Yesterday, as I was driving the kids to swimming lessons, I heard a very interesting perspective on The Fall expressed by a prominent radio personality. I had to reach and grab my journal from my purse; the statement was that new to me. I perused my systematic theologies to try and corroborate his statement with someone who actually knows what he is talking about. (I don’t know about you, but I don’t get my theology from random morning show guys.) I haven’t found anything yet, so I thought I would ask you to peruse your books and let me know if you find anything. Here is what I wrote down at the red light:
Adam and Eve were innocent, but they weren’t holy. We only grow in holiness when we’re tested. God tested Adam and Eve to make them holy.
My first thought is that if God were testing Adam and Eve to make them holy, then they wouldn’t have sinned. If His goal is holiness, then holiness is the result. They sinned. You could argue that God was bringing about the holiness of His people through sin and Christ’s sacrifice…allowing sin to enter the world so that Christ would come. Then we would know the difference between holiness and sin, innocence and guilt. That is taking the long view of redemptive history, though.
My second thought is that I agree that Adam and Eve were innocent, but why weren’t they holy? Were they not God’s special people before The Fall? Did they not walk with Him and enjoy His presence? Does innocence preclude holiness?
He’s right in that we are refined through testing, but it is our faith that is tested and refined (1 Peter 1). Our holiness comes through Christ alone; we are declared righteous, sanctified, holy because of Christ’s work for us on the cross. Holiness, the way it looks and acts on earth, is also a characteristic that grows and develops as we walk with God and He leads us through times of pruning (John 15).
Ultimately, I know The Fall was part of God’s plan to glorify Himself because everything that ever happens sees its end in the glory of God. Still, this question about Adam & Eve, their innocence and/or lack of holiness, and whether or not they needed a test has me puzzled.
What say you?
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Leslie Wiggins 
5 responses to “Really?”
I’ll throw this into the mix, from the Westminster Shorter Catechism: Q10: How did God create man? A10: God created man male and female, after his own image,[1] in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness,[2] with dominion over the creatures.[3]1. Gen. 1:272. Col. 3:10; Eph. 4:243. Gen. 1:28or, if you prefer, from the London Baptist Confession of Faith:II. After God hath made all other creatures, He created man, male and female,[4] with reasonable and immortal souls,[5] rendering them fit unto that life to God for which they were created; being made after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness;[6] having the law of God written in their hearts,[7] and power to fulfil it, and yet under a possibility of transgressing, being left to the liberty of their own will, which was subject to change.[8]4. Gen. 1:275. Gen. 2:76. Eccl. 7:29; Gen. 1:267. Rom. 2:14-158. Gen. 3:6
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Kim, as I was typing this out, it occurred to me that if I had a detailed catechism, then finding the answer would be so much easier. LOL! Thanks!!
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I. Have. No. Idea.totally stumped because I’d never even thought of it! My first impression is that yes, we’re holy because we are made in His image…but then that doesn’t seem to be true either. We’re not born holy…we’re born sinful…right? I love discussions like these. It grows my knowledge and my faith. I’ll sit back and listen and learn and digest some more before I wade in!
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Well, we’re born sinful, but Adam & Eve were not sinful from “birth.” They were created by God, without sin, in perfect fellowship with him and one another. That’s one reason why it doesn’t make sense that God would have to test them to make them holy.
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Leave it to you to ask the hard stuff! And leave it to Kim to have the catechism references! Holiness denotes being set apart for a specific purpose, a calling out, a uniqueness, does it not? That’s just my first thought, again with nothing in front of me. Very thought-provoking…I love it!
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