Adam’s sin was his disobedience to God’s command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, leading to the introduction of sin and death into the world.  We read in Genesis 2:16-17, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”  Adam disobeyed God and ate that fruit.  It was Adam’s sin that introduced sin into the world as we read in Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

Because of Adam’s sin of disobedience, we all now have an inherited sin nature.  We were born with this propensity and desire to sin.  David expressed it like this in Psalm 51:5, “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.”  Since we had no choice in the matter, we are not judged because we have a sin nature.  We become guilty before God by acting on the desires of our sin nature.   As we just read in Romans 5:12, “…all have sinned.”  The Apostle Paul was also led to write, informing us that, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). 

It is obvious that Adam did not have an “INHERITED sin nature” because he did not descend from anyone.  He was created by God as we read in Genesis 1:26-27, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”  We also read in Genesis 2:7, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” 

Although Adam did not have an inherited sin nature, the Bible does not say that Adam was created without a sin nature.  It stands to reason that if Adam did not have a sin nature (a nature that has the ability to commit sin), he would not have sinned.  Indeed, without a sin nature, it would have been impossible for Adam to sin.  While some insist that Adam was created perfect, it also stands to reason that if he was perfect, he would not have sinned.  Being created perfect would include the thought that he had no desire or ability to sin. 

So, in what state was Adam created?  He was created innocent…not perfect.   James 1:13 tells us that, “…God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”  God’s perfection make it IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO SIN.  Adam sinned because he was less than perfect.  Innocent?  Yes!  Perfect?  No! 

WHAT is perfection?  Never sinning.  Never having a desire to sin.  Having no ability to sin.  God is holy and perfect, and choosing to sin would be a contradiction within Himself.  God cannot sin! These things describe the Lord.  They do not describe Adam.  I trust this makes it so clear that Adam was not created in perfection or without having a sinful nature.  (CC)  (705.4)