Saved From All Things Mortal Part 1

Ephesians 1:3-14

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us acceptable in the beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth- in Him.  In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.  In Him you are trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Adam and Eve

(Genesis 3) Some may want to argue that Eve ate the forbidden fruit out of some evil and selfish desire but how could she if she had no concept of what was good and evil until after she ate of the forbidden fruit?  And since she did not know evil how could she on act upon “evil” reasoning in her disobedience?

 Adam and Eve had nothing to base evil upon.  They didn’t know what was “selfishness”.   They didn’t understand what a lie was.  They had no comprehension of what it meant to be deceived or to deceive.

Genesis 3:6-7 says: “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.

The word “wise” in translation is “to have insight, understanding, comprehension, and to act prudently”.

So what kind of conscious did Adam and Eve have before they ate of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil?  I found this word in the concordance as I was studying: “Scruple.”

Scruple is a feeling of doubt or hesitation with regard to the morality or propriety of a course of action.  Having reservations, second thoughts, misgivings or reluctance.  Hesitate or to be reluctant to do something that one thinks may be wrong.

I believe God had me “zero in” on this word “scruple” because he was showing me, even thought Adam and Eve had “consciousness” they had a consciousness that wasn’t “scrupled”.  They had no reservations, second thoughts, misgivings, or reluctance.  They lacked the understanding and insight to act prudently.  There was no wickedness in their heart.

Didn’t Eve say to Satan, “God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die”?

My question is:  “Was she parroting what she had been told?”  Can a person repeat something without any conviction or real understanding?  Can a person be proficient in reading text but not comprehend what they have read?   

Can a child parrot a curse word without knowing it is a curse word?

We must look at Eve as “innocent” or “simpleminded” in her understanding.   Eve is approached by Satan- “one of the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made.” (Genesis 3:1) Satan “directs” her to the fruit she has ignored up to this point.  Eve evaluates the fruit by what she knows of fruit.  It looks fresh and delicious.   Satan speaks of “good and evil” but she doesn’t know or understand what is “good and evil.”

Is the simple minded Eve curious? Were Adam and Eve creatures of curiosity?  Are children curious? Do they touch things and examine things?  Do they ask curious questions?  Obviously if she saw the fruit was pleasant to her eyes and the tree was good for food, she was “inquisitive” in her observations.  Isn’t that how Satan gets many people hooked and ensnared, he uses their curiosity.  What we might consider “common sense” doesn’t seem to be there in Eve’s case. 

Satan also used one other thing against Adam and Eve; he used their lack of fear towards God.  If Adam and Eve, were as indifferent, innocent, and unapologetically sincere as I perceive and we compound that with the lack of knowledge of good and evil- How would they fear God? They would know God as their creator but would they have “wisdom” of Him being Holy?  Where does “wisdom” BEGIN?

    

 Proverbs 9:10 says,

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Where is the fear? Where is the wisdom? Where is the knowledge of God being Holy? Where is the understanding of God being “supreme ruler over” all creation?