I have been a part of Evangelical churches for as long as I can remember. I have attended Sunday school and other Bible studies from early childhood, and have sat through countless sermons. For a long time, I had the impression that Adam and Eve’s fall in the garden was a setback in God’s plan. One that required him to sacrifice his son in order to redeem us and get us back to the state we were in prior to the fall.

While I do not hear it explicitly expressed that way today, much of what I still read and hear seems to follow that mindset somewhat. We messed up and God is working to fix the problem. But is that really the case? Was the fall an unfortunate failure on the part of humanity that God is working to overcome? Or was the fall a necessary part of God’s ultimate plan for humanity? This article will explore that last question and see what light the Scripture might have to shine on it.

Our Original State

The first three chapters of Genesis are our best guide to the initial state of humanity. We are told there that humanity was created in the image of God and commissioned to rule over the remainder of creation. God planted a special garden and put our first parents into it to take care of it. And they would meet with God there in the garden. They were in a state of innocence and without shame.

Yet they had limits. The fruit of one tree was forbidden to them. But the Serpent came to them, telling them that God was holding out on them. According to the Serpent, God knew that when they ate that fruit, they would become like God, or like a god. They would become more than what they were. And so, they ate from the forbidden tree. They discovered that, rather than being elevated like they had hoped, they lost their place in the garden.

. You can also follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Ed is married, the father of two, and grandfather of three. He is retired and currently enjoys his gardens and backpacking.

Originally published May 23, 2025.