We can conclude something by looking at three key men in the Bible: Adam, Judas, and Peter. The crucial moment for each was not their sin, but in their response to it – illustrating it’s easier to sin than to repent.

Penalties for original sin came only after Adam’s denial and transference of the blame to Eve, and her subsequent imitating of that pattern. Judas’ sin became irreversible after he killed himself in despair. One could argue that the fall of humanity and the crucifixion of Christ were results of Adam and Judas confirming their sins by mistrusting God after their sins.

St. Peter, on the other hand, didn’t deny, rationalize, or despair after his great sin; and neither did St. Paul. While Jesus is ‘un-Adam’ who came to fix what Adam broke, it’s fitting that Peter, representing hypothetical ‘repentant Adam’, be appointed by Christ visible head of His Church:

Repentent man (Peter) leading redeemed man in compromised Eden (Church), as they feed off the new fruit (Christ) of the new Tree of Life (cross) in the Eucharist, on route to the promised land (Heaven).