After-effects of the fall

God created man mutable yet not evil. God made man holy, righteous and wise, in blessed fellowship with his Creator. But Adam was not confirmed irrevocably in holiness, such as the elect angels were. He was good, yet he could fall from his goodness and forfeit his righteous standing before God.

In no way could this state be described as evil; it was manifestly good, for everything that God has made is very good. As he came from the hands of his Maker, man was good, but he could change from a state of goodness to a state of depravity and sin.

This is exactly what actually happened historically - what we refer to as the Fall of man, which occurred due to man's wilful disobedience, in choosing the evil willingly and not being constrained to do so.

The Fall of Adam into sin and disobedience to his Creator has affected communications between God and man.

Whereas God, by his special creative act, brought man into existence, having righteousness, holiness and knowledge, according to his image and after his likeness, by his wilful disobedience, man instantly became unrighteous, unholy and dark in his thoughts. Initially man enjoyed direct and sweet fellowship with his Creator, who (metaphorically) met with him in the cool of the day. Adam sought fellowship and enjoyed it.

As soon as he sought to live independently from God, breaking his command, Adam hid himself; he ran away from God and was ashamed of himself (being naked) and of his Maker. Before Adam had no cause to argue with his Maker; now as soon as God questions him (to bring him to confession) Adam makes excuses and virtually blames his Maker for providing a helpmeet for him, who was instrumental in his fall.

Thus man's intellect is used perversely, instead of being used to admire and worship God. Not only so with Adam, but with all his descendants by natural procreation. Man, thinking himself to be wise, invents for himself ways and means to fulfil his religiosity, falling into idolatry, bringing God's wrath upon him (Romans 1). Now there is no one who seeks carefully after God; they have all turned aside (Romans 3).

Though feigning to study God, man actually hates the very idea of a Sovereign and Absolute God who holds man responsible. Man mumbles much prayer, but not to the true God. Though told how to retrace his steps back to God - through the gospel - man is not willing to re-establish communications with God.

Not only unwilling but also unable, unless made willing by God's grace. Proper and vital communication is thus set up by God's initiative and grace. Left to himself man arrogantly assumes to know and be in a fine relationship with God: nothing could be further from the truth (Ephesians 2:1-3,12-13; 4:17-21).