We are fallen people in a fallen world.

This explains why good and evil co-exist around us and inside of us.

God created the world and that creation was good.

When Adam and Eve rebelled, everything around us and within us became fallen.

God’s original creation remained, but it was marred. Like a shattered mirror hanging in place, we can see aspects of what was, but not the full picture.

The fallen world is not set against itself. No longer does everything fit perfectly together without friction. Instead, creation is full of turmoil and competition.

The two main illustrations of the change of creation after the fall are in child birth and work.

• The pain and labor of child birth mimics the struggle for life in a fallen world.
• The toil and sweat of work reveal the fallen nature of the world. No longer is food each to receive. Now we have to labor for it and even as we do, there are thorns and thistles which injure us in our pursuit.

The Identity of Humanity

In light of the fall, is humanity good or bad? When teaching small groups, I often ask this question. Any interesting pattern has emerged. Generally speaking, women say we are good and men say we are bad. Neither are completely right.

As fallen people in a fallen world:

• We are created in the Image of God and therefore ultimately valuable.
• We are fallen creatures marred by sin capable of terrible atrocities.

We are both good and bad.

The Nature of Nature

As we are both good and bad, nature is as well.

It still contains the beauty, power, and majesty of its original creation.

Yet it is also full of great danger, evil and ugliness because of the fall.

The Fall and Sickness

Sickness is in the world because of sin.

Yet an individual sickness cannot always be directly traced to an individual sin.

As soon as Cain killed Abel, the world was introduced to the tragedies of living in a fallen world. Abel did nothing to do deserve his death, yet because of the poor decision making of his brother, he died.

As fallen people in a fallen world:

• Our genes are fallen, pre-disposing us to many illnesses, addictions, and diseases.
• We can make bad decisions which lead to sickness.
• Because of the fall, our genes are fallen, making us predisposed to illness/disease/addiction.
• Others can make bad decisions which lead to our illness (i.e. second hand smoke, HIV, etc.).
• Many illnesses are a combination of our own decision making, culture, genetics and the world in which we live (i.e. heart disease, diabetes, etc.).

Sin resulted in sickness. Humanity became sick. Creation became sick.

Sickness is present because of sin, but we cannot always make a specific cause and effect relationship between an individual illness and an individual sin.