Christians, can you give scriptural support why Christ's ransom included Adam and Eve?

Question

ALL CHRISTIANS WHO BELIEVE CHRIST'S RANSOM IS FOR ALL INCLUDING ADAM AND EVE ONLY PLEASE.

If you don't believe Christ's ransom includes Adam and Eve, please answer here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjZv48oaLjF2iUXNJFxwQKbsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071211082748AAa2zIB

Answer 1

Adam and Eve died before Christ so were they able to rely on Christ's sacrifice at that time? No. The only way back then to get right with God was to give sacrifices. But, Jesus did come to save all men past, present, and future. Whether we know if Adam and Eve got saved is unknown but were they given a chance? Were they ABLE to be saved? The Bible is very clear that Christ's ransom was for ALL.

The closest (and only) evidence that Adam and Eve MAY have been saved is Gen. 4:25-26 "And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, 'God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.' To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD."
--These "people" who began to call upon the name of the Lord could have included Adam and Eve.

God wants all to reach salvation. He doesn't want any to perish:
2 Peter 3:9
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."

These verses show that Christ died FOR all and so ALL could recieve salvation. Not all WILL but all CAN.

Titus 2:11
"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men."

Hebrews 2:9
"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone."

1 Timothy 2:5-6
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time."

Romans 5:17
"For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ."

1 John 2:2 "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world."

1 Corinthians 15:22 "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."

1 Timothy 4:10 "For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe."

Hebrews 8:11 "And they shall not teach, each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest."

1 Peter 1:20 shows that Christ was chosen before the creation of the earth because God wanted an alternative to death; this would include his salvation plan of Adam's fall:

"He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God."

People always say Adam and Eve were perfect. The Bible never says they were perfect. Although they were sinless, that doesn't necessarily mean perfect. If they were truly perfect, then they couldn't have fell. They were only sinless. The JWs say "they deliberately disobeyed", but the Bible doesn't say someone can't be saved by deliberately disobeying. If that was so, we'd ALL be unable of salvation. Does anyone sin because they simply don't want to? Are we FORCED to sin? No. We have a choice to sin or not.

Romans 5 explains this situation, especially verse 16:

"12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. 16 For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification."

Answer 2

Adam and Eve were not under the Mosaic legal system, however, this provision of the Law reveals Jehovah’s legal mind on the matter of headship. “But if her husband on the day of hearing it forbids her, he has also annulled her vow that was upon her or the thoughtless promise of her lips that she bound upon her soul, and Jehovah will forgive her.” Since Adam was Eve’s head it is quite possible that if he would have resisted the temptation to join his wife in eating the forbidden fruit he could have annulled Eve’s thoughtless act and Jehovah may have forgiven her. That makes Adam’s failure to adhere to God’s law all the more reprehensible and tragic. It also helps us to appreciate why Paul said that sin entered the world through the man. As for the ransom applying to Adam and Eve the Mosaic Law also sheds light upon that question as well. The 35th chapter of Numbers outlines the provision for cities of refuge for unintentional manslayers. However, the Law stipulated that a willful murderer was to be put to death without fail. There was no refuge for him. Likewise, the Law required that the negligent owner of a goring bull, who knew that the bull was dangerous but did nothing and someone was fatally gored as a consequence, was to be put to death. He could not pay any sort of monetary ransom for his neglect. That legal principle certainly applies to Adam. By his neglect to obey the command of God he became a willful murderer of the then unborn. He sold not only himself into slavery to sin and death but also the billions of his unborn offspring. Just as the willful murderer could not pay any ransom or find refuge in the city of refuge, so too Adam had to pay the price for his willful disobedience. In accord with the Law, which was a shadow of the reality of Christ, Jesus’ ransom must only apply to those who were unwillingly sold into death and who are unintentional sinners—not to Adam and Eve who had the choice of life and death, but who chose sin and death.

Answer 3

The Catholic Church believes that those who die never hearing of Christ but have sought the truth and does the will of God as they understand it can be saved. See Romans 2:13-16. This is called the Baptism of desire. (1)

If they died before Jesus died for our sins and opened the gates of heaven for us, then they waited in what is called in the Old Testament Abraham's bosom or Sheol. Tradition tells us that Adam and Eve were included in this group of holy souls but we are not certain.

Catholics believe that after Jesus died on the cross, he descended into Sheol, the place of the dead. While there He freed the holy souls who awaited their savior in Abraham's bosom. (2)

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church,
(1) sections 1257-1261: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2.htm#art1
(2) section 632 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt2art5.htm#p1

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

They were the first people on the earth, and received the sin nature after the Fall. I don't see any reason to single them out, one way or another. Scripture: Romans 5:12 and following; and the verse (don't have it handy) stating that as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Christ died for all, excluding no one.

Answer 5

Just read the book.
What was Adam and Eve told when they kicked out of the garden?
What does "whosoever" mean?

Answer 6

Your question really is did Jesus blood atone for the present generation or for those prior to it. If it can be shown that He atoned for a previous generation, than Adam and Eve would be included. But provision for salvation does not mean one has accepted it.

The Bible indicates that since the old testament sacrifices cold not take way sins, but were a temporary measure until Christ could come, and by His perfect sinless blood open up the way into the holy of holies in Heaven, then until then the Old testament saints could not ascend up on high, but when to the other side of Hades, then called Paradise.

(Heb 9:7-8) "But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: {8} The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:"

(Heb 10:4-5) "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. {5} Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:"

(Luke 16:22-24) "And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; {23} And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. {24} And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame."

(Luke 16:26) "And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."

But when Christ died then the heavy goat hair curtain that separated the holy of holies from the inner court was ripped in half from top to bottom, signifying access to God, and Jesus went down to Paradise - with the contrite believing criminal he saved on the cross - and led captive souls out and above "all heavens" to glory (He also preached judgment unto evil spirits in prison).

And (relative to your ?) many saints then also arose and appeared unto many in Jerusalem Paradise is now the third Heaven (2Cor. 12:4).

(Mat 27:50-53) "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. {51} And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; {52} And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, {53} And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."

(Luke 23:42-43) "And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. {43} And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."

(1 Pet 3:18-19) "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: {19} By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;"

(Eph 4:8-10) "Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. {9} (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? {10} He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)"

Thus we see O.T. saints receiving the benefits of Jesus perfect atonement, so why not Adam and Eve?
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(1 John 2:2) "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world."

(1 John 4:14) "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world."

(Acts 3:19) "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;"

Answer 7

Christ came to fulfill Mosaic Law and give us a New Covenant, dear one. Those who lived before Christ came, adhered to the Mosaic Law, not the New Covenant.

God bless!