But how can it be a sin if Adam didn't know good from evil?
to Mr Moss (WAS: Guilt By Accusation Is Not Guilt)
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Justin Kissel
Saying that he didn't know good from evil, while generally true, is not precise. Genesis tells us that God did give Adam and Eve a command, and that they suffered consequences when they disobeyed that command. The idea that there is no original sin is simply untenable; from the Scripture onwards the belief is firmly in place. So that leaves two choices: either 1) God is very cruel and unjust, and punishes people for things that they could not possibly avoid, or 2) Adam and Eve did not understand the finer points of morality ("good and evil") but did have enough of an understanding to know that you should obey God when he tells you something. In essence, they might have only known a single moral truth, but that single moral truth is what God tested them by, and they failed the test. Orthodox anthropology teaches that Adam and Eve were immature in the Garden of Eden, that they had to "grow in grace" (as Peter says). They started that process, but before God could bring them along and teach them about "good and evil" himself, they derailed everything with their disobedience. The situation might be compared to a young child killing a cat with an axe. Maybe the child doesn't understand the finer points of morality when it comes to many, many things, and the parents defend him "but he's just a child, he doesn't know any better!" Yet, the courts might decide (rightly) that he should have at least been expected to have enough of an understanding of morality to avoid something so far out there.
Chrysostomos, sorry for the interruption, I'll start a new thread "Original Sin?" to continue this theme.
Justin Kissel wrote:Saying that he didn't know good from evil, while generally true, is not precise. ..............
I'll try and come back later this evening but it will probably be tomorrow.
Myrrh