Genesis 3, original sin and mortality
score:6
There's not much consensus on this. As with all answers on this site dealing with the subject of Creationism, there's a wide array of opinion on the subject.
Reading the text, in and of itself, without any external verses, interpretation, or debate over scientific validity of the claim certainly makes it appear as if Adam and Eve weren't created to be immortal, but if they'd eaten of the tree of life, they'd have gained immortality.
The apparent conflict with Romans 5:12 can likewise be taken in different ways. It could be taken as an outright conflict (not my belief), or it could be that the word "death" is used as a metaphor. "Death" is often taken to mean the judgment of God, or Hell in Scripture.
Based on the context of Romans 5, this seems the most likely explanation to me, as Paul is speaking of salvation, which has to do with eternal life, not physical life.
Comparative verse:
Romans 6:23 (KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Upvote:0
The following represents my personal thoughts and views, and not that of any particular Christian tradition (although it would find a home in several). Indeed Adam and Eve were by nature physically mortal, just as all living things were (and are) mortal. The tree of life, like so many objects in Scripture, is represented as a sign and symbol of the everlasting life which Adam received immediately from God—as will the glorified saints in the new heavens and new earth (Rev. 2:7; 22:14); as observed in Vincent's Word Studies, "To eat of the tree of life expresses participation in the life eternal."
But ever since the fall, Adam and his posterity were cut off from the tree of life and no longer received everlasting life immediately, but rather mediately through Christ (1 John 5:11). Thus Jesus Christ testifies that those who hear his gospel and believe have eternal life and will not be condemned, but have "crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). Give attention to that phrase, "from death to life." Immortality is something which in Christ we seek; and if we seek it, then we do not now possess it (Rom. 2:7; 1 Cor. 15:53). Likewise Paul speaks about how "sin reigned in death" among mankind (Rom. 5:21), and how could sin reign but among those who are physically alive?
Rather, death is understood covenantally in a spiritual context, which is how sin reigns in death for those who are physically alive but spiritually dead in Adam, whereas grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life for those justified in Christ, such that we spiritually live even though we physically die. (Cf. John 11:25-26, "The one who believes in me will live even if he dies, and the one who lives and believes in me will never die.") As John Calvin noted, "Let us know, therefore, that when we have departed from Christ nothing remains for us but death" (cf. Rev. 20:6, 14).
Upvote:0
At least one Rabbinic tradition (and I'm trying to find the source of this) posits that Gods intention was, from the beginning, that Adam and Eve choose from the prohibited tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, in order that they would learn to choose God rather than simply be subject to Him out of blind filial obedience. If this is the case, that God intended for them to sin, then the default question of "Would they have died had they not eaten from the tree" becomes irrelevant (even if it is an interesting case)
Upvote:1
This is my opinion, you can take it as it is. Adam and Eve were created mortal. "You shall surely die" --> You're already going to die, but if you eat of the tree, then you will "surely die" because I am going to kick you out of the garden so you can't eat from the tree of life which will give you life (so you won't die). In regards to Rom 5:12, it's exactly as it says, death came from Adam's sin (his disobedience) which led to him and the rest of his descendants not being able to eat from the tree of life. So the death wasn't a direct effect of eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but an indirect effect of not being able to eat from the tree of life. Hence, v 14: "Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one was to come."
More post
- 📝 Heaven and Earth shall pass away but my word will never pass away
- 📝 In Rev 9:4 What grass was left for them to not hurt?
- 📝 Do Catholics view atheism as a sin?
- 📝 According to reformed theology: Is loving God a choice? If not, do the elect differ from robots?
- 📝 Looking for a Catholic Arabic bible
- 📝 How have Calvinist theologians dealt with statements about God repenting?
- 📝 Are there circumstances where to "love your neighbor as yourself" also means you put him ahead of you?
- 📝 Isaiah 25:6 "On this mountain, the Lord of Heavenly Forces"
- 📝 How many Christian missionaries are sent by the "global South"?
- 📝 What is The Second book of Homilies mentioned in the Anglican 39 articles of faith?
- 📝 (Catholic view) What was the scriptural basis for the existence of limbo?
- 📝 Do JWs have vestments, clothing, or "sacred" or symbolic objects that are used for any particular occasion or position?
- 📝 If God created the sun and the moon on the fourth day what had been lighting the earth for three days?
- 📝 What is the biblical argument for eating meat, or that vegetarianism is possible but not commanded?
- 📝 Why does the KJV capitilise 'Devil' in Revelation but not in Luke?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, does God actively cause suffering in Hell?
- 📝 What are Christian arguments against the use of anesthesia?
- 📝 Can Bishops give dispensations from certain marriage vows?
- 📝 When did the Book of Ruth start coming after Judges in compilations?
- 📝 To understand the "The Bible is the Word of God"
- 📝 When did the immutability of God become entrenched in Christian literature?
- 📝 Are the books known as the "Book of the Covenant" and the "Book of the Law" the same book or two separate books?
- 📝 How did the threefold distinction of Deacon, Priest and Bishop come about?
- 📝 According to Protestantism, why is Hermeneutics necessary if we have the Holy Spirit?
- 📝 What support is there in the Patristic writings for Marian Devotion?
- 📝 What was the purpose of creating the world?
- 📝 How do Baptists interpret the summoning of Samuel by the medium of Endor?
- 📝 Are there equal numbers of male and female Christians?
- 📝 What do Evangelical Protestants say about sanctification?
- 📝 Who is entitled to partake in the Lord's Supper?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Genesis 3, original sin and mortality
- 📝 How do the Catholic and Orthodox views of original sin differ?
- 📝 What was St. Thomas Aquinas's view on the difference between punishment accorded to original sin and punishment accorded to individual sin?
- 📝 How do Catholics reconcile a metaphorical Adam and Eve with Original Sin
- 📝 What is an overview of the similarities and differences between the Catholic doctrine of Original Sin and the Reformed doctrine of Total Depravity?
- 📝 What is the difference in original sin and our nature to sin from a Reformed or Calvinist view?
- 📝 What is the difference between original sin and original guilt?
- 📝 How do proponents of Original Sin support a strictly literal interpretation of Genesis
- 📝 What is the difference between original sin and a sin nature?
- 📝 What is the historical cause between the discrepancy of evangelical approaches to original sin and Jewish ones?
- 📝 Original sin and its consequences
- 📝 What did Jesus mean when he said ‘Go and sin no more’ if sinlessness is impossible?
- 📝 Are there any writings from the church fathers teaching Original Sin before Augustine?
- 📝 Who first distinguished between the inerrancy of the Bible and the inerrancy of the original autographs?
- 📝 What is the basis for the claim that the entire New Testament can be reconstructed apart from original and copied manuscripts?
- 📝 What is the Catholic understanding of the first sin committed by Adam and Eve?
- 📝 How is original sin transmitted?
- 📝 Do Christian groups which think h*m*sexuality is a sin think you can be a practicing h*m*sexual and also a Christian?
- 📝 If baptism cleanses original sin then why do the children of baptised parents still need to be baptised?
- 📝 Inheritance of original sin
- 📝 When people sin against us but don't repent, should we forgive and forget?
- 📝 What was the Original Purpose of Fasting from "Wine" and "Olive Oil" in the Orthodox Tradition?
- 📝 Does the seal of confession apply even when the sin is intended and there is no desire to repent?
- 📝 Since when did the Catholic church accept Protestant baptism, and what was the original rationale for accepting?
- 📝 If Genesis is not to be taken literally by the Roman Catholics, what is the basis of the original sin?
- 📝 What is an overview of different stances on whether and why it is a sin to pay taxes?
- 📝 What is the understanding between the Genesis account and the book of Abraham account of creation? (LDS)
- 📝 What is the very least a Catholic needs to believe about Genesis 2 and 3?
- 📝 Did Rahab sin by hiding the Hebrew spies and lying to the leaders of Jericho? (Catholic/Protestant overview)
- 📝 Did the original Greek scriptures use upper and lower case letters, in particular for "Holy Ghost"?