Page 60 - lifeandgrace
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The source is very obvious: The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden. If
you remember, the book of Genesis tells us there were two trees there.
Gen 2:16-17 (NKJV) "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of
the garden you may freely eat; 17"but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you
shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.""
Gen 3:22-24 (NKJV) "Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of
Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of
life, and eat, and live forever"; 23therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of
Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24So He drove out the man; and He
placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every
way, to guard the way to the tree of life."
So Adam and Eve, through the deception of Satan, chose to desire knowledge instead of being
obedient to God. So they ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They could easily have chosen
to eat of the Tree of Life. It was right there in the Garden of Eden. God did not forbid them from eating of
this tree. If they had eaten of this tree they would have had Eternal Life which is the Lord Jesus Christ.
But no, they chose to go to the self-life, to go their own way so they could be like God, knowing good and
evil.
Man has been trying to get on the good side of God ever since by doing “good” things. God is not
interested. Only God can please God by what He does - and for us that means the participation of Jesus
the Son of God in our lives. Nothing we can do to live the Christian life apart from Jesus living it in us
and through us will ever impress our heavenly Father. God has no interest in anything we accomplish in
our flesh life. He has condemned it and will not change His mind. As He said, “no good thing dwells in
our flesh”.
*****End of Lesson*****
you remember, the book of Genesis tells us there were two trees there.
Gen 2:16-17 (NKJV) "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of
the garden you may freely eat; 17"but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you
shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.""
Gen 3:22-24 (NKJV) "Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of
Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of
life, and eat, and live forever"; 23therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of
Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. 24So He drove out the man; and He
placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every
way, to guard the way to the tree of life."
So Adam and Eve, through the deception of Satan, chose to desire knowledge instead of being
obedient to God. So they ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. They could easily have chosen
to eat of the Tree of Life. It was right there in the Garden of Eden. God did not forbid them from eating of
this tree. If they had eaten of this tree they would have had Eternal Life which is the Lord Jesus Christ.
But no, they chose to go to the self-life, to go their own way so they could be like God, knowing good and
evil.
Man has been trying to get on the good side of God ever since by doing “good” things. God is not
interested. Only God can please God by what He does - and for us that means the participation of Jesus
the Son of God in our lives. Nothing we can do to live the Christian life apart from Jesus living it in us
and through us will ever impress our heavenly Father. God has no interest in anything we accomplish in
our flesh life. He has condemned it and will not change His mind. As He said, “no good thing dwells in
our flesh”.
*****End of Lesson*****
