Yielding to Temptation Led to Mankind’s Fall from Grace

Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

God created man as a sinless moral agent in God’s image for His purpose. God placed him (Adam) in the Garden of Eden with the responsibility of tending and keeping it (2:15). God commanded him to freely eat of every tree of the garden (2:16) but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because man would surely die the day he ate of it (2:17). Satan, clothed as a serpent, used his craftiness to have a conversation with the woman and convinced her to trust him and distrust God and His word.

“Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden (3:2), but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die (3:3).’ ” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die (3:4), for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God (or gods), knowing good and evil (3:5).” We must be anchored; do not fall prey to Satan as the woman did. She believed his half-truths, total lies, and bold accusations of God having less than honest motives. Be careful not to add to God’s word; He did not say: “you shall not touch the tree.” Today put your trust in the God; He is love and truth. Do not trust Satan; he is a liar and deceiver.