Consequences of the disobedience of Adam and Eve

Consequences of Adam and Eve's Disobedience:

According to some scholars, it has been said that obedience is the first law in heaven. Obedience can only be possible or realized where there is a command or law. When God created Adam and Eve, He placed them in the Garden of Eden where they were in complete control of everything present therein. God’s first command to man came into place in Genesis 3:15-17.

Then the LORD GOD placed man in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. He said to him, “You may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, except the tree that gives knowledge of what is good and what is bad. You must not eat the fruit of that tree; if you do, you will die the same day.”

Genesis 3:15-17

Please read the biblical account of human disobedience here.

Although the bible did not record the presence of the woman (Eve) when God gave the above command to man (Adam), However Adam must have told her about God’s command. Eve proved she was aware of this command in Genesis 3:2-3

We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, “the woman answered, except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die.”

Genesis 3:2-3

Eventually, Adam and Eve disobeyed God in Genesis 3:6-7

The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it. As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.

Genesis 3:6-7

From the above passages, we can now be certain that Adam and Eve disobeyed God.

Below are 8 consequences of Adam and Eve’s disobedience

1. All God’s creature became guilty of original sin

The only two people born of a woman; who broke this rule were Jesus and His mother Mary. Although it was not recorded in the bible that Mary was conceived without original sin; this still remain the belief of some Christian scholars.

Note: Original sin is not a sin committed by us. This sin is not a function of our actions; rather it is a function of the disobedience of Adam and Eve. Every human being born of a woman automatically inherits original sin. This implies that every child is guilty of original sin even right in the womb of her mother. The good news is that this inherited sin (original sin) can be forgiven via only one way; and that’s baptism.

To become free of original sin, every person needs to be baptized of water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Jesus shows the importance of baptism in Matthew 3:13:16, even though he had no stain of original sin.

At that time Jesus arrived from Galilee and came to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. But John tried to make him change his mind. “I ought to be baptized by you, John said; and yet you have come to me!” But Jesus answered him; “Let it be so for now. For in this way we shall do all that God requires.” So John agreed. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he came up out of the water. The heaven was opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down like a dove and alighting on him.

Matthew 3:13:16

2. Human Perfection was lost

Before Adam and Eve sinned, they were such a perfect creature that God walked in their environment (the Garden of Eden). They were so perfect and innocent that they could not even realize that they were naked. Their perfection also made them worthy of God’s Garden. As soon as they disobeyed God, they lost their perfection, realized that they were naked and were eventually driven out of the Garden.

So the LORD God sent him out of the Garden of Eden and made him cultivate the soil from which he had been formed.

Genesis 3:23

3. God’s Judgment was pronounced on the snake, woman and man

This is recorded in the Genesis 3:14-20

Then the Lord said to the snake, “You will be punished for this; you alone of all animals must bear this curse: from now on you will crawl on your belly, and you will have to eat dust as long as you live”.

Genesis 3:14

And He said to the woman, “I will increase your trouble in pregnancy and your pain in giving birth. In spite of this, you will still have desire for your husband, yet you will be subject to him.”

Genesis 3:16

And He said to the man, “You listened to your wife and ate the fruit which I told you not to eat. Because of what you have done, the ground will be under a curse. You will have to work hard all your life to make it produce enough food for you. It will produce weeds and thorns, and you will have to eat wild plants.

Genesis 3:17-18

Please click here to read the remaining consequences of Adam and Eve’s disobedience. The greatest and sweetest consequence of their disobedience is present here.