1 The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”
2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’”
4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” (NLT)
It is no sin to be tempted. Those who want to follow God’s ways will inevitably confront the evil one suggesting there is a better way. In fact, those who are most intent on taking Jesus seriously will face the most intense temptation. Just as a soldier in war who stands up to the enemy in the front line will most feel the force of enemy attacks.
The first humans faced the suggestion that God didn’t know best. They were urged to assert their independence from God. They gave in and dragged all humanity down with them. Just as a derailed leading carriage in a train will drag the others off the rails as well.
We need to note that when the evil one tempts us, he rarely suggests we do something obviously bad. He rather invites us to make our own decisions as to what is good and bad. Don’t let God push you around, you decide what is right and wrong. He usually doesn’t tell us to commit adultery, to physically hurt someone, to steal from the poor. He is much more subtle than that because he knows we generally try to be decent people.
Those first humans discovered, as we do, that independence from God does not lead to freedom.
Blessings
David Reay
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