From the account of the Fall in Genesis 2 and 3, three factors emerge that explain the fall of Adam:
1. Adam was earthly. While Adam was created upright, he naturally desired earthly things. Man’s earthly nature is described clearly in Genesis 2. Man is from the earth, tills the earth, is fed from the earth, is united in earthy marriage, etc. Thus, while Adam was created upright, he still desired earthly things.
2. Adam was on probation. God’s special test of Adam, in his condition of earthly uprightness, was for Adam to confirm that he was upright in matters pertaining to God. To do so, Adam needed to demonstrate rejection of his natural desires for earthly things. In Genesis 2:16-17, we find God’s command prohibiting Adam from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree contained all the appeal of the other trees in the Garden and was itself morally indifferent. So the only reason Adam was to abstain from eating of this tree was because God commanded it.
3. Adam was tempted. In Genesis 3, an external element, the Serpent, becomes a factor in the Fall. By means of the Serpent’s clever speech, Adam and Eve are introduced to thinking differently about God’s creation.
These three aspects are more than sufficient to give an account of the fall of man. Man’s desire to eat of the tree was a natural desire of his earthliness, the command to not do so from God was given for no other reason than obedience to Him, and the Serpent’s temptation provided an opportunity for man eschew God’s perspective and to think differently about the tree. There is no mystery here that requires philosophical supporting arguments to explain the Fall. Instead we have God’s own words declaring a sufficient explanation.
AMR
1. Adam was earthly. While Adam was created upright, he naturally desired earthly things. Man’s earthly nature is described clearly in Genesis 2. Man is from the earth, tills the earth, is fed from the earth, is united in earthy marriage, etc. Thus, while Adam was created upright, he still desired earthly things.
2. Adam was on probation. God’s special test of Adam, in his condition of earthly uprightness, was for Adam to confirm that he was upright in matters pertaining to God. To do so, Adam needed to demonstrate rejection of his natural desires for earthly things. In Genesis 2:16-17, we find God’s command prohibiting Adam from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree contained all the appeal of the other trees in the Garden and was itself morally indifferent. So the only reason Adam was to abstain from eating of this tree was because God commanded it.
3. Adam was tempted. In Genesis 3, an external element, the Serpent, becomes a factor in the Fall. By means of the Serpent’s clever speech, Adam and Eve are introduced to thinking differently about God’s creation.
These three aspects are more than sufficient to give an account of the fall of man. Man’s desire to eat of the tree was a natural desire of his earthliness, the command to not do so from God was given for no other reason than obedience to Him, and the Serpent’s temptation provided an opportunity for man eschew God’s perspective and to think differently about the tree. There is no mystery here that requires philosophical supporting arguments to explain the Fall. Instead we have God’s own words declaring a sufficient explanation.
AMR
