In Genesis 2:17 we read: "
but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil". There are two groups of people: The Calvinists and the Mormons who believe it was God's will for Adam and Eve to eat from this tree. The Calvinists because of their belief in man's basic state of depravity and the Mormons because of the NT passage that says we are Joint Heirs with Christ. The problem with this is nothing in the Bible even comes close to suggesting that we should do what God tells us NOT to do. The story makes this very clear that it was the snake a manifestation of the serpent that deceived Eve into doing what God said Not to do. Then people claim that Adam could not live without Eve so he followed her in her sin so that he could remain with her. There is NOTHING of any substance to back up this romantic idea. It just sounds good to people. It looks to me like the story of Adam and Eve has picked up 6,000 years worth of baggage. Jesus warns us to be careful: “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6) There seems to be a lot of leaven in this story of Adam and Eve. Perhaps we need to verify what we believe and not just go along with what appeals to our sense of romance and what feels good.
God told Adam not to eat of the tree because he would die.
This was not I will punish you, but a warning it had deadly consequences.
The advice was from God, so to be trusted, except the snake implied an ulterior motive.
God created this dilemma, on purpose. Trust God or risk everything and go the way of death on ones own.
Maybe Adam was bored, not much to do, so experimenting with fruit just seemed the right thing to do.
How many children if they have all the toys in the world, and you say do not play with this one, you will get
hurt, those kids will go ok and not ask, why not.
What parent would leave something lying around that will kill the child? Is that good or bad parenting?
Or are you actually not being really honest and setting up a choice of trust, follow me or go you own way
which I have told you will end very badly.
Has man stopped this propensity for adventure and risk over being safe and sensible?
No, not even for a second. We try, find the limits, go over them, work out ways round them, push them,
bend them, invent new ones, but just accept them, almost imposssssible.
So here I go is this an actual story of a historical event or a representation of what we are like?
Talking snakes are not something we know anything about.
But the characterisation of what we are like, 100% correct.
But to enter eternity we need to establish the relationship of trust and love, and move beyond the desire
to explore ignoring the consequences.