of sin. Paul is
apt to say in Romans 5, that, “Through one man sin entered into the world. And by
this one man, death was brought into the world. “Just as through one man sin entered
into the world, and death through sin, and so sin spread through all men” (Romans
5:12). “The effects of the Fall are numerous and far reaching. Sin has affected every
aspect of our being. It has affected our lives on earth and our relationship with God. The
effect of Adam’s sin are comprehensive and catastrophic.” 2 Packer would say, “the fall
has affected every aspect of human nature.”3 For Berkhof, “The fall of Adam brought
sin and death into the world.”4

Pre-Fall Human Identity (Genesis 1 and 2)

AThe most remarkable thing to remember about human nature in chapters 1 and 2 of

Genesis is that humans are made in the image and likeness of God of God. This is seen within

the creation narrative since everything that God made was good which included the humans.

These chapters provide a fundamental understanding of human identity before the fall. Also, it

is because of their original human nature being in the image of God as to why humans are

viewed as being the pinnacle of creation, as shown since they receive the most attention of all

of the parts of creation (Diffey, 2015).

Robert Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary painted a vivid picture of pre-fall

human identity.

The last stage in the progress of creation being now reached—God said, Let us
make man—words which show the peculiar importance of the work to be
done, the formation of a creature, who was to be God's representative, clothed
with authority and rule as visible head and monarch of the world. In our
image, after our likeness—This was a peculiar distinction, the value attached
to which appears in the words being twice mentioned. And in what did this
2
Wayne Grudem, “Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine”, 1994 (2nd Edition).
Publisher: Zondervan Academic.
3
Packer, J.I. “Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs”, 2001. Publishers: Tyndale
House Publishers.
4
Berkhof Louis, “Systematic Theology” 1996 (revised edition). Publisher: Eerdmans Publishing
Company.
 image of God consist? Not in the erect form or features of man, not in his
intellect, for the devil and his angels are, in this respect, far superior; not in his
immortality, for he has not, like God, a past as well as a future eternity of
being; but in the moral dispositions of his soul, commonly called original
righteousness (Ec 7:29). As the new creation is only a restoration of this
image, the history of the one throws light on the other; and we are informed
that it is renewed after the image of God in knowledge, righteousness, and true
holiness (Col 3:10; Eph 4:24).5

Genesis one and two, provides a full understanding of God’s creations and wisdom of

human nature because it is free from evil. Human nature is revealed from Genesis one with

God creating the Earth and the Heavens and creating the man of his likeness. The Bible

explains how God created Adam, from dust and was placed in the Garden of Eden (Genesis

2:7). The Bible explains humanity was created to work and serve (Genesis 2:15). Subsequently,

Eve was created; “God had created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him:

male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). “Adam and Eve would help God because He

wanted them to multiply the Earth by taking care of all of his creation.”6 (Hiles & Smith, 2014).

God is the sovereign ruler, he created humanity as how he should have wanted. The Bible

explains about human nature that God created everything to be distinct from animals and all of

His creation. God created us in his own image, which is why we all look different; we are

unique in His eyes. Also, God created us to be good because we are born innocent of all evil

and loving of God. In addition, we were all born pure as Adam and Eve were. The Bible

explains that God was pleased with his creations, “God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:10-

21).

The Fall and Its Immediate Consequences

Originally, man was to be created image of God, to live in union with God’s divine life,

and to rule over all creation, Adam and Eve’s failure in this task is their sin which is also

5
Robert Jamieson, A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New
Testaments A. R. Fausset and David Brown (1882).
6
, Paul B. Hills and Stacia R. Smith, “Creation Care: A Biblical Theology of the Natural World.” 2014.
Publisher: B&H Academic.
known as “the fall of man”. The fall of man means that man failed in his God-given vocation.

The is the meaning of Genesis 3.7 The Fall of Man – A Genesis 3:1-24 Study

Understanding “The Fall of Man” narrated in Genesis 3:1-24, is pivotal to grasping

the broader implications of human history, theology, and personal faith. This study delves

into the text, historical and literary contexts, theological themes, and relevant discussions,

concluding with practical applications for today.8

To fully grasp the depth of this narrative, it is essential to read Genesis 3:1-24 in its

entirety.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. 1. He
said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”
2.
The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,
3.
but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden,
and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”
4.
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.
5.
“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like
God, knowing good and evil.”
6.
When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye,
and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her
husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
7.
Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they
sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8.
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the
garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.
9.
But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10.
He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
11.
And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I
commanded you not to eat from?”
12.
The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree,
and I ate it.”

7
What is the Fall of Man? Genesis 3 Explained, February 28, 2022. Christianity.com/editorialstaff
8
Fall of Man – A Genesis 3:1-24 Study BIBLESTORIESHUB JUL 15, 2024
13.
Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said,
“The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Notice especially the approach which Satan takes here. He does not come as an athiest, or as

one who would initially challenge Eve’s faith in God.54 Satan may manifest himself as a

Madalyn Murray O’Hair, but very often it is as an “angel of light” (II Corinthians 11:14).

Satan often stands behind the pulpit, holding a Bible in his hand. The wording of Satan’s

inquiry is significant. The word ‘indeed’ (verse 1) is dripping with innuendo. The effect of it

is this: “Surely God could not have said this, could He?” Also the word God (“Has God

said,” (verse 1) is interesting. Moses has been using the expression “the Lord God,” Yahweh

Elohim:

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made”

(Genesis 3:1). But when Satan referred to the Lord God it was merely God. This omission is

indicative of Satan’s rebellious attitude toward almighty God.

Satan’s initial approach is to deceive, not deny; to cause doubts, not disobedience. Satan

came to Eve as an inquirer. He deliberately distorted the command of God, but in such a way

as to imply, “I may be wrong here, so correct me if I am mistaken.”

Now Eve should have never begun this conversation. It was a complete overturn of God’s

chain of authority. That chain was Adam, Eve, creature. Adam and Eve were to express

God’s rule over His creation (1:26). Eve would no doubt have rebuked such a conversation if

it were not for the manner in which it was initiated by Satan.

Had Satan begun to challenge the rule of God or Eve’s faith in Him, her choice would have

been an easy one. But Satan erroneously stated God’s command. He stated the question so as

to appear that he was misinformed and needed to be corrected. Few of us can avoid the

temptation of telling another that they are wrong. And so, wonder of wonders, Eve has begun

to walk the path of disobedience while supposing that she was defending God to the serpent.
Did you notice that Satan has not mentioned either the tree of life or the tree of the

knowledge of good and evil? What a subtle attack! His question brought the forbidden tree to

the center of Eve’s thinking, but without any mention of it. She brought it up. By his question

Satan has not only engaged Eve in dialogue, but he has also taken her eyes off of the

generous provisions of God and caused her to think only of God’s prohibition. Satan does not

wish us to ponder the grace of God, but to grudgingly meditate upon His denials. And this is

precisely what has imperceptibly taken place in Eve’s thinking. Eve has revealed her change

of attitude by several ‘Freudian slips.’ While God said, “From any tree of the garden you may

eat freely” (2:16), Eve said, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat” (3:2). Eve

omitted “any” and “freely,” the two words which emphasized the generosity of God.

Likewise Eve had a distorted impression of the severity of God in prohibiting the fruit of the

tree of the knowledge of good and evil. She expressed God’s instruction in these words: “You

shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die” (3:3). But God had said, “But from the tree of

the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall

surely die” (2:17).

While exaggerating the prohibition to the point where even touching the tree was evil, Eve

had unconsciously downplayed the judgment of God by omitting the word ‘surely,’ and by

failing to report that death would come on the day of the offense. In other words, Eve

emphasized God’s severity, but underestimated the fact that judgment would be executed

surely and soon.

Satan’s first attack on the woman was that of a religious seeker, in an effort to create doubts

about the goodness of God and to fix her attention on what was forbidden as opposed to all

that was freely given. The second attack is bold and daring. Now in place of deception and

doubt there is denial, followed by the slander of God’s character: “And the serpent said to the
woman, ‘You surely shall not die!’” (Genesis 3:4). God’s words of warning were not to be

understood as the promise of certain punishment, but as the mere threats of a self-centered

deity.

We may wonder at the dogmatism of Satan’s denial, but it is my opinion that this is precisely

what weakened Eve’s opposition. How could anyone be wrong who was so certain? Many

today, my friend, are convinced more of the dogmatic tone of a teacher than they are by the

doctrinal truthfulness of his teaching. Dogmatism is no assurance of doctrinal accuracy.

Satan’s fatal blow is recorded in verse 5: “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your

eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5).

Many have tried to determine precisely what Satan is offering in verse 5. “Your eyes will be

opened,” Satan assures them. In other words, they are living in a state of incompletion, of

inadequacy. But once the fruit is eaten, they would enter into a new and higher level of

existence: they would become “like God.”55

As I understand Satan’s assertion, the statement is deliberately elusive and vague. This would

stimulate the curiosity of Eve. To know ‘good and evil’ may be to know everything.56 But

how could Eve possibly grasp the specifics of the offer when she did not know what ‘evil’

was.

There is an illustration on this play upon human curiosity in the book of Proverbs: The

woman of folly is boisterous, she is naive, and knows nothing. And she sits at the doorway of

her house, on a seat by the high places of the city, calling to those who pass by, who are

making their paths straight; ‘Whoever is naive, let him turn in here,’ and to him who lacks

understanding she says, ‘stolen water is sweet; and bread eaten in secret is pleasant’

(Proverbs 9:13-17).
The women of folly is herself naive and unknowing, but she entices her victims by offering

them a new experience, and the fact that it is illicit simply adds to the appeal (verses 16-17).

That is the kind of offer which Satan made to Eve.

Satan, I believe, leaves Eve with her thoughts at this point. His destructive seeds have been

planted. While she has not yet eaten the fruit, she has already begun to fall. She has entered

into a dialogue with Satan and now she is entertaining blasphemous thoughts about God’s

character. She is seriously contemplating disobedience. Sin is not instantaneous, but

sequential (James 1:13-15), and Eve is well on her way.

Notice that the tree of life is not even mentioned or considered. Here before Eve were the two

trees, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Seemingly it was not a

choice between the one or the other. She only saw the forbidden fruit. It, alone, appeared to

be ‘good for food and a delight to the eyes’ (verse 6), and yet in 2:9 we were told that all the

trees had these features in common. But Eve had eyes only for what was forbidden. And this

tree offered some mysterious quality of life which appealed to the woman.

Satan lied outright in assuring Eve that she would not die, but he simply failed to tell her the

fine print in his promise of what the forbidden fruit would offer. Having studied that tree for

some time (I would imagine), she finally determined that the benefits were too great and the

consequences were unreasonable and therefore unlikely. At that moment she snatched the

fruit and ate it.

One may shake his head at Eve’s action, but the real wonder is that Adam seemingly without

hesitation succumbed to Eve’s invitation to share her disobedience. Moses employs 5 3/4

(Gen. 3:1-6a) verses to describe the deception and disobedience of Eve, but only a part of one

sentence to record Adam’s fall (Gen. 3:6b). Why? While I am not as dogmatic on this

possibility as I once was, two words of Moses could give us the answer: “with her” (verse 6):
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eye, and

that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also

to her husband with her, and he ate (Genesis 3:6).

Is it possible that Eve was never alone with the serpent?57 Could it be that Moses, by these

two words, ‘with her,’ is informing us that Adam was present throughout the entire event, but

never opened his mouth? If he were there, listening to every word and assenting by his

silence, then it is little wonder that he simply took the fruit and ate it when it was offered by

Eve.

If Adam were not present throughout the entire dialogue between the serpent and his wife,

one can still conceive of how it may have happened. Eve independently could have eaten the

fruit and then hastened to tell her husband of her experience. I can well imagine that Adam

would want to know two things. First, he would want to know if she felt any better—that is,

did the fruit have any beneficial effect on her. Secondly, he would want to know it if had any

detrimental effect. After all, God had said that they would die that very day. Had she found

the fruit pleasurable and as yet sensed no harmful effect, Adam would surely be inclined to

follow his wife’s example. What a tragic error! Verses 7 and 8 are particularly informative,

because they instruct us that sin has its consequences as well as its punishment. God has not

yet prescribed any punishment for the sins of Adam and Eve, and yet the consequences are

inseparably coupled with the crime. The consequences of sin mentioned here are shame and

separation.

The nakedness which Adam and Eve shared without guilt was now a source of shame. Sweet

innocence was lost forever. Remember, there was no man in the garden but the two of them.

But they were ashamed to face each other without clothing. Not only could they not face each
other as they had before, but they dreaded facing God. When He came to have sweet

fellowship with them, they hid themselves in fear.

God had said that they would die in the day that they ate the forbidden fruit. Some have

puzzled over this promise of judgment. While the process of physical death began on that

fateful day, they did not die physically. Let us recall that spiritual death is separation from

God:

And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and

from the glory of His power (II Thessalonians 1:9).

Isn’t it amazing that the spiritual death of Adam and Eve occurred immediately—that is,

there was now a separation from God. And this separation was not one imposed by God; it

was initiated by men. It can be said that the spiritual death experienced by Adam and his wife

is the same as that of today. It is the alienation of man from God. And it is that which man

himself chooses. It is his preference.

The separation which Adam and Eve brought about is that which God seeks to bridge. God

sought out man in the garden. While Satan’s question was designed to bring about the fall of

man, God’s questions seek his reconciliation and restoration. Notice that no questions are

asked of the serpent. There is no intention of restoration for Satan. His doom is sealed. Take

note also of the order or sequence here. Man fell in this order: serpent, Eve, Adam. This is the

opposite of God’s chain of command. While God questioned in the order of authority (Adam,

Eve, snake), He sentenced in the order of the fall (snake, Eve, Adam). The fall was, in part,

the result of the reversal of God’s order.

Adam is first sought by God with the question, “where are you?” (verse 9). Adam reluctantly

admitted his shame and fear, probably hoping that God would not press him on this issue. But
God probed more deeply, seeking an admission of wrongdoing: “Who told you that you were

naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” (verse 11).

So, God starts with the serpent, moves to the woman and ultimately moves to the man.

Thrusting at least a part of the responsibility back upon the Creator, Adam blurted out, “The

woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate” (verse 12). Both

Eve and God must share in the responsibility for the fall, Adam implied. His part was

mentioned last and with as little detail as possible. And so, it will always be with those who

are guilty. We always find mitigating circumstances. All the ways of a man are clean in his

own sight, but the Lord weighs the motives (Proverbs 16:2). Then Eve is questioned, “What

is this you have done?” (verse 13). Her response was little different (in essence) than her

husband’s: “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (verse 13). It was true, of course. The

serpent did deceive her (I Timothy 2:14), and she did eat. The guilt of both, while a feeble

effort to excuse or at least diminish human responsibility was made, had been clearly

established. Such must always be the case, I believe. Before punishment can be meted out,

the wrong-doing must be proven and acknowledged. Otherwise, punishment will not have its

corrective effect on the guilty. The penalties are now prescribed by God, given in the order of

the events of the fall.

Consequences of the Fall (Genesis 3:14-24)

In the Bible there is an act consequence. Actions are connected to consequences. This

connection between act and consequence is really big in Scripture. The book of proverbs is

telling the young person in proverb actions and character are connected to consequences.9

The dire consequences that resulted from the fall had a very widespread impact for the

human nature in ways the would last. The first widespread affect which the human nature was

that sin became a part of the of the human nature due to the fact that they disobeyed God. This
9
“Consequences of the Fall” Genesis 3:1-4:12
was a radical consequence as humans originally were made in the image of God and were free

from sin until their disobedience resulted in their nature. The second consequence that was very

radical was that death entered into the world as a result of their disobedience. This not only

impacted Adam and Eve but also other humans since the legacy of death carried on to others

such as their own children when Cain killed Abel. So ultimately, the fall mentioned within

Genesis had very widespread implications for the nature of humans (Diffey, 2015).

There are 3 oracles of judgment pronounced by God as a result of the fall of man, first

on the serpent (the deceiver), the woman (Eve) and the man (Adam).

Consequences between God and man.

Immediately Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden of Eden, the first step they

took was to go into hiding among the bushes.

He lost his communion with God. What you have now is a separation between God

and his people. From presence (Immanuel/God with us) – Absconditus (There is a Hidden

God now). Rather than the God who is with you in the garden, walking with you and talking

with you, now God is hidden. Man hid from him.10

Adam and Eve’s responses highlight themes of guilt, shame, and blame-shifting,

reflecting untreated human nature. Their attempt to hide from God and their refusal to take

responsibility set a pattern seen in human behavior throughout history. 11

The Serpent Sentenced (vss 14-15)

14.
So, the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above
all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the
days of your life. And

10
Shine Thomas, The Domino Effect of Disobedience/Consequence of the Fall/Genesis 1:1-4:12
11
Fall of Man – A Genesis 3:1-24 Study BIBLESTORIESHUB JUL 15, 2024
15.
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he
will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Consequence On The Serpent; Gen. 3:14

Genesis 3:14

So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above
all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the
days of your life.

The serpent is first addressed and his punishment established. The creature, as the

instrument of Satan, is cursed and subject to an existence of humiliation, crawling in the dust

(verse 14). Verse 15 addresses the serpent behind the serpent, Satan, the deadly dragon: “And

the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who

deceives the whole world; …” (Rev 12:9). There is to be, first of all, a personal animosity

between Eve and the serpent: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman” (verse

15). Such enmity is easy to comprehend. But this opposition will broaden: “And between

your seed and her seed” (verse 15). Here, it can be inferred that God refers to the battle of the

centuries between the people of God and the followers of the devil (cf. John 8:44ff).

Finally, there is the personal confrontation between the seed of Eve, the Messiah, and

Satan: “He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel” (verse 15). 12

The final message delivered to the serpent is that of its relationship with the “image of

God”—from this point on, there would be “enmity between you and the woman” and the

woman’s seed. Biblical interpreters are in agreement that the ultimate meaning of this portion

of the curse is a foreshadowing of the coming “Seed” who would defeat Satan and his plans,

and effect the redemption of the fallen human race, Constable, notes on Genesis 3:14–15).13

12
Gordon J. Wenham, “The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: Genesis”, 1994.
Eerdmans.
13
Thomas L. Constable, “The Bible Commentary Series: Genesis,” 2011. (23rd Edition). Publisher:
Sonic Light.
However, this ultimate meaning does not exclude the obvious short-term application of

“enmity” between serpents and mankind: namely, attacks against the lower extremities of

humans, and overwhelming force delivered by humans to the heads of serpents (Henry 1706,

notes on Genesis 3:14–15)! Thus, this passage marks the first biblical reference to conflict

between mankind and the animal kingdom, and directly links it with the Fall.14

Woman Punished (Gen. 3:16)

To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in pain
you shall bring forth children; your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over
you.”

The area of procreation it is now frustrating for the woman. In helping to multiply and

fill the earth, there is pain. Pain in childbearing. According to Lorraine Anderson, “since Eve

gave birth to Cain with the help of the Lord”, pain in childbirth has remained an undisputed

reality.15 “There is pain of infertility, miscarriage, and premature birth. He also uses a

different phrase there, “with painful labour you will give birth to children.’ There is pain in

giving birth to children. Then there is pain with birth defects, pain with learning disabilities,

pain in childhood diseases, pain in rebellious children, pain in sibling rivalry, pain in the

rejection of children toward their parents. 16 In describing this pain also, Lorraine asserts,

“labour pain does, infact, involve excruciating pain for most mothers – writing pain that often

has been fatal, though thanks to modern medicine that measures are taken to reduce pains...

Nonetheless, natural pain experienced in childbirth remains.”17

It is well documented that “sorrow and conception” spoken of in the passage are

“linked” in a grammatical construction known as a hendiadys (Constable), notes on Genesis

14
Zachary Klein and Hannah Klein, “Effects of the Fall on the Physical Creation: A Biblical Analysis;
Published on August 12, 2020. Answers Research Journal 13 (2020). 91-111.
https://answerwresearchjournal.org/effect-fall-physical-creation
15
Lorraine Cleaves Anderson, “The Legacy of Pain: The Analysis of Genesis 3:16a, April 30, 2006.
16
Shine Thomas, The Domino Effect of Disobedience/Consequence of the Fall/Genesis 1:1-4:12
17
Lorraine Cleaves Anderson, “The Legacy of Pain: The Analysis of Genesis 3:16a, April 30, 2006.
3:16), where the two nouns are linked to describe a single, more complex term. 18 The Hebrew

noun hêrôn (“conception”) appears to refer to the entire process of pregnancy to childbirth

(and perhaps even beyond), as described by the editors of the New English Translation:

“Conception” . . . must be figurative here since there is no pain in conception; it is a

synecdoche [a figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice versa],
representing the entire process of childbirth and child rearing from the very start.19

From the statement “I will greatly multiply…”, we can directly infer that “sorrow and

conception” was not present in the original creation or before the fall. John Calvin wrote,

“Before the Fall, there was no sorrow, no pain, no diseases. 20 Genesis 1:31, God declares

creation ‘very good’, implying no pain or suffering. Pain came after the fall. Meaning, at

childbirth the pain Eve was to experience will be doubled, for instance. For example, if the

pains is to be 50 percent, it will now be 100 percent. To what degree this “sorrow” (also

translated “toil” or “labour”, c.f. Genesis 5:29) was manifested prior to the Curse is unclear,

and likely unknowable as there is no biblical evidence that Eve ever experienced the process

of childbirth prior to the Fall.

The following clause introduces, at least in most English translations, the first

instance of the word “pain” in the Bible, again linked to childbearing. This translation has led

to some confusion however, as the Hebrew noun ‘eṣeb is in fact taken from the ̱ same root

(âṣaḇ) as the noun ‘iṣâḇôn (tr. “sorrow”) in the preceding line. The suffix -ônis described by

the Hebrew Aramiac Lexicon of the Old Testament,21 entry on “(b)âṣâbon”) as “indicat(ing)

the duration of the condition,” and contextually there seems to be no reason not to understand

both words as referring to the same concept of pain in childbirth. It should be noted that the
18
Thomas L. Constable, “The Bible Study Commentary Series: Genesis,” 2011. (3rd Edition).
Publisher: Sonic Light.
19
Zachary Klein and Hannah Klein, “Effects of the Fall on the Physical Creation: A Biblical Analysis;
Published on August 12, 2020. Answers Research Journal 13 (2020). 91-111.
https://answerwresearchjournal.org/effect-fall-physical-creation
20
John Calvin, “Institutes, Book II, Chapter 1
21
Ludwig Kohler and Walter Baumgartner, “The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament”,
2001. (Editors: Johann Jakob Stamm, Benedikt Hartmann, and Ze’ev Ben-Hayyim) Publishers: Brill Academic
Publishers
meaning of ‘eṣeḇ (“pain”) is not limited to physical sensations, but can include emotional

pain as well (c.f. Proverbs 10:22), and is often linked with the idea of laboring (e.g., Proverbs

14:23; Psalm 127:2).22

In contrast to some young-earth interpreters, the multiplication of

“sorrow” (‘iṣâḇôn) and “pain” (‘eṣeḇ) spoken of in this verse seem to indicate that both were

(at least potentially) experienced even in the original creation, though to a much lesser extent

than today.23 The expression “greatly multiply” (harbâ ’arbe—where both words are forms of

the root râḇâ) is used only two other times in the Old Testament, and in both cases it speaks

of the “multiplication” of offspring from an extant child (Genesis 16:10; 22:17). That some

form of pain reception was present in the original creation should not be dismissed as

incongruous with the “very good” state of creation prior to the Fall. While pain today is

correctly understood as a negative experience, our ability to perceive pain and discomfort is

closely linked to the entire human sensory system, including our perception of hunger, or

thirst (as well as the pleasure of relieving those “painful” feelings).24 Further analysis of both

the biblical data as well as the biological and neurological aspects of pain reception may help

to better distinguish between the kind and degree of pain that may have been experienced

prior to the Fall, and that which we experience in the present. 25 Despite the position above,

we still hold that pain, disease, and death entered the world through Adam’s disobedience.

This is because there is nowhere the Bible said the contrary.

The final clause of verse 16 has been the subject of much discussion and debate, in

particular as to the meaning of the words “desire” (ṯešûqâ), and “rule” (mâšal). Some

interpreters have argued that this clause is not part of the Curse at all, but rather a descriptive

22
Ludwig Kohler and Walter Baumgartner, para. 6
23
Charles Hodge, “Commentary on the Epistle to the Romans,” 2010, Publisher: Banner of Truth.
24
Lightner, R.P. “Sensory Evaluation of Food: Principles and Practices, 2016. Springer.
25
Ludwig Kohler and Walter Baumgartner, “The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old
Testament”, 2001. (Editors: Johann Jakob Stamm, Benedikt Hartmann, and Ze’ev Ben-Hayyim) Publishers:
Brill Academic Publishers
statement that Eve would continue to experience desire and longing for her husband, and that

the marriage institution (and mankind’s mandate to reproduce) would persist despite the

Fall.26 Contrariwise, it has been argued, based on the striking parallel to God’s warning to

Cain in Genesis 4:7, that “desire” in this context carries the idea of a desire that is contrary to

her husband, and speaks of the beginning of marital struggle in maintaining the created order

within the marriage relationship.27 It can be argued that “the desire of Eve will be that of the

husband” is an additional curse to her because the “desire” is the genesis of the crisis in the

family today starting from the garden of Eden after the fall.

We agree with the latter viewpoint, for some reasons. The parallel wording in Genesis

4:7, while it must be taken with caution due to the difference in context, nonetheless is clearly

intentional and even suggests that God was calling Cain’s attention back to His statement

from Genesis 3:16. Additionally, while it has been argued that, were this a proclamation of

marital disharmony, it should primarily concern the man, 28 the biblical account clearly links

the creation of woman with the institution of marriage (Genesis 2:23–24), and thus the

deleterious effects of sin upon this relationship are also addressed to the woman (similarly, as

the creation of man was synonymous with the beginning of human life (Genesis 2:7), it is

man who is addressed with the reality of death, though it would obviously affect both sexes

equally).29

The Man Punished (Genesis 3:17-19)

17.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about
which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of
you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
18.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
19.
By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since
from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
26
Irvin A. Busenitz “Answers to Questions About Marriage and Family,1986. Publisher: Moody Press
27
Garry Smith, “Marriage and the Christian Home”, 2012. Publisher: BMH Books.
28
Irvin A. Busenitz 1986. Publisher: Moody Press
29
Frank E. Gaebelein, “The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ” 1990. Zondervan.
20.
Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.
21.
The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
22.
And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.
He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and
live forever.”
23.
So, the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he
had been taken.
24.
After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and
a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

The punishment the Lord meted on Adam started with the curse of the ground. This is

judgment outside animal kingdom and man to include the very ground on which man and

animal were dependent for food and habitat. Here, man’s task was made very difficult.

He had been placed in the garden, where his work was to tend and keep the garden

where all fruit producing trees were made available. Now he has to fend for himself in a hard

way, “whilst also becoming less productive.”30 now he will have to earn a living from the

ground “by the sweat of his brow” (verses 17-19). The introduction of “thorns and thistles” is

the second phase of the punishment which appears to be a direct consequence of this curse of

the ground, and thus marks the second major description of a change to the natural world as a

result of the curse.

You will notice that while the serpent is cursed, it is only the ground which is cursed

here, and not Adam or Eve. God cursed Satan because He does not intend to rehabilitate or

redeem him. But already the purpose of God to save men has been revealed (verse 15). Not

only will Adam have to battle the ground to earn a living, he will eventually return to dust.

Spiritual death has already occurred (cf. verses 7-8). Physical death has begun. Apart from

the life which God gives, man will simply (though slowly) return to his original state—dust

(cf. 2:7). Is work a curse? No Is work a consequence of fall? No Was Adam to work and
30
Wenham, G.J. “Genesis. In The New International Commentary on the Old Testament, 1994. pp. 75-
81
take care of the garden before the fall? Yes. Work is not the curse. The curse is futility of

work.

Futile work (toil & unproductive)

Adam was to work the garden before the fall. Work is not the curse. The consequence

is the ‘futility of work’ (toil and unproductive).

The phrase “for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” in Genesis 3:19 is a biblical

quote spoken by God to Adam after the fall. It signifies: Human mortality, here, Adam and

Eve’s disobedience introduced death, reversing the original immortality in Eden; the fall

brought separation from God, leading to physical decay and eventual death; humans came

from dust and dust they will return, emphasizing the finite nature of man (Psalm 103:14; Ecc

3:20;1 Cor. 15:47;)

Adam’s response to God’s penalties and promise is revealed in verse 20: “Now the

man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.”

Adam accepted his guilt and punishment, but focused upon the promise of God that

through the offspring of woman the Saviour would come. Eve’s salvation (and ours as well!)

would come through her submission to her husband and through the bearing of children.

Adam’s naming the woman, Eve, which means ‘living’ or ‘life’ showed that life would come

through Eve. God is not just a God of penalties, but of gracious provision. Thus, He made for

Adam and his wife garments from the skins of animals to cover their nakedness. A veiled

prophecy of redemption through the shedding of blood is not, in my opinion, an abuse of this

verses.

Expulsion from Garden

Genesis 3:22–24
Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and
evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live
forever”—therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from
which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the
garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of
life.
 Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden because of disobedience, for they ate

the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of God and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:6). The

rebelled against God by choosing to follow Satan’s temptation rather than God’s instruction

(Genesis 3:1-5). By eating the fruit, they gained knowledge of sin and lost their innocence

(Genesis 3:7). Adam and Eve became afraid and ashamed, hiding from God (Genesis 3:8-10

Some believe that the reason given for the expulsion from Eden is to cut off man’s access to

the Tree of Life, indicating that this tree remained in the Garden, and would have, if

accessible, enabled man to circumvent the consequences of the Curse.31

This apparent dependence on the Tree of Life to stave off death has led some

interpreters (including some young-earth creationists) to conclude that the eating from the

fruit of this tree was necessary even prior to the Fall, in order for life to persist (e.g.,

Kulikovsky). Logically, this means that a failure to eat from the Tree of Life would have

resulted in death, even without taking from the forbidden Tree of Knowledge.32

Finally, there are theological problems if human death—which elsewhere in Scripture is

clearly named as a result of sin (Romans 6:23)—would actually result from a simple failure

to eat from a particular tree, which God had not commanded man to do.

An alternative (and, we would argue, more satisfactory) view is that the Tree of Life

was a manifestation of God’s life-giving presence on earth, and especially in the Garden, but

that it was not “required eating” to preserve life in the absence of sin. The Bible is abundantly

clear that God is life (e.g, Psalm 36:9; John 1:4; Acts 17:28), and the Tree of Life (as seen in

Genesis 2 and Revelation 22:2) can be seen as the “standard” of divine life. As John Calvin

argues:

31
John, F. Walwoord and Roy, B. Zuck, “The Bible Knowledge Commentary”, 1985. Publisher: Victor
Books.
32
Andrew, S. Kulikovsky, “Creation to Babel: Studies in Genesis 1-11, 2009. pp. 193. Publisher:
Mentor
[God] gave the tree of life its name not because it could confer on man that life with which
he had been previously endued, but in order that it might be a symbol and memorial of the
life he had received from God. . . .In that tree there was a visible testimony to the
declaration, that ‘in God we are, and live, and move.’33
Herman Bavinck says:
“The tree of life was a manifestation of God’s-giving presence in the garden… not a means of
obtaining life, but a symbol of the life that was already present.” (Vol. 2, p. 538).34

For John Sailhamer:

“The tree of life symbolizes God’s life-giving presence in the garden…it presents the divine
life that was already present in the garden.”35

The New International Dictionary of the Old Testament writes:

“The tree of life represents God’s life-giving presence and blessing…not necessarily a means
of obtaining immortality.”36

From the above positions which are though similar, denotes:

i. The tree symbolizes God’s presence and life-giving power, emphasizing the
intimate relationship between God and humanity.
ii. The tree is a significant shift from physical immortality to spiritual life,
highlighting the importance of spiritual connection with God,
iii. It also represents God’s covenant with humanity, underscoring the relational
aspect of faith.
iv. The Garden, with the Tree at its center, serves as a sanctuary, demonstrating
God’s desire for sacred space and communion with humanity.
v. The Tree of life prefigures Christ, who is the ultimate source of life and spiritual
nourishment (John 6:51-58, Revelation 22:1-2.

Based on Genesis 3:22–24, it is evident that it was (at least theoretically) possible for

fallen man to stave off the consequences of sin by availing himself of this tree’s fruit, which

necessitated God’s actions to physically separate mankind from the Tree of Life. Just as

mankind had been separated from God’s presence spiritually (Genesis 3:8; cf. Isaiah 59:2), he

must also be separated from the manifestation of God’s presence in the Tree of Life, until the

time that God Himself chose to bridge that divide with the coming of Jesus.37

33
John Calvin, “Commentary on the First Book of Moses Called Genesis, 1554. Eustace Vignon, Paris.
34
Herman Bavinck, “Reformed Dogmatics”. Baker Academic, 2004.
35
John Sailhamer, “The Pentateuch as Narrative” Zonervan, 1992.
36
The New International Dictionary of the Old Testament, “Theology and Exegesis, Zondervan, 1997.
37
John Calvin, “Commentary on Genesis, 1554. Vol 1,p. 187.
Ref: Samuel, C. “Genesis 3-The Fall”
https://www.academia.edu/44425662/Genesis_The_Fall
There are five effects of the fall of humanity into original sin.
1. Loss of Righteousness
The fall of man, as recorded in Genesis 3, resulted in the loss of

righteousness, which is a crucial concept in understanding humanity’s

relationship with God. Before rebelling against God and falling into sin,

Adam and Eve were created in God’s image, possessing righteousness

and holiness (Genesis 1:26-27; Ephesians 4:24) However, when they

disobeyed God’s command, they lost their righteous standing which was

replaced by sin and unrighteousness (Romans 3:10-18, 5:12-19). This

position is well affirmed by John Calvin who writes that “The fall of Adam

was the loss of righteousness… and the corruption of human nature.” 38

Similarly, Charles Hodge asserts that “The fall of man resulted in the loss

of righteousness…and the introduction of sin.” 39

Adam, and Eve were God’s unique creations (Genesis 2:25). The

portrayal of God "strolling" in the garden proposes that active fellowship

between God and Adam was present (Genesis 3:8). However, it was in

38
John Calvin, “Institutes of the Christian Religion, (1559). Book 2, Chapter 1.
39
Charles Hodge, “Systematic Theology”, (1872).
the garden that Satan (Revelation 12:9) came to Eve and enticed her to

eat the fruit that was forbidden by God. After disobeying God's order not

to eat from the tree, the eyes of the two were opened (Genesis 3:7).

They were aware of their nakedness and realized that their previous

perfection was only a memory. Due to this rebellion, humankind is guilty

of original sin (1 Corinthians 15:22). 40

2. Spiritual Separation

Human’s rebellion against God led to spiritual separation (Genesis

3:8-10; Romans 3:23). “Spiritual separation infers that “the perfect

relationship between God and humanity was broken… Humankind

because of sin, could not now directly approach God.” 41 This is also

known as spiritual death, refers to broken relationship between God and

humanity caused by the fall. John Calvin asserts that “The fall brought

about spiritual death, which is separation from God.” 42 Similarly, Wayne

Grudem believes that the fall resulted in spiritual death, including

separation from God.”43 For Gordon, “The expulsion from Eden

symbolizes spiritual separation from God.” 44 Adam was not sinful when

created, but he tumbled from a state of innocence and from the

fellowship he once had with God. After hearing God's voice, Adam and

Eve were apprehensive because they were naked (Genesis 3:10). Their

40
Samuel, C. “Genesis 3-The Fall”
https://www.academia.edu/44425662/Genesis_The_Fall
41
Don Stewart, “How Did the Fall Affect Humankind and Earth?” blueletterbible.org
42
John Calvin, “Institutes, Book II, Chapter 1
43
Wayne Grudem, “Systematic Theology, Chapter 15
44
Gordon J. Wenham, “Genesis 1-15,” Word Biblical Commentary.
disgrace in being naked is a result of their rebellion (Genesis 3:7; see

Genesis 9:22–23). In light of their nakedness, they concealed themselves

from the presence of God (Genesis 3:8). In them came guilty conscience,

the awareness of sin and guilt (Genesis 3:7-10). It also includes

separation from God’s presence, for they were expelled from Eden

(Genesis 3:24). Before the fall, they had been unafraid when they had

heard the voice of God. Now they dreaded the presence of God with

whom they once enjoyed fellowship (Genesis 3:8). We all enter the world

isolated from God and are born with original sin (Ephesians 2:1–3). Also,

as a result of humanity’s fall there came loss of intimacy; humanity’s

direct communication with God is disrupted (Genesis 3:8-10). 45

3. Cursed Environment
Adam and Eve's punishment in Genesis 3:17–18 uncovers the fact that

man's sin caused the cursing of the ground, bringing about the

troublesome thistles and thorns. The sin of humanity brought about a

change in the natural world (Romans 8:19–22). God's curse was in the

garden and throughout the entire earth outside of the garden. 46 The man

that was given the provision of all created things in the garden of Eden is

now a toiler outside the garden. The ground that was once blessed is

now cursed because of the fall. This curse did not stop with Adam alone,

but extended to the present world. The present generation with their

own hand is in the habit of destroying the ecosystem. This, Unite for

Change confirmed when it says “with damage to the environment

45
Samuel, C. “Genesis 3-The Fall”
https://www.academia.edu/44425662/Genesis_The_Fall
46
Samuel, C. “Genesis 3-The Fall”
https://www.academia.edu/44425662/Genesis_The_Fall
ranging from ozone depletion to acid rain, human induced soil

degradation from deforestation, pollution and loss of biodiversity, the

impact of human on our environment are widespread – in both terrestrial

and aquatic ecosystem.” 47 In furtherance of this position, also, Virendra,

Kishior Janbandhu, and Kishor Gopal Paul agues that “Deforestation,

expanding agriculture, illegal fishing and hunting, unplanned tourism and

pollution by pesticide have also caused a progressive deterioration of

natural habitats.”48 Also, as a result of the fall, “all of creation groans waiting for the

coming day of redemption.” You have famines, tsunamis, earthquakes, avalanches, plagues,

diseases, cancer, etc. .

4. Death of the Physical Body

Genesis 2:17 states that “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely

die” This punishment has been spelt out even before the fall. Since man

disobeyed God and fell, the punishment becomes inescapable and

obvious. Also, Genesis 3:19 says, “By the sweat of your face you shall

eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for

you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Louis Berkhof affirms that

“Physical death is a consequence of the fall…and is a punishment for

sin.”.49 R.C. Sproul also said, “The fall of man introduced physical death…

as a result of God’s judgment.” 50

As punishment for Adam's disobedience, God promised that Adam

would die (Genesis 3:19; cf. 2:17). A concept which is referenced by

47
Unite for Change, “Human Impact on the Environment, July 11, 2022.
https://uniteforchange.com
48
Virendra, Kishior Janbandhu, and Kishor Gopal Paul, “Impact of Human Beings
on Environment, January 2015. Researchgate.net
49
Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology”, 1938. Chapter 15.
50
R.C. Sproul, “The Holiness of God”, 1985. Chapter 5.
many Old Testament writers is that Adam would return to the dust (Job

10:9; Psalm 90:3; Ecclesiastes 3:20). Through Adam's disobedience,

physical death came to him and his descendants (Romans 5:12). Paul

refers to Adam’s sin and its consequences in Romans 5:12-17. Paul says

that sin and death entered the world through Adam. And all die because

all sin. But life comes to all who believe in Christ. Cain killed his brother

Abel, the first human death. However, death did not stop there – it

impacted everyone.51

Human Relationships Flawed.

At the fall, Adam and Eve lost their sinless harmony of relationship with God

(Genesis 3:8-10). Adam and Eve’s relationship with each other also began to deteriorate as

Adam blamed and accused his wife for his own choice to disobey (Genesis 3:12). The entered

into a life of separation from, and struggle with the rest of God’s creation (Genesis 3:17-19,

23, 24).52

The desire of the woman may be to rise above the husband or to be at the equal level

with her husband. This position is affirmed by Don Stewart, he said, “The desire may be seen

as the woman’s attempt to be equal with the man or else to gain upper hand over him. She

will desire to do something that the fall will not permit her to do.” 53 World Map.Com says

“Desire” in Genesis 3:16 is not sexual desire; rather, it reflects the presence of sin distorting

what God had created woman to be.” 54 There will be a better understanding of this when we

examine the same Hebrew word for “desire” as it is used in Genesis 4:7. In this example, God

is explaining to Cain the power of sin and that sin’s “desire is for you”. Then God cautioned

Cain to be careful not to allow the “desire” waiting at the door to rule over him, but instead
51
Samuel, C. “Genesis 3-The Fall”
https://www.academia.edu/44425662/Genesis_The_Fall
52
World Map.Com “Marriage After the Fall is Optional”, studymanuals.net
53
Don Stewart, “How Did the Fall Affect Humankind and Earth?” blueletterbible.org
54
World Map.Com “Marriage After the Fall is Optional”, studymanuals.net
he should rule over it. A biblical example of wife’s dominance can be seen in the life of

Jezebel showing the extreme results of a woman giving in to the desire to dominate (1 Kings

16, 18, 19, 21; 2 Kings 9). “There was much heartache and destruction caused by sin that was

out of control in Jezebel’s life. To this day, there are women who desire to dominate and

control their husbands, their relationships and their circumstances. Their families and many

others suffer from this destructive behaviour.55

World Map.Com further writes:

In this same Biblical account, the story of Jezebel’s husband Ahab shows the results of a man
giving up his God-given responsibilities (1Kings 21:1-16, 23-26). The abandoning of his role
also had tragic consequences. Even to this day, men who give in to human and fleshly
tendencies react to responsibility by “letting someone else take it.” A man may not lead his
family properly, or may not work to provide for his spouse and children. He may want to
blame his wife or his circumstances for his own failures. He may even try to cruelly dominate
and control his wife. In some cultures, women are treated as animals or as possessions to be
traded or sold. This is the tragic result of sin having its way in a person’s life. 56

The term desire comes from an Arabic root that means “to compel, impel, urge, or

seek control over.”57 Sin wanted to master Cain, but God commanded Cain to master sin. In

the light of this definition of the word ‘desire’, the curse on Eve was that woman’s desire

henceforth would be to usurp the place of man’s headship – and that he would resist that

desire and would rule over her.

With the fall and its curse came the distortion of proper submissiveness and man’s

proper authority. At this point in history, women’s liberation and male chauvinism came into

existence. Women have a sinful inclination to usurp the authority of men, and men have the

sinful inclination to put women under their feet. The battle of the sexes began. Man and

woman would now have to struggle with the consequences of sin, which included

competition, striving, selfishness, dominance and rebellion among others. Their natural,

human tendencies would now be different than what God had originally intended for them.

Woman would desire to dominate or control; man would desire to abandon his place of
55
World Map.Com “Marriage After the Fall is Optional”, studymanuals.net
56
World Map.Com
57
“The Consequences of the Fall on Marriage”. https://harvest.org/>the-consequences...
leadership or would strive in his own strength to regain his place of leadership by dominating

his wife or behaving cruelly toward her.

The Hebrew word for rule in verse six is not the same word used by God in Genesis

1:28 when He tells Adam to subdue the earth. Instead, it represents a new word of

authoritarianism that was not in God’s original plan for man’s headship.

Broken Relationships Among People

Conflict/power struggle in marriage. You fight against it.

 Part of the consequence of the fall is conflict and power struggle in marriage.
 What is described is the future struggle of the sexes.
 There will be a conflict between husbands and wives in their homes, that is one of the
effects of being sinners.
 There will not be order but control, there will not be a submissive spirit of love and
mutual affection and unity of purpose in achieving the blessing that God has
envisioned for man and woman.
 There must be a loving relationship but it is replaced by a struggle by each one’s
desire (wife and husband) to overwhelm, overcome, or control his/her spouse.58

As a result of the fall, God’s deign for both gender and marriage is now turned upside

down. Men are naturally now given to think of themselves and not love their wives as Christ

loved the church and gave himself up for her. That does not come naturally. Women don’t

naturally take up the role to submit to her husband and respect him as the head of the home as

Christ is the head of the church. The husband does not naturally take up the role to love his

wife as himself. It comes naturally to both the husband and wife to manipulate, to overrule, or

to fear.59

Human relationships became flawed, marked by conflict, dominance, and

exploitation. (Genesis 3:16-17). Let us look at the impact of the fall on the relationship

between two brothers, Abel and Cain.

Genesis 4:8-9

58
Shine Thomas, The Domino Effect of Disobedience/Consequence of the Fall/Genesis 1:1-4:12,
December 12, 2021.
59
Shine Thomas, para 5.
8
Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field,
Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your
brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The story started when both brothers offered individual sacrifices to God; God

accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain’s; and he became angry and jealous, and “in a fit

of unbridled rage, he murdered righteous Abel. This act is recorded as the first murder on the

face of the earth. Eric Watkins describes this jealous rage of Cain as follows:

Cain not only abandoned the counsel of God gave, but he proved in a single act that
he was anything but the righteous seed of the woman. He was far more in tune with
the jealousy-driven, murderous kingdom of Satan than with the kingdom of God. Cain
may not have been willing to sacrifice an unblemished animal to God on the altar of
true worship, but he was more than willing to sacrifice righteous Abel on the altar of
his jealous rage.60
In the text, no mention is made as to why God rejected Cain’s sacrifice, however,

some assumptions have been put forward as to why the verdict is so. According to Eric

Witkins, Abel by faith, followed the example of what God had already done in Genesis 3:21,

while Cain chose to follow the example of Adam by bringing a non-bloody sacrifice that was

not in keeping with the pattern set by God and thus not able to provide a suitable covering for

sin.

Many would want to say, I would have done this wicked thing if I were to be in

Cain’s shoes. Remember, even in our world today, there are Cains and Abels. It may not be

so bad that one kills the other. Still, there are sibling relationships that are doused with

jealousy, comparison, and concentrated bitterness. Most times, these scenarios happen

because the children are brought up in a toxic environment where success, love, and affection

come at the expense of another person.

Sibling Rivalry

 Competitive nature among siblings.

 Jealously in the family.
 Sibling rivalry. (Leah & Rachel; Joseph & his brothers, Jacob & Easu). Sibling rivalry
is a big theme in Genesis.

60
Eric Watkins, Cain and Abel: More than Sibling Rivalry, September 27, 2024
  Sense of failure – hatred/anger.61

For the purposes of this analysis, we can include marital disharmony, and thus,

disharmony among human beings, as a direct result of the Fall.62

Distortion of the Image of God

Both “Image” and “Likeness” speaks of resemblance. The word for “image” (Hebrew,

tselem) has the meaning of something that is carved or cut out. “After our likeness” makes

much the same point, defining man as like God, though not divine.”63

John Calvin explains that “man resembles him and that in him God’s glory is contemplated,

as in a mirror.”64 Similar language is used in Genesis 5:3 when Adam has a son: “he fathered

a son in his own likeness, after his image.”, after his image.” Just as set bore resemblance to

his father, so Adam did to God.” 65 Augustine proposed that the image of God resides in

man’s memory, understanding, and will, seeking in this way mirror God’s Trinitarian

personhood.”66

However, the image of man is distorted by sin at the fall. Berkhof states, “it is

unwarranted to say that man has completely lost the image of God”, but also says that “the

image of God has indeed been vitiated (i.e. spoiled) by sin”,67 Grudem similarly says “After

the fall, then, we are still in God’s image…but the image of God in us is distorted; we are less

fully like God than we were before the entrance of sin.”68As Philip will say: “Man has lost the

vital core of the image of God in the form of righteousness and holiness in relating to him.

61
Shine Thomas, The Domino Effect of Disobedience/Consequence of the Fall/Genesis 1:1-4:12
62
Emmanuel O. Oguntoyinbo, “The Christian Doctrine of Man”, 2001. Evangelical Press.
63
Richard Phillips, “Man as the Image of God” gospelcoalition.org
64
John Calvin, “Sermons on Genesis Chapters 1-11, trans. Rob Boy McGregor (Edinburgh: Banner of
Truth, 2009, 93.
65
Richard Phillips, “Man as the Image of God” gospelcoalition.org
66
Cited from Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, “The True Image: The Origin and Destiny of Man in Christ
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1989), 17.
67
Louis Berkhof, “Systematic Theology (The Banner of Truth, 1958, p. 204.
68
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology” (IVP, 1994), p. 444.
The result of sin, therefore, has been not the complete loss of the divine image but rather its

thorough corruption.”69 Henri Blocher writes:

“We must state both that after his revolt mankind remains mankind, and also that
mankind has radically changed, that he is but a grisly shadow of himself. Mankind
remains the image of God, inviolable and responsible, but has become a contradictory
image, one might say a caricature, a witness against himself.”70

Phillips gave a vivid picture of a fallen state of man to an automobile windscreen that has

shattered. The glass remains there but it is so damaged that it will no longer function

properly. Likewise, when mankind fell into sin, we became guilty, alienated from God we

still know, and corrupted in our thoughts and desires. 71 In agreement with the

aforementioned, Zachary Garris asserts that even after the fall, humanity can be said to still

be in the image of God, but sin has distorted this image. Human have turned from

worshipping the One in whose likeness we are made and instead have turned towards idols. 72

As Paul will say: “sinful man exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images

resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things” (Romans 1:23).

Despite our distorted image of God, hope is not lost, as God is restoring His image in

us by conforming us to the image of Christ. It is through Jesus that we are made like Him:

Just as we have born the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of
heaven (1 Corinthians 15:49).

For those whom He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in
order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8:29).

You have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being
renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator (Colossians 3:9-10).

Conclusion

“The Fall of Man” in Genesis 3:1-24 offers crucial insights into sin’s beginnings, humanity’s

nature, witnessing the profound impact of humanity’s disobedience and the ripple effects that
69
Richard Phillips, “Man as the Image of God” gospelcoalition.org
70
Henri Blocher, “In the Beginning: The Opening Chapters of Genesis (Leicester, UK: InterVarsity,
1984, 94.
71
Richard D. Phillips, “The God of Creation: Truth and Gospel in Genesis 1 (Darlington, UK:
Evangelical Press, 2018).
72
Zachary Garris, “The Image of God – Fallen and Restored.” April 5, 2017. livingscripture.com
continue to shape our lives even today manifesting in various aspects of our existence. We

witnessed the judgment upon the serpent, forever cursed to crawl upon its belly, a vivid

reminder of the consequences of deception and manipulation. Through this judgment, we are

reminded of the enduring truth that evil will not prevail and that God’s justice will ultimately

triumph through God’s unwavering plan for redemption.

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