05/08/2026

 

Samuel Clifford

 

Some who deny the doctrine of Eternal Security turn to Genesis Chapter 3 in order to give an example of salvation loss in the scriptures. They argue that when man rebelled against God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that Adam and Eve lost their salvation. Is this true, however, and is it a biblical example of salvation loss?

 

The main problem with this argument is that in order for someone to argue that Adam and Eve “lost their salvation” then Adam and Eve must have had salvation to begin with. Adam and Eve prior to the Fall of Man were perfect beings without sin and therefore without guilt and condemnation. Adam and Eve didn’t have salvation because they had nothing to be saved from. There was not a consequence of eternal damnation for them because they had no sin. Therefore, it is impossible for Adam and Eve to “lose their salvation” when they didn’t have salvation to begin with.

 

For example, let's say a person has never been in debt. One cannot argue that they lost their debt forgiveness if they never had debt. Similarly, prior to the Fall of Man, Adam and Eve were never threatened by eternal damnation and were in a perpetual state of innocence. They cannot lose something they never had. Salvation became necessary only after sin entered the world and death became a reality. 

 

Genesis 3:15, often called the protoevangelium, is the first promise of a coming Redeemer. This passage shows salvation is introduced as a response to the Fall, not something Adam and Eve possessed beforehand. When they sinned, they didn’t lose salvation, they lost innocence, unbroken fellowship with God, access to the garden, etc.

 

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.” (Genesis 3:15 NASB)

 

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 KJV)

 

When Were Adam and Eve Justified?

 

The answer is in Genesis 3. My friend Jacob again gives multiple reasons: 

 

1.) Adam called Eve the Mother of all living after the Protoevangelium where God spoke of the Seed. This shows He believed in the coming Messiah.

2.) Both were clothed in skins, which is a picture of Salvation Typologically speaking.

3.) Eve calls Cain "the LORD" showing she believed The Seed is the LORD.

This tells me they had faith in the seed, thus proving they were justified.