Some astute questions one might ask at this point in the creation narrative are:
We must recognize that the potential consequences contained within the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil were not inherent to the genetic makeup of the fruit itself. The physical properties of the fruit did not contain a sort of allergen that caused a hyper-spiritual reaction, and the tree just happened to find its way into creation.
Rather, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was a unique physical object that was placed in the garden as a test for the man and woman regarding a choice of obedience. The LORD gave a command and a warning concerning the tree – do not eat from it, and if you do, you will die.
A decision would be made: Would the man and the woman choose to obey God’s Word …or would they choose to disobey?
Remember that the man and woman existed in a state of innocence. Living in a garden of paradise, all they had known was blissful harmony with each other, nature, and their Creator, Yahweh. They had no concept of the death, destruction, and decay that would ensue if mankind was separated from God through disobedience. Thus, obeying God’s Word and believing that the consequences that He warned of were for their best had to be taken by faith.
Today, God’s Word warns mankind of our separation from Him. It instructs us to avoid the eternal consequences of our separation by the same means as in the garden, by believing God’s Word. God’s Word instructs us to place our faith in the Person and work of His Son, Jesus, for the forgiveness of our sins.
The apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:17, “…the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous will live by faith.” Throughout history, faith has always been the means by which one receives God’s approval that culminates in salvation (Hebrews 11:1-40).
You must ask yourself, will you, in faith, choose to believe God’s Word?
Key Ideas, Principles, and Applications
