“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6)
Even when you know it’s coming, this verse still hurts. Up until this moment, Eve and then Adam could have turned back, could have decided to trust God instead of the lie forming in their own hearts.
Did you noticed the two motives we’re given for Eve’s choice to disobey God?
One, the fruit looked good. I like this quote from David Paul Tripp: “Sin lives in a costume; that’s why it’s so hard to recognize. The fact that sin looks so good is one of the things that make it so bad. In order for it to do its evil work, it must present itself as something that is anything but evil. Life in a fallen world is like attending the ultimate masquerade party.”
Second, she believed there was a good for her that didn’t come from God. She decided that forbidden fruit held some benefit (wisdom!) that could not be found on the path of God, in obedience to him. But no such good exists. The only truly good things in life come from him – or don’t come, at all.
Think: How often have you chosen sin because the package it was wrapped in looked so good? How often have you believed that some good thing was waiting for you outside of the will of God? How can we avoid falling into these traps again?
Pray: Ask God to help you to see through the costume beauty of sin to the ugliness underneath. Ask also that he will help you to be convinced that no good thing exists for you outside of his will.
Do: Read James’ take on the birth of sin and God’s gifts of goodness in James 1:13-18.