Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Adam and Eve II

The idea of Adam and Eve, and the whole question of what earth would be like if they hadn't sinned got me thinking.

Was Adam and Eve's sin inevitable?

In Ephesians 1:4-5 Paul says, “Even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ, so that we would be holy and without fault before him. Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children – this was his pleasure and purpose.” (Good news translation)

This verse clearly points out that it was part of God's plan, part of his “pleasure and purpose” to save us from sin through Jesus Christ (which implies his sacrifice of his own life). What implications does this have?

For one, I think it says that the question of what the world would be like if Adam and Eve had sinned would be a mute question. God knew that Adam and Eve would sin before he even created the world. He gave them free choice in their lives, free choice to love him, and a choice to disobey him. Yet he knew that if he gave them free choice, they would eat from the fruit and fracture their relationship. It was impossible for Adam and Eve to have free choice and also keep from sinning.

But wait, if God knew that Adam and Eve would sin, if he knew he would have to sacrifice his own son to get us back, if he knew that we would cause him so much heartache and pain (as only a parent can know), why did he create us in the first place?

I think he created us because he knew that all the pain we would cause ourselves and him would be worth it. When our relationship is restored, when we live in perfect love with him, that is worth every ounce of pain God endures.

God's love is greater than sin. His love for us surpasses the evil of sin.

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