Sin & Death
In the beginning, God created a man and a woman and placed them in a garden, where they were tempted by a literal serpent. They failed the test. They were judged guilty by God and punished by becoming mortal and needing to leave the idyllic garden. The resultant ‘nature’ of humankind has been inherited by all humans without exception.
Humans are mortal and prone to sin as a result of Adam’s sin. “.. through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
Sin, or failure to live up to God’s ideals, in the life of individuals is as the result of this inherited nature and not because of a supernatural devil or satan seeking to entice men and women away from God; “Each man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desire and enticed. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin and sin when it is full grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15) Man is therefore a dying creature – he returns to dust. His soul, life or disposition ceases to exist – it perishes in the ground.
The only hope of life for the believer is resurrection and being given righteousness and immortality , at the return of Christ.