How did Adam & Eve do it?

[Katzpur]

As far as I know about Christian theology, yall believe that sin came into this world by Adam & Eve eating the apple. That would mean that before the apple was eaten that there was no sin in the world. So pre-apple eating, how were A&E able to decide to eat the apple?

As I understand it, sin is the willful disobedience of a religious law or moral principal. It requires a degree of knowledge that Adam and Eve did not have until they ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They knew they were being disobedient, but did not fully appreciate that disobeying God is "evil." So, this knowledge came into this world as as result of Adam and Eve eating the fruit (an apple or whatever it may have been). Sin came as a result of people having this knowledge and then intentionally disregarding God's will.

If you say that the devil/snake/Lucifer/Satan made them do it, then what is the difference in the pre-apple eating and post-apple eating humans?

Pre-apple-eating Adam and Eve could not be said to have sinned since they did not have knowledge of good and evil. Post-apple-eating Adam and Eve sinned whenever they disobeyed God in the future.

And if there was no sin in the world pre-apple eating, how could the sinful devil/snake/Lucifer/Satan even exist?

Sin is not the existence of evil or even the temptation to do evil. In order to be fully capable of understanding and appreciating the good, we must have something with which to compare it. I believe God permitted Lucifer to tempt Adam and Eve, knowing full well that they would succumb to his promises. That way, they would learn for themselves how crucial it is to obey God. I also believe that their "Fall" was actually just a temporary set-back, so to speak, as God had something much more wonderful in store for them after they fulfilled their mortal mission.

(Oops! I just realized I already answered this question about six weeks ago. Anyway, my answer tonight is a little more comprehensive, so I'm not going to delete it.)

 

[Akivah]

Don't you guys have the same book in Judaism?

Nope.

 

[Kelloggs]

Nope.

Bereshyt?

 

[Akivah]

Bereshyt?

This is the Christian DIR. If you want to know more about my religion, post it elsewhere.

 

[Acim]

As far as I know about Christian theology, yall believe that sin came into this world by Adam & Eve eating the apple. That would mean that before the apple was eaten that there was no sin in the world. So pre-apple eating, how were A&E able to decide to eat the apple?

If you say that the devil/snake/Lucifer/Satan made them do it, then what is the difference in the pre-apple eating and post-apple eating humans?

And if there was no sin in the world pre-apple eating, how could the sinful devil/snake/Lucifer/Satan even exist?

NOTE: This is a DIR. I posted a respectful question. Only Christians are allowed to answer.

All interesting questions for Orthodox types. For us Gnostic types, the premise of "sin came into this world by Adam & Even eating the apple" would be erroneous. Gnostics understand the demiurge referenced in Ch. 2 and on is responsible for (perception of) sin.

 

[Sclavus]

As far as I know about Christian theology, yall believe that sin came into this world by Adam & Eve eating the apple. That would mean that before the apple was eaten that there was no sin in the world. So pre-apple eating, how were A&E able to decide to eat the apple?

The potential for humanity to sin always existed, from the point where God put a "Thou shall not" on the table. As you pointed out, sin had to exist for Lucifer to get a stick up his butt about being under God.

Prior to "sin entering the world" (a colorful turn of phrase Paul used for the Fall), we weren't aware of the effects of sin. Adam and Eve went about, blissfully ignorant of those effects, but fully aware of their capability to sin (as evidenced by Adam warning his wife to avoid the Tree of the Knowledge of God and Evil).

When sin "entered the world," it only means Adam opened the floodgates, so to speak. It was his job to keep Eve and himself away from the tree, and yet he was with her when she took her dietary advice from the serpent. So mankind became aware of sin as more than a concept, and we've passed it down like an inheritance ever since.

No one but Adam and Eve made them do anything, which is why they were punished for their sin, in part because they doomed all of us to sin. There are Christians who disagree with me, of course, because not all of us believe in free will.

 

[Thief]

As far as I know about Christian theology, yall believe that sin came into this world by Adam & Eve eating the apple. That would mean that before the apple was eaten that there was no sin in the world. So pre-apple eating, how were A&E able to decide to eat the apple?

If you say that the devil/snake/Lucifer/Satan made them do it, then what is the difference in the pre-apple eating and post-apple eating humans?

And if there was no sin in the world pre-apple eating, how could the sinful devil/snake/Lucifer/Satan even exist?

NOTE: This is a DIR. I posted a respectful question. Only Christians are allowed to answer.

I don't read Genesis in that framework

the 'apple test' was done to be sure the alteration unto the 'sample specimen' had taken hold

to gain life beyond this one you need that curiosity that has the potential of death attached
do we really want to know?

eat and you shall die
they ate
the proving was there
Man would from then on BE that creature curious even unto death

and hopefully beyond

 

[DavidFirth]

As far as I know about Christian theology, yall believe that sin came into this world by Adam & Eve eating the apple. That would mean that before the apple was eaten that there was no sin in the world. So pre-apple eating, how were A&E able to decide to eat the apple?

If you say that the devil/snake/Lucifer/Satan made them do it, then what is the difference in the pre-apple eating and post-apple eating humans?

And if there was no sin in the world pre-apple eating, how could the sinful devil/snake/Lucifer/Satan even exist?

NOTE: This is a DIR. I posted a respectful question. Only Christians are allowed to answer.

1. It wasn't necessarily an apple. A&E had freedom of choice so they could eat the forbidden fruit if they wanted to. Otherwise, God wouldn't have bothered telling them not to.

2. Nobody made them do it. The serpent lied and tempted Eve and she decided to go for it. Then Adam did, too.

3. There was sin in the world because the serpent sinned when he lied to Eve. The important thing is that there was no sin in Man (includes women) prior to eating the forbidden fruit. Man was made dominant over the Earth and all in it so all of the Earth was cursed when Man sinned.

 

[Thief]

1. It wasn't necessarily an apple. A&E had freedom of choice so they could eat the forbidden fruit if they wanted to. Otherwise, God wouldn't have bothered telling them not to.

2. Nobody made them do it. The serpent lied and tempted Eve and she decided to go for it. Then Adam did, too.

3. There was sin in the world because the serpent sinned when he lied to Eve. The important thing is that there was no sin in Man (includes women) prior to eating the forbidden fruit. Man was made dominant over the Earth and all in it so all of the Earth was cursed when Man sinned.

the serpent did not lie

 

[DavidFirth]

the serpent did not lie

Gen. 3:4
"You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman.


This is a lie. They died spiritually the moment they doubted God, who had said that they would die.

 

[Thief]

Gen. 3:4
"You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman.


This is a lie. They died spiritually the moment they doubted God, who had said that they would die.

I don't think Adam or Eve had a clue about spiritual life
(when do you think they were told?)

but no.....it was a test
God did say.....if you eat.....then you die
that would be true
having shown that quality of curiosity...desiring to know even if life is at risk
Man would turn his attention to God and heaven
and seek the spirit and other things hidden from sight


the serpent ( a statement of character more so than form)
did not lie
It was never the intent that Man live forever
men were already dying (Day Six)

the intent was to heaven
and if Eve had failed to partake the alteration would be a fail
if Eve had not partaken...
the fear of death would prevail
and Man would not seek beyond what he could see

the devil did make play to frighten Eve
he failed

Eve did not
the alteration is then proven to have taken hold
Man would be forever more that creature of curiosity ....even in the face of death

The garden was a petri dish
a place of alteration and manipulation

having served it's use the garden was dismantled

and the specimens were released into the environment

 

[DavidFirth]

I don't think Adam or Eve had a clue about spiritual life
(when do you think they were told?)

but no.....it was a test
God did say.....if you eat.....then you die
that would be true
having shown that quality of curiosity...desiring to know even if life is at risk
Man would turn his attention to God and heaven
and seek the spirit and other things hidden from sight


the serpent ( a statement of character more so than form)
did not lie
It was never the intent that Man live forever
men were already dying (Day Six)

the intent was to heaven
and if Eve had failed to partake the alteration would be a fail
if Eve had not partaken...
the fear of death would prevail
and Man would not seek beyond what he could see

the devil did make play to frighten Eve
he failed

Eve did not
the alteration is then proven to have taken hold
Man would be forever more that creature of curiosity ....even in the face of death

The garden was a petri dish
a place of alteration and manipulation

having served it's use the garden was dismantled

and the specimens were released into the environment

All of that is fine if that's what you think but the serpent did lie and I showed you that he did.

 

[Thief]

All of that is fine if that's what you think but the serpent did lie and I showed you that he did.

there was no deception on his part

he said ....you will not die...

having partaken of knowledge......we have the potential to survive the last breath
we become as heaven

 

[DavidFirth]

there was no deception on his part

he said ....you will not die...

having partaken of knowledge......we have the potential to survive the last breath
we become as heaven

But you do die spiritually the moment you sin the first time and you will die physically unless God personally intervenes.

 

[Thief]

But you do die spiritually the moment you sin the first time and you will die physically unless God personally intervenes.

we die physically...no matter what

we can die spiritually
some for lack of belief
some for lack of will
and some are stopped at heaven's gate.....
I believe the peace of heaven is guarded

 

[DavidFirth]

we die physically...no matter what

Christians do not believe that. We believe we die as the result of sin.

 

[Akivah]

The potential for humanity to sin always existed, from the point where God put a "Thou shall not" on the table.

I agree with you that sin and evil were present at the Creation. G-d created evil and everything else at that time.

 

[Thief]

there is a list of creations performed by God.....and He declared each one

good

 

[WalterTrull]

I really like the Adam and Eve story. Don't think I'll ever totally understand the whole thing. I notice Christians are not big on metaphor. I gotta try to stop eatin' them apples.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

I'm assuming the same way we do it now. Just safer then probably.

Adam said, "You'd better stand back, I don't know how big this this gets."