The Reality of Eden

If the enemy can’t keep us from remembering Eden, he prefers that we not see it as a real place. 

There’s only one problem with that. It isn’t the view found in Scripture. Jesus is referred to as the second Adam. 

Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:47 NLT) 

Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. (Romans 5:18 NLT) 

Then there’s the genealogy of Jesus. Scripture records the lineage from Adam to Jesus. If Adam isn’t real, at what point does the genealogy get real? 

If Adam isn’t real, comparing Jesus to Adam is a bit like saying your neighbor is the second Edmund from Narnia, who came to set right all Edmund’s wrongs. 

But Adam is real. So is Eden.

In Eden, death entered through the sin of one man and one woman (Romans 5:12). God promised it would be through the woman’s seed (Jesus) that the enemy’s head would be crushed (Genesis 3:15). If there’s no Eden and no Adam and Eve, then there’s no original sin and no reason for Jesus to crush the serpent’s head and sacrifice himself to redeem all that was lost. 

The story of Jesus is directly connected to the story of Eden. As is ours.

Want more? Read the first section of The Eden Option for free here. Or order here.