Adam and Eve

We’re continuing our story of huge consequences people paid in the Bible after they committed sin. Let’s go back to the beginning: the story of Adam and Eve. You know the story: Adam and Eve, the first people on the planet, are given a beautiful garden to live in. They are told to populate the earth (be fruitful and multiply).

First of all, remember that John Calvin said God controlled EVERYTHING. Nobody has a choice in the matter. God is SOVEREIGN, controlling what people think, say and do. Even Satan was chosen to live out his life as an enemy of God and mankind. According to John Calvin this is all on God. So let’s look at this scenario and see if any of John Calvin’s view makes sense in light of the story of Adam and Eve.

So Adam and Eve are in the Garden of Eden. It’s a beautiful place. Adam and Eve are running around naked and completely unaware of this fact. They have the innocence of some toddlers who love to strip and run around naked. Adam’s got a big job, he’s a head of the ranger department, naming all the animals. Eve is being the domestic goddess that she is, and preparing meals and loving her man (like a good country song). All is good and wonderful. Adam and Eve get to enjoy the beautiful garden and all that’s in it. EXCEPT for one tree. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That’s it. There’s only one tree they can’t touch out of all the hundreds of thousands of trees, there’s only one they need to leave alone.

Everything is hunky dory until along comes enemy number one – that old expelled angel. He comes along in the form of a snake. He starts up a conversation with Eve.

“…indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?” The woman said to the servant, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.” The Serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!” For God knows that in the day you eat from it our eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate: and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” Genesis 3:4-8

As you read this passage in Genesis, is there any part if it that says, And God made the serpent go to Eve and entice her?  Or, God worked it out that the woman took the fruit, she had no choice in the matter. Where is the responsibility placed? The Bible says the Serpent and Eve. In verse 7, it says their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked. Eating the fruit did something to their innocence. The knew they were naked now.

Now the next few passages become the blame game, like trying to talk to your kids about who left the milk out on the table: he did it, no, she did it, no-I didn’t do it, why’re you blaming me?…and on and on it goes.

God asked Adam and Eve where they are? Now does God know where they are? Of course, He does. So why is He asking where they are? It’s an icebreaker question. God is getting the dialogue started about the fact that Adam and Eve are hiding. And it does just that. Adam blurts out that he heard God in the garden, and he was afraid because he was naked. And I just love God’s answer to Adam (it cracks me up). “Who told you that you were naked?” vs.11. How many times do you ask your kids: who told you, you can have that cookie? who told you, you can ride your bike in the street? who told you, you could eat that candy? who told you…you get the point. I can so identify with God at this point. And just like our kids, Adam says the woman YOU gave me, gave me the fruit from that tree we weren’t supposed to eat from (let the blame game begin). Then God asks the woman, “What is this you have done?” And of course the woman blames the serpent. So they are all sitting there pointing fingers at each other.

Now God dishes out the consequences of THEIR sin. He turns to the serpent and tells him his consequences. God turns to Eve and tells her the results of her sin. And finally, He turns to Adam and tells him his consequences for his sin. They each will pay the price. They each will pay for what they have done. God drives them out of the Garden of Eden to never enjoy it’s bounty again. We see God’s mercy, though, in verse 21, where God makes garments of skin for Adam and and his wife, and clothed them. It’s a tender picture, in that, in spite of Adam and Eve’s sin, God cleans them up and clothes them. He doesn’t leave them to die naked in their sins. This very fact shows His care for them.

Now John Calvin says God ordained all of this. Adam and Eve didn’t choose to sin. God made them do it. The serpent didn’t choose to come along and deceive Eve, God made him do it. Yes, this is what John Calvin believes. If we go along with John Calvin’s thinking who is to blame in this story? Why God is to blame. Read Genesis 3. Read who did what. And you decide: is John Calvin to be believed? Or did the Serpent, Eve, and Adam choose to do what they did? If we are to believe John Calvin and God orchestrated all of this, why is God giving consequences for their sin? According to John Calvin, only God is to blame. According to John Calvin, we should all be pointing our fingers at God and saying He did it.