Day 8 - The Fall

The Creation. Then the Fall. Of mankind. Plantinga states in Chapter 3 of his book about a sin that permeated throughout generations from a single, innocent sin. Looking at our own sins, we see many things which we want to hide from the others, but cannot because they are shown through our mouths and actions. We may feel that our sins come from our unmoral actions, thoughts, and beliefs, but that is not the only sin we possess. There is a reason why we were all born sinners. We were separated from God since Adam and Eve ate from the tree of good and life. It is because of this original sin we are all born sinners and alienated from the eternal garden of God. Plantinga states that we human creatures are "aliens" and "foreigners" to the land here.

To make matters worse we all have developed sins of our own. Across the world you can see pain, both physical and psychological, occurring from rape, abuse, murder, theft, lust, lies, and greed. As Plantinga states, many philosophers come up with many "prescriptions" such as education, justice, and freedom - but eventually they all are crestfallen by the evil that has accumulated in mankind.

Personally, I find it scary that sin has become a basic part of our functioning: thoughts, actions, and even beliefs. It has shielded our eyes from the other end of our relationship: God. We see sin to be the opponent - separate from us. But in actually, it has penetrated into every function in our body. We live it, breathe it, and express it. Yet we sometimes forget to see where the problem really lies. Plantinga mentions the ignorance of man, stating:

"We think that the usual diagnoses and prescriptions catch part of the truth, but that they do not get to the bottom of it. Human problem isn't just ignorance; it's also stubborn pride. It's not just oppression; it's also corruption."

This lack of perception slowly becomes a poison for us, leading us further and further away from the "ultimate good", or summum bonum. And it doesn't only lead us away - it also distorts our worldview and self-value. We learn to focus solely on the things on earth and worry about our daily necessities, so that we may live to see the next day. Our purpose seems to shift from spiritual growth to basic survival.

But we must not be dismayed, because although mankind may be changed, the kingdom of God never does. Plantinga states:

"The glory of God's good creation has not been obliterated by the tragedy of the fall, but it has been deeply shadowed by it."

As finite beings, our eyes are constantly being shadowed and cleared before God. We roam restlessly across the earth, going about our daily lives, seeking for a purpose. Enveloped in sin, our present society reflects the end-product since the Fall. We must recognize that our time here on earth is short, but heaven is eternal and will never fade away.