It was instantaneous! At the very second that Adam and Eve ate of the fruit (sinned), their spirit was separated from God (they died spiritually). Because they disobeyed Him, they were cutoff from all spiritual communication (they were separated from Him).

“And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” – Genesis 3:8-9

The LORD already knew where Adam was. The reason God called to him was for the same reason that a parent calls to his small children who are hiding: To announce His presence.

The communication between God, the man and the woman used to be an intimate one, but now it was gone. They had become spiritually dead. Now there was a separation: a holy God cannot commune with a sinful man. Because of this, Adam hid from God.

This little piece of Scripture shows us the beginning of the downward fall.

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