The Story Of Adam And Eve

QUESTION: What is the story of Adam and Eve?

ANSWER:

The story of Adam and Eve is the ultimate reflection on humanity and can be read starting in Genesis 2:4. It explains that humanity was created in order to reflect God’s glory, similar to a statue created to reflect the glory of an ancient king. God commanded us to reflect Him by upholding His commandments. Adam and Eve decided not to follow God’s plan, just as we have all made that decision at times in our lives. Whether or not this story is reality or a myth is highly debated.

The genealogies of Adam and Eve are revealed in Genesis and in Chronicles. If the story of Adam and Eve is a myth, then they couldn’t have had children. Their genealogy is recorded in the Bible, and we know their children are historical people. People can’t be descendents from a myth.

The story of Adam and Eve shows how the human race fell into temptation from Satan. And rather than reflecting God’s righteousness, we reflect Adam and Eve’s decision to follow evil rather than good. Every time we tell a lie, take something that isn’t ours (regardless of its value), or look at another with lust in our eye, we are living out the story of Adam and Eve. We see God’s judgment being poured out in the story of Adam and Eve. This judgment is a reality that we too must face, with our record of lying, stealing, and committing adultery.

God will judge humanity by the same standards by which He judged Adam and Eve. God is consistent and does not change. His nature requires that absolute perfection must be met. Adam and Eve bit into forbidden fruit; they were not liars, thieves, or adulterers at heart. God demands our absolute obedience to Him, and failure to follow that results in God’s wrath.

Fortunately, the story does not end with Adam and Eve. God took our punishment, and paid it Himself. Jesus was entirely righteous, and paid the price for our sins. He took God’s wrath in our place. If we have not met God’s standards, then we must spend eternity separated from God. That is what makes Christ’s sacrifice at the cross so amazing. That is the culmination of the story of Adam and Eve.

This article is also available in Spanish.