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68 • Part I. The Creed: The Faith Professed
Another important aspect of our creation is that God has made us
a unity of body and soul. The human soul is not only the source of
physical life for our bodies but is also the core of our spiritual powers of
knowing and loving. While our bodies come into being through physical
processes, our souls are all created directly by God.
God created man and woman, equal to each other as persons and in
dignity. Each is completely human and is meant to complement the other
in a communion of persons, seen most evidently in marriage.
Finally, we need to recognize that God created the first humans in a
state of original holiness and justice, so that we are able to live in harmony
with his plan. By his gracious will, he enabled us to know and love him,
thus calling us to share his life. Our first parents also had free will and
thus could be tempted by created things to turn away from the Creator.
THE FALL
The doctrine of original sin is, so to speak, the “reverse
side” of the Good News that Jesus is the Savior of all
men, that all need salvation, and that salvation is offered
to all through Christ.
—CCC, no. 389
Why is it that, with the best of intentions, we find it so difficult to do
what is right? We can look for an explanation in the opening chapters of
the Book of Genesis. Here the seemingly endless struggle between good
and evil is described in the imagery of the serpent tempting Adam and
Eve with the forbidden fruit.
God said to them, “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the
garden except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree
you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it, you are surely doomed to
die” (Gn 2:16‑17). The tempter, however, said, “You certainly will not
die! No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be
opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is
bad” (Gn 3:4‑5). Adam and Eve chose their own desires, based on a lie,