Created Upright, Fallen by Rebellion (Chapter 6, Paragraph 1)

“God created man upright and perfect…”

God made Adam and Eve without sin. They were not neutral or corrupted; they were righteous, holy, and able to please God. Ecclesiastes 7:29 echoes this: “God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.” The Lord gave them a holy nature and placed them in a holy environment. This affirms that God is not the author of sin. The blame for human corruption does not rest on the Creator, but on the creature.

“…and gave him a righteous law…”

God’s law was not burdensome or unjust. It was good. In fact, the law given to Adam—a command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17)—was a test of obedience and love. It was a single command in the context of abundant provision and freedom. Far from being restrictive, it emphasized that true liberty is found in trusting and submitting to God’s Word.

“…which had been unto life had he kept it…”

The promise was clear: obedience would bring continued life, fellowship, and blessing. This law was a covenantal arrangement—often called the Covenant of Works—wherein Adam stood not only as an individual but as the federal head of all humanity. His obedience or disobedience would affect not just himself, but all who came from him.

“…and threatened death upon the breach thereof…”

God warned Adam, “In the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). This death was not only physical but spiritual—separation from God, loss of holiness, and subjection to misery and wrath. The penalty shows how serious sin is: it breaks communion with the Creator and earns judgment.

“…yet he did not long abide in this honour…”

The tragedy of the fall is that it happened not from hardship, but from privilege. In the midst of beauty, abundance, and fellowship with God, Adam and Eve still turned from Him. This shows the deceitfulness of sin—it promises freedom but brings ruin. Adam quickly fell from his original position of honour and glory (Psalm 49:12).

“…Satan using the subtlety of the serpent to seduce Eve…”

Sin entered the world through a real, spiritual enemy. The serpent was Satan’s instrument, and his weapon was deceit. He questioned God’s Word (“Did God actually say…?”) and denied God’s judgment (“You will not surely die…”). Eve was deceived (1 Tim. 2:14), and Adam, though not deceived, followed her into sin. Satan is still a liar, and his tactics remain the same today—he twists truth, appeals to pride, and tempts us to doubt God’s goodness.

“…then by her seducing Adam, who without any compulsion did wilfully transgress the law of their creation…”

Adam was not forced to sin. He had a free will—not yet enslaved by sin—and he chose to rebel. This is vital: Adam’s fall was voluntary. He was not a victim; he was a rebel. He broke the law not from ignorance or weakness but from willful disobedience. This makes sin not just a mistake, but a moral crime.

“…and the command given unto them, in eating the forbidden fruit.”

This act of eating may seem small—but it was a direct rejection of God’s authority. All sin, at its core, is rebellion against the rule of God. The fruit was not magical. The issue was the heart: they trusted the serpent over their Creator. This is the root of all human sin—a rejection of God’s truth and a preference for our own desires.

Application for the Believer:

Understanding the fall is essential to understanding the gospel. We are not sinners because of bad environments or poor education—we are sinners because our first father sinned, and we sinned in him. This humbles us. It strips away self-righteousness and drives us to Christ. But it also gives us hope: the same God who made Adam upright has sent the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, to restore what was lost. Cling to Him, the One who obeyed where Adam failed, and who gives life to all who trust in Him.