THE TRUTH AND EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S SALVATION

Lesson Eight

II. The Result of Man’s Fall

B. The problem of death – Rom. 6:23a

1. Cut off from the tree of life – Gen. 3:22-24; Rom. 5:12; James 1:15

Burden to Impart:

The second result of man’s fall is death, for sin issues in death. As sin was passed on to all of Adam’s descendents, so was death. Man was driven out of the garden of Eden, cut off from the tree of life, and thus “alienated from the life of God” (Eph. 4: 18). The result of sin is not only guilt, shame and condemnation; it is death. Sin brought in death, and death has passed on to all men, for all have sinned (Rom. 5:12).

Memory Verse: “Therefore just as through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin, death; and thus death passed on to all men because all have sinned—” (Romans 5:12)

“For the wages of sin is death...” (Romans 6:23a)

Facts to Teach:

1. Just as a glove is made in the likeness of the hand, God created man in His own image, so that man could one day receive His life. When God placed Adam in the garden before the tree of life, Satan understood God’s intention: to share His life with man.

2. Satan’s plot was two-fold:

a) To cause man to sin by disobeying God and eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and

b) To keep man from eating of the tree of life, that is, to keep man from gaining the life of God.

3. Satan succeeded in his plot. Man disobeyed God, sinned, and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Instead of life, man got death. Sin came into man and with sin came death (Rom. 5:12). Sin and death are inseparable; they always go together. So death, like a slow-acting poison, got into man and began to work from that very moment. Man began to die. Day after day man was not actually living, but was gradually dying. Each “birthday” was taking him a little closer to his grave. Each day he lived in slavery to the fear of death, and soon he would be entirely subjected to the dominion of Satan, death (Heb. 2:14-15). Thus, man was “alienated from the life of God” (Eph. 4:18).

4. After man fell God removed him from the garden of Eden and out of reach of the tree of life (Gen. 3:22-24), thus making it impossible for man to partake of God’s life. Man was now cut off from the tree of life until Christ would come to accomplish redemption for him.

[See Gospel Outlines, by Witness Lee, subject 14]