When God banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, why didn't God give them a second chance to redeem themselves. Each day we all sin, but we then get to be "clean from sin" when we pray to God and ask for forgiveness. Right? Well why didn't Adam and Eve get a second chance to ask for forgiveness so that they could be accepted back into the garden. Adam and Eve didn't get the chance to know the differences between God and Satan. In result of one sin, it cost us the whole human race to live so far away from God. How is that fair. In addition, we fall into sin each day so why doesn't he send us to some other place for sinning so much but he sent Adam and Eve away after such a sin. Why did God become so strict to them?I would like to humbly suggest the following preamble to an “answer” to your fundamental questions:
1. Why were Adam and Eve not given a second chance?
2. Isn’t that unfair?
3. Why doesn’t God punish us like He did Adam and Eve ….. relatively quickly after we sin, and severely?
Let us admit the following:
A. The Bible is not definitive in answering your questions. It is not definitive in a lot of areas, and cannot answer every question SPECIFICALLY (that would be impossible – there are an infinite number of questions that could come up!). B. THEREFORE, we need to humbly AND carefully respond with Biblical principles that apply. In other words, we do our best. In this case, the definitive answer is ultimately buried in God’s eternal purposes, and I cannot answer for God personally. C. Having said that, I believe we ARE given sufficient principles in Scripture to suggest several reasons why “Adam and Eve were not given a second chance.” I will now attempt to give you several of these principles.
Principle #1: God is infinitely holy, and takes sin very seriously.
How serious sin is directly relates to how holy God is. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating the forbidden fruit, they sinned and brought upon themselves the punishment of sin because God hates sin and punishes sin.
Ultimately, God chooses to punish sin. By doing so, I believe He exalts His own holiness and sovereignty. Not eating the fruit wasn’t simply a petty instruction to keep the peace, or prevent depletion of fruit, or to tease Adam and Eve.
This was a real litmus test of their obedience. God was very clear as to the consequences of disobedience. To respond casually to Adam and Eve’s actions would minimize the severity of their sin.
Principle #2: The concept of “fairness” is the prerogative of the person who is sovereign or in a position to define “fairness”.
Since all sin is ultimately against God … therefore God is the one who defines what is fair and what isn’t fair. God has delegated some of this responsibility. Parents often determine what is fair between children. Governments set up laws to determine fair punishments. This happens at all levels of decisions. For eternal and existential matters, God is sovereign, and He alone determines what is fair and what isn’t. He determines the rules.
One dictionary definition of “Fair” is: free from bias, dishonesty, or injustice: a fair decision; a fair judge. However, WHO determines what is free from bias, dishonesty or injustice? Everyone may have a different opinion. Ultimately, it is the judge, or person of authority who determines what is fair. For matters of the soul and eternity, that person is God!
Principle #3: We all deserve immediate punishment for our sins.
The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). It is only the mercy and patience of God that prevents us from receiving the appropriate punishment for our sins (death) every time we sin.
Principle #4: The provision of Jesus Christ IS the second chance offered to Adam and Eve.
In a very real sense, Adam and Eve got better than a second chance …. they were offered salvation! We all need salvation. The ONLY way to be saved, is by believing in Jesus for salvation. Jesus, who is God, died on the cross for our sins to pay for all our sins, and then rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Salvation is a FREE GIFT that happens in a split second when you believe in Jesus alone to save you!
Final Thoughts to Ponder:
A. If God did not punish Adam and Eve after the FIRST sin, then what would be the appropriate (or “fair”) number of chances that they should have been given? Two chances? Five? Thirty-seven? Twelve million chances? Who decides what is the fair number of chances before it’s too late?
If you decided that punishment should only come after the second, third or fourth sin (etc.), does that lessen the importance of the first few sins? What makes the first few sins any less serious?
What severity of sin is sufficient to merit punishment? Just murder (ie. Cain and Abel)? What about rape or lying or stealing or anger or jealousy or pride? Who should decide which sin is severe enough to warrant punishment? Are you our I capable or authorized to do so?
B. God is NOT fair. He is gracious, kind and much more generous than just being fair.
This is especially clear in the New Testament. Take, for example, the Parable of the Vineyard Workers (Matt. 20:1-16). In this parable, the owner of the vineyard (God) is not only fair, he is excessively generous to some. The main thrust of the parable is that God’s standard of justice (and therefore, the standard for the Kingdom of God) is radically different from the standard of the world. All deserve hell. Salvation is not given because of merit or good works, but strictly as a pure gift. Therefore, there is no justification for boasting of our good deeds, or for jealous competition in the Kingdom of God.
In the Old Testament, Abraham asks the Angel of God, “Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25). The answer is a resounding “Yes!”, based on faith in a Just God. We must not distort the justice of God. Since it is a demonstration of His character, God’s justice is invariably connected with His love, mercy and compassion. Romans 3:25 reminds us that the greatest show of God’s justice was at the Cross. Here God displayed His love in the ultimate fashion, but He also showed that He does not compromise Himself. We must affirm the sovereignty of God. He has the right to bestow amazing love to whomever He pleases. Therefore, election and predestination are ultimately fair.
We misunderstand the depth of the goodness of God, and therefore His justice. We should not complain about God’s justice when we see others receiving God’s goodness.
C. In a real sense, we all were in Adam (as the head of our race and root of all mankind), and therefore we all sinned through him. In addition, we were all punished in the same way (with death).
However, praise God, the Bible tells us that in a similar way, the death and sacrifice of Christ gives us life. The key Biblical passage is in Romans 5:12, 15-19.
[Answered by Pastor Fred Tham, English Ministry]
