[kosta50]

How can you possibly say "Eve takes the decision following her own judgement" when she was deceived? Is this free will?

We can never know the whole truth about anything and are therefore always deceived, HD. Does that mean that, for the knowledge at hand, we do not make a free decision to will and act?

There are two possibilities: either Eve made a foolish decision, but a decision nonetheless, believing it was good, or God forced the Serpent to deceive and Eve to believe his deception. I have no problem believeing the former but the latter is not the humble and loving God we know in Christ.

[HarleyD]

There are two possibilities:

In either possibility you'll have problems:

1) either Eve made a foolish decision, but a decision nonetheless, believing it was good, or

It is God who gives wisdom, knowledge and understanding. To say that Eve made a "foolish" decision is to say God purposely did not give her the capability to make a good decision. (This is my belief.)

2) God forced the Serpent to deceive and Eve to believe his deception. I have no problem believing the former but the latter is not the humble and loving God we know in Christ.

I wouldn't say "forced" but this is not out of the realm of God's nature. Please consider:

1Ki 22:19-23 Micaiah said, "Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. The LORD said, 'Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?' And one said this while another said that. Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, 'I will entice him.' The LORD said to him, 'How?' And he said, 'I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' Then He said, 'You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.'" Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you."

The Lord simply asked a question. A "spirit" (demon) volunteered. The Lord gave permission.

It should be noted that Job is very similar. The Lord makes a statement about Job, Satan wants to afflict Job, God gives permission. It is not out of the realm of possibility that the Lord saw the same thing with Adam. Just as in the case of Ahab and Job, God remained in control and knew the entire outcome.

BTW-It should be pointed out that God knew that He was consigning many to hell at this point.