Subtitle: Adam was not Deceived!
Introduction. Whenever a Scripture is questioned, the “evil company that corrupts good...” (1Cor. 15:33) is at work. After revealing the woman’s role, Paul affirmed “the things I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1Cor. 14:35-38). Yet the world calls Paul a male chauvinist (attitude that members of your own sex are always better than those of the opposite sex - Webster’s Dict.). Thus the world is again a corrupting influence on God’s children. Which have you chosen? Do you believe the inspired Paul or are you being corrupted by the evil influence of the world? God protected Paul from this charge by citing the Law. When Paul said:
Introduction. Whenever a Scripture is questioned, the “evil company that corrupts good...” (1Cor. 15:33) is at work. After revealing the woman’s role, Paul affirmed “the things I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1Cor. 14:35-38). Yet the world calls Paul a male chauvinist (attitude that members of your own sex are always better than those of the opposite sex - Webster’s Dict.). Thus the world is again a corrupting influence on God’s children. Which have you chosen? Do you believe the inspired Paul or are you being corrupted by the evil influence of the world? God protected Paul from this charge by citing the Law. When Paul said:
- “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive,” he added “as the law also says” (1Cor. 14:35-38).
- “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence,” he used the authority of Genesis. “For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression” (1Tim. 2:9-15).
- “I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God,” Paul again went back to the creation. The “head of woman is man” because “he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man,” and because “man is not from woman, but woman from man. Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man” (1Cor. 11:1-16).
Review. In the first chapter of Genesis, God revealed He created man: male and female, in His image and likeness and with equal dominion over the creation. In the second chapter, God declared He made Adam first then Eve. When He created Adam in His own image, in some way He diminished Adam’s image from His so it would not be good for him to be alone. God then created Eve to complete what had been diminished in Adam. Eve was a helper suitable and comparable to him. It was not until after Adam and Eve were one flesh that “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.”
What was this “very good” relationship like? Sadly, we will never know for the curse changed the whole creation (Gen. 3). All that had been “very good” became “all is vanity,” and “all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” Once again, as with Adam, God diminished things in the creation to make them “not good.” “What is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered.” (Ecc. 1:2, 14-15).
These changes began when Satan chose the voice of a cunning serpent (Rev. 7:9) and “deceived Eve by his craftiness” (2Cor. 11:3). Jesus, as an eyewitness, said, “the devil...was a murderer from the beginning... for he is a liar and the father of it” (Jn. 8:44). The devil used the serpent to craft his “cunningly devised fable,” and voiced his lies to Eve, deceiving her, just as she later lamented: “the serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Adam had no role in any of this.
Adam knew exactly what he was doing and what the consequences would be. The mystery: Why did Adam eat then? God later revealed part of the answer. Adam ate “because you have listened (heeded) the voice of your wife.” We do not know what Eve told Adam. What has been revealed is that Eve had already made the decision and had already sinned before she brought the fruit to Adam. Whatever she said about the lies she had heard from the serpent and whatever additional thoughts she had on the subject did not beguile, deceive or mislead him. He knew what she had done was wrong and a violation of God’s word. He knew “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” because he was not deceived.
Many have speculated a reason. Perhaps he loved Eve more than God. Maybe he wanted to sacrifice himself for her. He may have even felt sorry for her. But since God did not reveal a reason, it is not important and wouldn’t help even if we knew it. God only revealed the important details. First, Eve was deceived and Adam wasn’t. Second, Eve made the decision before she spoke to Adam and gave Adam no opportunity to share in that decision. Third, Eve persuaded Adam to sin with her situation and words. Clearly Eve was the CAUSE that led Adam to stumble. Listen to Jesus about anyone who does what Eve did.
We still bear those penalties. The ground is still cursed and thorns, thistles, and weeds abound. Sweat is still a part of hard work, and we will all return to dust. Women still bear children in pain, and husbands still rule over their wives. Nothing can be done to change these things, and no one can claim they do not deserve them. God made it clear that “death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). In the same way, the rest of the curse passed to all because of sin. Though some may think they should be exempt because only Adam and Eve committed the first sin, let them reflect that we have done no better. “All have sinned and fallen short” (Rom. 3:23).
The submissive role God gave to women is entwined both in the manner of creation and in the penalty of the curse. The curse was not designed for men and women to enjoy or pass judgement upon. It was designed by our merciful and loving but righteous and just Creator. Although many groan under these consequences, we are not alone. The entire creation is suffering with us.
What was this “very good” relationship like? Sadly, we will never know for the curse changed the whole creation (Gen. 3). All that had been “very good” became “all is vanity,” and “all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed all is vanity and grasping for the wind.” Once again, as with Adam, God diminished things in the creation to make them “not good.” “What is crooked cannot be made straight, And what is lacking cannot be numbered.” (Ecc. 1:2, 14-15).
These changes began when Satan chose the voice of a cunning serpent (Rev. 7:9) and “deceived Eve by his craftiness” (2Cor. 11:3). Jesus, as an eyewitness, said, “the devil...was a murderer from the beginning... for he is a liar and the father of it” (Jn. 8:44). The devil used the serpent to craft his “cunningly devised fable,” and voiced his lies to Eve, deceiving her, just as she later lamented: “the serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Adam had no role in any of this.
- "The serpent ... said to the woman ... And the woman said to the serpent ... Then the serpent said to the woman ... when the woman saw ... she took of its fruit and ate. ... She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate" (Gen. 3:1-6)
Adam knew exactly what he was doing and what the consequences would be. The mystery: Why did Adam eat then? God later revealed part of the answer. Adam ate “because you have listened (heeded) the voice of your wife.” We do not know what Eve told Adam. What has been revealed is that Eve had already made the decision and had already sinned before she brought the fruit to Adam. Whatever she said about the lies she had heard from the serpent and whatever additional thoughts she had on the subject did not beguile, deceive or mislead him. He knew what she had done was wrong and a violation of God’s word. He knew “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” because he was not deceived.
Many have speculated a reason. Perhaps he loved Eve more than God. Maybe he wanted to sacrifice himself for her. He may have even felt sorry for her. But since God did not reveal a reason, it is not important and wouldn’t help even if we knew it. God only revealed the important details. First, Eve was deceived and Adam wasn’t. Second, Eve made the decision before she spoke to Adam and gave Adam no opportunity to share in that decision. Third, Eve persuaded Adam to sin with her situation and words. Clearly Eve was the CAUSE that led Adam to stumble. Listen to Jesus about anyone who does what Eve did.
- “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of occasions of stumbling! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” 8 "If your hand or foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire." (Mt. 18:6-8)
We still bear those penalties. The ground is still cursed and thorns, thistles, and weeds abound. Sweat is still a part of hard work, and we will all return to dust. Women still bear children in pain, and husbands still rule over their wives. Nothing can be done to change these things, and no one can claim they do not deserve them. God made it clear that “death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rom. 5:12). In the same way, the rest of the curse passed to all because of sin. Though some may think they should be exempt because only Adam and Eve committed the first sin, let them reflect that we have done no better. “All have sinned and fallen short” (Rom. 3:23).
The submissive role God gave to women is entwined both in the manner of creation and in the penalty of the curse. The curse was not designed for men and women to enjoy or pass judgement upon. It was designed by our merciful and loving but righteous and just Creator. Although many groan under these consequences, we are not alone. The entire creation is suffering with us.
- For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. (Rom. 8:22-23).