The scope of Adam’s sin reached much farther than just our first parents. The moral contaminant called “sin”, though not a physical entity but a moral one, somehow affixed itself to the psyche, or the human spirit, or Adam and Eve, and was, then, passed on to every succeeding generation. How this could be without having physical characteristics such as we see in the genes and chromosomes, we do not know. But, evidence of this is in the death of all persons since that time. And, while we cannot prove this scientifically, all evidence points to it, and we are at a loss for another or more plausible explanation.
But it did not stop with humanity. The sin factor has tentacles that traverse the entirety of creation. Adam was installed as the federal head of all creation. The very first chapter of Genesis confirms this. He was to rule, exercise dominion over all the remainder of creation, marine life and avian life, floral and fauna. All was to be under Adam’s jurisdiction. He was assigned the task of naming all the animals. The ancients regarded those who gave names to others, whether men or beasts, as exercising authority over them. Several name changes occur in Scripture and, in each case, reflect authority over that which was named by the one naming.
When Adam fell morally by his sin against God, he forfeited his moral authority to govern the earth. The entire animal kingdom once rendered obedience to Adam. Now, not so much. Man can domesticate some of earth’s animals, but there are other species that will have none of it. The so-called “lion tamer” who climbs into a cage with his chair and whip had better not turn his back for long on one of the big cats. A lion or tiger does not respect the man’s moral authority. He is merely a meal to him. If he has the right circumstances, he’ll take advantage.
And, not only the animals but vegetation as well. The text tells us in Genesis 3 that, due to Adam’s fall and all of creation falling as well under him, he will now till the land by the sweat of his brow. In addition, he will have to contend and compete with thorns and thistles. Well, what good are they? Where did they come from? They seem not to have been part of the original creation that God called very good, but now here they are…thorns, thistles, and all other nutrient-stealing weeds are merely vegetation’s equivalent of sin. It’s sin in the vegetation plane as man’s evil works are sin on the human plane.
And, not to be outdone in this participation from the fall is the geothermal phenomenon we call “weather”. From earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes, they all flaunt their authority and make man subject to it. The only exception being in the case of our Lord who exercised His authority over that of the elements.
And such is the ongoing scope of the sin and fall of Adam. When Adam, the federal head of creation fell, all that had been placed under his jurisdiction fell with him. We remain living in a fallen world.
CC 09-18
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