Adam Gained only the Loss of Everything

Whether film or theology, the beginning is always a good place to start.  The Bible starts with the story of creation: God speaking creation and the created order into existence merely by the power of His spoken word.  Then comes the apex of God's creation: man.  Made in the image of God, man is purposed to reflect God's image and glory not only back at God but also throughout creation.

It is important to note that there is a change of name in Genesis 2.  In Genesis 1 it is God creating, but in Genesis 2 there is a transition to the Lord God.  This is a significant change, for the Lord God refers to the covenant name of God, Yahweh.  Although space is not permitting for an exhaustive look at this point, suffice to say that Moses is making a clear point to ensure the original Israelite readers (and us too) that the same Lord God who brought them out of Egypt is the One who created Adam, the original man.  Moving on...

Think about the scenario: the Lord God creates Adam and gives him everything, even a wife.  The emphasis is that the Lord provides everything for Adam.  Adam lacks nothing.  Again, Adam already had everything in God.  There was not a single thing in all creation that Adam lacked.

However, Adam willfully disobeyed God by eating of the fruit of that one tree that God forbade.  Adam did not believe that God actually had provided everything.  Instead, in the most powerful act of volition he challenged God's goodness and His promises by eating of the fruit.  This is the very essence of sin.

But it is important to note: because Adam already possessed everything, there was no thing, nothing he could do or say to merit more because he already had it all.  Therefore, when Adam ate of the fruit, he did not gain anything, it turns out he lost everything.  The willful act of disbelief in the provision of God caused a separation from the source and giver of life that Adam could not bear in life; he had to die.  This needs to be said again: by willfully not believing what God had promised, Adam gained nothing but the loss of everything.  Let us not forget this when we see the traps and snares of temptation trying to woo us away from the glory of God.