CHAPTER 3: THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL

We have learned from the previous chapters that God had created humans as
perfect beings. The book uses the word innocent and holy. But not only that, He gifted them with
the power of choice – the power to yield or to withhold obedience. But before this blessing could
be realize, God has given them a test of love and loyalty.
God put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden to give
Adam and Eve a choice to obey or disobey Him. He made a simple instruction-not to eat of the
fruit of the forbidden tree-yet they heed of it. While Satan claimed to have received great good
by eating of the fruit, he did not let it appear that by transgression he had become an outcast from
heaven. Here was falsehood, so concealed under a covering of apparent truth that Eve,
infatuated, flattered, beguiled, did not discern the deception. She coveted and give in to the
desire. She cast away faith ‘the key to knowledge’. What makes it worst, is that she become a
tempter to her husband, having herself transgressed.
There is nothing essentially evil about the tree or its fruit. However, the act of
disobedience was spiritually deleterious. That sin opened Adam and Eve’s eyes. For the first
time, they knew what it was to be evil, to feel shame, and the desire to hide from God because of
their nakedness. They rejected His authority, and that brought the knowledge of evil to the world.
It was on that specific account that the doors of falsehood and error had been opened.
Confusion and guilt had long resided on man’s heart and mind. No longer could
he appreciate the good that God has so freely destroyed. The environment was cursed, thy lost
righteousness, they were driven from their Eden and experienced physical death. They lost every
good thing God has given including their dominion over lower creatures. Sad to say, man had
been separated from God since then.
But we are not abandoned to the results of the evil chosen. God has a perfect plan
of salvation for mankind. While men clothe themselves with leaves of nakedness, guilt and
shame, God offers his robe of righteousness by the blood of the slain lamb-Jesus Christ. Just like
what the Scriptures says and promises we are redeemed by the blood of the lamb. The voice of
our Father is warning us over and over again, to forsake evil and invite and receive good.
REFLECTION:
God did not want Adam and Eve to sin. He knew ahead of time what the results of sin
would be. He knew that they would sin and would thereby bring evil, suffering and death into the
world? Why then did God allowed Satan to tempt Adam and Eve? He allowed Satan to tempt
them for them to make a choice. Sadly, they choice of their own free will to disobey God and eat
of the forbidden fruit. The result-evil, darkness unfathomable have plague the world. Adam and
Eve’s decision result in every person being born with a sinful nature-meaning having the
tendency to sin. That is the reason why we are born separated from God.
Their decision is what ultimately required Jesus Christ to die on the cross and shed His
blood on our behalf. Through faith in Christ-to the lamb slain in the foundation world-we are
candidates for salvation. We are redeemed. We are saved. We are washed by the blood of the
lamb. Hence, we can be free from sin’s consequences and from sin itself. May we echo the
words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 7:24,25, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me
from this body of death? Thanks be to God-THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD,” We
could rejoice in victory knowing that God had not forsaken mankind and we are saved by the
Grace of God. Or we go back to our evil ways and disregard His calling, His voice and His
perfect plan for us! The choice is ours today.
God revealed the truth through the Holy Spirit (we can understand because God gave us
the ability to rationally analyze.