When did the conflict between man and God begin?
The conflict between man and God began when Adam acquired the original sin nature. At that point Adam’s spirit, the place of fellowship with God, was put out of commission and made dormant, leaving humanity estranged. Since then, people live in flesh with a sin nature that is enmity against God and no means of communication with Him.
Les explains that the devil tells the human race to do the opposite of what God has instructed. This conflict between man and God has continued ever since Adam became that original sin nature, and his spirit or the place of fellowship was completely put out of commission and made dormant. As a result, people come into human experience in the same body of flesh and blood and bone operating through the five senses, with the old personality and sin nature operating, and that is as much as they have. There is no way of communicating with God. Even the unbeliever’s foxhole cry is not heard unless it is for salvation, because the lost person has no means of communication with God and is described as an enemy of God.