What others think about the tree of knowledge of good and evil

A look at some articles on WordPress gives us an idea what people think about the reasons why God placed a Tree of knowledge of good and evil:

The Mystery Revealed who writes:

The reason why He placed the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden is because He wanted an honest and healthy relationship with Adam and Eve. He did not want to hide anything from them. He wanted them to know that in life they have a choice. God made Adam and Eve aware that they had a freewill to choose to believe God or eat the fruit.

God didn’t create the tree to tempt them with evil, God created the tree of knowledge of good and evil tree to show them what evil was. It is kind of like a parent who wants to teach their child about the ugly side of life so that they are not naïve about the reality of the world. {Why would a good loving God put a tree of knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the Garden of Eden?

The universe as we said in the previous articles has contrasts, like darkness and light, tranquillity and movement, to some activities it may look bad but is not really so bad, like the showers of God can be a blessing, though now not always felt as a blessing. At first those contrasts did not hinder or were not felt as something bad.

Man did not have to know what was evil or bad, but the elements had to be there, having braking chaos into order, and making elements into being. We do not think God ever intended for us to know evil.

A “revert” to the Catholic Church remarks:

There is nothing in tradition that claims the “tree of good and evil” was evil. In fact it wasn’t evil, it was good. The tree symbolized that it held the knowledge of what is good and evil. God told Adam and Eve not to acquire this knowledge of good and evil. The command was, “refrain from the experiential knowledge of good and evil.” {Did God Create Evil}

There are too many people who want to see the bad thing about such an element of knowledge, be it a book or a tree. We can have a library full of knowledge and in all those books can be hidden treasures, all sorts of stories, nice ones but also horror stories. Good and bad in a big collection.

Adam and Eve had already all goodness in front of them. They had no reason to go looking for the badness.

In order to know good from evil, one would have to know evil. {Good vs. Evil Part 2: Knowing Good from Evil

writes Exchanged Life Ministries which thinks like us that originally God intended for us to know and experience ‘good’ and to enjoy the beauty of the creation.

Because the fullness of God’s presence was on them, their souls were completely satisfied.

Lust was never an issue for them. {Good vs. Evil Part 2: Knowing Good from Evil

Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil עברית: חטא עץ הדעת – ד”ר לידיה קוזניצקי (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

God gave us free will and allowed us to choose. Esther’s Crown does find a problem in this given liberty.

We think we can “choose” good from bad. We elevate ourselves above YHVH who has already defined Good from evil. {The Tree of Life}

That was the original problem, not the free choice, but the willing to be on the same line as God or even to be higher than the Divine Maker, willing to control everything oneself, not under the guidance of God.

Placing ourselves in the “choosing” business creates confusion because all we are really looking at are the “good and evil” choices before us from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. But, in reality, there is only one choice we are intended to make – choose obedience, choose life! Eat from the Tree of Life. Yeshua is Life. He is the Living Torah. It’s not about choice, it’s about obedience. If we obey Torah (YHVH’s instructions for Life) we don’t have to stress over “right from wrong” and there is no place for confusion in our lives. He has already defined it for us. A simple example is how He defines what was given for food in Leviticus 11. Just because something is “edible” does not mean it was meant for food, nourishing our bodies without harming it. {The Tree of Life}

We are easily distracted with trying to choose between good and evil. Much time and energy is wasted pursuing the “quest” and finding ways to justify our desires. {The Tree of Life}

We ourselves can not make the choice to eat or not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, (like she gives the impression), but we can ‘eat’ from the Tree of life. Those fruits are prepared for us. Jeshua did not cut the tree of knowledge of good and evil, neither did he cut the tree of the Law. Jeshua grew onto the tree of the Law and his fruit frees us from the original consequences of sin, which is death, but brings us back to the original Law of the Garden of Eden, God’s Garden with God’s commandments. Those commandments are there to be respected by those who come under Christ Jesus.

Our response should be to get away from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and run toward the Tree of Life. Torah teaches us what the fruit of the Tree of Life looks like. Don’t look to the right nor to the left. Stay focused on the Living Torah, Yeshua Messiah! He did not end that which He gave as instructions for life – He clarified its proper application. His sacrifice restores a right relationship with the Creator and brings us into eternal life. His resurrection empowers us to walk in life, not death. But, He defines what is right, healthful living, not us. {The Tree of Life}

Already very fast after the death of Jeshua (Jesus Christ) those in power wanted to nail the teachings of the Nazarene Jew Jeshua on the cross, the symbol of the god of evil Tammuz and get the people back on track of the Greco-Roman gods, with a plurality of gods and elements being worshipped.

Constantine and the early Church Fathers rejected the Torah and anything that resembled of Judaism. They cut off the Tree of Life from the people and planted the Church upon the roots of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Man now determined what is good and what is evil. They mixed and mingled it with pagan beliefs and traditions, mixing Biblical truth with false beliefs and idolatry, but calling it all good by putting a “spiritual” twist on it so we can feel good about the belief or action. {The Tree of Life}

We do not agree with her that

Perhaps the original intent was intended for good, using a cultural concept as a means to redirect thinking toward a Biblical truth, but sadly, the end result is always the same – a belief system built on partial truth. {The Tree of Life}

It was, according us, intentionally done and still preferred so,because than they would have the people on their hand and everybody could keep up to the pagan traditions, without feeling guilty or feeling on their own because of not joining in the pagan celebrations. But it is just there where we have to make choices today. It is there were it is all about being of this world or of being of Christ.

The ‘Divine spark within in us’ allows us to know right from wrong and the ability to choose between them, but not like the Presbyterian RevJanice believes we would be nothing more than puppets on a string or animals that have to follow their instincts.  We , like the animals have an instinct or inner feeling, but God gave us extra brains and abilities to do more than animals and plants. God gave the humans the right to order that flora and fauna. the reverend thinks

being given the ability to make choices has meant an immense amount of heartache for the world, because all too often we make the wrong choices.  But oh how wonderful it is when we make the right ones.  I know when I have made the right ones, because that is when I feel God’s presence wrapped around me like a warm blanket fresh out of the drier. {Knowledge and Life}

At a certain moment it was like Adam and Eve lost the presence of God in their midst and let their ideas wonder away from their Maker, tasting their own lust.

God had breathed the breath of life into the beginning of mankind and when the 1° Adam felt lonely He gave him a companion and helper that was needed.

 In the creation of the woman, God’s replication of His image and likeness was made complete.  In the creation of the woman, marriage was born. {Genesis 3:1-22 – Marriage}

With that action we can understand that God has an eye on the relationship between the elements in His creation.

Two become one in mind, body, and spirit.  The connection between a husband and wife is unlike anything else.  God is all about relationships, so we find strong and significant connections with many people in our lives.  {Genesis 3:1-22 – Marriage}

Though god was there in the garden, they did not want to take notice of Him, but preferred to listen to their own voice, the temptation from within, the creeping serpent by which evil came unto man.

Their failure to trust God and His love for them, led to their rebellious choice to eat of the tree’s fruit.

As a result, we are all keenly aware of evil as well as the great enemy: SELF.

Self is insatiable; it always wants something more or new and different.

Lust takes over and brings about sin, which brings about death.

{Good vs. Evil Part 2: Knowing Good from Evil

When they got to deep into their own thoughts of wanting to become as knowledgeable as God they lost their innocence and got cursed by their choice to go astray, not obeying God, who knows best for man.

From the beginning of times there has been made an hierarchy by the divine Creator, bringing division in the chaos. God spoke and it came into being and was placed in the phases of evolution (day 1-6) Between the elements and all the living beings there was a relation.  There is also one between God, man, and nature.

Before the Fall of man,  Adam and Eve were in a very close relationship with God.  Adam was basically God’s right hand man.  God told Adam to name all of the animals.  Adam was the middle man.  He represented God to nature, and represented nature to God. {Hierarchy of God, Man, and Nature}

The relationship between Eve and God might have been different than between God and Adam. Eve was made out of Adam, and therefore part of Adam, but if she was not to blame we would not say.

After the fall, Adam lost his position of being God’s representative.  He would have to instead work for nature.  Eve, would now be blamed for the bad things she did, also having to endure childbirth. {Hierarchy of God, Man, and Nature}

The relationship between man, plants and animals also changed when the relationship of man with their Maker got damaged so much that God had to take action and set an example. God was not giving up His position but was well aware that man doubted His position, so He did not mind giving them even more possibilities to govern the world. By casting them out of the Garden they where placed in a world were they would be able to arrange everything themselves, but had to feel the consequences of their actions.

Though god still wanted to get the relationship in good order and provided therefore a solution with the seed of the woman. But everybody had to know that the Most High Maker always shall be the Most High divine to be recognised and respected as the Ruler of everything.

It was because of our foolish act that we do not get to enjoy the wonderful times that Adam and Eve did with God. {Hierarchy of God, Man, and Nature}

writes Perissa, but she should know that we still can go to that marvellous relationship between God and us, and between God and the world.Now we are stuck with the many choices which pull us from one to the other site. Nobody can escape temptation. Like it was important how Eve was to deal with it and how Adam had to respond, so it is also important for us to make the right choice and choose the right way to deal with it.

We all deal with it in our own ways, but we all have it. Temptation in and of itself is not a sin, but all too often it quickly turns into sin through our indulgence. Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire, when that desire is allowed to continue it gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death (James 1:14-15). We all have desires in our hearts that lead us down different paths. Unfortunately those desires are wrapped in flesh and if we are not careful they can lead us straight to sin. Have heart though because if you are with Christ you died with Him when you entered into the watery grave and we believe also that we live with Him upon being risen from the water, just as Christ rose from the grave (Romans 6:8). When Christ died he died to sin once and for all and we must also consider ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ. We must not let sin rule in our body by obeying its passions, for sin no longer has control over us (6:10-14). {Temptations are common}

We all have the 2° Adam taken up his position so that we could be liberated. Everything been given to the world makes us living elements in that world to choose either to be of that world or to make the best of it living in it but like Jesus doing not his own will but doing the Will of his and our heavenly Father. We have to choose in which direction we want to go, either that of the world or that of followers of Jesus Christ and lovers of God, looking forward to a restored relationship with God. In any case we have the best mediator between God and man, Jeshua, Jesus Christ the Messiah.

Still the message from the Old Times is going, we having to be the mirror image of God, requested to be also ‘imitators’ of the divine.

It wasn’t God’s fault for putting the tree there. It wasn’t God’s fault for warning them. It was Adam’s fault and Eve’s fault for being disobedient.

And giving in to sin is still our fault today. If you went to see Fifty Shades of Grey, it’s not God’s fault for allowing the movie to exist. It’s not some Christian blogger’s fault for making you aware of the movie or warning you not to see it. It’s your fault. You were tempted. You gave in to sin. (The good news is that if you will repent, God will graciously forgive you.)

As Christians we are to be imitators of God. “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:6) That means that when we see sin that could easily ensnare our brothers and sisters, we don’t turn our heads. We don’t mind our own business. We don’t keep our mouths shut to be polite. We do the same thing God did time after time in the Bible. We run into the fray to rescue those we love. {The “Forbidden Fruit” Fallacy}

We would not say or agree with us

not to blame if there are those who choose to charge headlong into sin rather than heed the alarm we sound. {The “Forbidden Fruit” Fallacy}

We should try to open the eyes of others, getting them back on track. We should help others to see the direction signs or road signs to the Right Way again. And that Way is Jeshua the Messiah.

Rena of Esther’s Crown’s Blog gives us good advice:

I encourage you to consider the doctrines you allow to guide your faith. Shake them through the sieve of Biblical truth from Genesis to Revelation. Just try assuming for the test that Torah still applies to our walk and see how many Scriptures now make sense, and how many doctrinal issues fall through the holes of the sieve. Look to how Yeshua taught Torah was to be applied. He did not redefine or reject Torah. Instead, He rebuked how the Pharisees had redefined Torah and made it a burden for the people.

Matthew 5:17-19 “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or tittle shall in no wise pass from [Torah], till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Choose Life! {The Tree of Life}

 

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Preceding:

Genesis – Story of creation 5 Genesis 3:1-12 Eating of the fruit-tree of knowledge

Genesis – Story of creation 6 Genesis 3:13-24 Enmity and cur

Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 1

Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 2

Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 3

Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 4

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Find additional articles by other writers and from other denominations:

1. Two Trees
2. A History of Trees: Genesis 6:9-22 (Sunday’s Sermon Today)
3. The Original Sin
4. The Sacred Trees in the Garden of Eden
5. The Mythical Serpent in the Garden of Eden
6. A story of two trees
7. Apples, Anyone?
8. Grumpy Old Git on Garden of Eden
9. The “Forbidden Fruit” Fallacy
10. Forbidden Fruit, by Tammy Cardwell
11. Where I could hide… on Forbidden Fruit
12. Abidanshah on How to deal with the forbidden fruit

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