Understanding the Sin Nature: When Sin Entered into the World — Part One

Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

To understand the sin nature, we must return to the beginning and examine when sin entered the human race. The biblical record does not begin with man in a sinful condition. God created the heavens, the earth, and every living thing, and everything He made was good.

The sin nature is an important biblical doctrine, yet it is rarely explained or understood within much of the modern church.

The King James Version begins by declaring, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). God created light and divided the light from the darkness (Genesis 1:3–5). He made the firmament and divided the waters (Genesis 1:6–8). He gathered the waters together, caused the dry land to appear, and brought forth grass, herbs, and fruit trees (Genesis 1:9–13).

He made the lights in the firmament to divide the day from the night and to mark signs, seasons, days, and years (Genesis 1:14–19). He created the creatures of the waters and every winged fowl (Genesis 1:20–23). He made the living creatures of the earth, including cattle, creeping things, and beasts of the earth (Genesis 1:24–25).

Everything God created proceeded from His perfect, Holy, and Righteous nature. Scripture declares, “He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4). It also declares, “The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works” (Psalm 145:17).

After creating the heavens, the earth, and every other living thing, God created man in His Own Image.

Genesis 1:26–27 states, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Being created in God’s Image and Likeness does not mean that man was created as a god or a little god. The LORD alone is God. Deuteronomy 4:35 states, “Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him.” Man is God’s creation; he is not another god.

God created man, along with all creation in heaven and earth, for His pleasure. Revelation 4:11 states, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Scripture declares that man is to know God and serve Him. Jeremiah 9:24 states, “But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me.” Ecclesiastes 12:13 states, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.”

Genesis 2:7 explains how God formed the first man: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

The Hebrew word translated “man” in Genesis 2:7 is אָדָם (ʾādām), identified in Strong’s Concordance as H120. Strong’s defines the word as “man, mankind, human.” The same Hebrew word is associated with Adam, the first man.

After completing His creation, including man, God examined everything He had made.

Genesis 1:31 states, “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”

Therefore, man did not begin in a sinful condition. God created man, placed him within a creation that He declared to be very good, and gave him life.

In Our Image, After Our Likeness

Genesis 1:26 (KJV)“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

The Hebrew words translated “in our image, after our likeness” are בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ, transliterated bəṣalmēnū kiḏmūṯēnū.

“In Our Image”

The Hebrew word translated “in our image” is בְּצַלְמֵנוּ (bəṣalmēnū). It consists of three parts:

The Hebrew prefix בְּ (bə) means “in.”

The Hebrew word צֶלֶם (ṣelem) is Strong’s H6754 and means “image.” Strong’s gives the sense of an image, resemblance, or representative figure.

The Hebrew suffix נוּ (nū) is the possessive suffix meaning “our.”

Therefore, בְּצַלְמֵנוּ means “in our image.”

The Hebrew word צֶלֶם (ṣelem) does not state that man is God or that man was created as another god. It describes an image, resemblance, or representation. God is the One who creates, while man is the one created in God’s image. The wording expresses a resemblance or representation while maintaining the distinction between the Creator and His creation.

“After Our Likeness”

The Hebrew word translated “after our likeness” is כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ (kiḏmūṯēnū). It also consists of three parts:

The Hebrew prefix כְּ (kə), appearing here as כִּ (ki), means “like,” “as,” or “according to.”

The Hebrew word דְּמוּת (dəmūṯ) is Strong’s H1823 and means “likeness,” “resemblance,” “similitude,” “form,” or “pattern.”

The Hebrew suffix נוּ (nū) is the possessive suffix meaning “our.”

Therefore, כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ carries the meaning “according to our likeness” or “like our likeness.” The word “after” in the King James Version does not refer to something occurring later in time. It means that man was made according to, or in correspondence with, God’s likeness.

Strong’s H1819 — דָּמָה (dāmâ)

The noun דְּמוּת (dəmūṯ), Strong’s H1823, comes from the Hebrew root דָּמָה (dāmâ or damah), Strong’s H1819.

Strong’s H1819 means “to be like,” “to resemble,” “to liken,” or “to compare.” The word describes a likeness or correspondence between one thing and another.

The word that appears directly in Genesis 1:26 is not the verb דָּמָה (dāmâ, H1819), but the related noun דְּמוּת (dəmūṯ, H1823). The noun identifies the likeness or resemblance, while its root expresses the idea of being like or resembling.

Taken together, the Hebrew expression בְּצַלְמֵנוּ כִּדְמוּתֵנוּ means that God determined to make man in His image and according to His likeness. The words communicate image, representation, likeness, and resemblance. They do not teach that man was created as God or as a lesser god. Man was created by God as a created being who bore an image and likeness belonging to God.

The Command God Gave to Adam

Before God created the woman, He gave Adam a direct command concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and evil:

Genesis 2:16–17 (KJV)“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

God’s command was clear. Adam was permitted to eat freely from every tree in the garden except one. God also plainly stated the consequence of disobedience: “thou shalt surely die.” Therefore, Adam knew both the command of God and the consequence of disobeying it before the temptation occurred.

The Subtilty of the Serpent

The events leading to mankind’s fall began with the serpent’s deception of Eve:

Genesis 3:1 (KJV)“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”

The Hebrew word translated “subtil” is עָרוּם (ʿārûm), Strong’s H6175. It carries the meaning of being crafty, cunning, shrewd, or prudent. In Genesis 3:1, it describes the craftiness and cunning employed by the serpent.

The serpent began by questioning what God had said: “Yea, hath God said?” God had told Adam that he could freely eat from every tree except one. The serpent presented God’s command in a manner that called His Word into question.

After the woman repeated the command and its consequence, the serpent directly contradicted God:

Genesis 3:4–5 (KJV)“And the serpent said unto the woman, 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.”

God said, “thou shalt surely die.” The serpent said, “Ye shall not surely die.” Satan’s words were directly opposed to God’s Word. He questioned what God had said, denied the consequence God had declared, and presented disobedience as a means of obtaining something desirable.

Scripture identifies this serpent with the Devil and Satan:

Revelation 12:9 (KJV)“And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.”

Paul also described what occurred in the garden:

2 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

The word “beguiled” shows that Eve was deceived. Satan did not begin by openly announcing that he was leading her into rebellion against God. He approached through subtlety. He questioned God’s Word, contradicted God’s warning, and caused the forbidden act to appear desirable.

Eve Was Deceived

The woman then looked upon the tree according to what the serpent had presented:

Genesis 3:6 (KJV)“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat.”

Scripture confirms that the woman was deceived:

1 Timothy 2:14 (KJV)“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”

The serpent’s deception caused Eve to look at the forbidden tree differently from the way God’s command required. She saw that it was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise. She then took its fruit and ate.

Adam Knowingly Disobeyed God

Genesis records what happened next:

Genesis 3:6 (KJV)“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”

Adam ate the fruit his wife gave him. However, Scripture makes an important distinction between Eve’s transgression and Adam’s disobedience: “Adam was not deceived.” Adam knew the command God had given him, yet he ate from the tree God had expressly forbidden.

God addressed this directly when He pronounced judgment upon Adam:

Genesis 3:17 (KJV)“And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life.”

God identified both parts of Adam’s disobedience. Adam had “hearkened unto the voice” of his wife, and he had eaten from the tree concerning which God had commanded, “Thou shalt not eat of it.” Adam listened to his wife and acted upon what she gave him instead of obeying the Word God had spoken directly to him.

This does not remove Eve’s responsibility for her transgression.

Scripture states that she was deceived and was in the transgression. However, Scripture also states that Adam was not deceived. He knowingly disobeyed God’s command.

Through Adam’s disobedience, sin entered the world:

Romans 5:12 (KJV)“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

The fall of mankind did not result from any imperfection in God or in what He had created. God had provided what was good, given a clear command, and plainly stated the consequence of disobedience. The serpent deceived Eve through subtlety, but Adam knowingly chose to disobey the Word of God. Through that disobedience, sin entered the world, and death came by sin.

Eve ate the forbidden fruit, yet she did not immediately fall dead in the natural sense. Adam saw that nothing had happened to Eve physically. She was still standing before him and then gave the fruit to him. Instead of keeping his focus upon what God had plainly commanded, Adam placed his focus upon what he saw with his natural eyes. He saw that Eve had eaten and had not died physically, and he listened to his wife instead of obeying the Word God had spoken.

Scripture plainly states that Adam was not deceived:

1 Timothy 2:14 (KJV)“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.”

Adam knew what God had commanded. God had said:

Genesis 2:17 (KJV)“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Adam knowingly acted according to what he saw and received from his wife instead of remaining obedient to God’s Word. The fact that Eve did not immediately die in the natural caused Adam to take his focus away from what God had said. However, the absence of immediate physical death did not mean that God’s Word had failed or that their disobedience was without consequence.

Satan knew that if Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden tree and disobeyed God’s Word, they would die spiritually. The serpent had said:

Genesis 3:4 (KJV)“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.”

This reveals how cunning Satan was in his deception. He caused them to look at what appeared to be happening in the natural instead of remaining focused upon the truth of God’s Word. Eve did not immediately die physically, but that did not mean she had escaped the consequence God had declared. When Adam sinned, death entered the world through sin:

Romans 5:12 (KJV)“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

Adam and Eve immediately became conscious of their nakedness and hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God (Genesis 3:7–8). They were afterward driven from the garden and separated from the tree of life (Genesis 3:22–24). Physical death would follow, but spiritual death occurred when they disobeyed God. The effects of sin began the very day they ate from the forbidden tree.

Satan continues to use this same cunning deception today. When people disobey God’s Word but do not immediately see the consequences, they may say, “It is not that bad,” or, “Nothing happened, so it must be all right.” They begin judging their actions according to what they see instead of according to what God has said.

The absence of an immediate visible consequence does not make disobedience acceptable. If God says not to do something, He means not to do it. His Word remains true whether man immediately sees the consequence or not. What appears before man’s natural eyes does not change what God has spoken. God’s command is not determined by man’s observation, reasoning, or opinion. God means what He says, and His Word must remain the believer’s authority.

Cast Out of the Garden

After Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were cast out of the Garden of Eden:

Genesis 3:22–24 (KJV)“And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

“Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.

“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”

Adam and Eve were driven from the garden and separated from the place where they had enjoyed fellowship with God. Their physical removal from the garden revealed the spiritual separation that sin had produced. Before their disobedience, they had fellowship with God. After they sinned, they hid themselves from His presence, and God drove them from the garden.

The Effect of the Fall upon Mankind and Creation

The human family began with Adam and Eve, and every man born afterward descended from them. Therefore, the consequences of Adam’s disobedience did not end with Adam and Eve. Sin and death passed upon the entire human race:

Romans 5:12 (KJV)“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

Creation itself was also affected by what transpired in the garden. After Adam sinned, God said:

Genesis 3:17–19 (KJV)“And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

“Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

The ground was cursed because of Adam’s disobedience. The effects of the fall extended beyond Adam and Eve and affected the created order.

Paul explains:

Romans 8:20–22 (KJV)“For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

“Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

Therefore, mankind fell through Adam’s disobedience, and creation was brought under the effects of sin, death, corruption, and the curse. What transpired in the garden affected Adam, Eve, their descendants, and the whole creation.

Conclusion

God gave Adam a clear command, but Adam took his focus away from God’s Word and knowingly disobeyed. Eve was deceived through the serpent’s subtilty, while Adam listened to his wife instead of obeying what God had directly commanded him. Through Adam’s disobedience, sin entered the world, death came by sin, mankind became spiritually separated from God, and the whole creation came under the effects of the fall.

What man believes, thinks, reasons, or sees with his natural eyes does not change the truth of God’s Word. A person may believe that something is harmless because he does not immediately see its consequences, but his belief does not overrule what God has said. Man’s opinion cannot change God’s command, and the absence of an immediate visible consequence cannot make disobedience acceptable.

Romans 3:4 (KJV)“God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar.”

God’s Word says what it says. If God declares something to be true, it remains true regardless of whether man believes it, understands it, agrees with it, or immediately sees its fulfillment. God means what He says, and His Word must remain the final authority.