Adam faced a deliberate choice between remaining obedient to God and staying with Eve, and he chose to eat the forbidden fruit.
Les Feldick teaches from the Genesis record that Adam was not deceived like Eve. He knew what Eve had done and what the consequences were, and he deliberately chose to eat so he would not lose his helpmeet.
Genesis 3:6 — This records the moment Eve gave the fruit to her husband with her, and he ate.
Genesis 2:17 — This records God's command and warning that defined the choice Adam faced.
1 Timothy 2:14 — This New Testament verse confirms that Adam was not deceived.
God gave Adam an explicit command in the garden. In Genesis 2:16–17, He said Adam was free to eat from every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he was not to eat, for in the day he ate of it he would surely die. This command created the alternative that made Adam's choice real. The fall is recorded in Genesis 3:6. Eve saw that the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise; she took of its fruit and ate, and gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. The New Testament later confirms the distinction between Adam and Eve: 'And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression' (1 Timothy 2:14).
Les Feldick teaches that Adam's choice was not made in ignorance or deception. He emphasizes that Adam was evidently absent when Eve partook, and when he came on the scene, he knew what she had done. Eve was caught in a moment of weakness, but Adam was in a totally different state of mind. He had to deliberate, knowing where her act left him with regard to both Eve and the Creator. He ate, willfully disobeying God's revealed will. Les frames the specific choice this way: 'Is he going to eat and stay with his beautiful helpmeet, the woman, or is he going to refuse, lose the helpmeet, and remain, of course, obedient to the Creator?' According to Les, Adam knew full well what he was doing and what the consequences would be. He chose to eat. Les also explains that God did not create Adam as a robot; he had a will with the power of choice, and the forbidden tree was the alternative God provided so that choice could be real.
No. Les teaches that Adam was in a totally different state of mind from Eve. Eve was caught in a moment of weakness and ate before she realized what she had done. Adam, by contrast, came on the scene knowing what Eve had already done. He was not deceived, and he deliberately chose to eat. This is consistent with 1 Timothy 2:14, which says Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Les says Adam had to make a choice: 'Is he going to eat and stay with his beautiful helpmeet, the woman, or is he going to refuse, lose the helpmeet, and remain, of course, obedient to the Creator?' Adam chose to eat even though he knew the consequences. Genesis 3:6 records that Eve gave the fruit to her husband with her, and he did eat.
Les explains that God did not create man to be a robot. In order for Adam to exercise his will and show real love for God, God provided an alternative—the forbidden tree. The choice in the garden was between following the adversary and remaining true to God. Adam's eating was an act of his own free will.
Les notes that while Adam and Eve were in the garden, they didn't know sin or death. After they ate and came out of the garden, it was a totally different situation. Their choice moved them from the garden into a world that was no longer the same.
Did Adam Sin Out of Love? The Hebrew Servant Explained
there in Exodus. He agrees to being nothing more than a servant. Well, for what reason? For the sake of you and I, see? All right, "...so he took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." Now it doesn't say he was made like men, he was made in the likeness of men, that was the big difference. Then verse 8, "...
Adam's Deliberate Choice
Les explains that Adam was not deceived; he knew Eve had eaten and deliberately ate, willfully disobeying God.
The Choice Free Will Required
Les shows that free will required a choice—between following the adversary and remaining true to God.
Choosing Between Eve and Obedience
Les states that Adam had to choose between eating and staying with his beautiful helpmeet, or refusing and losing her while remaining obedient to God.
Free Will and the Forbidden Tree
Les explains that God did not make Adam a robot; the forbidden tree gave Adam an alternative so his choice would be real.
Understanding the Curse & God’s Promise of a Redeemer
And now, He says, Behold, man has become as one of us, no good and evil. And now, lest he put forth his hand and take also the tree of life and eat and live forever. Do you realize how that leaves you hanging? There's no period there. The English has a colon, and the Hebrew has, again, a punctuation that just says, now you just try to imagine what it'd be like. And so that's where you're left.
Eve Was Alone at the Moment She Ate
Les notes a long pause in the Hebrew text after 'she ate,' indicating Adam was not standing with her at that moment and came upon her shortly afterward.
A Different World After the Garden
Les describes how Adam and Eve came out of the garden into a totally different situation, knowing sin and death for the first time.
Genesis 2:16: And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
This verse records the generous permission God gave Adam, which was the positive side of the choice.
Genesis 2:17: 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.
This verse gives the prohibition and consequence that made Adam's choice meaningful.
Genesis 3:6: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
This verse records that Eve ate first and then gave the fruit to Adam, who was with her, and he ate.
1 Timothy 2:14: And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
This New Testament verse confirms that Adam's choice was not the result of deception.
No. Les teaches that Adam was not deceived. Eve was caught in a moment of weakness, but Adam came on the scene knowing what she had done and deliberately chose to eat.
Adam chose to eat because he did not want to lose his beautiful helpmeet. He had to choose between staying with Eve and remaining obedient to God, and he chose to eat.
Yes. Les says Adam knew full well what he was doing and what the consequences would be. He was not caught in a moment of weakness like Eve.
Watch the Teaching: Did Adam Sin Out of Love? The Hebrew Servant Explained