Question 15: The First Sin

Question 15: What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?

Answer: The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.

Many have wondered, "Why this particular act? Why should something so simple and seemingly benign plunge humanity into sin and misery?" Although a full answer to this question may be impossible, Sinclair Ferguson has helpfully suggested that the implied message from God to Adam and Eve through this tree went something like this:

"I am giving you everything in this garden. Go and enjoy yourselves. But just before you head off, I have given all of this because I love you. I want you to grow and develop in your understanding and in your love for me. So this is the plan: There is a tree here, 'The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.' Don't eat it's fruit. I know - you want to know why, don't you? Well, I have made you as my image. I have given you instincts to enjoy what I enjoy. So in one sense you naturally do what pleases me and simultaneously gives you pleasure too.

"But I want you to grow in trusting and loving me for myself, because I am who I am. You can only really do that if you are willing to obey me, not because you are wired to, but because you want to show me that you trust and love me. If you do that you will find that you grow stronger and that your love deepens. Trust me, I know. That's why I have put that tree there. I so want you to be blessed that I am commanding you to eat and enjoy the fruit of all these trees. That's a command! But I have another command. What I want you to do is one simple thing: don't eat the fruit of that one tree.

I am not asking you to do that because the tree is ugly - actually, it is just as attractive as the other trees. I don't create ugly, ever! You won't be able to look at its fruit and think, That must taste horrible. It is a fine-looking tree. So it's simple. Trust me, obey me, and love me because of who I am and because you are enjoying what I have given to you. Trust me, obey me, and you will grow."

The tree is gone, but the challenge is not. Are you trusting and obeying God for who he is, even when his commands don't quite make sense to you?

Reference: The Whole Christ by Sinclair Ferguson, pages 81-82. Italics original.