The forbidden tree and the exercise of our free will

By Rev. Dr. Maria Seaman- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

Forbidden trees. They have existed since the beginning. Why did God place that forbidden tree there? Have you ever asked that question?

Why was there a necessity for a forbidden tree in the first place?

Was God tempting mankind by placing the tree in plain view?

I do not believe that God has a problem with questions.

Actually, I believe it was the lack of questioning that caused Adam to eat what he had never eaten before. Can you imagine that?

What would you do if you were seated at a restaurant table and the waiter came and delivered an appetizer that you had never seen before? Would you just eat the food and ask questions later. I doubt it.

If you see something in front of you for the first time, you will probably ask the following questions: what is this? What does it taste like? Is it spicy?

The tree in the middle of the garden represented choice. That tree represented freedom of choice, as God, Elohim, the Creator, relinquished His grip on calling things as they appeared and gave men the power to choose.

God could have made a wall around the tree. God could have had angels guarding the tree, thus preventing mankind from touching it.

Instead, God laid aside His authority in order to allow mankind to demonstrate just what they would do with their authority.

Wow! God could have made mankind robotic, simply pushing their every button to determine each and every move.

God could have made mankind free of their free will and established mankind to operate in complete obedience, having no choice in the matter.

Genesis 2:16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Yet, the evidence is clear as God warns the couple that they can have everything but the tree in the middle of the garden, which had the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil.

One rule. Yet, with a choice before them, they forfeited obedience and took the fruit.

Mankind is no different today. We can tell our children that they should avoid the tree.

Yet, with the tree in front of them and the tree pleasing to their sight, you see that mankind continues to make the choice to disobey God.

Let’s be clear. Everyone has a tree in his very own garden that he must avoid.

The tree could contain the fruit of lies, the fruit of rage, the fruit of hostility, the fruit of laziness, or the fruit of contention.

The list goes on and on and on. You must be careful and identify your own tree and the fruit thereof.

What my tree is and the fruit on my tree may not get your attention at all, and vice versa.

That is not what is important.

What is vital is that you avoid taking of the fruit which opens up your life to evil.

Yes, the tree always looks good and we presume that the fruit it will bring forth will be good, but since you take of the fruit in disobedience, the result will be evil.

Yes, the money tree looks good, but if you open up the evil gate of stealing, killing, or destroying to get to that fruit, it will surely lead to more sin and more death.

Yes, the fruit looks good, but will it bring forth good through you, to you, and then towards others?

You have heard older folks say, “Show me your company, and I’ll show you who you are.”

They were simply talking about whose garden you were currently planted in and hence the type of fruit you would bring forth.

Many want to say that we should not judge someone. What the Bible is clear about is that when we judge we must remember that we will also be judged.

The Bible also tells us that by their fruit we will know them. Bermuda, be careful of the tree in your garden.

Of course, I mean the one that can take you out of the presence of God forever. Respice finem. n