THE FALL OF MAN WAS BIRTHED THROUGH A CRISIS OF IDENTITY
The greatest tragedy in human history did not begin with a bite of forbidden fruit. It began with a crisis of identity. Many have understood the fall of man primarily as an act of disobedience. While that is true, disobedience was the visible outcome of something deeper. Before Adam and Eve reached for the fruit, they first embraced a lie about who they were. This distinction is important because behavior is often the fruit of belief. Actions are usually the outward expression of an inward conviction. When identity is distorted, decisions inevitably follow that distortion. From the beginning, GOD established humanity's identity. Genesis 1:26–27 declares that mankind was created in the image and likeness of GOD. Adam and Eve were not incomplete beings striving to become something greater. They already carried divine purpose, dignity, authority, and relationship with their CREATOR. Their identity was a gift, not an achievement. The serpent understood this. Rather than launching ...
