Were Adam and Eve Saved?

Quick answer

Adam and Eve were saved based on their faith in God and His promise of salvation.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Were Adam and Eve saved? Yes and no. While that may seem like a contradiction, in reality it is the most accurate way to answer the question of their salvation. When we refer to someone being "saved" we are talking about a person who has placed their faith and hope in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and His resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. When a person surrenders their life to Jesus Christ, we say they are "saved."

Those who lived prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection looked forward to the fulfillment of God's promise of salvation, and those who live after the cross look back on it. In either case, a person is justified before God by His grace through faith (Romans 4:1–5; Galatians 3:5–9; Ephesians 2:8–10; Hebrews 11:6, 39–40). This justification before God by grace through faith is most often what people mean when talking about others being "saved." Though Adam and Eve were not "saved" in the same way we are today, the Bible gives enough evidence that they were redeemed by God and now rest in His eternal presence.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis 3 recounts Adam and Eve sinning in the garden of Eden when they distrusted God, trusted the lies of the serpent, and ate the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God punished Adam and Eve (and the serpent) and also gave what is known as the protoevangelium: the first gospel.
As God pronounced the curses after Adam and Eve's sin, He promised coming redemption (Genesis 3:15). He also clothed the couple with animal skins—often seen as the first blood sacrifice to atone for sin and thus a foreshadowing of Jesus' work on the cross (Genesis 3:21; Hebrews 9:22–28). Adam and Eve recognized their sin and their need for reconciliation with God.
In between the pronouncement of the curse and the covering of the couple, we learn that Adam calls his wife Eve. Her name is associated with the Hebrew word for "life-giver" (Genesis 3:22); Adam believed God's promise to provide a redeemer through the woman. Notice what Eve says when Cain is born; "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD" (Genesis 4:1). Adam and Eve revealed faith and hope in His promise of redemption by the way they responded after their sin.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

The story of redemption is spelled out in Romans 5:12–21. There it reveals Adam’s sin that passed on to all of humanity but also the gift of grace that came through Jesus’ death and resurrection, which was alluded to in Genesis 3.
First Corinthians 15 also reveals the unfolding plan of salvation. While Adam and Eve’s sin brought death, Jesus brings life. This plan of salvation was promised and began to unfold in the garden of Eden.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Adam and Eve recognized their sin and their need for reconciliation to God. They responded to His offer of salvation and trusted in His promise of a future salvation that would bring life and conquer sin. Today, we, too, are saved the same way: recognizing our sin, turning to God for the forgiveness of sins, and trusting that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection was sufficient for our salvation. Whereas Adam and Eve did not get to see all this during their lifetime, their salvation comes just the same as ours: by grace through faith. For us, it is in Christ’s finished work (Ephesians 2:8–9); for them it was in the promise of the Messiah who would save us (Genesis 3:15).

UNDERSTAND

Adam and Eve recognized their sin and their need for reconciliation with God.
Adam and Eve responded to the covering that God offered them with the animal skins.
Adam and Eve were saved by grace through faith in the promise God had made.

REFLECT

Salvation comes by grace through faith alone in Christ alone.
Salvation before Christ came in trusting in the promise of a Savior. Salvation after Christ comes in trusting in the promise completed through the Savior.
What evidence of salvation do we see in Genesis 3?

ENGAGE

The Bible does not tell us who is saved or not, but actions recorded give us good indication of people’s hearts.
It is a common question to wonder about salvation in the Old Testament. Genesis 3 and God’s response to Adam and Eve’s sin as well as the protoevangelium reveal the way of salvation in the Old Testament is the same as that of the New, but it looks different depending on what side of the death and resurrection of Jesus people were living on.
What do our actions reveal about our salvation?