The First Sin: Adam, Eve, And The Law

Adam and Eve are known for breaking God's law by eating the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. However, it is argued that they broke more than just one law—they broke all of the Ten Commandments. This is because, as James said, whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Adam and Eve broke the first commandment by worshipping a different god

Adam and Eve broke the first commandment by choosing to put their faith in the words of "the god of this world" — the serpent — instead of believing and obeying God. They chose to worship another god and put themselves before God, desiring to be wise and immortal like Him.

Adam and Eve's transgression was not merely about eating a piece of forbidden fruit. It was about the sins behind this act of defiance, and the heart of man's rebellion against God Himself.

Adam and Eve were instructed not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but when they were tempted by the serpent in the Garden of Eden, they did so anyway. Although there was no formal law at the time, they violated all of the commandments.

Adam, as the head of the covenant with God, had the power and authority to walk faithfully, obey God, and rule the universe in righteousness. However, he chose to put his faith in the serpent, thus choosing another god. Through his unbelief, he put himself before God, desiring to be like Him and know good and evil.

Adam's sin was not just a mistake, but a willful act of disobedience against God. By eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve broke the first commandment by worshipping a different god.

They broke the second commandment by worshipping themselves

The Bible states that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, a set of rules to follow for a happier life. These commandments were given to Moses after he led his people out of slavery and prayed to God for help.

The second commandment, as outlined in Exodus 20:4-6, states:

> "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments."

Adam and Eve broke this commandment by worshipping themselves. Their own hunger and selfish desire served as a god. They were given instructions on how to worship God, which included what they were to do and what they were not to do. However, they disobeyed the rules of acceptable worship.

John Calvin wrote that the human heart is an idol factory, always coming up with new ways to invent and fashion false gods. In Adam's case, he desired to be like God, to attain divine knowledge, and to be wise. He pictured an image of God other than what had already been revealed to him, and he violated the second commandment.

They broke the third commandment by taking God's name in vain

The third commandment, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11), is about more than just avoiding cursing or exclamations like "Oh my God". It's about living a life that reflects genuine respect and reverence for God in all we do. This includes our actions, words, and even our thoughts. By disobeying God and eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve misrepresented God's character to the world and failed to uphold the sacredness of God's name.

Adam and Eve's actions can be seen as a form of hypocrisy, which is one of the ways that Matthew Henry describes people take the Lord's name in vain. They made a profession of God's name by agreeing to follow His commandment but did not live up to that profession when they ate the fruit.

Additionally, the serpent used God's name during the temptation, and Adam and Eve did nothing to correct this misuse of God's name. They allowed sin to flourish in the kingdom they had been given to rule.

Adam, as the covenant head, had a responsibility to speak true theology to the serpent and correct any misuse of God's name. Instead, he bowed down, listened, and obeyed the serpent, becoming a party to using the Lord's name in vain.

Their actions also reflect a lack of sincerity and integrity, which is emphasized in Jewish law. By disobeying God's clear commandment, they invoked God's name in a false and insincere manner, which is considered a serious violation of the third commandment.

In summary, Adam and Eve's disobedience in the Garden of Eden broke the third commandment by taking the Lord's name in vain. They failed to honour and reverence God's name through their actions and words, misrepresenting His character and failing to uphold the sacredness of His name.

They broke the fourth commandment by abandoning their rest

The fourth of the Ten Commandments states:

> "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it." (Exodus 20:8-11)

Adam and Eve broke this commandment when they abandoned their rest and the place that God had prepared for them. The Sabbath day was instituted at creation, and Adam and Eve would have been familiar with it. Adam was set to work in the Garden of Eden, and the Sabbath would have been a welcome break from his occupation.

Adam was created "very good" and would have known the heart of God concerning his covenant commandments, which are holy, just, and good. As the covenant head in the garden, Adam failed to guard the pre-Fall temple of God. As the covenant vassal king, he desecrated the very church of God and the Sabbath Day.

Adam was to make every effort to enter God's rest, and though created with the capacity to attain it, he failed. Proper worship includes both faith and obedience. While Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, the first Adam failed to obey God and keep the Sabbath.

Adam's disobedience kept him from entering his eternal Sabbath rest. He jeopardized his eternal rest, which is a violation of the Sabbath.

They broke the fifth commandment by not honouring their Father

The Bible states that the fifth commandment is: "Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12). This commandment is a positive command, meaning it tells people how they must live as citizens. Honouring one's parents is said to have benefits for both parents and children. Scripture recognises the family as the basic building block of a well-functioning society, and children who are brought up to love and respect their parents tend to be productive, law-abiding members of society.

Adam did not honour his Father, the Lord God, his maker. He did not rely on his Father's word and the Spirit during the garden temptation, as Jesus did during his own temptation in the wilderness. Instead, he listened to the lies of the serpent and failed to correct his wife in her sin. He forfeited "long days" by eating the forbidden fruit, as the Tree of Life was also present in the garden. Adam's sin meant that he and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden and their days in it were cut short.

Adam's failure to honour God also had broader implications. The fifth commandment carries with it the broader implication to submit to one's employer, governmental officials, and any other duly instituted authority. Those who cannot honour their fathers and mothers will not be able to honour other leaders whom God has established.

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