Bible Question: What was the First Sin?

Even though they were punished for the sin of eating of the tree of knowledge, it doesn't necessarily mean they knew good or evil. I’m sure you’re familiar with the age of accountability, which basically holds children exempt from hell until they reach the age they can be held accountable for their actions. Children at a young age do not realize what is evil, but only obey their parents, by not performing these acts. For example: A child is told not to play in the street. The child doesn’t play in the street because they are told not to by their parents, not because they think it to be evil. If the child does play in the street, however, is it not still a sin against their parents and worthy of punishment? I believe the same logic to hold true for Adam and Eve. They had no knowledge of good and evil, therefore the only sin that could be committed was disobedience and the only order given to them was not to eat from the tree of knowledge.

God never said they would die that day. He said in Genesis 2:17 "... for when you eat of it you will surely die." Up until they ate from the tree of knowledge there was no death. Although I don't see mention of Eve's death, in Genesis 5:5 it clearly says, "and then he [Adam] died." So in no way did God lie. The serpant however, does lie by saying in Genesis 3:4 "You will not surely die." He does tell the truth in the next verse, however. This truth though was only used to manipulate Eve into sinning. Even though what the serpent said about knowing good and evil is true, he didn't mention it to bring wisdom to mankind but to cause them to disobey God's only command.