Were Adam and Eve ever created? If so, are we all descended from them, and if not, how did the various races come to be?
Genesis 2:4–8 of the Bible describes the creation of Adam and Eve. Christians disagree on the precise nature of that understanding. While some take it literally, others choose a more lyrical reading. But the Bible makes it abundantly evident in a number of places that there was only one man, Adam, from whom all other men descended. “And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth,” according to Acts 17:26.
Ancestors
In other words, Adam and Eve are the ancestors of all people who live on Earth, and they did indeed exist. There must have been a vast diversity of genes in Adam and Eve. Following Noah’s time, as their descendants dispersed over the world, the gene pool shrank within each population, leading to the emergence of group distinctions, including skin tone.
Reasons to hold to the truth
It is crucial to uphold the idea that all humans sprung from Adam and Eve for two reasons. It serves as a reminder that, in reality, there are only one race—the human race—and that we are all members of it. We may have different colors, but we are one.
Secondly, we require Jesus only if we are all descended from Adam. According to Romans 5:12, “sin came into the world through one man.” Because we are all descended from Adam, we are all sinners. That’s why Jesus is necessary. For us, His death on the cross made heaven possible. “…one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men, just as one trespass led to condemnation for all men” (Romans 5:18). Death entered the earth through Adam. Jesus offered both eternal life and salvation.
