Ch.

2: The Fall and the Promise

of a Savior

Creation and De-Creation

At creation Adam and Eve were
gifted with Original Holiness and
Original Justice.
That means they
were created to
share in Gods life
and to live in
happiness.

 However,
temptation by
Satan lead to the
original sin, the
first personal sin
committed by
human beings.

Adam and Eve sinned by preferring

themselves to God, disobeying him and
failing to trust in him.

Discussion:
God created human beings to live
with him in peace and happiness.
Why do you think the first
humans turned away from God?

Was Original Sin

a Historical
Event?
Though the story of
Genesis 3 uses figural
language and should
not be read as a
historical account, it is
important to maintain
that a real historical
event lies behind it.

The Effects of the Original Sin

The consequences
of the first
personal sin were
immediate and
prolific.
Those
consequences
remain a part of
our lives today.
This fallen state is
Original Sin.

The Consequences of the Original

Sin
loss of Original Holiness and Original Justice
disunity within the individual, among
individuals, between people and creation, and
between people and God
having to endure painful labor in order to
survive
the pains of childbirth
shame as a result of
nakedness
death
However, though
human nature was
weakened by sin, it was
not totally corrupted.

 Genesis describes
the spread of sin
and its
consequences as
Gods judgment
and mercy for
humanity in three
stories:
Cain and Abel
the Great Flood
the Tower of
Babel

Discussion: Where do you see the

effects of Original Sin in the world
today?

God Remains Faithful in Times of

Sin
From the moment of
humanitys first sin,
God promises salvation.
The Protoevangelium
recorded in Genesis
3:15 announces Gods
plans for a future
Redeemer and a final
victory over sin and
death.

Covenants in the Old

Testament
God renews this promise of salvation
throughout history in covenants with
his people.
A covenant is a solemn agreement
God enters into with his people.
The Old Testament records 4 covenants:

1. Gods covenant with Noah

God renewed the command to Adam and
Eve to multiply and subdue the earth and
promised to never again destroy the world.

2. Gods Covenant with Abraham

God promised Abraham many
descendents, land for his people, and that
his people would be a blessing to all the
nations.

3. Gods
Covenant with
Moses
God formed his
chosen People,
Israel, and
gave them the
Law by which
to live.

4. Gods Covenant
with King David
God promised David
that the messiah
would come from
his line and that his
kingdom would be
everlasting.

Covenant Summary
Covenant
with

Passage

Promise

Noah

Gn 9:8-17

God will never destroy the

earth again

Abraham

Gn 17:1-14

Land, progeny, blessing

Moses

Ex 24:3-8

Israel will be Gods people

David

2 Sam 23:5

Messiah will come from

Davids line

God Remains Faithful to His

Promises

God remained faithful to his promises in spite

of the continued sinful behavior of the people
and their leaders, including Israels kings.

 Gods fidelity was

exemplified in the
message of repentance
and hope preached by
his prophets.

The prophet Amos condemned

genocide, sexual excess, and violence
and insisted that true worship of God
required concrete actions of justice
toward the weak and poor.

 Jeremiah foretold
punishment for
Israels sins and
promised that God
would write a new
covenant on their
hearts.

 Ezekiel
warned of
punishment
for Israels
sins and
promised the
coming of a
messiah.

 Isaiah criticized
idolatry, empty
sacrifice, human
pride, and cruelty
to the poor and
foretold Israels
immanent collapse.
He also promised
that God would
save Israel and
spoke of a
suffering servant.

 In Christ all the prophecies and covenants

find their fulfillment.
Where Adams disobedience to God was
the cause of our death, Christs obedience
even to the point of death on a crossis
the source of our salvation.