Has God indeed said?

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Adam and Eve, America, ashamed, faith, Garden of Eden, justification, love, shame, sin

Do you remember what happened in the Garden of Eden? Whether our understanding is literal or figurative, SIN entered the human experience. (Sin being the deliberate and willful disobedience to God’s word.) Interestingly, the immediate response to the “eye-opening bite” was SHAME. Adam and Eve felt the need, suddenly, to HIDE themselves.

Note: Eve had not been created yet when God told Adam not to eat of this particular tree. Although Adam later told her, for centuries she has been blamed when in reality, God instructed ADAM! Just sayin …

We’re told God made two special trees in the Garden, a Tree of Life and the Tree of the KNOWLEDGE of Good and Evil. When Adam and Eve shared the fruit from the Tree of the KNOWLEDGE of Good and Evil, their eyes were suddenly opened, and they were aware they had SINNED. They felt shame and guilt, they attempted to justify it, but death became part of Life. Prior to this event, Adam and Eve were blissfully unaware of evil.

I find it fascinating that God did not forbid them to eat of the Tree of Life until after sin entered the world. Had they chosen its fruit, we would live forever as pure babes! But, the gnawing desire to be “like God” lured them to the one forbidden Tree. Only then, did GOD set a guard to prevent them from the Tree of Life.

Again, I find it interesting that the “knowledge” of good and evil is a divine characteristic. Something to “chew” on …

“Has God indeed said …?” God told Adam if he ate of the tree he would surely die. When the serpent came along to “tempt” Eve, he simply introduced a tiny measure of doubt – “Has God indeed said …” It doesn’t seem like much to you and me, but prior to that God had never been questioned or contested. Funny thing is today, that “serpent” continues to use the same tactic …

• “Has God indeed said a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh…?” God’s idea!
• “Has God indeed said all men are created equal and should be treated equally regardless of wealth, religion, sexual preference, race or eye color? God’s idea!
• “Has God indeed said his followers should live in this world but yet be separated from it? Live differently? God’s idea!

But Adam and Eve, along with each of us, rejected God’s way and insisted on our own. They ate and instantly they KNEW good and evil, and they KNEW they were naked. Before, they were naked and unashamed. Now, they were compelled to cover their nakedness. They were ashamed.

Immediately, too, they began to attempt to justify their sin. When confronted, Adam blamed the woman, and she blamed the serpent. “Not my fault!”

As I look around this once great nation, example after example of this same pattern is evident. We fall prey to “Has God indeed said …” and SIN always attempts to justify itself by claiming popular approval. Adam tried to explain to God that the woman God gave him lead him to eat, so he ate. We hear our children say, “Everyone else is doing it!” (whatever IT is!)

Bottom line, though, we KNOW good and evil. We inherited the Knowledge of Good and Evil! We are intimately aware of our SIN. What we don’t know is GOD’s unmatchable and boundless love for each of us.

This is precisely why we must live what the Word of God says –

1 My friends, if you have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, you won’t treat some people better than others. 2 Suppose a rich person wearing fancy clothes and a gold ring comes to one of your meetings. And suppose a poor person dressed in worn-out clothes also comes. 3 You must not give the best seat to the one in fancy clothes and tell the one who is poor to stand at the side or sit on the floor. 4 That is the same as saying that some people are better than others, and you would be acting like a crooked judge. James 2: 1-4 CEV

Now, doesn’t that sound like what’s happening in our nation?

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