GOD created Adam and Eve to live a happy life on earth and to take care of their beautiful home. (Genesis 2:15) He endowed them with a measure of his own qualities. The first man and woman could explore the entire planet and enjoy everything on it. Their offspring would be born into perfect conditions.

God gave our first parents the opportunity to live forever in Paradise, where they could spend an eternity getting to know him and his works better. (Psalm 115:16; Ecclesiastes 3:10, 11) Adam and Eve could pass on the same opportunity to their offspring.

Adam and Eve were free to enjoy life as part of God’s universal family, as long as they respected their Creator’s standards of good and bad. He told them how best to use their freedom and warned them of the consequences of disobeying: If they lived according to God’s instructions, they would enjoy perfect life forever; if they chose their own way, they would suffer and lose their lives. Whenever we have freedom of choice, we bear responsibility for our decisions and actions.​—Genesis 2:16, 17.

First, Satan rebelled against God. Then, Adam and Eve decided to follow Satan. As a result, they sinned against God, lost their perfection, and began to die.​—Genesis 5:5.

After Adam and Eve sinned, they could no longer pass on perfection and the prospect of everlasting life to their offspring. Thus, they brought sin and death into the world. Contrary to God’s original purpose, we all die because of sin. But what is sin?