In the beginning . . .

The first man and woman on earth, Adam and Eve, enjoyed perfect fellowship with God. They lived pure and blissful lives in a beautiful garden which supplied all their needs. The only rule God gave them was that they were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Satan tempted them and they ate of this tree. As a result, sin entered their hearts and separated them from God. So that they would not eat of the tree of life and live forever, God banished them from the garden.

After the fall . . .

Pain, sorrow, and hard toil replaced the idyllic life in the garden. From that day until this, every child has been born with Adam’s fallen nature. Instead of coming into the world desiring to do right, we are all born with an inclination toward evil. Proof of this natural downward tendency is abundantly evident anywhere human beings are found. How can we restore our connection to God? How can we avoid the punishment of an eternal, burning Hell that awaits the unrighteous? How can we once again live pure and holy lives? And how can we find eternal life?

God’s Plan . . .

Sin’s penalty is death, and that penalty has to be paid. Because of God’s great love for fallen man, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to this world to live as a man and die on the Cross in our place. If we follow the steps God has laid out, we can be reunited to Him through His Son’s sacrifice, experiencing spiritual rebirth. Our desires change, and God gives us power to live lives which are pleasing in His sight. Then when life is over, we can step into the eternal life that Jesus alone offers.