Okay, so this is not just a simple question, but rather two questions (each potentially raising many, many other questions):
- What if Adam had just confessed and repented when the Lord came a callin’ in Genesis 3?
- Or, what if, immediately after Eve partook of the fruit, Adam had said, “No thanks, we’re not supposed to. Serpent, get away, and while we’re at it, Eve, why don’t you confess and repent”?
Would the course of human history be different? If so, how?
#1 by Gary Zimmerli on May 29, 2009 - 2:58 pm
Good questions to think about, Peter! Think about this one: If Adam and/or Eve had repented, would the sin not have been a sin anyway? Even repentance doesn’t eliminate the sin, as if it had never happened, does it? I think sin would still have entered into the world through them. (In fact, though they may not have repented immediately, I believe they did later.)
#2 by petermlopez on June 1, 2009 - 9:52 am
I agree about sin entering through them anyway, but Adam is always the one credited with the sin (as he should be), so what if Adam had not even after Eve…
I don’t (obviously) have the answers, but it’s fun stuff to think about.
#3 by Pastor Nathan on May 30, 2009 - 1:46 pm
I am in agreement with Gary. The sin was already committed. From that point someone had to die because of the disobedience.
You second question is thought provoking. The New Testament says that Eve was deceived, not Adam. So, it would seem that Adam willingly and knowingly ate of the fruit, possibly to remain with his wife.
#4 by petermlopez on June 1, 2009 - 9:53 am
Thanks, Pastor Nathan. I appreciate your reading and commenting. I agree with Gary, too, with the one little additional question I suggested in my reply to him.
#5 by hiscrivener on May 31, 2009 - 6:59 am
@Gary, sure they did. Because outside of their near-perfect ethos with God, they experienced guilt. Along with being alone and butt naked, I’m positive you are correct.
@Pastor, sin always breeds death in some fashion. It may not be a person, but some thing will fade away, be it status, love, joy, et cetera. And Eve was deceived, but Adam was detached from the person he for whom he was created to love. A marriage died because of sin, and both of them were at fault.
@Lopez, sage question indeed. I suppose we would have remained closer to the will of God, and not so many golden calves would have been forged, but eh. I suppose what we see here is the most powerful thing God gave his children was not his only begotten son… but the power to choose what his son did. Our will has gotten us in more hot messes than Satan ever has directly. It was inevitable, and had Genesis 3 set a different course for mankind, choices would have still allowed us to plunder.
#6 by petermlopez on June 1, 2009 - 9:55 am
Scrivener, I totally agree about our own free will, and who is to say that Adam wouldn’t have done something else silly later, but you never know…
#7 by hiscrivener on June 1, 2009 - 11:43 pm
Oh, he would have. As the lovely Missus Lopez would concur, he’s a man… it’s what we do, brother.
#8 by petermlopez on June 2, 2009 - 10:04 am
Indeed!