Was there SIN in the Garden?

Ignoring for the moment the tautology; “disobedience = sin.” Let us consider if Eve or Adam sinned when they ate the “apple.”

The question is; "is it possible to sin, without the knowledge of Good and Evil?” I propose that it is not. And therefore while Eve, and then Adam, disobeyed God… they did not sin. At least not until AFTER “The Fall”

Obviously you ask; “is not disobedience itself, a sin?” Consider a small child that is told by the parent; “Do not touch the stove” is it inherently wrong (and therefore a sin) to touch the stove? Of course not, people touch that stove daily.

Does God not give us direction, guidance for our lives, that when ignored, is not inherently wrong (sinful) but is only wrong in our disobedience? An example; a young man is called by God to attend seminary, to become a Pastor; instead he goes to a secular college and becomes a lawyer. Is it a sin to become a lawyer? (some would say “YES” I’m sure☺) Is it a SIN not to attend seminary? Not at all. Most people do not attend seminary, and I’m sure there’s a righteous lawyer, or two, out there somewhere.

SO? Why do I draw this line between disobedience and sin? I draw this line because I believe it is CRUCIAL to our understanding our relationship to God, under Grace. Any Bible student realizes that Jesus went to the Cross so that when you and I, believers, stand before the ultimate judgment, and the Books are opened that our names will be found to be written in The Lamb’s Book of Life,. And we will be found to be sanctified, to be innocent, by the blood of Jesus.

If this be the case, does Sin matter? As Paul says “should we just continue in Sin, that Grace may abound?” Paul’s answer is “no,” for the fundamental reason that sin is wrong, it harms us, it screws up our lives. This of course is true.

But if we are not compelled, coerced by the threat of ultimate punishment, why do we not sin? What guides our life? Jesus answered this very specifically, and his answer was “obedience” Jesus said that if you Love Him, you will obey Him.*

The nation of Israel was given a choice; Follow the Law that God gave to Moses, and be blessed; or rebel and be cursed. The fundamental carrot and stick of God. In the Old Testament we see this played out, on a personal, individual, level and on a national level.

And I believe many of us still seek that simplicity. We want to see the bad punished and the good rewarded. But is this what Jesus taught? Or did he teach that to follow Him might well bring PAIN, even martyrdom? Did Jesus teach that God causes the rain to fall on both the just AND the unjust? Did Jesus say to let the weeds grow with the wheat and it will all be sorted out at the final reckoning?

You see, I think there is a beautiful symmetry in God’s plan that we have all missed.
God originally created a World in which there was no sin, no hate, no crime, and no fear. God told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply to have dominion over God’s creation, and he placed only very minor limits on them. All they needed to do was obey.

Adam chose to disobey. Adam’s choice made sin possible and society as we see it today is the result of that decision. Wars, greed, hate, crime... all the result, the outcome, of Adam’s disobedience.

But what of Christ? Paul calls Jesus the “last Adam.” Jesus offered himself on the cross, a blood sacrifice for our sin, payment. Jesus’ obedience at Calvary overturned the disobedience of Adam in the garden. By Adam’s disobedience sin came in (because Adam obtained the knowledge of Good and Evil), by the sacrifice of Jesus that very sin was PAID FOR! We no longer must deal with Sin. Even tho we know the difference between right and wrong, and choose the wrong on occasion; the issue today for the believer is once again simple obedience.

Do you see the symmetry in this?

• God created mankind, and asked only for obedience
• Adam rejected obedience and chose a life of law and punishment, good and evil, sin and righteousness.
• Jesus took away the OUTCOME of sin, the punishment (death) and restored man to his original relationship in the garden, a relationship of obedience

Do you doubt this symmetry? Then read what Jesus taught at the very end of his ministry: “If a man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” (John 14:23)

Is this not the very relationship Adam had with God, in the garden?

~peace~