Posted on by wrote in Creation, General, Theology and Doctrinal Questions.

Question:

Did God know Adam and Eve were going to eat the apple and bring sin into the world?  It seems to me we are all suffering for what they did.

Answer:

God is all knowing.  If I understand the biblical view of God correctly, he is not affected by time and therefore he knows past present and future.  Given the fulfilled prophecies in the Bible, I have to believe God knows what will happen before it happens.  For this reason, I have to assume that God knew Adam and Eve would give in to temptation and eat the fruit.  (By the way, it was not an apple.  That is just a tradition)

There is a sense in which we are "suffering" because of the sin of Adam and Eve.  However, the common teaching that we are guilty of the sin of Adam, known as Original Sin, is definitely not biblical.  Ezekiel 18 and Ezekiel 31 makes it quite clear that we will only be held accountable for our own sins, not for the sins of another person.  So, we are not found guilty by God  for what Adam and Eve did. 

Nevertheless, according to Genesis chapter three there were consequences which fell on everyone because of the sin of Adam and Eve.  We lost a more intimate relationship with God in the garden.  Women have much pain in birth and men must toil with their hands.  We are not as close to our Creator as we were designed.  Sin has its consequences.  We all have a sinful nature which rebels against God.  Romans 5:12 says that sin entered the world through Adam (and presumably through Eve as well), with the resultant consequence of death.  This passage is talking about spiritual death.

Yes, you are right that the world is still paying a price for the fall of Adam and Eve.  Having said that, we are still held responsible by God for our own actions.  Our own sin is the only thing which separates us from God, and we are responsible to respond to the gospel.  If we do, that relationship with God is restored.  So, let us not be victims of what happened in the garden, but let us come to God in full assurance of faith and the damage can be undone, to the glory of God.

John Oakes, PhD

 

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