Disobedience to God

 Gen. 2:17
​​ 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.

The fall of Adam and Eve points to a tree placed in the garden. The tree was put there for a purpose. God does all things with a purpose. The tree of knowledge tested man’s obediences to God, the one who created them. The command was simple, “Don’t eat this fruit”. God’s commandments are given for man’s good.  A tree with fruit that God forbid them to eat. The fruit was no doubt a fruit to be desired. Eating of the forbidden fruit would open Adam and Eve to the dark evil ways of sin. It was not so much the fruit itself, but the disobedience of Adam and Eve that caused them to plunge into darkness, causing their hearts now to seek the pleasures of evil.  God made man a free moral agent, the ability to choose right, or wrong. God did not predestine Adam and Eve to make the wrong choice, they could have abstained from the temptations of Satan, but they choose to listen to the deceptive lies of Satan and disregard God's words. We all have choices to make each day. Sometimes choices are made without all the information, but such choices are not willful disobedience to God’s word. But, “Thus saith the Lord.” are made clear in His word. Our human judgment may falter, but we can have a heart perfect toward God. Draw close to God, and He will draw close to us. Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and do what He saith. 

Bleeding of the Sheep

1 Samuel 15:14  
And Samuel said, What meaning then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?

Doing good deeds to cover up sin will not work. Saul was given direct instructions to destroy the enemy and all they possessed. His ambition to save the best for himself backed fired on him.  He thought he fooled God and got away with his actions by justifying his actions by saying he was doing it to honor God. Good intentions are not good if they go against the commandments of the Lord. Giving offerings to the church or some charitable organization does not do away with committing sin. Eternity is not determine by the balance of good deeds out weighing evil deeds. When God speaks, it is best to trust and obey. The word of God makes it clear that the only way to eternal life is through Christ. Seeking the approbation of God by any other means is futile. Walk in the light, follow Christ, and obey His voice, and the bleating of the sheep will have eternal benefits.

What is Sin?

 2 Samuel 12:9 Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight?

Sin, a total discard to yield to the commandments of the Lord. When did David’s action become sin? At what point did David disobey the commandment of the Lord? Some would say it was when King David stayed home from the battle, or when he went to his roof top and his eyes were fixed on Bathsheba. It might have been when he took that second glance. Jesus said, whosever looks on a women to lust after her has committed adultery in his heart. David’s action did not become sin until his desire overcame his knowledge to do what was right. We face decisions everyday to do what is right. Some of those decisions are clear cut because God has already revealed in His word what is right and what is wrong. There are other choices that we make that are neither right or wrong, but are made with good intentions and current knowledge. We might find out later, that it was not the right choice, it was a mistake, but this is not sin. To him who knows to do right and does it not, to him it is sin. Let us always walk in the light, be led the the Spirit, that we may always do what is right in the sight of God.

Where Are You?

Gen 3:9  And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

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Our life is an open book to God. There is nothing that we do or say that He does not know. We may be able to keep them hidden from other human eyes, but there is nowhere to hide from the eyes of God. He is a God of love and even in our disobedience He seeks to find us. God desires that we come out in the open and confess our unbelief, our sin, our disobedience. The wages of sin is death, but God has provided a way for us to return back to Him. We who have lived in darkness, can come into the light of God love and forgiveness. The debt has been paid, Jesus died for the “apple” we have eaten. We don’t have to find a place to hide from God for our shame, He calls us out, “Where are you?”. Come out from living in darkness into the marvelous light of God’s grace.