The Heart of the Gospel: The Fall

The Heart of the Gospel: The Fall
Date posted: 01.07.25

As we begin a new year, we will use the SOAP method to walk through five significant passages that highlight the story of the gospel. SOAP stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. Each day, we’ll focus on a passage of Scripture that leads us through God’s rescue plan for us.

Scripture

Read through the daily passage once. Read it a second time and highlight words or phrases that stand out to you. Then, read it a third time and make notes about the Scripture. There’s no set number for how many times you read through the Scripture, but reading more than once will deepen your understanding of the passage.

 

Observation

Now, take time to reflect on the meaning of the passage. Write out questions you have or research words that stood out to you. Here are questions that can help in your reflection:

  • What’s happening in this passage? Is it an instruction, a description of who God is, a historical account, or something else?
  • What truths can I learn from this passage?
  • What is God revealing to me?
  • Why are these words or phrases standing out to me? (We recommend using Blue Letter Bible when researching words or phrases.)

 

Application

How can you apply principles from this passage? Keep these questions in mind:

  • What are the basic truths from this passage?
  • How can these truths be applied to things happening in my life?

 

Prayer

In this last step, take your thoughts, reflections, and questions and turn them into a prayer. Ask God for guidance about how to apply His truth to your life. Pray for wisdom to understand God’s heart through His Word and for strength to respond to what He’s saying to you.

The Fall

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

– Genesis 2:15-18

 

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

– Genesis 3:1-7

 

About this passage

Our story begins in a beautiful garden where humanity is in perfect unity with God. Today’s reading shows us the moment when that unity was broken and sin entered the picture, creating a separation between God and the children He created and loved. Think about the before and after experience that Adam and Eve must have had. One moment changed everything.

Scripture – read the passage once, then again to see what stands out
Observation – be curious; what is unique or something you need to study more
Application – what is God saying to you; is there a nudge to respond or act on something
Prayer – turn your notes, questions, and nudges into a prayer; ask God to lead you