Answer: When God created our first parents, He gave them so much. First, they were created perfect – without disease or any frailties. “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. (28) And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. … (31) And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. ” (Gen. 1:27,28,31)
Second, man was given dominion over the rest of God’s earthly creation, the earth and all of its earthly creatures. “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. (6) Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet.” (Psa. 8:5,6)
Third, God provided them with a home in the garden of Eden. “And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. (9) And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil … (15) And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” (Gen. 2:8,9,15)
Fourth, they had a relationship with God as His earthly children. “And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.” (Gen. 2:19)
Maintaining this blessed position required obedience on man’s part. “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: (17) But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. ” (Gen. 2:16,17) When Adam and Eve transgressed the commandment (Gen. 3: 12), they lost all of these benefits that God had provided them.
For additional information, please see the related booklets and videos listed below:
Booklet Why God Permits Evil |
Video The Soul That Sinneth |
Video This Gospel of the Kingdom |
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