The Sin of Adam
✅ Introduction
Adam’s sin is one of the most important events in Scripture.
But it’s often misunderstood especially by Catholic theology which teaches:
Original sin guilt passed to infants
Salvation tied to sacraments
Mary as co-redemptrix
Works or church authority needed for grace
The Bible teaches none of that.
Instead, Scripture gives us a clear picture: Adam’s sin brought death, corruption, and a sin nature but each person is accountable for their own sin.
1️⃣ Direct Sin of Adam
A. The Command Was Simple
📖 Genesis 2:16-17 (KJV) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
What we learn is that Adam knew Gods law and it was told him before Eve was created.
B. Eve Was Deceived Adam Was Not
📖 1 Timothy 2:14 (KJV) And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Adam wasn't deceived but he sinned with full knowledge knowing that he was commanded to not eat of the tree, he chose his wife over obedience to God, this was rebellion, not ignorance or weakness, he rejected God’s authority, he placed his desires above God’s command.
People may assume that Adam didn’t know he was sinning but the Bible give us insight that he would have known. Adam knew exactly where the fruit came from, because there was only one tree in the entire garden that God had forbidden.
Genesis 2:16–17 makes this unmistakably clear: Adam was free to eat from every tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That means if Eve handed him a fruit he had never eaten before one that came from the only tree he had never touched Adam would immediately recognize its source. With only one tree off limits, there was no possibility of confusion. He knew precisely which tree the fruit came from.
When God confronted Adam, he immediately acknowledged that he had eaten from the forbidden tree yet he never claimed deception or ignorance. Instead of saying he was tricked, Adam said,
📖 Genesis 3:12 (KJV) And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
His response shows clearly that he knew exactly what he was doing. Rather than confess openly, he attempted to shift the blame onto Eve and even onto God for giving her to him. But in doing so, Adam proved that he was not deceived; he knowingly and willingly chose to disobey.
This is a common sin among us, where we chose to sin willingly knowing we have an alibi to blame, or pretending not to know, yet this is still a sin God counts to our records because God searches the hearts.
📖 Jeremiah 17:10 (KJV) I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, andaccording to the fruit of his doings.
2️⃣ Adam’s Sin Brought Death Into The World
A. Physical Death Entered
📖 Romans 5:12 (KJV) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
So notice here that Paul is acknowledging that it was Adam who brought sin into the world thats because when Eve sinned first through deception, Adam was to blame being a weak leader who should of rebuked Eve yet he went along in sin.
Adam brought sin into the world and gave us a sin nature that brings physical death upon all.
B. Spiritual Death Entered
Also Adam died spiritually God Said Adam Would Die “the Day” He Ate
📖 Genesis 2:17 (KJV) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Or though Adam did not physically die that day he lived 930 years he eventually died So technically, he died being eternal to begin with.
Also he died spiritually the New Testament CONFIRMS Spiritual Death Came Through Adam
📖 Ephesians 2:1 (KJV) And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
“Dead” = spiritually dead
“Quickened” = made alive
The Quickening is referring to your spirit being made alive, so then your spirit is dead before salvation due to Adams sin.
3️⃣ Adam’s Sin Gave Us A Sinful Nature
This is where we reject the teachings of the Catholics
A. We Inherit a Sin Nature Not Adam’s Guilt
📖 Romans 5:12 (KJV) Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
We die because we sin, not because Adam’s guilt is charged to us.
B. Children Are Not Born Guilty
Catholic false doctrine: infants are born guilty and must be baptized.
Bible truth: Children are innocent until they knowingly sin, just like Adam and Eve, the moment they ate from the tree of Knowledge of good and evil only then they knew they sinned, because Children are born in innocency and they have no knowledge of good and evil.
📖 Deuteronomy 1:39 (KJV) Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
This is why Children will go to heaven as David spoke about his child being in heaven where he will meet his child.
📖 2 Samuel 12:22-23 (KJV) And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether GOD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.
C. Every Man Is Accountable for His Own Sin
📖 Ezekiel 18:20 (KJV) The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Why this is important is because there are false religions that baptist babies and believe that babies go to hell if they die? Like that of Catholics and Reformers (calvinist), What we need to understand is that Adam’s nature passed on, not Adam’s condemnation.
4️⃣ Adam Is A Picture of Christ
Adam brought death → Christ brings life.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:45 (KJV) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
Now its interesting that Christ is called a type of Adam, this is because, as Adam gave us death through a sinful nature some will say “Well thats unfair that we all suffer through one mans sins” but even so God is not unjust because just as one man took away our righteous nature and it was easy to do that, so likewise by Jesus Christ we can have that righteous nature given back to us.
📖 1 Corinthians 15:22 (KJV) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
📖 Romans 5:19 (KJV) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
As easy as it was for Adam to bring death so it is likewise easy to be saved, this is another phenomenon that many can’t understand because many don’t want to believe that salvation is easy as believing, yet that is the only requirement for salvation, other words like Repent have been taken out of context to show that salvation is more than faith yet the term repentance simply means to have a change of mind towards God.
📖 Acts 20:21 (KJV) Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
Notice the repentance isn’t from our sins, but rather faith toward God, there are other verses about repentance that are related to salvation that is sometimes mistaken for work based salvation like….
📖 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 (KJV) Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
This passage is often used in the wrong context, but repentance isn’t always about eternal salvation, as we see in verse 8….
📖 2 Corinthians 7:8 (KJV) For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
Paul is thinking to repent to write a letter, so when we see the next verse 9, this isn’t about eternal salvation this is about repenting of wrong doing as a saved person. The people that Paul is talking to are already saved as Paul calls them Dearly Beloved in verse 1…
📖 2 Corinthians 7:1 (KJV) Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
why all this is important because Salvation is not found in any church or religious system as the catholics and others like to believe but it is found in Christ alone. No sacrament can save, no ritual can cleanse, and no devotion to Mary or any other figure can give eternal life. Baptism does not wash away sin, and works cannot earn God’s favor. The Bible makes it clear that salvation is a gift of God’s grace received by faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ, who alone paid for our sins on the cross. In Him, and Him only, is forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life.
📖 Ephesians 2:8 (KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Catholic doctrine teaches salvation is dispensed through the church.
Bible doctrine teaches salvation is received directly from Christ.
5️⃣ Application For Today
Sin Always Brings Death and Separation
Death of joy
Death of relationships
Death of spiritual closeness with God
Sin never delivers what it promises.
Christ Restores What Adam Destroyed
He gives life
He restores fellowship
He removes fear
He gives victory over sin
⏰ Conclusion
Adam’s sin explains the world’s brokenness.
Adam’s sin explains why we have a fallen nature.
But each person is responsible for his own sin.
Salvation isn’t through a church system, sacraments, or rituals—but through Christ alone.
Adam destroyed — Christ restores.
Adam brought death — Christ brings life.
Adam fell — Christ lifts.
