Genesis 3 depicts the tragic moment when Adam and Eve chose to rebel in the Garden of Eden, marring God's original "very good" creation with the curse of sin and death. This pivotal text leaves many wondering: did God know that Adam and Eve would fall? Does God's sovereignty mean he ordained humanity's first sin?
In this episode, we dive deep into this theologically and emotionally difficult question from three perspectives:
1. God in his sovereignty planned the Fall as part of his overarching purpose for creation and redemption. We consider key prooftexts and objections to this Calvinist understanding of God's absolute sovereignty.
2. God in his foreknowledge knew that Adam and Eve would sin, but determined that free relationship with humanity was worth the pain and evil that would result. We examine tensions in God's goodness and the far-reaching impact of the Fall.
3. God did NOT actually know if Adam and Eve would sin - he took an intentional risk by granting libertarian free will. We explore surprising Old Testament passages where God expresses regret and surprise at human evil.
Walking verse-by-verse through Genesis 3, Jeremiah 32, and other key texts, we unpack the complexities around God's intent, foreknowledge, goodness, human freedom, and the origin of evil. Discover a God who is not the cruel author of sin and evil, but who has reached out in unexpected grace from humanity's first moments.
