By Don Bunting

Why did Adam and Even sin?  This is a good and useful question.  You can simply read their story in Genesis chapter 3 and find the answers God gives there.  

They did not sin because they were inherently evil or because they were created wicked and had to sin.  They did not sin because there was no other choice or no way out of it.  Neither did they sin because they did not know what God wanted them to do.   God had given them instructions not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and told them that the consequences for eating would be death (Genesis 2:15-17).  Genesis 3:1-3 makes it clear that Eve was fully informed in the matter.  She knew what God said.  

Why, then did Adam and Eve do what God forbad them to do?  The serpent lied to Eve.  He told her she would not die (Genesis 3:4).  In and with his lie, he made God appear selfish - not treating them as they should be treated.  Satan deceived Eve.  She believed what someone told her rather than trusting the word of God.  The Bible warns that the same thing can happen to us!  "But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3).  That is one of the reasons you and I sin.

But deceit is not the only reason.  1 Timothy 2:14 specifically states that Adam was not deceived.  Why, then, did he sin even though he knew it was wrong?  Eve "took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate"  (Genesis 3:6).  Adam sinned when someone he cared about encouraged him to sin.  

Jesus calls us to forsake all others and follow Him.  There are times we choose to follow other people and turn our back on God and His instructions.  Sin in our lives is the result. There is one more idea that cannot be overlooked.  "When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes and desirable to make one wise, she took of the fruit and ate" (Genesis 3:6).  We allow ourselves to believe lies when sin appeals to us.  It looks good.  It tastes good.  It will put me in a better position.  

This temptation makes us want to believe the lie.  The appeal for pleasure, and self-gratification pushed Eve over the edge of temptation.  We sin when we want what we want (James 1:13-15). That pretty much wraps up why everybody sins.  Adam and Eve had no excuse.  We have no excuse.