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Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned. (Romans 5:12)

Among many today, a literal belief in Adam and Eve is unfashionable. Yet, if we are to agree with the Apostle Paul, we should believe in a literal Adam (Romans 5:14). More importantly, if we are to agree with Jesus, we should believe in a literal Adam (Matthew 19:4-6).

If we believe what the Bible tells us about Adam, we see that he was created innocent of all sin. When God said that all things were good, He said it after creating Adam. But Adam didn’t stay innocent. When he rebelled against God’s command to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he disobeyed in the one thing God told him not to do. Every day, we are tempted with a wide assortment of sin; but Adam could only sin in one way – and he found it.

When we feel guilty because of sin, we often resolve to never do that sin again. The idea is, “I’ve don’t something bad, but I can make a new start of things and do better.” Can you imagine that Adam and Eve felt the same thing? They probably said to each other, “We’ve done something terrible. But we never have to do it again. Let’s make a clean start from this point on and never disobey God again.” Obviously, if they ever made such a promise, they failed. So do we.

Unfortunately, man’s history from the time of Adam’s sin is a downhill slope. Things have gone from bad to worse. We find ways to advance in technology and cultural sophistication, but all that progress seems to make better and more sophisticated ways to sin. Adam and Eve must have been stunned to find not only had they sinned once but also now they were in the grip of sin. Since we are all born sons of Adam or daughters of Eve, we are caught in the same grip.

Humanity has accomplished many great things. We’ve put men on the moon, and we’ve destroyed whole cities with nuclear weapons. No matter what we accomplish or how much progress we make, we just can’t stop sinning. When Adam and Eve fell, they unleashed the second most powerful force that is ever-present in the universe: the sin and rebellion of man.

The only thing more powerful than the sin of man is the love of God. Romans 5:20 tells us, where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. We can’t stop sinning, but we can’t out-sin the grace of God. No one is rejected before God because they are too great a sinner; they will be rejected because they have not trusted in the person and work of Jesus and received His grace – God’s provision for sinners like Adam and like us.

Are you believing Jesus now? Have you thanked Him for His grace today?