Adam and Eve Sinned

To the first people He made, God gave a paradise. Here together, as allies, Adam and Eve were to fulfill their purpose, covered by joy walking with the Lord their God. They did not wonder if they were enough; they were never "not good," never "didn't belong." No hiding. Nothing to prove. There was no shame, no shame at all! As if all of that were not paradise enough, Eden was a beautiful, flourishing garden, full of every good thing. There was only one rule: they were not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They were warned that eating of it would result in death. Taking its fruit meant they chose not to trust the eternal God, and that they believed humankind (the small, finite, created ones) should decide for ourselves what is true or false, bad or good. When they sinned, tricked by a crafty snake, the curse entered their bloodline and indeed all creation, beguiling humanity of that Eden potential. God was saddened but not surprised by the fateful bite and paradise lost. For the plan He had in mind to redeem the world is as beautiful as His nature: flawless justice, perfect wrath, sin-conquering grace, unmatched patience, full-bar forgiveness; His very essence is love. So, on the heels of the curse, came the promise. A savior would come from the offspring of Eve. Years later, God gave His only Son so that all who would believe might be saved. Now, because of Him, we can take the Fruit of another tree, the cross, and live. "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed" (1 Pet. 2:24). Death was defeated—only the Author of Life could conquer death itself. Three days later, Jesus was resurrected from the dead. All those who believe are destined for life and connected to Christ! But to be connected to Adam is to grab hold of something other than God for joy and satisfaction, every well a dry well. That is our default, a self heart. Praise be to God that because Jesus made a way, He can take even a heart of stone and give a heart of flesh!