Fides 18 N2 - Revista do Centro Presbiteriano Andrew Jumper

FIDES REFORMATA XVIIi, Nº 2 (2013): 99-115
As such, this statement is valid. It should not, however, be understood as
if God’s acceptance and approval and, consequently, life were in some sense
withheld until man would perform obedient works for a certain period of time.
If “justified” is used to refer to acceptance and approval, Adam was justified
or counted as righteous from the beginning.
From the standpoint of justice or righteousness, there is no compelling
reason to think that man was not an heir to eternal life from the very first
day. God had not yet led him into the eternal rest. Much work still had to be
done, many responsibilities to be fulfilled, a historical process to be brought
to fruition. Yet, although not in possession of eternal life, Adam could be an
heir to it. As a son of his heavenly Father, he could have title to it. Of course,
since he could lose his righteousness through disobedience, it is true that
he could also be disinherited. Nevertheless, Scripture does not require us
to develop a paradigm in which justification (acceptance as righteous) was
withheld until a period of obedience would be completed, nor that entitlement
to eternal life would be granted only after a probationary period was
successfully passed.
Sinless Adam and Eve were not received as just as a one-time event.
The judgment that they were innocent was applicable every day, at all times,
as long as they obeyed. This is true also of believers today. We are not only
justified as a one-time event, but every day we are counted as righteous on
the ground of the imputed righteousness of our Lord. Every day the righteous
live by faith. Although our righteousness is not grounded in inherent, personal
goodness, as was the case in Adam’s original righteousness, nevertheless we
too have God’s gift and are always approved as upright as we persevere in
faith (cf. Heb 10:35-39). 7
4. the tree of life
“And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that
is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of
the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen 2:9). From the
name that God gave to the tree of life and the attention called to it, it is clear
that it had special significance.
Genesis 3:22 indicates that the tree of life represented more than life,
namely, life everlasting. From Genesis 3 and Revelation 22:14 it is also clear
that the fruit of this tree was not for sinners. Revelation 2:7 portrays it as the
fulfillment of eschatological promise. Some theologians link the tree of life
7 Cf. Genesis 15:6, “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” Surely
Abraham was already justified when, in faith, he first travelled to Canaan (Heb 11:8), yet he is also
counted as righteous when he expresses his faith many years later.
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