In Genesis 2:17 we read: "
but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil". There are two groups of people: The Calvinists and the Mormons who believe it was God's will for Adam and Eve to eat from this tree. The Calvinists because of their belief in man's basic state of depravity and the Mormons because of the NT passage that says we are Joint Heirs with Christ. The problem with this is nothing in the Bible even comes close to suggesting that we should do what God tells us NOT to do. The story makes this very clear that it was the snake a manifestation of the serpent that deceived Eve into doing what God said Not to do. Then people claim that Adam could not live without Eve so he followed her in her sin so that he could remain with her. There is NOTHING of any substance to back up this romantic idea. It just sounds good to people. It looks to me like the story of Adam and Eve has picked up 6,000 years worth of baggage. Jesus warns us to be careful: “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6) There seems to be a lot of leaven in this story of Adam and Eve. Perhaps we need to verify what we believe and not just go along with what appeals to our sense of romance and what feels good.
The Old Testament says that Adam was made in the image of God.
The New Testament says Adam was made in the figure of Him to come who is Jesus.
The image of God is the image of Christ.
God calls things that have not happened yet, as though they already happened, for if it is a plan of God to happen in the future it is the same as if it happened in the beginning, for it will surely come to pass with no hindrance.
Which the Lamb was slain form the foundation of the world, and the prophets blood shed from the foundation of the world, and all the works were finished from the foundation of the world although they were future events.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, so the Word is the plan of God to come in the future in flesh, and without that plan God would of not created anything He created.
Which Jesus is the beginning of creation, and the firstborn among the creatures, even though He was not born until 4000 years later, for God calls things that have not happened yet, as though they already happened.
God created Adam in the image that He would show up in the future, and that is an innocent nature in flesh, so Adam and Eve were created with an innocent nature.
Which the Bible says that God created people to be upright, but they sought out many inventions, which means they wanted to do it their way, which the wicked are wandering stars for they are not in the position God wants them to be.
So Adam and Eve were not created to sin but to do right for they had an innocent nature, and the fallen angels were created to not sin for Lucifer was created perfect in his ways until iniquity was found in him for he had a choice and rebelled.
Let us make man in our image does not mean a trinity for God created Adam in the image that He would come in the future an innocent nature in flesh, God and the man Christ Jesus in harmony, so the let us make man in our image has to include the man Christ Jesus for He is part of that image, so the let us make man in our image is God and the man Christ Jesus, a prophetic statement to the coming Son of God, and Jesus is the beginning of creation.
Adam and Eve had an innocent nature and were not created to sin, and it would of never entered their mind to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil if an outside source did not tempt them, which the tree was in the garden for God gave them a choice.
So God allowed Satan to tempt Eve and she said they could not eat of the tree for that is all she could know and think, so Satan tempted her with an alternate reality that God did not tell her that she and Adam would be as gods, an exalted position from her current position, and she ate of the tree and sinned.
Then Eve was the outside source that tempted Adam by showing him that she did not die and was not hurt, and he ate of the tree and sinned.
Then they had a choice between good and evil, and all their offspring have a choice so they were born not knowing God so they will sin before they do right and follow God, so all have sinned, done the act not born with it, and come short of the glory of God.
For we are born innocent with no sin on our record, and we are not blamed for Adam and Eve's sin for that is their sin, which is why the angels always behold the face of the Father for the little ones until the age of accountability.
God made people upright to do right but they sought out their own ways, and Adam and Eve were not created to sin although God must of known they would sin being in the flesh, but it did not come from God but from Adam and Eve.
For God cannot be tempted by evil, neither does He tempt any person, but they are tempted when they are led away by the flesh, and enticed, for God does not cause any person to sin.
