1. Who were the first man and woman?
Adam and Eve were the first man and woman, from whom every human being on earth is descended.
“And from one man He has created the whole human race and made them live all over the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). “Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? Why then doth everyone of us despise his brother?” (Malachias 2:10).
2. Did Adam and Eve have grace in their souls?
Yes, Adam and Eve had grace in their souls from the first moment God created them.
“God filled them with wisdom and the knowledge of understanding … And their eyes saw the majesty of His glory, and their ears heard His glorious Voice (Ecclesiasticus 17:5, 11).
3. What command did God give to Adam and Eve?
God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of a certain tree in the Garden of Paradise.
“Of every tree of Paradise thou shalt eat; but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat” (Genesis 2:16 & 17).
4. Did Adam and Eve obey God’s command?
No, Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command when the devil tempted them.
“And she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband who did eat” (Genesis 3:6).
5. What is the sin of Adam and Eve called?
The sin of Adam and Eve is called Original Sin, because it was the first, or original sin committed by a human being.
“By one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death” (Romans 5:12).
6. What are some of the evils that happened because of Adam’s sin?
Because of Adam’s sin
1) the gates of heaven were closed to mankind
2) the gift of freedom from disease, pain and death was taken away
3) the gift of perfect control over the lower nature was taken away.
“The imagination and thought of man’s heart are prone to evil” (Genesis 8:21).
7. What did the sin of Adam do to his soul?
The sin of Adam killed the grace in his soul, because it was a big sin. From the way God punished the sin of Adam, it is clear that the sin was a serious one.
8. What did the sin of Adam do to me?
Adam’s sin caused me to come into this world with Original Sin on my soul, that is, with no grace in it.
For behold I was conceived in iniquities: and in sins did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 50:7).
9. Are all human souls created with Original Sin in them?
Yes, all human souls are created with Original Sin in them, because Adam was the father of the human race.
“By the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners” (Romans 5:19).
10. Was any human being ever preserved from Original Sin?
Yes, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was the only human being whose soul did not have the Original Sin when God created it.
Thou are all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee” (Canticle of Canticles 4:7).
11. What does the “Immaculate Conception” mean?
The Immaculate Conception means that Mary was preserved from Original Sin and that her soul had grace in it from the first moment God created it.
“And the angel said to her: Hail. FULL OF GRACE. the Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28).
12. How can I get Original Sin off my soul and get grace?
Baptism takes Original Sin off my soul and puts grace into it for the first time.
“Unless a man be BORN AGAIN of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).
13. Since the gates of heaven were closed, where did the good people before Christ go after they died?
After the gates of heaven were closed, all the adults who died with no big sin on their souls went to Limbo.
“And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s Bosom”‘ (Luke 16:22).
14. When did the adults in Limbo learn of their deliverance?
When Jesus died, He went to Limbo to tell the adults there that soon they would be released and the gates of heaven would be opened.
“Coming He preached to those spirits that were in prison” (1st Peter 3:19).
This is what is meant by the phrase in the Apostles Creed: He descended into hell.
15. When did the adults leave Limbo?
On Ascension Thursday, when Jesus ascended into heaven, He·led all the adult souls from Limbo into heaven.
16. Do any adults go to Limbo today?
No, since the death of Jesus, only babies and adults who never had the use of their mind who die without Baptism go to Limbo.