EXPLANATION: Adam died the moment he sinned and broke fellowship with God—the Source of all life. At that second, death entered his body and he began to degenerate (to age). The Bible also tells us that a “day” to the Lord is a thousand years to humanity (see 2 Peter 3:8), and Adam died within that “day.” (emphasis mine)
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. (Gen 1:5)
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. (Gen 1:8)
And the evening and the morning were the third day. (Gen 1:13)
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. (Gen 1:19)
And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. (Gen 1:23)
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Gen 1:31)
2. Besides that, Gen. 1:14 reads:
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.
NOTE: According to that passage, days are distinctly different from years, especially (hundreds of years) and listed separately. This is more proof that Adam's death occurred quickly, as God warned would happen if he sinned in that manner, but it wasn't physical death:
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 2:17, KJV)
3. What kind of death was it? Was it merely broken fellowship or something much more serious? Let's consider the following:
a) Before God warned Adam of the danger of sin, we learn this:
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Gen 2:7)
Adam's soul became alive at that point. In other words, Adam was alive before he could be warned he could die. That life was not merely physical life because it is referring to the soul. The body and soul are not the same:
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Mat 10:28)
NOTE: Man can kill the body, but not the soul. Hence, they are different.
b) To add to this Adam would have lived in Eden forever if he didn't sin and die. Hence, he had eternal life, but lost it through sin. When he died, he became aware of certain things, and became afraid. Spiritual death brought Adam and Eve fear, pain, regret, misery and banishment from the paradise garden of Eden. (The devil, who came as a friend, never told Eve that as he was tempting her!)
c) The Bible repeatedly warns the righteous that their soul can die through sin:
The soul who sins is the one who will die. (Ezek 18:4)
The soul who sins is the one who will die. (Ezek 18:20)
Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, and I put a stumbling block before him, he will die. Since you did not warn him, he will die for his sin. The righteous things he did will not be remembered, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. (Ezek 3:20)
NOTE: It is impossible for eternal security teachers to warn a righteous person under those circumstances that he will die spiritually, as that verse commands. Their doctrine of once saved always saved won't allow it. Hence, this should set off alarm lights that something is very wrong with their doctrine. The truth is, it is a HERESY, which began with the devil himself. The eternal security teachers are dangerous people. People need to be warned of their Scripture distortions. Justly, Ray Comfort Gets The Skull And Crossbones Award.
GOD BLESS YOU.
OTHER TOPICS:
Skull And Crossbones Awards
For False Prophets And False Teachers
Imputed Righteousness and Eternal Security
Which Are You - A Slave To Sin or Slave To God
Eternal Security And The Sin Unto Death
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