Why Did God Let Adam & Eve Sin?
God could have created Adam and Eve so that they cannot sin. This would also mean that they would not have a free will. Adam and Eve would not be able to choose right or wrong because they would be “programmed” to only do right. Had God chosen to do this, there would be no meaningful relationships between Him and His created beings. But instead, God created Adam and Eve with freedom of choice. And because of this, they could respond to His love and trust Him or choose to disobey.
Do parents that give birth to children get a written guarantee that their children are going to love them? Of course not. Knowing that, parents still take risks because love takes risks. In creating humans, God took the risk that some humans may choose not to love Him and even rebel against Him.
God appeals to His creatures’ love, their senses, and reason but He never uses force because love doesn’t use force. God says, “Choose you this day who you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). The only service acceptable to God is cheerful, voluntary service motivated by love. God does not want His children to obey Him out of fear.
Sadly, it is God Himself that paid the great price for our own disobedience and sin. God offered His only Son to carry the punishment of our sin in His body. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Christ risked all to redeem us back to the Father. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).
Why Do We Have to Pay for Adam and Eve’s Sin?
Sin is a contagious disease, like AIDS. If a mother is infected by this disease, it goes naturally to her unborn child. The Bible tells us that “through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12).
But the good news is that eternal life came through Jesus Christ’s atonement for sin. “Through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Romans 5:18,19).
As sin and death proceeded from Adam to the entire human race, so righteousness and life, proceed from Christ to all humanity. And as death has been given to all men who join in Adam’s sin, so life is given to all those who accept the righteousness of Christ and obey His words. However, though the involvement in Adam’s sin is universal, the acceptance of the righteousness of Christ is not universal, it depends on the human choice (Matthew 7:13).
Anyone that wishes to escape the deadly cycle of sin can certainly do that through God’s grace that is made possible by Christ’s sacrifice. This is the great hope of the gospel (John 1:12). Jesus offers salvation to all without exception no matter how evil their lives have been. The Lord says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20; Isaiah 45:22; John 7:37).
Millions of Christians testify to the satisfaction that they have found in Christ. They have discovered in Him more than they had hoped for. They have received His peace, and their worries and sins have been taken away. They have been given grace to meet every weakness and strength to overcome all temptations. In themselves, they have been let down, but in Christ, they have been empowered, transformed, and uplifted (1 Corinthians 15:57).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
