The Choice

“Did God actually say…?”—Genesis 3:1

The first choice that our first parents ever made happened in the Garden of Eden. God had made everything and it was “good” (Genesis 1:31). He had made Adam and Eve and gave them full reign over the Garden. They could go anywhere and eat anything they wanted, except, that is, one thing—they were not allowed to eat from the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil,” because “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Adam had been in the Garden a bit longer than Eve, so it is no surprise that God’s mortal enemy, Satan, showed up, targeting Eve.

He presents himself as a serpent, addressing her with a question, “Did God actually say 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?"—Genesis 3:2. Satan’s question was meant to cast doubt on the goodness of God. He wanted Eve to question whether or not God’s command was the right thing. He wanted to make her believe that God was withholding something good from her. Eve responded by saying that God had given them all of the other trees in the Garden from which to eat, but to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil meant death (Genesis 3:3). It’s at this moment that the story takes an interesting turn and Satan goes in for the kill. He says,  

“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil"—Genesis 3:4-5. 

Why would she believe that she wouldn’t die? What would make her think that if she ate from it she wouldn’t die? I think the answer lies in the next verse:  

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate”—Genesis 3:6.

Why did Eve think that she wouldn’t die if she ate? Or that it “was to be desired to be make one wise”? I think it was because Satan was eating of the fruit of the tree in her presence. She saw him eat and he didn’t die. And he was talking! A serpent was talking! None of the other animals talked, but this one did! For these two reasons, Eve must’ve questioned God’s goodness at that moment, which resulted in the most disastrous choice that has ever been made. All creation fell at that moment, and man and woman were destined to die from that day on.

While the decisions that we make on a daily basis are not as cataclysmic as Eve’s, we face choices that are equally as important nonetheless. Day after day, Satan tempts us to question God’s goodness: Do I marry him/her? Do I take that job? Can’t I look at any porn at all? Do I sleep with him/her? What’s the harm if I cheat on that exam? Do I take that drink? Why shouldn’t I watch that video? Do I eat that food? Questions circle us like vultures around a corpse, waiting for us to sin, to give into the temptation, which is an affront to God’s goodness. But we must be aware of Satan’s schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11) and realize that he will continually use our fallen desires against us so that we might continually live in bondage to sin. My brother or sister, this must not be! We must call sin what it is: a lie! It’s a lie! Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44)! He is lying to you whenever you hear that small voice say, “It’s okay. It’s not that bad. No one will notice, and it’s going to be so nice. I promise.” Call it what it is, a lie! Don’t give in, not even for a moment! Remember what the first sin was! It was not murder, adultery, pedophilia, theft or rape. It was one bite of the fruit! One sin brought about the fall! And one sin is an affront to a holy God!

Let’s put on the glasses of truth, which is the Word of God, and ask our Savior, our Lord Jesus, to give us His vision, His clarity. May we see sin for what it is and forsake it! Tattoo this verse to your heart and tie yourself to this promise,  

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it"—1 Corinthians 10:13.

God will give you a way out! He will give you a way out from sin! You don’t have to do it! When God provides you an open door to flee from your sin, don’t wait, run through it! Don’t give in to the lie that sin is, but fill yourself at the table of His delights, feasting on the wondrous truths within His Word so that you may be able to resist the evil one and delight in the knowledge of who He is! Amen.