WHY DEPEND ON GOD?

Genesis 3:1-6
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

The Man and Woman Sin

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.”

6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too.


Let’s learn and not make the same mistake Adam and Eve made.

First, don’t underestimate Satan’s power. He is very crafty. He will try to make you doubt God’s Word. He will try to make you doubt who you are in Christ. Next, don’t be fooled by a distortion of God’s Word. What God actually said (Genesis 2:16-17) is close to Satan’s statement, yet different enough to reverse what God meant. Next, Satan goes further and contradicts God’s Word. Compare 3:4 with 2:17. Then, Satan implies that God is withholding something precious and essential from His people, making Adam and Eve question whether they can depend on God.

At this point, Satan backs away and lets the couples human instinct kick in. There was nothing wrong with Eve’s observation skills (good for food, pleasing to the eye, gain wisdom). It was simply the wrong way … a way forbidden by God … a way that walked away from dependence on God.

“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” – 1st John 2:16