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Subject: Did God Know That Adam Would Sin?
Replies: 11 Views: 888
unquiet1 25.01.11 - 01:12pm
Many people ask this question in all sincerity. When the issue of Gods permission of wickedness is raised, the sin of the first human pair in the Garden of Eden quickly comes into focus. The thought that GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING may easily lead some to the conclusion that God must have known beforehand that Adam and Eve would disobey him. If God truly had foreknown that this perfect couple would sin, what would this imply? *
unquiet1 25.01.11 - 01:14pm
Such a notion would attribute many negative traits to God. He would seem to be unloving, unjust, and insincere. Some might label it cruel to expose the first humans to something that was foreknown to end badly. God might seem responsible foror at least an accomplice to all the badness and suffering that followed throughout history. To some, our Creator would even appear foolish. *
unquiet1 25.01.11 - 01:15pm
Does Jehovah (Jehovah is Gods personal name as it is in the bible. see Psalm 83:18 King James Version) God, as revealed in the Scriptures, match such a negative description? To answer that, let us examine what the Bible says about the creative works and the personality of Jehovah. *
unquiet1 25.01.11 - 01:16pm
''It Was Very Good''
Regarding God's creation, including the first humans on earth, the Genesis account says: ''God saw everything he had made and, look! it was very good.'' (Genesis 1:31) Adam and Eve were perfectly made, ideally suited to their earthly environment. There was nothing deficient in their makeup. Created ''very good,'' they were certainly capable of the good conduct that was required of them. They were created ''in Gods image.'' (Genesis 1:27) So they had the capacity to demonstrate to some degree the godly qualities of wisdom, loyal love, justice, and goodness.
Reflecting such qualities would help them to make decisions that would benefit them and bring pleasure to their heavenly Father. Jehovah endowed these perfect, intelligent creatures with free will. So they were by no means preprogrammed to please Godlike some sort of robot. Think about it. Which would mean more to youa gift that is given mechanically or one that comes from the heart? The answer is obvious. Likewise, if Adam and Eve had freely chosen to obey God, their obedience would have meant all the more to him. The capacity to choose enabled the first human pair to obey Jehovah out of love.Deuteronomy 30:19, 20.
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unquiet1 25.01.11 - 01:17pm
Righteous, Just, and Good
The Bible reveals Jehovahs qualities to us. These qualities make it impossible for him to have anything to do with sin. Jehovah ''is a lover of righteousness and justice,'' says Psalm 33:5. Thus, James 1:13 notes: ''With evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone.'' Out of fairness and consideration,
God warned Adam: ''From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction.
But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.'' (in Genesis 2:16, 17) The first couple were given a choice between endless life and death.
Would it not have been hypocritical for God to warn them against a specific sin while already knowing the bad outcome? *
unquiet1 25.01.11 - 01:19pm
As ''a lover of righteousness and justice,'' Jehovah would not have offered a choice that in reality did not exist. Jehovah is also abundant in goodness. (Psalm 31:19) Describing Gods goodness, Jesus said: ''Who is the man among you whom his son asks for breadhe will not hand him a stone, will he? Or, perhaps, he will ask for a fishhe will not hand him a serpent, will he? Therefore, if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will your Father who is in the heavens give good things to those asking him?'' (Matthew 7:9-11) God gives ''good things'' to his creatures. The way humans were created and the Paradise home prepared for them testify to Gods goodness.
Would such a good Sovereign be so cruel as to provide a beautiful home that he knew would be taken away? No. Our righteous and good Maker is not to blame for mans rebellion. *
unquiet1 25.01.11 - 01:20pm
''Wise Alone''
The Scriptures also show that Jehovah is ''wise alone.'' (Romans 16:27) Gods heavenly angels witnessed many manifestations of this boundless wisdom. They began ''shouting in applause'' when Jehovah brought forth his earthly creations. (Job 38:4-7) No doubt these intelligent spirit creatures followed events in the garden of Eden with great interest.
Would it, then, make sense for a wise God, after creating an awe-inspiring universe and an array of marvelous earthly works, to bring forth under the eyes of his angelic sons two unique creatures who he knew were bound to fail? Clearly, to plan such a calamity would not stand to reason.
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