There is a widespread opinion that Adam and Eve offended God through sexual misconduct. I don’t think so. It would be easy today for most of us to do that because we have inherited the disordered flesh that resulted from their sin. However, before they disobeyed they were perfect. Being perfect, they would not have had difficulty with bodily desires pulling against the conduct they knew was proper for them. What was the cause, then, of their offense against God?
I think it was pride. Since they operated through the spiritual nature God gave them, their bodily instincts would have been easily controlled by their intellect, and passion would have had no sway over their spiritual nature. They were simply told not to eat the fruit of one tree. It was a test of their wiliness to obey God. There was no stirring of their flesh to devour this fruit, no appetite that became difficult to discipline. What happened is the Devil appealed to them saying “God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will become like God and know what is good and what is bad.” That’s why they ate it—so they could be like God. That’s the lure of pride.
Ever since Adam and Eve’s act of disobedience, they and every one of their descendants have had first-hand knowledge and experience of both good and evil in their lives.
Maurice A. Williams
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