ADAM and EVE sinned in Eden – and caused physical death on their posterity
When Adam sinned, he caused physical death on all his posterity
Both Adam and Eve transgressed God’s law, but their sins were still a bit different from each other. Eve was deceived by the serpent (1 Tim. 2:14) which resulted in her transgression of the law, but Adam sinned for other reasons and he is viewed as the head of his household and also regarded as the forefather of all inhabitants of the earth. That’s why the focus is much more on Adam’s sin than on Eve’s sin, and why we often say that Adam brought sin into the world. Adam also means “man” or “human being”.
When Adam sinned he died spiritually since death is the wages of sin, and if a person dies spiritually he must also die physically – a living soul must continue to have a body to live in. It’s actually a good deal to die physically once stuck in a sinful world, because living for eternity in this type of world is nothing to look forward to. God has a much greater plan in mind, and he was prepared with his salvation offer from the start – knowing there would be a chance that Adam might choose to sin. So physical death is required whenever there is spiritual death, but it’s also possible to die physically even though you haven’t sinned. Jesus Christ is a good example of this, and innocent babies is another. Adam and Eve were evicted from the garden of Eden, and they could no longer reach the tree of life which previously sustained them. Eating from the tree of life was needed in order to not let their bodies start decaying (eating other things will only sustain your bodies for an extended period of time), but since they were evicted from the garden they slowly started to die physically and Adam’s future posterity couldn’t reach the tree of life either.
So in a way we die physically due to Adam, but even if Adam had not sinned it’s possible that WE would still sin, and then we would be the ones causing physical death upon ourselves. Most importantly, we cause spiritual death upon ourselves if we sin (and we have), and this can never be blamed on Adam. Sinning is something we might choose to DO, and it can’t be inherited. Adam’s nature was not affected through his sin, but we are told that Adam would have to work from the sweat of his brow for his bread, and till the ground to produce crop. Eve would greatly multiply her pain in childbearing. Those “curses” from God affected all of us. So Adam opened up a can of worms, that God never intended for him to open. God promised that Adam and Eve (clean people) would DIE if they sinned, and the serpent said the exact opposite – that Eve would NOT die if she sinned. The serpent’s lie seems to be an easy lie to expose, and yet many churches today teach the same Satanic message: “Oh, you’re sinning? Just do your best, and remember that God loves you as you are. Faith alone will save you, and Jesus imputed his righteousness into you and took both your sins and your punishment, so now you’re totally free. Death no longer has any hold on you, and you’re unconditionally eternally secure”.
Gen. 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the DAY (then when, or whenever…) that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (dying thou shalt die)
Gen. 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die
In Romans 5 Paul is talking about a spiritual death, a separation from God when a person sins. It’s about condemnation and justification, and the condemnation is referring to spiritual death, not physical, for those who are justified still die physically. Notice that death spread to all men (not sin), and that the reason for this is because they sinned (and not because Adam sinned on their part).
Rom. 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned
Paul says that some sinned NOT according to the “likeness” of Adam’s original transgression (Rom. 5:14), and it’s true that we sinned in different ways (but it’s still sin). Adam broke a command that he personally received straight from God, which isn’t the case with us. Sin is not a physical substance that is inbred in our flesh, but sinfulness is rather connected to an individual’s conduct. The Bible doesn’t teach that all men are automatically made righteous by Christ apart from repenting and believing, and neither that all men are automatically made sinners by Adam apart from their choice to sin.
Deuteronomy 24:16 Fathers shall NOT be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers…every man shall be put to death for his own sin
Ezekiel 18:4 All souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sins, it shall die.
1 Cor. 15:21-22 is often quoted “For as in Adam all die…”, but this passage is strictly speaking of physical death because the context is the physical resurrection of the dead. Death is a consequence springing from the man Adam, just as a glorified body shall come in the future through the man Jesus Christ.
1 Co. 15:21-22.For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive
It is YOUR iniquities and YOUR sins that separates you from God, and not someone else’s sin.
Why did God create a tree which is forbidden to eat from?
I believe the tree was there for our benefit – like all things from God. Each time Adam and Eve passed the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they would have to make an active decision whether to obey God – by avoid eating from the tree – or disobey him. Having a good contact with our Creator, and adhering to his commands are of great importance for our own well-being. We need his wisdom and his guidance.
Lucifer fell AFTER the Creation
God’s angels were probably created BEFORE or perhaps DURING the creation of the earth, because when God laid the corner-stone of the earth, the morning stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy (those are two categories of angels). Also Satan was an angel, and this means that he too must have been created before the creation of the earth.
Job 38:4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.5 Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it?6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
We also know that Satan must have rebelled against God AFTER the completion of the creation week, because we can read that the created week was “Very Good”. Is it possible to label a scenario where you have a proud angel who rebels against his Maker for “Very Good”? Hardly. Neither is it “Very Good” that 1/3 of the angels chose to side with Satan and fell together with him.
Gen.1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was VERY GOOD. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Rev. 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.—7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
We can learn from Ezekiel that the same day as Satan was created, he was covered with precious stones, and that he had this appearance in the garden of Eden (which was also created at this point). Satan was perfect from the day of his creation until iniquity was found in him, and we can read that the reason for Satan being cast out of the mountain of God, was due to his pride and violence which sprung from his beauty. The garden of Eden, the mountain of God, the beautiful stones, they were all there before Satan sinned, so it could not have been before day 6th of the creation week.
Ezekiel 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.
We can trust the Biblical information that the earth was very good when God said it was, but things probably started to go downhill very fast…
We are not certain of when Cain was conceived, but some people believe it must have been after the fall IF the concept of inherited sin is valid. They reason that Cain couldn’t have been born in sin (inherited his father’s sin) if he was conceived before the fall, and that might be true if it was possible to inherit sin, but the fact is that it’s not. Sinning is something we might choose to DO, and nothing that can be inherited through the DNA. So we can’t be certain if Eve was pregnant or not when the serpent deceived her, but we do know that God asked Adam and Eve to be fruitful, to multiply and to replenish the earth. This command was given on the 6th day, which is the same day as their creation. If two “very good” and healthy human beings are commanded to be fruitful, there is a good chance that they didn’t wait for days and weeks before they decided to obey their Lord. God’s view is that we can rule over sin and avoid sinning (if we inherited sin, it wouldn’t be possible to avoid), but if we always choose to obey this command is another matter.
Genesis 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Read more about God’s equal ways, and that a son shall not inherit sin from his father:
Ez. 18: 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.—8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.—14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,—17 — hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.—19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
There are not two different creation accounts, but there is only one creation account described from two different perspectives. In Genesis 2 we can read the details from man’s perspective in Eden, after that Adam and Eve had been created. Genesis 1 contains the general description of the entire creation.
The world is created BY Jesus own hands (and Jesus is God)
Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
Hebr. 1:8 But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
The Gap theory and the age of the earth
It’s common to try to add millions of years between Gen. 1:1 and Gen. 1:2 (the gap theory) but the question is WHY there is such a need to squeeze in extra time into these verses when the Bible itself doesn’t mention it? What do we gain by doing so and who does it benefit? Is it possible that it has something to do with the Evolution theory and its urgent need of lots of time to make it plausible? There is absolutely no need to put out the red carpet for this theory, because it’s a fairy tale for grown ups, and compromising with Scripture leads to Bible contradictions. Some christians claim that they don’t believe in the Evolution theory, but only the millions/billions of years, but from where do they get this idea that the earth must be so old? Isn’t it from Evolutionists? There are scientists with PhD exams (from secular schools) who are young earth creationists, so it’s possible to be a scientist without making use of long ages. The long ages didn’t derive from objective science but from the subjective evolution theory, and that’s not the same thing. It’s of course possible to leave the Bible out of science (you can’t prove or disprove God by using science), but we still find evidence for a young earth by studying facts in our nature. We can also read the Bible and see what it says, and it suggests that the earth was created in six days:
Exodus 20:8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Gen.1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was VERY GOOD. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
God could have created the heavens and the earth in 5 seconds, 5000 years or millions of years, but God had a reason for creating everything in 6 ordinary days. It was because he wanted to make a pattern for our lives – to encourage us to work for 6 days and rest 1 day, which seems to be a good life rhythm for man. During these 6 days God created “heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them”, and that covers pretty much everything. God didn’t create the earth to be void but to be inhabited, so why would God first create the earth and then sit around waiting for millions of years until he proceeded to create the rest of the stuff that he had already planned to fill his creation with? If someone suggests that it didn’t take millions of years from GOD’s point of view but only from our point of view, then why even give us the details about the six days? If it says “six days”, isn’t it a risk that we believe it took six ordinary days? God is not the God of confusion, and he is able to express himself in a way that we understand.
Isaiah 45: 18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.—21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
The classical concept of “Big Bang” can’t be true at the same time as the Biblical explanation is true since they are mutually exclusive. It’s one or the other. According to the Bible the earth was created Day 1 before the sun, the moon and the stars (which were created Day 4), but not so according to the Big Bang theory. According to the Bible the first land animals were created Day 6th (after the birds), which was the same day as man was created, but not so according to the Evolution theory where land animals lived millions of years before man evolved. The Evolution theory also places dinosaurs (land animals) before birds, but it’s the other way around according to the Bible.
Some christians try to squeeze the millions of years into the creation week by adding some of them each day. However, if the duration of the nights were thousands/millions of years, the vegetation would die, and animals wouldn’t get any food. If the days were longer, vegetation would get the much-needed light but too much of it, and the ecological chain would still be interrupted . We all need both light and darkness, regularly and in perfect proportions, or else we will die due to lack of food.
If God didn’t create in six days as he said he did, then he has completely failed to convey for us how long it really took, despite that the Bible is meant for us to understand. It would have been better to not give us any indications of time at all, instead of saying first day, second, day, six days, etc, and not mean a thing with such misleading details which only confuse honest people who would like to read the Bible as it says. Furthermore, it’s not possible to squeeze thousands of years in between the generations that we can read about in Genesis and in the book of Luke, because no generation is missing. Enoch is even mentioned as the 7th from Adam (Jude 1:14), but perhaps this information can’t be trusted either, despite that it can be read in the New Testament? If we can’t trust the information concerning time in Genesis, when can we start to trust it? We can read that God created Adam and Eve in the BEGINNING OF THE CREATION, but if we squeeze in millions of years somewhere in the creation week, Adam and Eve will be placed in the very END of the creation week which is the opposite of what Mark says.
Mark 10:6 But from the BEGINNING OF THE CREATION God made them male and female.7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife
Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Enoch and Noah were real people to whom we are related
We can trust that Genesis means what it says, and that it should not be read as poetry or allegories, but as our real history.
Oxford Hebrew scholar and Professor James Barr:
“… probably, so far as I know, there is no professor of Hebrew or Old Testament at any world-class university who does not believe that the writer(s) of Genesis 1–11 intended to convey to their readers the ideas that:
- a) creation took place in a series of six days which were the same as the days of 24 hours we now experience
- b) the figures contained in the Genesis genealogies provided by simple addition a chronology from the beginning of the world up to later stages in the biblical story
- c) Noah’s flood was understood to be world-wide and extinguish all human and animal life except for those in the ark.’
If the below verses should not be read as real history, the Bible ends up being a very confusing book and it’s hard to know what can be trusted or not.
Genesis 3:20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
Genesis 5:2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
1 Chron. 1:1 Adam, Sheth, Enosh,2 Kenan, Mahalaleel, Jered,3 Henoch, Methuselah, Lamech,4 Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.5 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.6 And the sons of Gomer; Ashchenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.7 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim (see also Gen. 10: 1-2)
Deut. 32:7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.8 When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Job 31:33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom
Hosea 6.7 But they like men (“Adam”, Strong’s H120) have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
Luke 3:37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death (notice that it doesn’t say SIN) passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.—18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
1 Tim 2:13 For Adam was first formed, then Eve.14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
1 Cor. 15:22 (About the physical resurrection) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. —45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1 Cor. 11:8 For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.
Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
More verses which show that Genesis is valid as our true history
Jude 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. —11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.—14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
Matteus 23:35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.
Luke 11:51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.
Hebr.12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Hebr. 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
1 John. 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
Death is an enemy
1 Cor. 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
God’s original intention could never have been that an ENEMY would roam around freely on earth, because an enemy is an intruder. Physical death is something hurtful both for man and animal, considering all the emotions and pain that are often involved. Getting old, sick and eventually die is usually connected with lots of tears and a number of people missing the deceased person. God’s idea of “very good” doesn’t involve any pain, tears and longing for friends or family members. Vegetation and insects, on the other hand, do not have such negative feelings (and probably not fish either) so they could still have been planned to die all along . They are most likely created to be included in the natural biological cycle where they die (or wither away), and they feel no discomfort when they go through that process. It was never the intention for man to be meat eater, but of course God was prepared for that sin would arise which would lead to death, and if animals would start to die why not eating them? So the fact that we have pain and suffering in this world is due to the fall, and God certainly didn’t plan the fall.
God commanded man and animals to eat various herbs:
Man: every herb bearing seed, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat (Gen. 1:29)
Every beast, fowl of the air, and every thing that creepeth: (all that includes “nephesh chayyah”): every green herb for meat (Gen. 1:30)
Man and land animals are referred to as ”creature that hath life” or “living creature” which is ”nephesh” in Hebrew. See Gen. 1:20, 21, 24, and also Gen. 2:7 where Adam becomes “a living soul” (nephesh chayyah). The expression shows that it concerns a certain category of living creatures that can breathe, and maybe with other characteristics – such as containing blood. Plants and flowers do not have such awareness or ability to breathe and feel pain, and they are not included in ”nephesh”. We can also read that “the life of the flesh is in the blood” (nephesh)3 Mos. 17:11, 1 Mos. 9:4. Adam’s job to give name to all animals also gives us further clues to what kind of animals are included in ”nephesh cayyah”. He gave name of every living creature – every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air – (nephesh chayyah) in Gen. 2:19. After the fall, people were still not commanded to change their food sources. Meat was not allowed until Noah disembarked the Ark at Ararat, but it’s very possible that man still ate meat prior to this day.
Rom. 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
1 John 5: 19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Read this blog article about dinosaurs.
