“…the serpent said to the woman, YOU SHALL NOT SURELY DIE…” (Gen. 3:4)
We know this event, Satan approached Eve and tempted her to take of the forbidden fruit. “The Lord God commanded Adam, saying, YOU SHALL NOT EAT of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. For in the day that you eat of it YOU SHALL SURELY DIE.” (Gen. 2:16-17) [God is speaking of the death of His intimate relationship with Adam.] God created man perfectly and put him in a perfect place where he could live forever, with one set of very clear instructions. Do not eat of the tree of good and evil. How did someone go from full trust in God to making such a blunder? Remember the temptation from the serpent openly challenged God’s clear command. If Eve could be so blinded, WHAT ABOUT US? Jesus wisely reminded us to seek extra protection from these temptations in the Lord’s prayer, “…do not lead us into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL…” (Matt. 6:13).
There were three clear reasons stated in Genesis 3:6 as to why Eve was persuaded.
- good for food
- pleasant to the eye
- desirable to make one wise
This is what motivated John to write: “Do not love the world, If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all that is in the world, THE LUST OF THE FLESH, AND THE LUST OF THE EYES, AND THE PRIDE OF LIFE, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:15-16)
OUR OBEDIENCE, WILL IS PROOF OF OUR LOVE FOR GOD…
-Bill Stockham