Sometimes in our Christian life we run into situations where it would seem more beneficial for us to sin.

We think we will go hungry if we don’t steal some food, We’ll lose our job if we don’t fudge the numbers., The ugly truth will be discovered. If we don’t lie.

Brothers and sisters, the way of the world may look more sensible and satisfying at times, but let me tell you something, God wants better for you.

When we encounter experiences like these and choose to sin, that is really a crisis of faith. We doubt that God can provide for us, or pull us out of the predicament we’re in. So, we take it upon ourselves. Proverbs 3: 4-5.

Let me tell you a story about the apostle Peter, when he was in a tough spot, and God showed himself faithful.

Acts 12: 1-10. “Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to Harass some from the church. Then he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the days of unleavened bread. So. When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers; and the guards before the door were keeping the prison. Now, behold, an Angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; And he struck Peter on the side and raised him up., saying, “arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. Then the Angel said to him, “Gird yourself and tie on your sandals”; And so, he did. And he said to him, “put on your garment and follow me.” So, he went out and followed him, and did not know that what was done by the Angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they were past the 1st and the 2nd guard posts, They came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened to them of its own accord; And immediately the Angel departed from him.

And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I knew for certain that the Lord has sent his Angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.”

In that dark, dark prison cell, his close friend having just been executed, him slated to be next, chains on his wrists, and a soldier on each side of him; What Christian, do you think appeared to be the most advantageous in Peter’s eyes?

I can think of one, renouncing his faith in Christ. If he had done this, he most likely would have been released from prison and accepted back into the synagogue. Life could have continued on as normal for Peter, a peaceful existence, fishing on the Sea of Galilee, raising a family and building a legacy.

Other than that, his head was soon to be separated from his neck. So, what did Peter do? Did he take the easy way out? No, his response to this crisis can best be described in his own words.

1Peter 4:18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”

Amazing words. Peter put his confidence in the Lord, and God proved himself trustworthy.

Brothers and sisters, if we follow the apostle’s example, then God will do the same in our lives as well. It may not be anything as miraculous as an Angel busting us out of the slammer, but He will show up. Trust God and always put Him first, and He will work things into your life you never thought possible.

 

The Tree of Knowledge of good and Evil.  

All scripture taken from New King James Version. 

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The tree. Whose fruit ruined humanity. The tree that scholars have been studying for thousands of years. What is this tree, and why is it so important? 

Genesis 2:9. States “And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

In the midst of the Garden of Eden, God’s paradise for humanity, set two trees. No one knows what they looked like or how tall they were, but we do know the purpose they served and that one was special. 

 Genesis 2: 16. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat” 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die 

That tree was restricted because eating of it would bring about death. It was the most important first and only command God gives before the fall. This order brought the possibility of sin into God’s creation. 

It wasn’t the tree itself that had held any power. It was what God said about the tree that changed its nature entirely.

God had a knowledge of sin. He knew what sin was. How could he judge sin without knowing what it is? How could he make a sinless world if he didn’t know the definition of sin? 

This does not mean. God is sinful. 1John 1:5 (NKJV). Clearly claims This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 

How can a holy and absolutely sinless God have knowledge of sin? I must admit that I have no idea. I personally don’t think the human conscience can begin to comprehend the mind of an omniscient being like our God. The finite is simply unable to understand the infinite. 

 I want to make a distinction between the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 3:22 says Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”—

Two trees in the midst of the garden, one which eating of it brought life: Eternal life. The other sin and death. The choice was there for Adam and Eve to make. When God created a being outside of himself with the ability to make its own choices. The possibility of sin immediately entered in.

This tree represented that possibility. It was like the Pandora’s box of the Bible. It was the doorway into an utterly different world. The rise and fall of humankind were based singly on their decision concerning this tree.

What made the tree that way? Was it created like that? No. Before God banned us of eating from that tree it was just an ordinary tree, the Bible says it was even good for food in Genesis 3:6.

In fact, let’s go over that verse because it reveals some very interesting aspects about this tree. Genesis 3:6 reads “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eye, and a tree desirable to make one wise. “let’s stop right there. Three aspects of the tree are named here. Let’s take a look at the first one. It was good for food. What does that mean? How could one know that something is good for food without eating it first? The Hebrew word for God, [H3978] ma’ăḵāl can also mean fruit[i]. Therefore, this could simply mean that she saw it bear fruit. Eve had eaten plenty of fruit before and the presence of fruit in the tree would have meant to her that it was good for food.

Next it was pleasant to the eyes. This was a beautiful tree. it looked amazing. Its leaves were a healthy green and its fruit was plump and ripe. I like to think of it as a tall, majestic tree with delicious looking fruit dotting it. When Eve beheld it, it enticed her.

Lastly, it was desirable to make one wise. I believe this was just a presupposition of Eve. Like I said earlier, the tree had no power. Eve simply assumed because of Satan’s lie that the tree would make her wise. If Eve had known what would happen after she ate of that tree, I believe she never would have done it

In the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil were murder, rape, war, hatred, jealousy, and strife. Sin and separation from God were held in this Pandora’s box and Eves one decision unleashed it upon the world

This tree symbolized something that is still prevalent in the lives of every believer today. A decision against God is an enticing object which is luring us away from our Lord. I’m sure you have one in your life, so do I. We all have one.

It may be a beautiful lady who lives next door to you. It might be your friend’s new phone or the cigarette in your momma’s purse.

They are pleasant to our eyes, desirable, enticing but we must remember that they are forbidden.

Watch out for this tree. Every day you encounter it. It stands before you in all its splendor and the enemy whispers in your ear to take partake of its fruit. Do not listen to him, remember what God has said and steer clear. The fruit may seem great but will only bring death.

 

[i] Outline of Biblical Usage: food, fruit, meat