Eden and Innocence

Objectives

• Students will interpret the Innocence of man in the Garden of Eden through the perspective of dispensationalism.
• Students will understand the total depravity of man and recognize the exceeding grace of Christ.

Opening

• Why did God create? Wouldn't it have been better for God to have not created us at all? I mean seriously, consider sin.

One of the most fascinating aspects of this question is the fact that this question is nothing new. In fact, this question is not even a fundamentally Christian question. Consider the following passage taken from the Apocryphal book 2 Esdres 7:46-48 (Note: it may not be edifying to actually read an apocryphal passage depending on the group. If that is the case then just summarizing this may be helpful)

I answered then and said, This is my first and last saying, that it had been better not to have given the earth unto Adam: or else, when it was given him, to have restrained him from sinning. For what profit is it for men now in this present time to live in heaviness, and after death to look for punishment? O thou Adam, what hast thou done? for though it was thou that sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but we all that come of thee.

What we see is that 2nd Temple Judaism already had the notion that the sin of Adam brought devastating results.

• • Perhaps a partial answer to the question of why God created is because by creating God was able to do more than merely annihilate sin, God was able to defeat sin. By creating God was able to show that in everyday He is good and sin is inferior.

Dispensationalism is "a 'divine order of affairs' or a 'period of administration.' It is a specific time in the unfolding drama of redemption wherein God ordains a specific arrangement of events and commands for a specific purpose. His purpose includes the defeat of evil.". Through a careful study of the dispensations we can see how God's plan unfolds and how He uses each dispensation to demonstrate His goodness and defeat evil.

Main Body

The Bible contains a significant number of covenants. So how do we view this covenants from a dispensational perspective. Recall that a covenant is A chosen relationship between 2 parties in which one or both parties make binding promises to one another and a covenant can be conditional or unconditional.

A Covenant of Works?

In some theological systems a Covenant of Works is used to describe the pre-fall state of man. The Westminster Confession of Faith is on of the clearest statements of this Covenant of Works

I. The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which he has been pleased to express by way of covenant. II. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.

There are, however, a few issues. First, the Hebrew word for covenant is not used in these passages. Second, the Covenant of Works promises life to Adam and his posterity a noticeably absent component of the Genesis account. Third, as a created being, Adam was morally obligated to obey God even without a covenant.

• One claim of theologians who subscribe to a Covenant of Works is that there was a Federal Headship in which Adam as a representative of mankind fell on behalf of mankind. However, Romans 5:12 claims that sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned. How could it be that all sinned?
  • In contrast to a federal headship the claim that all sinned supports a seminal head. Specifically, as seed of Adam we were all present in Adam when he sinned and so we are all individually guilty of sin. In fact, the Bible makes arguments like this in the case of Melchizedek,

    Biblical evidence supports the natural headship of Adam. When presenting the superiority of Melchizedek’s priesthood to Aaron’s, the author of Hebrews argued that Levi, the head of the priestly tribe, “who collects the 10th, paid the 10th through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor” (Heb. 7:9–10).

It seems that a Covenant of Works is probably not the correct approach to take. So, was there a covenant before The Fall?

Eden

We are not going to take a stance on whether or not there is an Edenic Covenant or whether there is something like a covenant, say a pseudo-covenant in the garden of Eden. Instead, let's look at ways in which this looks like a covenant and how that impacts us.

Genesis 1:28-30

• What parties are discussed in Genesis 1:28-30? Do the parties come to an agreement?
  • God and humanity. Adam is representative of the whole human race. How do we know? Because Eve is also responsible for the conditions although she is not explicitly mentioned. However, we do not see, in this passage the two parties coming to an agreement. For this reason it is hard to argue this is a covenant.

• What requirements are set forth in Genesis 1:28-30?
  • Dominion, man is to subdue and fill the earth. Note: this is not given as a requirement in the sense of condition on a covenant but rather as a divine order.

• What promises are made in Genesis 1:28-30?
  • God promises to provide food.

• Are the promises in Genesis 1:28-30 conditional or unconditional?
  • The promises made in Genesis 1:28-30 are unconditional promises.

Genesis 2:15-17

• What parties are discussed in Genesis 2:15-17? Do the parties come to an agreement?
  • God and Adam. Again we do not see, in this passage the two parties coming to an agreement. For this reason it is hard to argue this is a covenant.

• What are the requirements set forth in Genesis 2:15-17?
  • Tend and keep the garden, not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

• What are the promises set forth in Genesis 2:15-17?
  • The ability to freely eat of all of the other trees. However, some will say there is also an implied promise of eternal life. The promise is implied as being the opposite of the death that is promised for failure. Based upon this implied promise some theologian see a covenant here. However, this is implied reasoning that uses a converse instead of a contrapositive and so the claim is not as solid.

• Are the promises in Genesis 2:15-17 conditional or unconditional?
  • The promises made in Genesis 2:15-17 are conditioned.

All together we have a pseudo-covenant in which God unconditionally promises to provide Adam with food and conditionally promises death if Adam does not keep himself from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Effects Today

• Is this still in effect today?
  • There are two perspectives on this. In one perspective after the fall, God immediately changes His dealing with Adam and begins the dispensation of Grace thereby not killing Adam. In the other perspective Adam immediately dies spiritually as he is separated from the life giver.

• According to Ephesians 2:5 what is our spiritual state pre-salvation?
  • Prior to salvation we are spiritually dead.

• What do we learn about the consequences of Adam's sin according to 1 Corinthians 15:21-22?
  • Adam's sin brought death upon all humanity. Notice a few things here. When we talked about Genesis 1:28-30 and 2:15-17 Adam was the only party present but the promises were promises to humanity with Adam as the representative. Similarly, the consequences are consequences to all of humanity with Adam as the representative. I have been careful not to call this a covenant (or deny it is a covenant) but one thing that is clear is that the effects are still seen and felt today. I do not believe that the dispensation of Grace was immediately ushered in rather the death discussed in Genesis 2 is spiritual separation from the life giver and that sam death remains in effect today for all those without Christ.

Innocence

In his Systematic Theology, Geisler argues that God purposes to defeat evil, not to simply annihilate it. Geisler states that "a dispensation is a 'divine order of affairs' or a 'period of administration' in which God works to accomplish his specific purpose, including the defeat of evil. Geisler further discusses "dispensational examinations," exams which in his view demonstrate that in every possible way under every conceivable condition man fails and the only answer is God Himself.

The first period of administration is commonly called the dispensation of innocence.

• How are Adam and Eve described in Genesis 2:25?
  • Adam and Eve are described as having no knowledge of evil. Their lack of knowledge is exemplified by their lack of shame at their nakedness. Together with Genesis 3:5 we see that they had no idea of what evil was and the temptation for evil came from outside of them.

• In what way did God demonstrate grace through faith to Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:22?
  • God provided Adam and Eve with the Tree of Life of which they could partake to enjoy eternal life.

• What event takes place in Genesis 3:1-7?
  • The Fall

• What does The Fall demonstrate about man?
  • Even in complete innocence man still needs God. It is not enough to be created sinless ben in innocence man still failed. The only solution for man is God.

• What was the ultimate attack that Satan leveraged against Adam and Eve?
  • Ultimately, it was an attack on faith. Satan basically told Adam and Eve that they could not trust God, he challenged their faith. Salvation by grace through faith is a unifying theme. Ultimately, the problem was not that Adam broke God's law but that he failed to put his faith in God and as result he broke God’s law.

Conclusion

• The failure of Adam and Eve in the dispensation of innocence demonstrates that even in the absence of a personal sin nature, Man still failed to obey. Galatians 5:17 teaches us that our flesh wars against our spirit and each of us can testify that the war is very real, our sin nature is very real. However, all to often, I am guilty of blaming my sin nature. The fact is, that even without sin nature, Adam fell. We need God. How do you personally need God this week?