Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it brought a yearning to the eyes and that the tree was desirable for gaining insight. So she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were unclosed, and they realized that they were naked. So they sewed fig leaves together and made girdle skirts for themselves.
Genesis 3: 6-7, Concordant Old Testament
A few days ago, in a post titled "The rules committee," I made the point that the mainstream church had saddled the human race with more rules to live by. Well, it seems that they had some assistance in that. A good friend pointed out to me that it was not the church which created the rules to live by, but the first couple in the garden of Eden. The moment that Adam and Eve first bit of the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, "The eyes of both of them were unclosed" {Genesis 3:7}. That is, they immediately became aware of what they had done. In that moment, they had chosen to be independent from God. How can one take and eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and NOT understand what is good and what is bad? But Adam had a problem, with his new found knowing he needed to establish some parameters of which behaviors were now good and which were indeed bad. The creation of our rules to live by had been born. The concordant version of the Genesis scripture is interesting to me because it describes Eves perception that the forbidden fruit brought a "Yearning to the eyes and that the tree was desirable for gaining insight" {Genesis 3:6}. Now, this was BEFORE Eve had taken of the fruit and eaten. Eve perceived with her eyes that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was indeed appealing to her sight. So, she took of its fruit and she ate. Not only that, but she shared the fruit with her husband as well. Of course, upon taking of the fruit, both knew that they had screwed up big time. This is the consequence of knowing the difference between good and evil. We know when we do bad things. Adam and Eve had been living the perfect union life with the God in the garden. Until this point they had no reason to know the difference between good and evil because their eyes had not yet been opened. All they knew was life in the garden and communion with God. Adams choice changed all of that.
Consequently, then, as it was through one offense for all mankind for condemnation, thus also it is for one just award for all mankind for life's justifying. For even as, through the disobedience of the one man, the many were constituted sinners, thus also, through the obedience of the One, the many shall be constituted just.
Paul to the Romans 5: 18-19, Concordant New Testament
Imagine for a moment that you're Adam. You've just disobeyed the Lord, and now you had this new found knowledge of what is good and what is not good. You now need to apply your newfound knowledge to your life outside of the Lords garden. You now need to set criteria for what is good behavior in the sight of the Lord and what isn't. Remember, God was not out of the picture when He pushed Adam and Eve out of the garden. Scripture tells us that Adam and Eve were not expelled from the garden for their disobedience, but the possibility that they may take of the tree of life, eat of it and live forever {Genesis 3:22}. Of course, they knew nothing of death to this point. Not long after their exodus from the garden, bad behavior reared its head again as Cain killed Able. Now, obviously Cain knew that his actions were wrong, having been infected with the knowledge of good and evil via his parents. Murder would fall into one of those negative rules to live be. And so it is that because of Adams choice, the mainstream church took the opportunity to create the rules of right and wrong which they continue to preach today. Of course, having been infected through the actions of Adam and Eve, we know full well the difference between good and bad behaviors. Most people do their best to uphold their good behaviors. Yet we all fall short eventually. So it is that through the disobedience of one man (Adam), all sinned {Paul to the Romans 3:23}. Yet through the obedience of One (Christ Jesus), the world may be saved through Him {Johns Account 3:16-17}.
~Scott~
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