When God created the world, He called it good (Genesis 1:31). Man was without sin, and all was right with the world. He created the first man, Adam, in the garden of Eden–a place of spectacular beauty. In the garden He also put two specific trees–the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:9). Adam was only commanded not to eat of one of these trees, but he disobeyed that stipulation.
Genesis 2:16-17 says, “And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.’” A question that has haunted me for a long time is this: if the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was able to cause Adam and Eve to sin (thus causing them to die), why did God put it in the garden in the first place? Wouldn’t it have been better for everyone if the first sin wasn’t able to happen in the first place? While this hasn’t caused my faith to waver, per-se, it has been a plaguing thought in the back of my mind.
I have often just chalked it up to free will without taking the time to truly understand why. Now, I am not the type of person that thinks I have to have an answer for everything, but being someone who spends a lot of time thinking gives me a desire to want to know. I truly believe God doesn’t want us to leave our intelligence at the door when we think of Him, because He gave us that knowledge to begin with. I think God reveals what is important to us in His time, and I think God was gracious enough to reveal that answer to me this morning:
If we didn’t have something to measure our free will against; it wouldn’t truly be free will.
Consider this: If we are to truly be able to enter into loving communion with God, we have to have the free will to be able to choose to. We also have to have the option not to. If there wasn’t anything in the garden that Adam and Eve could choose to disobey God with, there wouldn’t be any other option but to obey God. That is not true free will. If all they could do is love God, it would be a hollow victory for God.
The other thing that occurred to me is that this is completely applicable today. When we come to a decision in life, we have the option to lovingly obey God, or not. In the same way Adam and Eve should have leaned on God for strength to resist the temptation of eating from the tree, we should lean on God to resist the temptation to watch pornography, to withhold forgiveness to that bully, or to want what our neighbor has. The glorious truth is that God is faithful to those that seek Him.
So God has given you the free will to choose to love Him or not, to obey Him or not. It is your choice to make the commitment today, or to uphold that commitment, but God is there for you to lean on when times get difficult.
There is no such tree of good and evil, and God certainly didn’t put it there. Man choose duality over oneness of perfect creation, but didn’t want to take blame for it, so said God put temptation right in front of him/her. Yeah right!!
Wow I enjoyed reading, so insightful, thank you for sharing
Before the creation of man, God said let us make man in our own image and likeness. But God made man in His image without the likeness. The tree of knowledge and good and evil was to make man like God. But that likeness was a process God was taking man through. We can now see after man ate from the tree, now God said man has now become like us. Which means when God talked about making man in his image and likeness they where only made in his image. God had a plan for man to be like him but the man couldn’t wait for that training to come to pass. They would have definitely ate from the tree of knowledge, good and evil but that time has not come yet. The process of God to make man like him was not completed. e.g. When you give birth to a child he can resemble you which is your image, but to be like you he has to learn or study from you to be like you how you do your things. So that likeness could have come if Adam could have waited for God to train him and now freely allow him eat from the tree to have a clear distinction between good and evil. You can have a Frozen food placed in a microwave and time it. But if the time is not up and you take it out of the microwave you wil have the surface of the food warmed but beneath it still frozen. That was what happened to Adam and Eve. They couldn’t wait to that time to be fully matured to be like God.
Before the creation of man, God said let us make man in our own image and likeness. But God made man in His image without the likeness. The tree of knowledge and good and evil was to make man like God. But that likeness was a process God was taking man through. We can now see after man ate from the tree, now God said the man has now become like us. Which means when God talked about making man in His image and likeness they where only made in His image. God had a plan for man to be like Him, but the man couldn’t wait for that training to come to pass. They would have definitely ate from the tree of knowledge,good and evil but that time has not come yet. The process of God to make man like Him was not completed. e.g. When you give birth to a child he can resemble you which is your image but to be like you, he has to learn or study from you to know how you do your things. So that likeness could have come if Adam could have waited for God to train him and now freely allow him eat from the tree to have a clear distinction between good and evil. You can have a Frozen food placed in a microwave and time it. But if the time is not up and you take it out of the microwave you will have the surface of the food warmed but beneath it still frozen. That was what happened to Adam and Eve. They couldn’t wait to that time to be fully matured to be like God.
Before the creation of man, God said let us make man in our own image and likeness. But God made man in His image without the likeness. The tree of knowledge and good and evil was to make man like God. But that likeness was a process God was taking man through. We can now see after man ate from the tree, now God said the man has now become like us. Which means when God talkes about making man in His image and likeness they where only made in His image. God had a plan for man to be like Him, but the man couldn’t wait for that training to come to pass. They would have definitely ate from the tree of life but that time has not come yet. The process of God to make man like Him was not completed. e.g. When you give birth to a child he can resemble you which is your image but to be like you, he has to learn or study from you to know how you do your things. So that likeness could have come if Adam could have waited for God to train him and now freely allow him eat from the tree to have a clear distinction between good and evil. You can have a Frozen food placed in a microwave and time it. But if the time is not up and you take it out of the microwave you will have the surface of the food warmed but beneath it still frozen. That was what happened to Adam and Eve. They couldn’t wait to that time to be fully matured to be like God.
I’ve always had this question in mind; when I was younger I use to think that since the beginning we’ve been sort of tested ( it’s just like when you tell your child don’t eat the cookie and your kid ask why not and your response is because I said so) I’ve even thought of it if God knows everything even before it happens then why make us go through these tests as i call them in the beginning everything was good he was pleased with what he had created the whole point of doing these things was because he wanted to fill his land with life and have a relationship with man
Before the creation of man, God said let us make man in our own image and likeness. But God made man His image without the likeness. The tree of knowledge and good and evil was to make man like God. But that likeness was a process God was taking man through. We can now see after man ate from the tree now God said man has now become like us. Which means when God talkes about making man in his image and likeness they where only made in this image. God had a plan for man to be like him but the man couldn’t wait for that training to come to pass. They would have definitely ate from the tree of life but that time has not come yet. The process of God to make man like him was not completed. e.g. When you give birth to a child he can resemble you which is you image but to be like you he has to learn or study from you to be like you how you do your things. So that likeness could have come if Adam could have waited for God to train him and now freely allow him eat from the tree to have a clear distinction between good and evil. You can have a Frozen food placed in a microwave and time it. But if the time is not up and u take it out of the microwave you wil have the surface of the food warmed but beneath it still frozen. That was what happened to Adam and Eve. They couldn’t wait to that time to be fully matured to be like God.
God did not put the tree in the garden as a stumbling block for A&E, nor as a temptation (God tempts no one the Bible says). It was not an ‘evil’ tree, the bible says everything God created was very good.
In truth the tree was a stepping stone to glory for A&E, a stepping stone to destiny, to God’s perfect and high and lofty plan for them. They knew what was right and wrong, they had God’s commandment (‘do not eat of that tree’). If they had resisted the temptations of the serpent (Satan – who was a usurper, not the guardian of the garden, Adam was), If they had resisted the temptation they would have moved to a whole new plain of existence, they would have become ‘positively righteous’ – like God is, beyond the power of sin and temptation forever. That’s always been God’s plan, and now we attain it through Jesus.
The promises of the Bible are given to the ‘overcomers’ (see the book of Revelation especially) and just like us, A&E needed something to overcome. It was God’s grace gift to them that tree, they just didn’t see it.
So for us – the things that look to us like impossible temptations, or impossible difficulties are there for us to overcome and move on in God’s grace plan for us.
Thank you Trevor you must have received Wisdom from God
Genesis 3:17 states the world is cursed through Adam because of Adam’s actions.
[…] Every story has a beginning and an ending. Some endings are good, while others are bad. Some continue their story by making more books, while others just have an ending in a single book. For example, “Genesis”. Genesis has 50 chapters but it doesn’t stop there, the story still continues, although not with Adam and Eve, but with other characters or in this case “Men’s of God ” such as God, Moses, Abraham, David, and Jacob. Although I will say or in this case give my claim on how I don’t think it was a mistake for Eve and Adam to eat from “The tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” In my personal belief, If God didn’t want Adam and Eve to eat from the tree, then why would he plant it ? or If God didn’t see anything unpleasant once he created everything, why wouldn’t he want Adam to know the good and the bad ever since he was created ?. The more I think about it, the more questions I have. It’s basically like a hamster running in his wheel nonstop. We can’t have an accurate answer due to many people having their own beliefs, such as different religions. The article below answers a few of the questions I had, but once again, many people have their own opinions or beliefs when it comes to talking about the bible. Bain, Shawn. “Why Was the Tree in the Garden of Eden?” Geeks Under Grace, 13 Sept. 2014, https://www.geeksundergrace.com/christian-living/why-was-the-tree-in-the-garden-of-eden/ […]
Within a sect of a faith, which just so happens to downgrade the feminine (Judaism), it follows that an allegory about the “tainted woman” might reinforce that the male is superior.
Yes, this is the truth, the real and ancient truth that was obscured by those who use ignorance as the chains to make men into slaves. Adam and Eve had the permission of the guardian of the garden, who appeared in the form of a serpent, to eat of BOTH the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, AND the Tree of Life.
The question is, who changed this ancient story of the Bible, and why?
Is it not true, that a guardian of sacred things appear to us as a serpent ? If that is the case, then Eve was talking to the guardian of that sacred tree. In the garden of Eden, only those that was there was allowed in that garden, which was made for Adam and Eve to where they can suppliment their well being both physically and spiritually. Now did they not create Adam and Eve in their image ? The serpent was telling the truth, that they were worthy to partake of that fruit of both trees. Did not the patriarchs of Adams’ lineage live such long lives. If they did not know what good and bad was, how could we have the rationale to choose intelligently ? I think the bible has been edited for the simple reason to hide the truth from all of us, and that is when guardian angels of sacred places and sacred things appear to us , they appear to us as a serpent.
It’s lucifer..Jesus is Lucifer and the mark is believing in him.. He is the fallen angel..and partaking in the “fruit” or “tree” started death sin and eternal life in the pit.. we were told in gen not to kill life and eat of it that which has the blood..well meat truly has blood I. It and we should kill life and an8mal life..and partake, he was looking out for us in the flesh to be healthy minded, body and organs, but in flesh it meant Jesus..the blood sacrifice, the lamb that was slain..we partake when we believe in and on Jesus and we partake in communion and we partake by asking Him into the heart and spirit..trinity is false..and the sheep are Christians, He the Sheppard..sheep literally are f9llowers and blind they willingly follow blindly. Before flood we were told to only eat of good barring fruit and seed, after flood people started eating meat?! Meaning partaking in unclean people and spirits. So He gave us choices for it all at every turn..and we began to eat of the meat the lie the trick the false light..im not against Christians or religions im fully into the Almighty Father of Creation.. I used to be a Christian then I found Torah then I came to this and it’s all coming back to me now.
Love isn’t real if you have no choice but to do it, God gave Adam and Eve the option to have a loving, close relatioship with him and simply trust him and obey one command. They choose to disobey him and beleive the lie that God was with holding something from them and thus sin entered the world. Thankfully God sent Jesus to save us from our sin though 🙂
What Biblical basis do you have for saying, “Love isn’t real if you have no choice but to do it”?
Also, God determining all things does not reject the fact that one has a choice. It simply means that the choice we have was made in a certain way because our hearts so wanted that; hence, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” And, according to the Bible (Psalm 33:15), God is the one who determined the hearts of man, as He is the one who formed them. Therefore, God is the one who made the hearts of man such that they produced good or bad fruit. Thus the saying in Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 1:11 – God works all things for the good of those who love God according to the counsel of His will.
I admit I have dont know of any biblical basis for my “Love isn’t real if you have no choice but to do it” statement, I will have to look into it and see if there is one. Thanks for calling me out on that.
Your points are valid and I will have to do further study to see if my points are accurate. Thanks for the response 🙂
Proverbs 16:9 ESV / 446 helpful votes
The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
Joshua 24:15 ESV / 129 helpful votes
And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
John 7:17 ESV / 84 helpful votes
If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.
Revelation 3:20 ESV / 75 helpful votes
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / 58 helpful votes
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
John 1:12-13 ESV / 49 helpful votes
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
You are very contradictive
Good thing the Bible says libertarian free will doesn’t exist; otherwise, I would have to agree with you.
If no choice, we would be robots and the love we have for God would not be real. To choose Jesus and to choose to love Jesus shows that it is genuine and real. I am grateful that God allowed us to choose Him.
What Biblical basis do you have for saying, “If no choice, we would be robots and the love we have for God would not be real. To choose Jesus and to choose to love Jesus shows that it is genuine and real”?
Also, God determining all things does not reject the fact that one has a choice. It simply means that the choice we have was made in a certain way because our hearts so wanted that; hence, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” And, according to the Bible (Psalm 33:15), God is the one who determined the hearts of man, as He is the one who formed them. Therefore, God is the one who made the hearts of man such that they produced good or bad fruit. Thus the saying in Romans 8:28 and Ephesians 1:11 – God works all things for the good of those who love God according to the counsel of His will.