Hi Edgar,
Good questions, but I don't think we have enough information to speak to the issue of Lucifer. AS for Adam, we freely admit that he did have a free will (whereas we don't to certain extents). I'm not sure the Bible addresses the "why" he did sin, but the fact that he did. So I'm not sure what Geisler is getting at. Calvinist have always agreed that Adam was free to sin and free not to sin, but did just that. (See Thomas Boston's Human Nature and its Fourfold State). We believe that its only before the fall that mankind had true freedom and once he sinned, mankind lost that freedom. We now all sin because we are all sinners. It's only after we are saved, that we have true freedom not to sin, even though we still struggle exercising that freedom.

OK, your friendly Calvinist has weighed in for you. :)
Blessings

Hi Tim,

I really appreciate your comment. You have opened a whole new world to me: truly free before the fall. I'm going to have to think about this one.

I'm checking out Boston's book recommendation as well. I see that google and other sites have free copies of it online.

Edgar.


Hi Edgar!

Such an interesting topic! And the answer to your question is right there in your comments

Adam (and Lucifer) sinned because a desire in their [sinful] nature moved their will to sin.

The inclination, ability, potential, propensity, desire, etc., that causes us to sin is called the sinful nature. Adam actualized the inclination, potential, etc., of his nature by sinning. Adam’s sin had a cause; it did not happen in a vacuum.

James puts it this way in verses 1:14-15.

14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (NIV)

To be fair to Adam and Eve, neither one knew that their desire was evil (because it went against God’s will) until AFTER they sinned. They did not have that knowledge (conscience) beforehand in order to be able to weigh the alternatives and make an informed decision when tempted.

At any rate, it was God who bound Adam to disobedience as Paul says in Rom 11:32.

Hi R. M.,

Adam didn't have a sinful nature - it was through him that the sinful nature entered the world.

Tim commented that, Adam was the only one who was truly free. The rest of us are tainted by the sinful nature. Calvinism really makes sense from this perspective of true freedom. Otherwise, it makes it look like God made Satan and Adam sin.

Predestination is such a wonderful topic.

Edgar, the verse you alluded to, Rom 5:12, says that “sin” entered the world, not that the “sinful nature” entered the world.

Adam was never truly free. From the very beginning God created Adam and his generation destined for the “junk heap” so to speak. God never intended for “flesh and blood” to enter the kingdom.

And no, God did not make Adam sin, but He certainly “facilitated” or “managed” the process. Here is how God bound Adam, and in Adam all men, to disobedience:

1. God gave Adam a body of flesh. The flesh constantly wars against the spirit because the primary goal of the flesh is to satisfy its needs. The lusts of the flesh were evident when Eve looked on the fruit of the tree.

2. God then gave Adam “limited” choice (so called “free will“). In giving Adam the ability to choose, God uniquely set him up to fail later on when God gave him a command. Why? Because God is the only One who truly has free will. No one is supposed to be able to choose anything other than God’s will--to choose anything other than God’s will is to challenge His Sovereignty. God cannot allow this and still remain God.

3. God gave Adam a command--the law. In Rom 7:8-11, Paul addresses the effect the law has on man. Adam was alive “apart from law.” “But when the commandment came,” it gave sin the opportunity to spring to life and bring death to Adam.

4. God did not equip Adam with the knowledge of good and evil prior to his temptation. As I said before, Adam did not know the difference between good and evil until AFTER he sinned. Therefore, he could not weigh the alternatives and make an informed decision when tempted.

5. God “allowed” the serpent, Satan, “more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made” to temp innocent Eve.

Yes, predestination is a wonderful topic but extremely offensive to some.

God bless!

Hi R. M.,

Thanks for expounding on the topic.

This is really fascinating and I plan read more on the topic.

Edgar.