THE FALL OF ADAM WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT

We who believe the gospel doctrine of absolute predestination do not for a moment entertain the monstrous notion that God forced Adam to sin in the garden, though there are many who delight to accuse us of that evil. Yet, we do not accept the preposterous idea that the sin and fall of our father Adam was an accident, which took the eternal God by surprise and shattered his plans for man and creation. A god whose plan and purpose could be shattered, or even shaken, by his creature would be no God at all. Two things must be recognized by all who worship God and receive the revelation of Holy Scripture as the Word of God.

1. If it had been God's will and purpose to do so, HE COULD HAVE KEPT ADAM FROM SINNING IN THE GARDEN AS EASILY AS HE KEPT ABIMELECH FROM SINNING WITH SARAH (Gen. 20:6).

2. The sin and fall of our father Adam, like all other things, was PREDESTINATED BY GOD IN ETERNITY AND WAS BROUGHT TO PASS BY THE RULE OF GOD'S SOVEREIGN PROVIDENCE FOR THE ETERNAL GOOD OF GOD'S ELECT AND THE GLORY OF HIS OWN GREAT NAME (Eph. 1:11; Rom. 8:28; 11:33-36).

God did not force Adam, or in anyway compel him to sin. But all the circumstances which brought to pass the sin of Adam and the fall of our race were ordained of God in infinite wisdom, goodness, and grace. In the same way, God did not force men to crucify his Son. Yet, his Son died by the hands of wicked men at exactly the time, and in exactly the way, which God had from eternity predestined (Acts 2: 23). God is answerable to no man's judgment. And I certainly do not pretend to have understanding in the mystery of God's purpose and ways. But I do see one glorious aspect of infinite wisdom and grace in the fall of Adam. HAD ADAM NOT FALLEN, WE COULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN THE GLORY OF GOD'S GRACE IN CHRIST. Adam fell in the garden, according to God's purpose, so that we might know the love, the grace, the wisdom, and the glory of God in Christ, THE LAMB OF GOD SLAIN FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.