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The Commandment The Choice The Consequences

What did “the knowledge of good and evil” mean? The Commandment 2:4-9,15-17 What did “the knowledge of good and evil” mean? How did Adam and Eve have a choice between right and wrong without having eaten from the tree which gives “the knowledge of good and evil”?

“The Knowledge of Good and Evil” Adam and Eve became “like God, knowing good and evil” (3:5,22). God used that same word for “good” for his creation in Genesis 1. Hebrew words for “good” and “evil”

“The Knowledge of Good and Evil” Adam and Eve became “like God, knowing good and evil” (3:5,22). God used that same word for “good” for his creation in Genesis 1. Hebrew words for “good” and “evil” These words seem to imply some level of subjectivity.

“The Knowledge of Good and Evil” Perhaps eating the fruit would give Adam and Eve the ability to decide for themselves what was good and evil, what was agreeable or disagreeable in their eyes.

“The Knowledge of Good and Evil” What God wanted for mankind was for them to trust fully in Him, to trust what He declared to be right and wrong, good and evil. Adam and Eve didn’t need “the knowledge of good and evil” because they had the knowledge of God’s commandment.

“Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters “Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” James 1:16-18

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:17 “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.” Psalm 119:160

Goodness is defined by God Goodness is defined by God. We need to avoid separating our idea of good and evil from our idea of God.

The Choice 3:1-7 What goes into this decision? A lie is told. Desire overtakes Eve.

There is always a lie involved in a struggle with sin There is always a lie involved in a struggle with sin. Something beautiful is twisted into something sinful.

“Maybe the most powerful thing we can do is simply to pray, ‘God, give me eyes to see the lie here.’” ~Rob Bell

The other Side Why did God place the forbidden tree in the Garden in the first place? Wasn’t He setting Adam and Eve up for failure? “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” John 10:10

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’” Acts 17:24-28

“If I may dare the biological image, God is a ‘host’ who deliberately creates His own parasites; causes us to be that we may exploit and ‘take advantage of’ Him. Herein is love. This is the diagram of Love Himself, the inventor of all loves.” ~C.S. Lewis

The Consequences 3:21-24 Why did God feel the need to banish Adam and Eve?

Even in the midst of humanity’s greatest fall, God is still acting out of love.

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