Some are under the impression that Christ sacrifice “once for all” (Heb 10:10) is not all inclusive (thus insufficient), that although it does cover the sins of the whole world this is with the exception of the sins of father Adam or his wife Eve, supposing that they as perfect creatures have already had their individual trial.
The problem with this is that these forget that although perfect in every sense of the word, both Adam and Eve lacked a sufficient knowledge and understanding of the exceedingly sinfulness of sin and its consequent results, (i.e. sorrow, pain, disease and death) and so not being properly acquainted with both good and evil they were unable to perceive the true consequences of their actions, i.e. both to themselves and to their posterity. We are not here in any way excusing their guilt; we merely wish to point this out.
Regardless of this the scriptures are quite clear as to the fact that the “sinless undefiled one” (Heb 7:26) the Man Christ Jesus became the ransom, (anti-lutron, i.e. a corresponding price) for the sins of the WHOLE world (which naturally would include father Adam and Eve) that he by the grace of God tasted death for ALL MEN, becoming our propitiation (satisfaction of justice) 1 John 2:2.
THE FOLLOWING THOUGH IS ONE WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ALL TO GRASP:
The very fact that Christ sacrifice of himself (his perfect human life) was considered as an equivalent or corresponding price to offset the requirements of justice naturally implies that the one for whom he was to atone must have been one who held an equal value before the eyes of justice, for this is God’s Law (Exod 21:23-24) and seeing as there has never existed but the one other perfect man prior to Christ, i.e. Adam then it is abundantly clear as to whose sins were forgiven.
Now let us reason this out, since Christ died as a ransom taking the place of father Adam, then father Adam is no longer condemned under the divine penalty which was originally imposed upon him, nor is any of his posterity. “Therefore, as by the offense of one (Adam) judgment (the sentence) came upon all men to condemnation; even so as by the righteousness of one (Jesus) the free gift (the gift of life secured through the ransom) came upon all men unto justification of life." (Rom 5:18) What could be any clearer?
Now suppose for the moment that we agreed with those who say that Christ did not atone for Adam’s sins or his wife’s, where would this leave us?
If Christ’s sacrifice was a corresponding price and equivalent for another of equal value, whom did he take the place of as required by the divine law?
Who was there who ever possessed a life of equal value, another perfect man with whom Christ was supposedly to have taken the place of as an anti-lutron or corresponding price?
If Adam was not redeemed then we are all still lost, for we all shared in his trial, his failure, and thus in his sentence and his penalty and unless he personally is freed from the original sentence imposed upon him and its subsequent penalty we likewise all still remain condemned under the curse.
Suppose once again for argument sake we were to concede that perhaps there was some other son of Adam’s whom the Lord redeemed, someone not mentioned prior to Adam’s fall (although we are clearly taught that Cain was the first son of Adam following Adam’s fall, Gen 4:1) suppose the Lord took the place of this “other supposed” individual, what would be the implications?
Well for starters since the Lord only took the place of one man redeeming HIM and his seed alone, then everyone else not associated with this supposed individual who was ever born of Adam (directly or indirectly as offspring of one of his other sons) would have no redeemer and thus would live and die never to be resurrected again, this would include quite a few notable characters mentioned in the bible, including for example Enoch, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and etc. None of these could ever be resurrected seeing as they all share in the genealogy of their father Adam and thus in his condemnation. They are all eternally lost for divine justice is very strict, a fallen man could not redeem another fallen man nor could divine justice be satisfied with the sacrifice of a perfect man in behalf of a fallen man, and even if that were acceptable it would still require a sacrifice of one perfect man for every one individual to be redeemed, this would require millions if not billions of redeemers, how foolish and unwise.
Let us concede the wisdom of God’s Plan of condemning all in one that he might equally save all in one.
