TL

“Adam was instructed to tend the garden – protect it. In that he failed but it was not a matter of sin.”

As a side note, I’m not so sure I agree that Adam’s dereliction of duty was not a sin. God lists two causes for the curse and consequences to Adam – eating from the tree AND listening “to the voice of your wife”. I agree with Cheryl and other’s assessment that this relates to Adam’s failure to act while the serpent was deceiving Eve. I would take that as part and parcle of Adam’s failure to guard the garden, and since said failure is listed along with eating the apple, I would say it constitutes part of Adam’s sin.

Interesting, gengwall. I would agree that it was less than perfect behavior, which is part of the definition of sin – missing the mark of holiness. How do you interpret God cursing the earth for Adam’s sake?