A Question Regarding the Original Sin

[Law of Loud]

Something struck me about an hour ago, and after reading through two copies of the Bible, I have yet to come to any sort of conclusion on the matter, so I'd like to ask you all for ideas on the matter, or perhaps an answer.

Genesis 2:17)17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 3:12-24)12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. 13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. 14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

I recognize that Adam and Eve clearly disobeyed God and that they made a mistake. But a couple things make me question whether they actually sinned.

First, could Adam and Eve sin without the very knowledge of good and evil, and without that very knowledge, could that act have been a sin?

Secondly, the consequences of this seem very different from those normal prescribed for a "sin". Read through the consequences of this sin, and I think you'll notice - as I did - that the consequences God gives for this sin are very different than those of any other sin, in so far as much as I am aware.

Please respond if you will, as this really perplexes me.

 

[Truly Blessed]

First, could Adam and Eve sin without the very knowledge of good and evil, and without that very knowledge, could that act have been a sin?

They were commanded not to eat - disobedience is a sin.
If I was never taught that murder is a sin, does that mean I would not sin when I kill somebody - no. Ignorance is not an excuse.

Secondly, the consequences of this seem very different from those normal prescribed for a "sin". Read through the consequences of this sin, and I think you'll notice - as I did - that the consequences God gives for this sin are very different than those of any other sin, in so far as much as I am aware.

Please respond if you will, as this really perplexes me.

Yes, there is a lot more consequences from the original sin. However, death was the first proclamation before the sin was even committed; therefore, they already knew it was wrong but did it anyway - sin. The consequences also prophesies about Jesus.

 

[Law of Loud]

They were commanded not to eat - disobedience is a sin. If I was never taught that murder is a sin, does that mean I would not sin when I kill somebody - no. Ignorance is not an excuse.

Aye, but are you not a child of Adam and Eve, and therefore a recipient of that knowledge of good and evil? Adam and Eve had no knowledge of good and evil, but you were born with that. You were born with the consequences of their mistake/sin, including the knowledge that came of it.

Yes, there is a lot more consequences from the original sin. However, death was the first proclamation before the sin was even committed; therefore, they already knew it was wrong but did it anyway - sin. The consequences also prophesies about Jesus.

They were told not to do it, I grasp that they made a mistake. But how can you actually sin if you have no grasp of right or wrong. When one dog steals anothers meal, is that a sin despite the fact that the dog lacks the ability to recognize right or wrong? How can you "know it was wrong but did it anyway - sin" when you can't possibly understand the very concept of good and evil?

Thank you for your response though, pleased to meet you and peace be with you.

 

[FreezBee]

I recognize that Adam and Eve clearly disobeyed God and that they made a mistake. But a couple things make me question whether they actually sinned.

First, could Adam and Eve sin without the very knowledge of good and evil, and without that very knowledge, could that act have been a sin?

Secondly, the consequences of this seem very different from those normal prescribed for a "sin". Read through the consequences of this sin, and I think you'll notice - as I did - that the consequences God gives for this sin are very different than those of any other sin, in so far as much as I am aware.

Please respond if you will, as this really perplexes me.

Well, here are my 2 cents:

Adam and Eve knew the commandment of God. Eve clearly tells the snake this:

2 The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.' "

They knew that eating of the fruit is forbidden, and they knew the punishment (hey, wait: did they understand the meaning of the punishment?).

If we define sin as transgression of a God's commandments, when the transgresser is aware of both the commandment and the punishment, then, yes, Adam and Eve did sin.

What does knowledge of good and evil mean?

Just this: until now they had only known God from his good side, but now: better run and hide! They came to know God from his less pleasant (to euphemize "evil") side.

That's my suggestion - and it may be completely off track


cheers

- FreezBee

 

[stumpjumper]

Something struck me about an hour ago, and after reading through two copies of the Bible, I have yet to come to any sort of conclusion on the matter, so I'd like to ask you all for ideas on the matter, or perhaps an answer.

Read Romans 5: "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.)

Paul is saying that even without the law sin would be in the world but that we are not accountable without the law.

Sin comes from moral freedom. Original sin comes from natural freedom because it our estrangement from God. Even before the law we sinned because we are free creatures and because we are the result of free natural processes that brought us about and gave us a tendency and propensity to sin.

The Hebrew word yada for "to know" is an all-encompassing word and it denotes to reach for universal knowledge or to be able to determine for ourself what it right and wrong. To make our own rules in a sense and we see this everyday in our lives. The message of the Garden of Eden is that we do not judge the truth but the truth judges us.

 

[Sentry]

Something struck me about an hour ago, and after reading through two copies of the Bible, I have yet to come to any sort of conclusion on the matter, so I'd like to ask you all for ideas on the matter, or perhaps an answer.



I recognize that Adam and Eve clearly disobeyed God and that they made a mistake. But a couple things make me question whether they actually sinned.

First, could Adam and Eve sin without the very knowledge of good and evil, and without that very knowledge, could that act have been a sin?

That is a good point. Buy "knowledge" here is not a reference to understanding the difference between good and evil. It is a reference to an intimate relationship with the two as in "Adam KNEW Eve."

Secondly, the consequences of this seem very different from those normal prescribed for a "sin". Read through the consequences of this sin, and I think you'll notice - as I did - that the consequences God gives for this sin are very different than those of any other sin, in so far as much as I am aware.

Please respond if you will, as this really perplexes me.

The consequences of sin has always been the same - DEATH.

 

[Quans]

God told Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge as it would result in Death, he disobeyed God therefore he Sinned and the result of sin is Death..

Gen 2:16,17