Genesis 3:6, commentary and pictures

The woman judged the tree as good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise, and moved by appetite, curiosity and ambition she ate and gave to her husband with her and he ate. Eve was deceived and beguiled by the serpent, but Adam was not deceived and ate knowingly in rash transgression of a positive command. There was nothing poisonous in the fruit itself, for the sin was not in appetite as such but in disobedience setting the will against God, and though the act looked small its smallness does not lessen it because disobedience itself is ever a great offense. Through that eating sin entered the world and death by sin, opening the floodgates of woe, suffering, guilt, sorrow and ruin upon the race. Christ began redemption just where Adam failed, meeting the first test on appetite in the wilderness after forty days and nights of fasting and resisting where Adam yielded.

Garden Setting and Test

The woman judged the forbidden tree by a threefold appeal, that it was good for food, pleasant or beautiful to the eyes, and to be desired to make one wise, and moved by appetite and by curiosity and ambition for forbidden knowledge she took and ate and gave also to her husband with her and he ate. Her earlier addition that they must not touch it gave the tempter opening to argue the command false, and her desire to improve her condition and gain wisdom led her to distrust God's goodness and disobey. The fruit tasted pleasant and seemed to give a vivifying, exhilarating, quickening power, so she imagined she was entering a higher, more exalted, angelic state of existence. Seeing no immediate harm or death and feeling no ill effect but a pleasurable sensation she mistook for exaltation as the angels felt, she grew bolder, lost fear, plucked and ate further, and set her experience and feeling against God's express command.

All wants had been generously supplied with permission to eat freely of every tree but one, for only the tree of knowledge of good and evil was prohibited under pain of sure death that day, leaving them perfectly free to obey and live or believe the tempter and disobey, so their choice was unnecessary, ungrateful, unbelieving and without excuse. The tree of knowledge stood near the tree of life in the midst of the garden as a check upon self-indulgence and a test of loyalty, obedience, faith and love freely chosen while on trial and exposed to temptation, with promise that if they endured they would finally be placed beyond Satan's power in perpetual favor, holiness and happiness extending to posterity, watched by the whole universe. Their failure to resist brought knowledge of sin and guilt instead of the wisdom sought, loss of the covering of light, and subjection under Satan's jurisdiction with supremacy over the race.

Eve was alone at the tree after unconsciously wandering from her husband during their pleasing daily garden labor, though angels had cautioned she would be in less danger with him than alone. Absorbed in her task she felt apprehension at being alone but dismissed her fears, deciding she had sufficient wisdom and strength to discern evil and withstand it. She gazed with mingled curiosity and admiration upon the very beautiful fruit, questioned within herself why God had withheld it and became jealous that He had withheld what was really for their good, and lingered instead of fleeing, which gave the tempter his opportunity by steps of wandering, lingering, listening and daring to doubt whether God meant just what He said about dying. The serpent was then one of the wisest and most beautiful creatures, winged and flying from place to place, eating fruit like a human, resting in the rich-laden branches and regaling itself with the delicious fruit as an object to arrest attention and delight the eye, having dazzling brightness with the color and brilliancy of burnished gold. It spoke in a musical voice with subtle praise of her loveliness, so she remained wonderingly to hear, expressed astonishment at its power of speech, and had no thought that the fascinating serpent could become the medium of the fallen foe, whereas a being like the angels would have excited her fears.

Before transgression the creation made through Christ was perfect and pronounced very good, without spot, stain, confusion, clashing, disease in man or beast, taint, corruption or imperfection in the vegetable kingdom, filled with peace and holy joy. Work in the garden was pleasant and not yet burdensome, they had communion with God and angels with God and holy angels as teacher, surrounded by divine light and clear beauty where every flower, shrub and tree fulfilled its Creator's purpose and everything seen was lovely filling the mind with thoughts of God's love. Even a place with a holy beginning like the garden God made beautiful and holy is not protected from temptation or human sin, for Satan found entrance there to counteract divine love and left sin and disobedience, showing holiness of place excludes neither tempter nor tempted.

Serpent and Deceptive Methods

Satan came into the garden disguised as a serpent, judging that form best adapted for his line of temptation, and he worked by cunning and deceit rather than force or intimidation. His methods were flattery, envy, distrust, questioning and unbelief, false witness against God, denial of death, and mysterious insinuation, and he is able to enter even refined circles. Speaking through the serpent he lied against God and bore false witness of the Creator, exalting himself in preference to God until the sinless pair were so fully seduced they could not discern the power leading them into apostasy.

He could exercise no power over them while they obeyed God and kept His favor, so they had to be led to disobey, forfeit that favor, incur His frown, and come under his direct influence. To do this he insinuated against God's truthfulness, created doubt whether God meant what He said, excited curiosity, and led them to pry into the unsearchable plans of God and to reason about the cause of His restriction concerning the tree of knowledge. He shook their confidence in their Creator, leading them to doubt the wisdom of His government and the justice of His laws, clothing the Creator and Benefactor with his own cruelty and presenting liberty under his own mild sway in contrast with bondage imposed by stern decrees. In this he misrepresented God's character as unjust, severe and tyrannical, to lure souls away from allegiance and excuse his own malignity and rebellion.

He charged God with withholding by forbidding the fruit of the tree of knowledge the wisdom that would make them wise, working to make them jealous of God and to distrust His love and wisdom. He pressed the suggestion that in forbidding them to eat God was defrauding them of rich blessings, honor and exaltation that were theirs by right, and that same work of temptation is still carried forward zealously against those not watching unto prayer.

He denied the death penalty and led them to think God does not mean what He says, with Eve accepting the claim she would not suffer the penalty and falsely believing God was too kind to punish her. Her earlier addition that they must not touch the fruit gave him opening to argue the command was false, and he assured her eating would harm her no more than touching had. Because touching brought no death and she perceived no evil result she grew bolder to judge the tree good for food and desirable to make one wise, and that same deception that disobedience brings deathless impunity still slays thousands.

He gilded temptation with attractions and glorious prospects, promising opened eyes and godlike knowledge, power, wisdom and liberty, mixing truth with falsehood to make disobedience look like a blessing and make God appear unkind and withholding great good. He stirred desire for speculative forbidden knowledge to improve their condition, with the hope of gaining higher knowledge and even equality with God helping deceive Eve into distrusting God's goodness. What was promised as great good proved instead to be knowledge of sin and guilt, degradation and curse, with evil and death coming through disobedience and the loss of their Eden home and covering of light.

He worked by sophistry, false reasoning, deceptive science and a kind of hypnotic power, substituting lying sophistry for Thus saith the Lord. He won confidence by seducing statements and subtle mysteries meant to infatuate the mind, substituting his own misleading statements for the Word of God and misquoting God's Word to substantiate error. Through supposed wisdom presenting disobedience as making wise he perverted understanding, spoiled spirituality, tainted spiritual perception, and charmed the mind with attractive representations bringing spiritual blindness and a controlling spell.

He deliberately drew them toward the one tree God had forbidden, using persuasive arguments to lead them to do the very thing God had forbidden. The danger lay not in approaching the other trees but in eating from this one against God's command, for the tree of knowledge was the only tree by which he could endanger their safety. He tempted with seducing attractions, wily insinuations, artful sophistry and strained attention to catch one clue to allure into controversy, the same strain he later brought against Christ who met it with It is written and gave no opening.

He used the talent of speech to deceive and work against God, so using speech to deceive follows his example, whereas God gave speech to be used for His glory.

Eve Deceived and Adam Yielding

Eve was beguiled and deceived by the serpent into believing something most desirable had been withheld that would make her as gods knowing good and evil, and seeing the tree as good for food and pleasant to the eyes and to be desired to make one wise she took and ate, while Adam was not deceived as she was. His eating was inexcusable rash and presumptuous transgression of God's positive command, committed with full knowledge after doubts arose whether God meant just what He said, and because his wife had sinned. Sadness came over him with fear and astonishment, for he recognized the warned foe and felt sure Eve must die and they must be separated, yet in utter discouragement he resolved to share her fate rather than be separated and seized the fruit and quickly ate and fell with her. That transgression opened the floodgates to the world, and any who yields even in little things will be taken as birds entrapped in the snare of the fowler.

Adam understood Eve had broken the only prohibition given as test of faithfulness and love, but he trusted what he saw and what she told him rather than trusting God. Because his love for Eve was strong and he feared being separated from her who was part of himself and his joy, he chose to share her fate instead of believing God could provide for him. He reasoned the serpent's words might be true because Eve stood before him beautiful and apparently as innocent as before with greater love and no sign of death and no immediate ill effects, and fear of losing her overcame love, gratitude and loyalty to the Creator. His constancy and integrity began to waver as he listened to her recital, he was sad and troubled and tempted unable to see what would become of her, and forgetting that the Infinite Power who formed him from dust and in love gave him a companion could supply her place he rashly ate.

Having transgressed herself she became Satan's agent for her husband's ruin, coming to him in strange unnatural excitement with hands full and prevailing upon him to eat also. She told him no harm had come to her but rather a pleasant influence and a vivifying delicious exhilarating power thrilling every faculty with new life, related the serpent's words and claim, and urged him to eat and risk the consequences until he was persuaded. She judged the tree desirable as food and attractive to look at and able to make wise, and after eating and seeing no immediate harm she gave to Adam with her and he ate. Her earlier addition that they must not touch gave opening to argue the command false, since touching brought no death she grew bolder, and tasting pleasant she imagined entering a higher state like heavenly messengers and lost all fear and took more.

She set her pleasurable sensation and supposed wonderful experience, which she imagined was as the angels felt, against the positive command of Jehovah, and Adam permitted himself to be seduced by her experience to transgress. Feeling and supposed experience stood arrayed against God's express command, which did not prove the serpent true or cancel the command, and it establishes the pattern still followed when men and women follow inclination contrary to expressed will and claim divine leading for it, while true experience is always in harmony with natural and divine law. Eve's course revealed distrust of God's word and goodness, suspecting He had withheld something good though He had provided abundance and beauty, and a desire to be independent to do as she thought best and be a god and a law to herself acknowledging no restraint. She judged for herself what was right and wrong, hoped eating would raise her to higher knowledge and equality with God and angels and enlarge understanding, viewed the serpent as a friend caring for her welfare, and sought to penetrate all-wise plans and question wisdom beyond what was revealed; if what was said had been told to God deliverance would have come.

She imagined yielding would make her wonderfully wise and highly exalted and happy, freeing her from ignorance and narrowness by having her own way unrestrained, and that gratifying appetite would bring happiness. She was deceived, for the promised opening of eyes and knowing good and evil came as curse of sin, and she lost all the glories of Eden. The pursuit exchanged heavenly wisdom for frail human judgment, where a little knowledge fostered self-conceit while deeper knowledge of self and God would restore sound judgment and anchor on truth, since the way to true happiness is self-denial.

Nature and Gravity of Disobedience

Genesis 3:6 records the first human disobedience, in which Adam and Eve transgressed God's law and express command by eating the forbidden fruit, and that one transgression was the fall, breaking allegiance to God and making them sinners. They were on probation and could retain happiness only by remaining faithful to God's law, and yielding left human nature so depraved that people had in themselves neither power nor inclination to resist Satan. Their disregard of the prohibition, though concerning one particular requirement, was transgression bringing fearful consequences, demonstrating the sacred, unchanging character of the law and that God carries out what He says, with the need for Christ's sacrifice to redeem from its penalty proving it further. Through that one act woe, guilt, penalty, misery, ruin, sin and death came upon the world, beginning humanity's loss of original purity and subjection to the curse, and even transgressions in seemingly little things begin to lead the soul away, for right and wrong are the same for men and angels despite different spheres. Their listening to the enemy brought guilt and sorrow and led the Son of God to leave heaven, endure rejection and crucifixion, and give Himself to save from sin's penalty, while inhabitants of other worlds who have power to eat from a forbidden tree have not done so, for if they did they too would fall.

There was nothing poisonous in the fruit itself and the sin was not in appetite as such but in disobedience setting the will against God, for the fruit had no peculiar harmful or injurious quality but was merely God's single prohibition and test of loyalty to prove faithfulness and fitness. Eating would not have been sinful before the prohibition, and the test was small requiring little self-denial since all wants were provided, so failure showed disloyalty and inability to bear a stronger trial. Satan made disobedience look like blessing and God appear unkind and withholding great good by mixing truth with falsehood, promising opened eyes and godlike knowledge and power, and Eve believed, revealing distrust of God's word and goodness and desire to be independent, to do as she thought best, to be a god and a law to herself acknowledging no restraint, then becoming Adam's tempter with Adam drawn in through her urging. The promised opening of eyes and knowing good and evil came only as the curse of sin, and though appearing the smallest sin the act made her a transgressor and opened the floodgates of woe, warning that even the slightest disregard is sin bringing death. Eve chose because appetite, curiosity and ambition overcame reason, seeing it good for food, pleasing to the eye and able to make wise, though warned and having abundant good food with no need to disobey, so the choice was unnecessary and inexcusable, bringing loss of innocence and ruin and showing appetite and passion as moral dangers, with everyone yielding to indulge appetite contrary to law for supposed gain finding fearful loss. The same ground where Adam stumbled Christ afterward passed over, fasting forty days and nights in the wilderness meeting temptations in every way greater yet not swerving a hairsbreadth from allegiance but gaining victory by the Word, leaving Satan beaten and opening the way for every son and daughter of Adam to gain victory in Jesus' name, proving men in own strength cannot overcome.

Though the act looked simple, minor and small, even the least test that could be given requiring little self-denial, its smallness does not lessen it, for it is not the greatness of the disobedience but disobedience itself that is the crime and ever a great offense; even the slightest disregard brings death and proves God means what He says and does not overlook disobedience. Adam reasoned that just eating that beautiful apple would not make him lose Eden, and Eve fell after Satan insinuated doubts of God's wisdom and accused Him of selfishness for prohibiting the tree to test loyalty, with Adam accepting from his wife's hand, beginning in purity and holiness, connected and beloved, abundantly supplied in pure undefiled Eden with holy sinless nature, more favorably situated than Christ as second Adam, yet falling under the smallest test by listening to the enemy. That one little act lost the beautiful Eden home, opened the floodgates of woe, brought expulsion, and all violence and crime now existing can be traced to it, a fearful evil whose effects are felt through all time. Sin was then new, so their disobedience was of far lesser magnitude than any violation of justice and mercy in word or practice now by those having its result before them, and unfaithfulness in least will soon if uncorrected lead to transgression in great, teaching fathers, mothers and educators to make obedience a higher branch of education after Christ's life of obedience. The awful consequence and the guilt requiring God to give His Son from heaven to die that fallen men might keep the law through His merits and blood exalt the law and prove its sacred character, exposing as the same false excuse the plea now used to break the Sabbath in the bosom of the decalogue — that God is too merciful to punish and that good and great disobeyers make it safe — which is as guilty as stealing, murder or adultery, as is keeping Sunday for the Sabbath.

By disobeying they accepted Satan's self-seeking principle from heaven's rebellion, breaking God's law of unselfish love and service, enthroning Satan where God should be, becoming a law unto themselves with their own will as law in direct opposition to the Lord's standard, taking sides with the first great rebel. Adam was placed under God at the head of the earthly family to maintain heavenly principles for peace and happiness, but in sinning through self-indulgence and ambition he broke from the heaven-ordained center, yielded willing homage to the enemy, perverted powers, replaced love with selfishness, weakened nature till resistance became impossible, chained men captive to a chosen ruler, and filled earth with misery and desolation, beginning gratification of ambition and selfish hopes that has proved mankind's ruin to the present. The temptation came by Satan's false statement that he could attain more than enjoyed and be as God Himself, sowing seeds of selfishness showing all sin is selfishness, a grasping for self-exaltation that is a species of insanity. Human ambition seeking forbidden knowledge for glory, exaltation and supremacy snapped God's restraint asunder and began education under the teacher of lies to gain the knowledge God refused, the practical knowledge of evil by its consequence, the tree becoming an instrument of death whose partaking means death. That course repeats age after age when curiosity seeks the tree thinking to pluck what is most essential, accepting woven dogmas, false theories and flattery about higher education, which like Solomon's research proves vanity and nothingness, foolishness beside the science of true holiness opening the gates of the city, against which stands Christ who planted the tree of life whose leaves heal the nations, with any present violation of justice and mercy a sin of far greater magnitude than Eden's since sin was then new.

The first Adam acted as a free moral agent who began in purity, holiness and innocence, capable of appreciating God's wisdom and requirements with full liberty to yield or withhold obedience; they were not irresponsible machines moved to disobey but could have refused, so eating was their own choice and man must cooperate with God in salvation. Created innocent and holy yet not beyond possibility of wrongdoing, free to choose good or evil, able to keep innocence by living by every word and refusing the strange voice telling a different story, they had will and power to resist under one test that eating would bring death, while enjoying communion with God and holy angels and permitted every other tree with the tree of knowledge near the tree of life as check upon self-indulgence, the fatal passion at Satan's fall, to test obedience, faith and love before being rendered eternally secure and placed beyond Satan's power in perpetual favor. Abusing freedom by appetite, believing Satan's lie and disobeying express command, Adam cost himself innocence, made himself sinner by own free choice, separated himself from favor, perverted and defiled what was pure and godlike, making necessary Christ's propitiation and perfect life to elevate humanity, and opening floodgates of woe making many sinners with depraved posterity, though more favorably situated than Christ.

Adam yielded directly contrary to God's express command without calculating results, not in defiant mind nor speaking against God but simply going contrary to expressed will, and disobedience to expressed will constitutes sin as virtual denial of God; God enjoined obedience in Eden as the condition of salvation enjoined on every person. He did not stop to consider consequences, and the greatness of the act is not what constitutes sin but disobedience to expressed will, a virtual denial and refusal of the laws of His government, to be studied beside Gethsemane where Christ consented to do the Father's will and bear the curse consequent on transgression, showing what Adam's disobedience involved and what the Son's obedience means. The same obedience required of the first parents He now requires of every son and daughter, accepting nothing less than perfect obedience, and the sacrifice of the Son was not to abolish the broken law of Jehovah but to establish it, men holding false ideas against God and law because wanting an easier way than resisting evil, choosing fables rather than truth. When tempted they disobeyed and fell, putting the family with few exceptions under service to Satan, doing his work, wearing his uncomfortable galling yoke and bearing disagreeable heavy burdens, which Christ as Substitute and Surety met by obeying all requirements to give another trial and show how to obey the Father not the enemy, leaving those with clear light now no excuse for denying authority.

The account is authentic history of the fall and introduction of sin, recorded fully because justice requires faithful narration, for warning and instruction to save from deception; sincere belief in the lie did not save Eve from penalty, for condemnation comes from not believing truth and neglecting opportunity to learn it, and whatever contradicts God's word proceeds from Satan. The Bible supplies this knowledge rather than human conjecture or unreliable theories, and without this true account of creation, man, the fall, the earth and the covering cherub the mind is left to fables, bewildered by false theories, subjected to superstition and falsehood with enfeebling of intellect as sure result of entertaining error. The law was given in Eden with penalty clearly stated, and taking and eating brought sad results and sure punishment, teaching obedience is required, wages of sin is death, retributive justice never fails, and strict regard for commandments is exacted. Eve ate because she believed Satan and disbelieved God, and disobeying is always disastrous despite sophistry, so hearts must be set to know truth, all placed on record being for warning, neglect bringing ruin, with searching its jewels and tracing sacred history step by step giving intellectual strength beyond philosophy, developing mind by clear light from the throne and presenting a boundless ennobling field far above unsanctified imaginings.

Acting presumptuously by transgressing while trusting God's love would save from consequences is not faith, for true faith trusts His love by obeying. Presumption led the first parents to break the law relying on great love to save them, whereas faith would have trusted love and obeyed commands, and claiming favor without meeting conditions of mercy is not faith. Nothing was taken from God's law by the fall, whose principles existed before and remained unchanged, with additional precepts given for the fallen condition.

Fallen World Under Satan

Through that eating sin entered the world and death by sin, opening the floodgates of woe, suffering, guilt, sorrow, misery, ruin and crime upon the world. One wrong step brought unforeseen evils and began a lasting chain of harm and a succession of falls ever greater, comprising all deceptions, prevarications and misrepresentations in temptation, so that yielding even in little things entraps like birds in the snare of the fowler. Though the act looked simple and small, its awful consequence proves disobedience is not overlooked and mercy does not excuse or lessen guilt, and the guilt of that one sin required the Son from heaven to die to save the fallen race and make keeping the law possible through His merits and blood, exalting the law and proving its sacred character. The plea that God is too kind to punish is the same false excuse now used to break the Sabbath in the bosom of the decalogue, as guilty as stealing, murder or adultery.

By disobeying they became sinners, fell, lost Eden, were driven out and cut off from the tree of life whose fruit perpetuates immortality, with a flaming sword turning every way placed to guard the way. Open face-to-face fellowship with God, Christ and angels without a veil was lost, and moral darkness like the pall of death was cast over the world. From that point man wanders from the gates of Paradise for nearly six thousand years, subject to sickness, pain, sorrow, tears and death, and subject to the temptations and wiles of the devil under Satan's almost universal reign. No descendant of Adam has eaten from that tree, so there are no immortal sinners, and the consequence of sin is everlasting death with no hope of resurrection apart from redemption.

At once their eyes were opened and they knew they were naked, because the garments of light and heavenly innocence enveloping them disappeared when they sinned. The wisdom they gained was knowledge of sin and a sense of guilt, and feeling exposed they tried to cover themselves and drew about them dark robes of ignorance of God. They lost the clear light that lightened everything they approached, so they could no longer read nature aright or discern God's character in His works, and perfect knowledge of God was no longer revealed in the natural world as in innocence. Their eating forgot God's great love in giving life, a beautiful garden, pleasant employment and mercies, treating Him as selfish and unkind while charmed by representations that He was unnecessarily restricting liberty and holding back advancement.

Nature was blighted, marred and defiled by sin so it no longer gives perfect testimony of God, for brightness departed and transgression put separation between nature and nature's God. Marred by the curse, nature can bear only an imperfect testimony regarding the Creator and cannot reveal His character in perfection, though its remaining beauty and divine lessons still speak of its Creator when rightly studied, understood and interpreted. Beautiful Eden was degraded by the introduction of sin. Work became burdensome under the change wrought by disobedience.

Their fall gave Satan an advantage over the human race and appeared to thwart God's purpose in creating humanity, for through failure to resist they were brought under his jurisdiction and he gained supremacy over them. By eating they chose him as ruler, so the fallen race became his rightful subjects, he planted his banner in the midst of the human family, claimed victory over Adam and the race, and gained possession of this world making earth his kingdom. Through the senses he influenced the mind and gained control of man's power of action, effacing God's image and stamping his own satanic image in its place, so instead of reflecting the moral image of the Creator man became selfish and disloyal and sin became a universal dreadful evil extending down through the ages to the divided family and beyond. This made earth the very field he claimed on which the great controversy begun in heaven over the law of God was to be decided, requiring God to give His own dear Son, one equal with Himself, to bear the penalty, redeem man, rescue the world from Satan's grasp, restore sinners to favor and bring them back to the Eden home.

Eating caused wonderful degeneracy, loss of beauty, perfect health and symmetry, with appetite controlling reason and beginning a course of disobedience still followed. Noble in stature and perfect in sinlessness and health at first, they fell through temptation to indulge appetite and passion, letting appetite and passion rule over reason, which weakened the race and contributed to physical, mental and moral decline. The divine likeness was marred and well-nigh obliterated, physical powers weakened, mental capacity lessened, spiritual vision dimmed, and man became subject to death. Disease, deformity and imbecility now seen everywhere have steadily increased as effect follows cause, for men violate the laws of health and run to excess in almost everything while flattering themselves the consequence will not be as fearful as apprehended, and tendencies are passed to children.

By one man's disobedience many were made sinners and posterity became depraved, with selfishness replacing love, and without intervention humanity would have formed firm alliance with Satan. Adam lived nearly a thousand years among men as witness to the results of sin, commanded to instruct posterity, treasuring what God revealed and repeating it to children and children's children to the ninth generation, describing the holy happy estate in Paradise, the history of the fall, the sufferings teaching strict adherence to law, and the merciful provisions for salvation. Yet few gave heed, he was often met with bitter reproaches for bringing woe, and the grief of the family rupture ending in Abel's death taught that sin would be punished in every form. The fall was followed by choosing carnal desires and changing God's order, including multiple wives, bringing every kind of wickedness so that destruction by the flood became necessary, and the world's much worse condition comes from a succession of falls since Adam as immoral habits weakened physical, mental and moral powers.

Adam's death was not enforced at once because God's only begotten Son volunteered to bear human sin and provide atonement, foreseen before creation when Christ promised if man should fall He Himself would come and bear the penalty. Without that atonement pardon would have immortalized sin, and expulsion with angels toward the tree of life kept them from eating its fruit and thus immortalizing transgression. By listening and eating Adam opened the door through which Satan could ever after gain access, losing the spiritual life that would have remained by continual endowment and breaking former communion so the Lord would not communicate as when Adam was without sin. Yet even after the fall a door of hope remained open through a Redeemer pointed to by typical atonement in offerings, and though fallen humanity in rebellion aligns naturally with Satan's side and every transgressor stands sold under sin in bondage unless repenting and converted, in Christ's strength through faith in His atoning sacrifice perfect obedience by which man is justified becomes possible. After being expelled from Eden for eating, they continued to observe the Sabbath.

Christ Overcomes Where Adam Failed

Christ took up redemption at the very place where ruin began, meeting His first test on appetite in the wilderness after fasting forty days and forty nights, nearly six weeks, with keenest hunger, and resisting where Adam yielded to desire for the fruit and ate, leaving Satan a conquered foe. The fall was a surrender to appetite, Eve desiring and taking and Adam eating with her, and its loss of Eden makes denial of appetite and passion and temperance in all things necessary to regain Eden. That yielding to temptation addressed to appetite is the point where Satan overcame a large proportion of the race, yet Christ's victory is assurance that human effort cooperating with divine power can also come off victor, giving moral strength to resist other temptations, preserving intellect to distinguish right from wrong and sacred from common, and forming Christian character instead of ruin through slavery to appetite.

Adam and Eve fell though placed under most favorable circumstances, with communion with God and angels, without condemnation of sin, with divine light around them and the Author of existence as teacher in Eden's beauty. Christ overcame after four thousand years in which Satan had gained strength and experience and fallen humanity had lost wisdom and power to resist, until appetite and passion, love of the world and presumptuous sins reigned. He met temptation in a barren wilderness among wild beasts, emaciated and marred and weakened by hunger, under a trial a hundredfold severer and more trying and in every way greater than that brought upon Adam, yet did not swerve a hairsbreadth from allegiance. His enduring the test they failed redeems their failure and makes it possible for man in all future time in His name to overcome appetite and other strong passions through divine strength joined to human effort, reforming physical habits unto obedience to God's law.

Adam stood the test in sinless perfection in the strength of perfect manhood with full vigor of body and mind, surrounded by Eden's glories and in daily communion with heavenly beings, with none of sin's effects upon him and facing a small temptation. Christ stood in Adam's place on behalf of sinners after ages of decline, after four thousand years of decreasing physical strength, mental power and moral worth, meeting the same tempter in the weakness of degenerate humanity. He took fallen but uncorrupted human nature, fallen but not corrupted, capable of yielding yet without sinful corrupt propensities, keeping from corruption by holding God's words instead of receiving Satan's, with divinity and humanity combined to reach the race with a human arm while His divine arm grasped the Infinite, His name the link uniting man to God. His steadfast allegiance kept Him from being reckoned with the transgressor and made Him a perfect example and help, having to take up the work where Adam stumbled and endure a test of the same character with far greater severity to redeem fallen humanity.

On the same ground where Adam stumbled Christ passed over the test and gained victory by the Word of God, living by every word proceeding from God's mouth, for Adam fell through eating because he did not live by every word and by that disgraceful fall lost right to the tree of life. He answered specious temptation with It is written, meeting the same appetite temptation after forty days and forty nights under trial one hundred times more trying with obedience that now brings fallen people back to the Eden home. Unlike Adam, who gave Satan advantage by reasoning with him and came under hypnotic power unto sin, Christ would not argue or parley with temptation or work a miracle to spare Himself, but conquered by meekness and humility and reliance on the Word, proving though meek and lowly and seemingly helpless stronger than Satan. Though weakened by His long fast He resisted with nothing in Him responding to evil, contended with darkness and won precious victories at every point where Adam fell, working out a way by which even the depraved may find pardon and peace through His merit.

His victory redeems Adam's disgraceful failure, for Adam yielded to appetite and lost what was entrusted, bringing the race under sin too weak in moral power to overcome by its own strength, and Christ stood in Adam's place and endured that test to break Satan's power and redeem the race. Adam stumbled and fell on appetite, on ambition and presumption, and on the attractions of the world, leaving the race without moral power to meet the law's requirements, while Jesus stood where Adam stood and withstood every point, bringing divine moral power to unite with human effort so every son and daughter of Adam may overcome through Him. That wilderness victory decides the future welfare of the world, refutes the declaration that no man can keep God's law, and shows man connected with Father and Son can obey every requirement and at last regain Eden. Adam fell under the smallest test God could devise because he listened to the enemy after Satan insinuated doubts of God's wisdom and accused God of selfishness in prohibiting the tree to test loyalty, though beginning in purity and holiness abundantly supplied in undefiled Eden and more favorably situated than Christ as second Adam, and his fall opened floodgates of woe by which many were made sinners and posterity depraved.

His suffering for transgression was meant to lead to repentance and obedience, not to excuse continued disobedience, while His righteousness makes efforts to obey acceptable and His perfect obedience to all commandments, living the law in humanity, stands as sample for all. He stands as Sin-bearer bearing human condemnation though undeserving, so those who receive Him as personal Saviour stand justified with imputed righteousness though unworthy, while the enemy still perverts senses by liquor and tobacco so people cannot discern good from evil and sacred from common. Adam in eating broke the commandments and lost connection with God, opposite Christ who kept His Father's commandments and came to bring moral power to keep them, and through overcoming as Christ overcame by perfect obedience people are brought back to the Eden home lost by disobedience.

Where Adam yielded his mind to Satan's device and took the wrong way, beginning the conflict ever since between right and wrong and God and Satan, Christ bore the same test without yielding one jot. From desert to cross Satan strove to overcome God in Him and inspire Him with his own attributes, yet Christ met temptation like a tempest with humiliation, self-denial and self-sacrifice, stepping lower as Satan's efforts increased, because the prince of this world found nothing in Him. He took flesh into vital union with divinity and passed over the same ground, tempted in all points yet without sin as living representative of perfect obedience, where failure on even one point would have meant Satan's victory. Connected with doing right there is a power Satan cannot overcome, for righteousness has divine vitality and truth will triumph at last over falsehood, and forsaking self and having faith in Him as the way, the truth and the life is the only valuable science.

Warnings for Present Obedience

Their disobedience stands as a warning that sin brings death and that divine justice in punishing transgression does not fail. Disregarding the expressed command was presumptuous, costing the Eden home and bringing sin and suffering into the world, and the false promise of a higher state did not cancel the stated consequence, showing the command is not optional nor laxly enforced. The knowledge offered through disobedience was not intended for humanity and was not true wisdom but objectionable, and when chosen and practiced it ends in eternal death, so craving that false wisdom evidences separation from God and rebellion. Adam's violation was direct even though he did not set out in defiance or speak against God, for he failed to consider consequences and brought terrible results, warning those with greater light that they have no excuse for denying God's authority and calling all to choose humble obedience over repeating transgression.

The fall began through indulgence of appetite and passion, with desire overruling restraint, and appetite was Satan's means then and afterward. The woman was drawn to the fruit, disregarded prohibition and ate, and that choice was no small matter, for by breaking allegiance guilt and suffering spread through the world, illustrating how yielding to appetite leads to grave consequences. The fruit itself had no injurious or peculiar bad quality but was merely a test of obedience, yet Satan tempted on appetite by promising no harm and increased knowledge, and yielding met terrible loss, as everyone who indulges appetite contrary to God's law for supposed gain will find fearful loss. Failure to resist insinuations emboldened the tempter to boast he could overcome Christ, and later indulgence repeats the first fall's suffering, physical decline, misery, crime and degeneracy across generations, lying at the foundation of all moral evils.

Denial of appetite and passion with temperance in all things is necessary to regain Eden, for gaining control over appetite gives moral strength to resist other temptations while slavery to appetite ruins and hinders Christian character. Intemperate desire caused the loss, but Christ overcame appetite under temptation to show victory is possible through Him, and self-control preserves intellect and strengthens mental and moral powers to distinguish right from wrong and sacred from common. Reform must begin where degeneracy is felt, by guarding appetite, with strict temperance coming before patience can be added. Indulgence brings physical debility, deadens perceptive organs so sacred and eternal things are not discerned, perverts moral powers, and produces declension in virtue and degeneracy chiefly attributable to perverted appetite. Unrestrained indulgence tends to sensuality and easier control by evil, since intemperance in eating and drinking leads to lower passions, disregard of moral obligations and little power of resistance, the same means used with Eve being used to lead Israel to murmur over flesh food. The same enticement works today to fasten the narcotic tobacco habit for palsying the brain, paralyzing sensitive nerves, confusing judgment, eclipsing eternal realities and enslaving will, while errors in food preparation, delicate unhealthful cooking and unhealthful dress weaken physical, mental and moral efficiency, crowd out meditation, Scripture and prayer, lessen piety and make overcoming impossible, requiring decided reform in every family.

God's requirements are founded in love and wisdom, and disobeying brings harm, for with every want generously supplied and only one prohibition laid, transgression was without excuse. His Word must be held sacred and His requirements obeyed implicitly, since sin lies in departing from expressed will even in a seemingly small matter, obedience protects happiness while choosing one's own way sets the will against God, and to walk contrary to Him is to have Him walk contrary to us, so the only safe course is obedience at whatever cost, even to retracting a rash pledge that would violate Scripture. Adam's violation warns not to repeat disobedience and indulgence, yet people continue to do so, bringing sin into the world and beginning a succession of falls. Though the act appeared minor and appealing to eye and taste, it broke allegiance and brought guilt and suffering, teaching that none can foresee the terrible consequences of a wrong step and all must guard against treating evil as good, and with Christ's victory of obedience and self-denial and the results before them, stumbling now is without excuse and serves as warning to shun that example.

Eve after transgression prevailing upon her husband established the power of one in wrong to influence another, bringing accumulation of misery, and those who let themselves be used to lead others into sin incur guilt for the sins they encourage. Wives and mothers have great power for good or evil, for mind influences mind and husband and wife lead each other, and temptation is never so dangerous as when it comes in affection and close relationship, so that when one views things in a wrong light the other follows, and even professed Christians will see evil prevail unless Christ abides in the heart. A wife must not follow Eve in leading her husband into sin, pride and love of show, but with firm hold upon Jesus be a true helpmeet, interested in his work, helping bear burdens, encouraging soul-saving, and leading away from sin into meekness and lowliness. A husband who accepts a wife's sinful suggestions repeats the fall, as when suspicion and evil talk are planted and agreed to, he eats fruit plucked from the forbidden tree just as Adam ate what his wife gave. Parents must with much prayer instruct children in God to keep them from eating that still-tempting fruit and keep them unspotted by educating submission to divine discipline and control, that loving truth they may enter the city of God through belief in Christ. Disobedience opened floodgates of disappointment, sorrow and suffering, and that lesson must be kept before tender minds to train obedience to all statutes, with parents and especially mothers as queens in the home rather than followers of fashion, for refusing to change, as in holding the first day instead of the blessed seventh-day Sabbath memorial, sets a bad example causing children to follow in that fall while God proves whether all will be obedient with single eye and clear perception.

False Knowledge and Continuing Snares

Satan moved against the first pair from envy after his own rebellion and expulsion, seeing in their happiness the bliss forever lost to him, and he determined to incite disobedience to bring guilt and penalty, to turn love to distrust and praise to reproach, to plunge innocents into his own misery, to dishonor God, to grieve heaven, to separate them from God, to bring them under his power, to make them his property, to make them disloyal like himself, and to establish his kingdom on earth.
His deception exalts man where God should be and works against God and His commandments, succeeding by questioning God's word and by flattering inducements, by specious seductive false science filling minds with questions, and that same delusive snare works today in so-called higher science, theories, sentiments, questionable theories, false representations and subterfuges that exalt science above God, lead men to distrust God, to give themselves to be educated by the devil, to transgress and be shut away from God, and to end in infidelity, instead of God's purpose that men and women be one with Christ as stewards doing His will.
That same specious working that used Eve as agent to entice Adam still gives control of every mind receiving its lies, now seen in discarding the holy seventh-day Sabbath for a spurious first-day sabbath with no Scripture, trampling the fourth-commandment memorial of creation, reasoning that a small disobedience will not condemn, believing Satan's lie rather than God's word, and accepting that sabbath is accepting the forbidden fruit and denying allegiance, even tempting and compelling others to eat it by working on the seventh day and resting on the first.
Eating the tree pictures taking worldly education and forbidden knowledge that leaves God out, seeking wisdom from godless authors, textbooks and infidel books instead of God's Word as the tree of life, a forbidden unnecessary knowledge that is not true knowledge nor wisdom unto salvation, that leads into forbidden paths, wearies minds to death, estranges, hardens, feeds vanity and pride, gives disordered imagination, produces centuries of darkness, is only wood and stubble to be burned, dies with the learner, and accepting false teaching about God like swallowing error as food or the theories of Living Temple is no minor matter but cause for alarm.
Presenting young people and young workers with Satan's deceptive polluting ideas is like placing that fruit before them and helping Satan ensnare souls, for which those responsible are accountable to God and face His judgment.
The forbidden fruit is indulgence in vile sexual practices including self-abuse and defiling handling of others, giving the fruit is teaching those practices to youth and polluting souls with vile imaginations, eating is partaking and entering habit charged as adultery even when literal adultery is denied, it also pictures imagined objects of lust in idle sluggish hours stirring lascivious desire, the fruit borne when men persist in wrong dishonest unstraightforward habits, and in practice faultfinding criticism watching for defects to condemn and peddle, which creates appetite for evil and desire to share it, while only knowledge of good is essential.
The same sophistry, hypnotic power, deceptive science and principles that shook confidence in the Creator, led to doubt of His government and justice, clothed Him with cruelty and offered liberty under Satan's mild sway, still works to deceive ministers, physicians and church members into sophistries and underhand courses condemned by law, into misrepresenting God's character, eclipsing His loveliness, tearing down His law, chaining men in bondage, misleading minds ever since, with every person on trial with Satan playing for each soul and Christ working for each soul.
By listening and eating and taking one step outside God's ordained path Adam and Eve left the door open to unbelief and came where they were subject to temptation and belief of a lie, and yielding weakens spiritually making the next surrender easier until repeated sin blinds and stifles conviction, while staying in God's way keeps obedience, communion and teaching by angels, purity and holy happiness, whereas occupying the mind with sophistry and strained misinterpretations leads into false paths until refusal to confess for dignity keeps one going till beguiling is easier and repentance becomes too late.
Through yielding they lost light yet were not left without hope, for God promised a Deliverer, Christ stood between the living and the dead to bear punishment and give another chance, what was lost through yielding can be regained through Christ, people need not remain willing captives but may by grace resist, distinguish falsehood from truth, stand on vantage ground with hand in Christ's hand, be saved and find access to God through pledged help of Father, Son and Holy Ghost when they call upon God.
Satan led them to doubt God's word and replace it with deceptive reasoning and false theory that led to disobedience, misrepresenting God as withholding higher education that would make them as gods, and that same sophistry still presents popular religion developing people into gods till no place for God or Christ, sets aside sanctifying truth for pleasing delusion when truth involves a cross, discards God's words for Satan's lie, rejects true holiness for spurious, makes void law and exalts human precepts, received as truth drawing away from obedience, weaving like deadly viper and hypnotism deadening sensibility so even listening is refused.
Craving that false wisdom is evidence of separation from God and rebellion ending in eternal death, for they chose Satan's offered knowledge through disobedience instead of obedience, gaining objectionable knowledge whose practice ends in death, and Eve's error in taking to gain withheld knowledge means impatient refusal to trust God, to wait for His salvation, to watch in prayer and find rest in communion, but rushing to other sources and familiar spirits to tear the veil, gaining only knowledge of evil, displeasing God, revealing lack of trust, and leaving the soul open to be led captive.
Appetite was a weak point even before sin, and with curiosity and ambition and intemperate desire to gratify taste it led to the fall, making appetite master over moral and intellectual powers and placing them outside favor, and after the Fall its power became more degrading and dominant as prevailing sin and Satan's most successful avenue, repeated by all who leave living waters for broken cisterns and fix eyes on earth, courting disease through stimulus clad in heaven's livery, disobeying, eating and dying, while appetite must not rule but can and must be brought under control.
They already had sufficient knowledge of God through creation and holy angels, and God intended them not to know sin, but seeking forbidden knowledge they lost all worth possessing and gained only acquaintance with sin and results, and if they had not touched the tree He would have imparted knowledge free from curse bringing everlasting joy, whereas disobedience estranged humanity, separated earth from heaven, brought death and cut direct communication, till Christ as refuge links again, a temptation prepared by Satan and fallen angels by false assertions and subtle theories as in heavenly courts.
Choosing to listen to the deceiver rather than to God who is truth confused the mind, weakened mental and spiritual powers, made people unable to appreciate freely given good, let another power work even a divinely created mind that had walked with God till it could not discern apostasy, for lack of keeping God's Word before them and diligent study left them unfortified, whereas heeding warning would have kept and guided them.
Satan succeeded in tempting the woman to distrust God's love, doubt His wisdom and transgress His law and through her overthrowing Adam, beginning side-taking with rebellion continued from Adam onward, and his unchanging method must deceive to succeed, working secretly under righteousness with glorious prospects for doing what God forbade, to mislead, hoodwink and blind, the same corrupting principles from heaven through human agents to corrupt world, empires and churches to the end.
After rebelling against God's government and being cast out he came to earth to draw humanity into revolt so warfare could be carried on here, led them to transgress, introduced sin, defaced God's image, estranged humanity and separated earth from heaven making a gulf Christ pledged to bridge, carrying forward rebellion by falsehood turning from allegiance, principles afterward worked out in the antediluvian world and Sodom, by false assertions and subtle theories as in heavenly courts.
He deceived the holy pair to separate man from God by deceptive reasoning, a method used in every age, blinding eyes, confusing understanding, captivating senses and misleading understanding so all appeared in false light and they saw only benefits in transgression, leading to disregard of plain light and warnings and imperiling God's cause, now blinding the Christian world about law's authority whose account will be settled when law is seen holy, just and good.
As father of lies he deceived through a brilliant serpent as medium disguising lies to gain acceptance by practiced falsehood introducing sin, profaning trust through lying claims, and works the same still disguising cheap miserable human theories to mingle with truth and stamp God's work, so the third angel's message must be given in straight lines free from every thread of deception and stand forth in purity.
Leading them to cast off allegiance and disregard law he does the same today by presenting loss obedience will bring, come in great power knowing time short with all deceivableness, seeking to deceive even the elect, his sophistry not to be taken as Bible truth, telling the opposite lie repeated by ministers that keeping law is falling from grace instead of bringing salvation.
He tempted Eve by promising disobedience would give liberty and freedom making her as gods, and the same foe with inviting appearance still solicits youth with glowing advantages drawing thousands to destruction, working to unite men in apostasy by a spurious sabbath under his leadership with another mark than God's.
He tempted with the fatal delusion that Christ has done it all so men need not keep law because done away at death, suggesting they could transgress and still be safe, whereas there is no being saved in transgression when light has shown it is sin.
Coming presenting falsehood as truth and messages purporting to be from the Lord to pervert right principles he still comes to God's workers to hinder work by leading to look to a man as example, his fallacy offering mental education appearing valuable but unsafe, foreign to Christ's Spirit, not leading to life but stinging to spiritual death through the serpent's charm.
His early deception through the serpent continues as he gains control of minds by disguising as departed friends, and the same Eden deception can recur through scientific devising with stealth to draw from warnings, for the holy pair ate at counsel of a visitor once the covering cherub hovering to seduce, the same seducing spirit still attending those departing from truth refusing to humble despite reproofs while associates are blinded.
The verse shows casting of evil seed how one reasons upon what was decidedly opposed to Scripture till viewing favorably till secured with evil confederacies, gilded with attractions securing great good, beginning effort to replace God's will with Satan's and supplying pattern for later transgression of law.
His success was successful experiment to gain control of appetite, since which he has controlled it and as author of disease assails where greatest success, stirring lustful murmuring as with the mixed multitude, overcoming the old world, Israel, David and Solomon, using appetite to claim the planet, deface God's image, plunge race into bondage and misery, exciting passions till almost obliterated, while Christ began redemption there meeting first test after forty days and leaving him conquered.
After disobedience he boasted to angels that Christ in man's nature would be weaker and he would overcome Him and thwart salvation, hoping cunning could make Jesus depart from the Father's will and preserve his kingdom, planning to overpower Him in fallen nature and prevent salvation, yet where they yielded easily Jesus remained steadfast choosing suffering and death in the Father's way so victory was complete as failure was complete.
Fallen people separated from God cannot resist in own strength, proving man cannot overcome alone, for Adam in purity and perfect strength failed, so Christ took humanity with weaknesses joining divine with human strength to overcome on their behalf and give strength in His name, coming from heaven to bear the test with It is written, with prayer bringing Jesus as Helper over clamoring desires, elevating humanity and linking to the Infinite.
Christ had to take up work where Adam stumbled, enduring same character test with far greater severity to redeem humanity, taking humanity with divinity combined, His name the link uniting man to God, suffering insult and mockery as man of sorrows to open provision, beginning redemption on appetite where ruin began, resisting under extreme hunger by self-denial, breaking Satan's power, bringing moral power to unite with effort.
Adam failing to endure though standing without taint in perfection separated the family into degeneracy, and the test he failed Christ bore four thousand years later in fallen nature's weakness to elevate fallen man, Adam's test having temptation removed as far as possible while Christ's had nothing removed even with strength reduced by forty days fasting, taking weaknesses, infirmities and degeneracy and humbling to lowest woe.
Adam stumbling when tempted Christ met by standing at humanity's head and passing over same ground in wilderness after forty days of fasting and prayer, resisting every point until Satan left defeated, unlike the holy pair readily departing from will, so temptation need not overcome them and in His strength they can resist, redeeming failure and placing family on vantage ground through merits of crucified risen Saviour.
The devil presenting evils to sinless Adam to cause sin still presents same evils which can and must be resisted on every point, requiring full determination, truth purifying mind and readiness so devil flees, with Jesus giving His life to help walk in the Lord's way, and by deceptive power against restrictions still working through enticers believers must not consent but pray, put will on God's side and seek grace.
Adam's fall under temptation brought curse of rebellion leaving world disloyal and marred by false representations, while Christ met same deceiver as angel of light under hundredfold severer trying circumstances, exposed misrepresentations as false, and by victory redeemed the fall and saved all who receive Him.
Failure under Satan's beguiling serpentine charm was complete in Adam yielding the will under fascination, while Christ met same crowning effort, laid hold of God, dismissed Satan, and His victory was as complete as Adam's failure.
Sinless beings ruined by charming deception which was seducing heresy warns same deception charms God's flock and must be met with firm testimony, for Eve charmed listening to brilliant sparkling ideas lost hold on plain word, and same charming steals faith especially in weary night talks when listening and acquiescing to minds influenced by Satan.
They yielded minds to the deceiver when they disobeyed and came under his influence, and unless God's mind becomes minds through obedience to His Word as true standard and the Holy Spirit's guidance, people are just as much under that influence.
Failing to render obedience to all commandments is opposite of what maintains spirituality, for God's people maintain peculiar holy character by obeying all and representing His mercy, goodness, compassion and love.
Eve beguiled through subtlety is pattern for how minds are corrupted from simplicity in Christ, which godly jealousy to present believers as chaste virgin fears lest same deception enter church.
Eating fruit of knowledge in disobedience to prohibition against touching brought death and opened floodgates of woe, in contrast to Tree of Life whose supernatural fruit is death's antidote giving life forever, now accessible only through redemption by Christ's blood.
Accepting wily foe's words instead of God's road is repeated by multitudes following man of sin in spurious sabbath led opposite from city of refuge, for they were overcome because they argued instead of holding to what God said, and had they kept repeating God's words they would not have been overcome, so none should argue with Satan but dismiss him and stand on declared word refusing unbelief.
As specious deviser he tempted with sophistries bringing spiritual blindness and controlling spell betraying those under it to mislead others and serve his purposes, working sharply to win mastery and encircle with power, and works just as sharply now to prevent deciding for Christ and changeless law.
Eve once deceived placing fruit in Adam's hand pictures how a spiritually blind person deceived passes erroneous conjectures as supposed new light, and Satan under serpent undermining faith is same work now done by men taking up ununderstood new theories sowing doubt and mingling tares with wheat, a life-and-death question requiring withdrawal unless repentance.
Adam's example of disobedience listening instead of God let Satan claim family and charge calamities upon God leaving feeling law cannot be kept, so Jesus laid aside robe and crown, became a babe clothing divinity with humanity to elevate moral value, give probation and teach obedience passing same ground and standing conqueror against angel of light.
The hitherto sinless pair becoming sinners because they believed serpent words instead of God's received lie that law was imperfect needing remodeling, same lie repeated by all proclaiming law abolished and teaching it matters not whether kept or broken, ever since receiving the tempter's words.
The original apostasy whose consequences must not be lessened brought alienation so complete its degree cannot be overstated, while Satan presents all in perverted light to make warnings of no effect.
Insulting Maker by believing Satan and disbelieving Lord calls teachers to study and practice Word instead of repeating it, after which God removed blessings, cut access to tree of life and gave gospel promise to send invincible Deliverer full of grace and truth to be received and worshiped.
Men still pluck and eat when perverting powers to selfish pleasures, corrupting being, spending for indulgences, liquor and tobacco as twin sisters with profanity from defiled temple, spending for unsanctioned education and holiday drink, and the lower estimate of body the less desire for purity and more reckless appetite.
Adam yielding to lying suggestions Christ in human nature could have yielded to as Adam did but did not yield one jot, leaving example that fallen man connected through same Source can stand firmly, partake of divine nature and stand pure, while Christ did not possess same sinful disloyalty or He could not be perfect offering.
Adam stumbling when man sinned and sold himself leaving men unable to redeem themselves calls for Christ as substitute to return guilty to loyalty, who took humanity over same ground meeting besetting temptations without swerving and making righteousness apparent as example, resisting claims sinners can be saved in sins to secure reward.
In rebellion through direct satanic influence since rebellion originated with Satan, who captivated senses and misled understanding so under spell they saw only benefits, they had light but refused Holy Spirit's admonitions and accepted another teacher, which would have kept them free.
Telling that questionable act will gain advantage and end justifies means, even bringing selfish theories into business to mar God's work and put false for true, dims spiritual eyesight so one unrighteous act paves way for second, weakening distinction of good and evil, tarnishing followers and making up much of history.
Those on earth fell by disobedience while inhabitants of other worlds have not fallen because they lived in strict obedience, their test same in kind with two trees they have power to eat but one forbidden, and eating would cause fall just as on earth, the fruit appealing yet bringing fall.
Deceiving away from true Counselor into spiritualistic sophistries continues through false theories clothed in light to deceive even elect, and when lives reveal defects Satan uses them to place people in false light, spending time recovering believers instead of advancing truth and keeping in uncertainty by false science.
Failure to bear slight test followed by terrible retribution warns against carelessness in little matters and talking liberality while not particular about requirements, for Satan bewitches mind so even with warning people keep defects and deviate from Christ as only standard, losing sight of true Pattern.
God created heart pure but Adam listened and did what was forbidden, and both fell from innocence, yet loving Lord with all heart would have kept obedience, and carrying out instruction converts heart, dismisses Satan and brings Christ's character.
Suggesting Eve's own way is as good as God's caused fall, and same deception still urges transgression with flattering self-assurance, leading many to set up own standard resting on attendance and emotion without daily self-denial and practical godliness.
Eating as transgression left them found as sinners, warning believers to turn to serve God and keep commandments, for sin is expensive business that cannot be afforded because its wages is death.
Eating was easy victory over human nature Christ took and in it vanquished Satan with Godhead hidden relying on God, turning Eden victory to humiliating defeat, giving all who accept privilege of overcoming same way with victory in proportion to faith.
Disobedience opening floodgates teaches obedience brings promises making men royal family, and light of law must be made known to protect family from repeating it, for careless disobedience deteriorates character, throws influence on Satan's side, perverts blessing and misinterprets God's ways, a pattern repeated in homes and pulpits educating transgressors.
Adam's transgression yielding to indulged appetite and unholy passion lost all and put race under appetite increasing until too feeble to overcome alone, so Christ entered as destroyer to overcome in man's behalf volunteering to tread temptation alone showing principle stronger than hunger and death, leaving victorious example in self-denial and firmness.
God enjoined obedience as condition and when tempted they fell putting family under Satan's yoke, while Christ as Substitute met same condition obeying all requirements to give another trial and show how to obey Father not enemy, whose burdens are galling and heavy.
Created pure Adam fell through appetite opening gulf, and Christ left throne clothing divinity with humanity to bridge gulf uniting divine with weakness so man can wrestle, overcome perverted appetite and stand in God-given manhood capable of self-control and constant progress with thankfulness.
Disgraceful failure under controlling appetite, one of three leading temptations, Christ as second Adam passed without yielding and redeemed, so by His victory in divine combined with human all who take hold can overcome appetite and come off more than conquerors on vantage ground.
Misusing wisdom and freedom to choose Satan's suggestions instead of holiness breaks commandments making void binding law, uniting with deceiver, repeated when people reject Eden Sabbath as mark of government for spurious first-day bearing mark of man of sin, acknowledging kingdom of rebellion and incurring penalty for abusing freedom.
Sin came from turning from plain Thus saith the Lord discarding God's words for Satan's, losing Eden, and same follows now in loss of heaven, demanding choice of sides, for history is truth not idle tales and transgression does not pay.
Transgressing by trusting stranger's words instead of God's, with fall on appetite one of three temptations, stands opposite Christ who overcame point after point enduring hunger without miracle and by living by every word brought moral power within reach so all tempted may overcome and partake divine nature.
Taking for common use what God reserved is partaking of forbidden tree, for God gave six days and reserved seventh as His time, so doing common work on Sabbath is eating as Adam and Eve did.
Feeding on God's word gives grace not to follow example, for word gives strength to walk in commandments and work out Christ's righteousness through abundant grace, while turning aside disobeying grieves God as Father yet He longs to embrace and gave Son so believers have everlasting life worth more than world, calling to accept mercy and study Word.
Man sinning selling himself hopelessly ruined unable to do good, Christ offered as substitute passing over same ground without swerving, for first parents overcome by appetite wrought bondage plunging race into misery, but at immense cost second probation provides escape through His blood as privilege to resist intemperance and reach higher standard.
The great apostate refusing obedience deceiving in Eden opened floodgates, and not choosing Christ ranges on wrong side under banner of darkness opposite obedience.
Fall was compassed when they believed his words instead of God's, and parents teaching God has no law work in his lines, as churches today believe Satan and reject God's words to sad result.
Gaining ideas God never wanted is snare still laid through innocent-looking love of music, concerts and joining unbelievers for sport and self-pleasing to entangle feet, so Christians must not place where temptation reaches but keep in God's love and walk closely.
God testing to see obedience decided destiny as He still tests all, and fall became occasion to excuse sin saying commandments cannot be kept repeating Satan's insinuation, which is false for Saviour with crucifixion marks witnesses law can be kept, men fail because they will not.
Placed under most favorable circumstances without condemnation yet falling on appetite, where they failed Christ achieved victory for race defeating Satan's object making it possible in His name in all future time to overcome appetite, with communion, light and Teacher against artful foe.
Much corruption is generally ascribed to the fall, and licentiousness itself is parent of much corruption.
By transgressing law humanity fell from original perfect holy state, and disease suffering death increased after fall, man vanquished yielding for temporal food at cost of disapprobation, while Christ as substitute conquers bearing trial without using divine power leaving example that man lives by every word, temporal want being less calamity than God's disapproval.
Free to disobey Adam chose to transgress bringing terrible consequences, first parents sin through which Satan gained sway as though kingdoms his, also beginning loss of true conception of God's character.
The first pair beguiled warns his arts can lead into sin, first transgression involving appetite brought evils aggravated by later violations of physical laws, while obedience safeguards body and mind against wrong habits.
Humanity yielding falling allowing sin to mar image through Christ's sacrifice can regain and have strength, though first parents led by desire for speculative knowledge turned from God, pursuit founded on disobedience turning from allegiance to improve condition.
Transgressing as men still do struck earth off from heaven making island cutting finite from infinite, Christ died to link again, win back to loyalty, placing every soul on vantage ground through divine nature, with no second probation after mercy closes, so none can afford transgression.
Eating forfeiting heaven separating man is why Son came clothing divinity to reconcile and bring back to law opening bosom to suffer and pay debt, his eating opening floodgates bringing loss requiring gift of Son with heaven's treasures opened requiring cooperation to extend truth, every transgressor sustaining others in sin to God's deepest injury.
Fall caused by prince of darkness divided world into two parties under Satan and Prince Emmanuel under bloodstained banner with no middle ground, and providence will bring out people under Christ as spectacle to angels and men.
Acting not under God's inspiration but with tempter inspiring came to look at God falsely, and Satan's falsehoods by misrepresentation stand on record in controversy over justice of law and claim of unfair treatment, which Christ could have brought when contending for Moses' body but did not.
After which Satan claimed princeship of air permitted to sow tares while God protects those desiring heaven's principles, and in mercy God preserved beautiful handiwork as specimens of Eden beauty to direct minds to God, for trees have no soul and God is not in them in person.
Placed with everything to lead to obey yet yielded marking ground Christ passed taking fallen nature subject to every temptation even in childhood meeting every inducement unyielding bearing cross of self-denial.
Enemy finding entrance at Paradise gates to bring sin means no seclusion shuts him out and wicked are everywhere, and seclusion cannot sanctify from moral defilement entered there.
Earth's inhabitants still plucking tree of knowledge corrupting ways brings misery and moral corruption, because of which God will soon sweep earth not with water but unquenchable fire and avenge elect crying day and night.
Tempting to eat meaning disobedience planted seeds of death, and before sin no noxious plant was in garden, but after sin poisonous herbs sprang up.
Fall caused by prince of air still works with deceivableness to control and take unprepared, yet Christ gave life because He loves world, and calamities do not mean no love.
Busily making man disordered through violation of physical laws he tempted to eat to lead to knowledge not enabling cooperation to preserve organs but weakening machinery so cannot act designed part, while God designs organs healthy harmoniously under intelligent knowledge and power from God.
Taking was not simple mistake at once forgiven as churches regard, for God created man for glory and cannot endure sin, will not tolerate slightest deviation, has given purest code to be lived, His standard high and Word immutable, and selfish practices abomination.
Tempting to believe lie same confederacy now tempts world to unsettle truth into skepticism, seen in accepting fourth commandment can be changed making whole law of none effect implying God not invariable truth.
First parents tempted by fallen angel same angel brings propositions through unconsecrated men, and consenting repeats yielding putting man's wisdom before God's.
Stumbling under test Christ took nature and passed bearing test suffering penalty to redeem as Substitute proving false claim man cannot keep law, his disgraceful failure Christ passed redeeming meeting without sin learning obedience to sympathize, succor and make escape so can endure and keep law.
Falling by refusing God's only provision to free from tyranny sinking under Satan, anyone thinking receiving Christ step downward is already down falling as Adam refusing appointed One who can save uttermost and lift into oneness.
The first sin involved yielding to appetite, with the woman drawn by fruit as good for food and eating, and appetite must not rule but wrong desires can and must be brought under control, reaching through pleasant desirable taste to disobedience and sin giving advantage to Satan and thwarting purpose, bringing loss of Eden regained only by temperance.
He overcame by appealing to appetite and they did not resist insinuations, and their fall emboldened him to boast he could overcome Christ in weaker human nature and thwart salvation.
Listening yielding bringing loss yet God did not abandon, promising Deliverer, for disobedience began listening to persuasive temptations bringing guilt and sorrow leading to Christ's suffering to save from penalty, and what was lost can be regained.
Eating from knowledge bringing ruin warns accepting good and evil mingled brings ruin, and departing from restriction to do what He told not with Adam following, though small, was planned to destroy by leading to follow imagination rather than revealed will requiring watchfulness, the same power in worldly associations leading into rebellion.
Yielding disobeying reveals sin lies in departing from expressed will even small, and obedience protects happiness while choosing own way sets will against God.
Desire became intemperate putting self-gratification ahead of command beginning fall, illustrating how appetite leads to disobedience and connects with growing disease, desiring what was withheld as not best, indulging unnatural desires that destroy, contrasted with seeking necessary life.
Disregard though concerning one requirement demonstrated sacred unchanging law and God carries out what He says exacting strict regard punishing with death, need for Calvary shows sin must not be trivial, and plea merciful God will not punish Sabbath-breaking is same false excuse as for stealing or murder, recorded fully for justice to warn that retribution never fails.
Through yielding light illuminating nature was lost, for they ate at counsel of visitor Satan once covering cherub hovering to seduce, same spirit still advising those departing refusing to humble despite reproofs.
Disobedience to direct prohibition opened floodgates proving God means what says, teaching to walk contrary is to have God walk contrary, so only safe course is obedience at whatever cost since requirements founded in infinite love, applied to retract even solemn promise violating Scripture.
Little sin proves restraint and discipline should be received thankfully not resented as too strict, and single gratifying illustrates lasting effects on others, for very little disobedience in pleasant-sounding words opened floodgates showing small brings great ruin.
Listening turns from Maker scorning mercies winning heritage of shame under black banner, and children of pious parents listening join apostasy and better never born.
Eating as violation greatest loss proving violation deepest injury, fallen man granted another trial only through sacrifice, teaching every soul to avoid and abhor sin holding better to suffer loss of all than depart from least command in view of sure suffering.
Disguised speaking to tempt charging withholding wisdom making jealous, Eve deceived and both ate, Adam persuaded though not deceived.
Disgraceful fall on appetite Jesus passed redeeming bearing test as Sin-bearer though undeserving so receivers stand justified with imputed righteousness though unworthy, while enemy still perverts senses by liquor tobacco so cannot discern sacred common.
Working cautiously so sin not detected until fell proves law unchangeable, for if changed Adam pardoned retained Eden and Christ retained in heaven spared becoming substitute to meet death penalty, instead Adam lost Eden placed on probation and seducing work goes on decided by obedience, Christ enduring hundredfold greater test proving law stands forever.
Divine law basis of all right conduct binding with reward and penalty, transgression to be plainly brought to rulers to realize amenability and magnify law, while Christ's blood only hope.
Transgressing express command driven losing Eden though abundantly provided beginning succession of falls, before fall Adam could form righteous character by obeying but failed bringing fallen nature standing against perfect obedience required showing why cannot make selves righteous.
Fall connected with Christ's mediatorship, opening scene in panoramic view above throne at final coronation with cross above followed by birth, baptism, wilderness, ministry, Gethsemane, crucifixion proving wages slavery ruin death not noble independence.
Fall caused by science of deception with wrong theories evaded truth confusing mind studied years to bring unrecognized to shut from God still used tracking people, so must watch and keep eyes on Christ to know His work, acknowledge worth, glorify name and enjoy presence.
Eating disobedience though small act proves seemingly small unjust act still sin transcript of heart, so fear smallest unfaithfulness, avoid least step, and transgression in responsible positions far greater, for smallness or commonness does not lessen offense, violating principles works on enemy's side and dishonors Christ under divine eye.
Sinning then tempting after Christ created world brings to light fellowship of mystery hid in God eternal purpose that manifold wisdom known by church to principalities.
Wilful departers hoping to gain flattering position as gods, Satan devised to ruin and make transgressor like himself from light and law.
Choosing selfishness instead of self-denial turning to tree opens heart to every selfishness instead of sanctification grieving God giving wrong conception of work, rather than daily sanctification in love to God and man.
Adam faced test whether obey not eat or yield to reasoning it made no difference, disobedience opening floodgates on same principle it makes every difference what day kept as Sabbath.
Indulgence leveled sacred common while denial lets overcome and become victor by effort, temperance keeping faculties healthy so intellect guides to right keeping, for indulgence perverts senses and intemperance caused fall from holy estate, yet Christ fasted nearly six weeks that man may overcome in His name.
Vainly attempting self-exaltation following own way gaining knowledge of evil at loyalty cost opening floodgates, while true exaltation only by obedience with no safety apart from Thus saith the Lord, walking humbly believing Word whose plans abide forever as only way to Paradise restored.
Acting independently doing what God forbade as Satan deceived then sought destroy controlling mind perverting senses covering transgression with desirableness promising as gods, tempting same today so followers refuse yoke yet invited to rest, unable to receive protection unless yoked to learn of Teacher.
Led by deception following same power of lie causing heaven's rebellion opening floodgates requiring restoration because Christ's life given so believers may become sons and labor to restore through truth adapted to wandering sheep.
Leader tempting Eve through her Adam from innocence to believe lie work continued with double earnestness because time short while God leads people to holiness and heaven upward.
Fall broke law dishonoring government so justice demanded penalty paid, Son pledged life for another trial without abolishing law to give unconditional pardon, for benevolence at expense of justice would exalt impenitent, while God still requires perfect obedience and sacrifice establishes law.
Obeying for supposed advantage believing wise as gods gaining only knowledge of evil losing purity giving race to enemy, same false gain coming to every soul stooping to dishonesty for selfish advantage in bribery and intrigue.
In eating broke commandments losing connection opposite Christ who kept Father's and came to bring moral power to keep them.
Test Christ in identical human nature without angelic powers passed over, who as God could not be tempted but as man could be tempted and yield, enduring to redeem, maintain sinless, refute lie men cannot keep law and show all may live by God's strength taking hold as He did.
Leading to eat same leading draws thousands through forbidden infidel books to forsake Scripture for nonessential education, taking education after world's wisdom grasping forbidden like seeking from authors with no connection estranges hardens feeds pride.
Tempted yielding to small temptation falling from integrity opening floodgates which Christ redeemed passing over resisting powerful series though tempted in all points standing where Adam fell forcing choice who follow, saving all receiving Him.
First Adam fell through reasoning with Satan giving advantage, as Satan exercised hypnotic power striving over Christ, who unlike Adam would not argue but conquered by meekness reliance on Word proving seemingly helpless stronger, resting in Father's love answering only Scripture leaving no chance.
Ground where fell sin entered Christ passed clothing divinity at head enduring all assaults without yielding once with world's salvation at stake having to conquer as man by It is written because words as man would be misjudged while as divine could not be.
After transgression God did not give new energies nor implant sinful propensities, but Christ immediately began conversion so through obedience man might regain image, have senses restored and new character formed, words purified and bias overcome.
Failing Christ as surety stepped from throne clothing humanity to be tempted on every point meeting author in wilderness after expulsion when Satan sought earthly kingdom, with Adam's temptation removed as far as possible while Christ's nothing removed even reduced by fasting.
Successfully deceiving when yielded influencing mind through senses gaining control so family made to reflect image lost innocence became disloyal selfish beginning downward career opening floodgates as universal evil influencing associates through ages, placed under Satan reflecting him instead of Creator.
Listening believing apostate rather than God light departed dark robes drawn bringing blight marring nature setting transgression between nature and God, yet object lessons not obliterated and rightly studied still speaks though fallen cannot gain perfect knowledge from nature alone, brightness departed from face of nature.
Fell on appetite by which Satan claimed princeship making race subjects, and Christ came into close contact to wrest heritage enduring forty days conquering in humanity evidencing to worlds foe found nothing responding to evil, making everyone able to overcome as He overcame.
Deceived because listened captivated blinded not seeing tendency meaning same sure deception falls on anyone listening unless eyes opened, danger when even mature responsible men change leaders from God to Satan under power upon youth and age.
Forbidden tree still tempting children requiring parental instruction to submit to discipline and keep unspotted to enter city and receive inheritance through Christ, Adam tempted yielding to small temptation falling from integrity opening floodgates Christ redeemed standing test in man's behalf.
Yielding mind taking wrong way beginning conflict ever since, in which doing right has power Satan cannot overcome because righteousness has divine vitality, between God and Satan raging still.
Treating taking as small because pleasant and desirable was not small but forfeiting allegiance opening floodgates showing how much evil from one false step, teaching not to fix eyes on earth but upward pressing through dangers until immortality with crown robe harp palm comes into view.
God's positive command and fall on appetite began Satan's persevering effort to ruin by appetite ever since, it stands pattern for command to abstain from wine teaching temperate habits to preserve powers because intemperance debases morals benumbs sensibilities leveling eternal with common so right not discerned.
Overcame on indulging appetite and still tempts there knowing power there as even tempted Christ, transgression brought misery with thousands prematurely grave as wrecks sacrificing powers to indulgence filling world with misery and crime.
Fall on appetite ambition presumption and world allurements left race without moral power, Jesus stood where Adam stood passing very ground meeting same leading temptations withstanding every point redeeming bringing divine power to unite with effort so all may overcome.
Because transgression lost right to Eden fall proves once in grace not always in grace, condition of race testifies awful results.
Plucking looked little but drew tremendous results, ruin began on appetite and redemption had to begin there, strength measured only by longsuffering in long fast where broke power, same true reform must begin guarding appetite where degeneracy felt.
Broke single prohibition losing Eden opening floodgates beginning increase till flood saving only Noah and through Sodom Nineveh because not learned God means what says, sin repeated today when Sabbath discarded for spurious, placed with permission of every tree but one.
Disobedience by which lost right to Eden home choosing same forfeits restored Eden, so only safe leave rebel side refuse evil choose good repent and give soul to God without delay.
Listening turning from Maker scorns mercies, disobedience repeated dishonoring Sabbath memorial accepting spurious means disregarding Sabbath confirming in disobedience to immutable law by which Satan gains power to change law failed to gain in heaven.
Fell on appetite because did not live by every word losing right to tree of life, Christ passed same ground meeting same after forty days under hundred times more trying answering with obedience, living by every word brings back to Eden, putting appetite above word caused race fall.
Believed lie thereby sold selves and descendants to Satan leaving needy needing Saviour, whom God loved at infinite cost providing everlasting life, not for goodness but in need.
Flattered venturing taking giving acting as representative, act very light test none lighter which God took to reach smallest in mankind, meaning small disobedience as large as greatest requiring full surrender instead of seeing how near disorder can come following inclinations.
Working on mind by sophistry promising forbidden would make as gods leading to doubt and false theory, same still works, tempted overcome because yielded leaving door open to unbelief, same overcomes when mind left open including ministers discarding reproof coming under imaginings misreading and deceiving others.
First Adam's fall brought all into subjection as prisoners with no intercessor, so only First Begotten could liberate entering fierce conflict giving every opportunity, supposing could ensnare as Adam, but bearing guilt relying only on Father gave Himself ransom demonstrating justice to heaven watched by fallen host.
Yielded by free will, in humanity Christ had same free will and would have yielded as Adam but kept will on God's side while Adam did not, and Adam by believing and doing could have resisted, thus resisting turns on keeping will in obedience.
Fall through transgression part of past history taught as correct instruction about living God to prepare for advent.
Intemperance in desire caused loss illustrating errors in food preparation influence morals, as indulgence habit delicate cooking unhealthful dress weaken efficiency occupy mind leaving no time to meditate lessen piety make overcoming impossible, so every family needs reform consciences aroused to see errors and bring decided reform.
Coming with baptism wilderness victory to give another trial so may overcome through merits bringing moral power victorious on appetite break slavery stand accredited as man before God, from defeat and perverted indulgence to moral power in record books.
Fall from holy estate ruined race with Satan still overcoming thousands on appetite perverting senses till sacred common leveled, Satan deceiving that eating would make as gods with Word as tree of life while false sentiments as forbidden fruit give disordered imagination and centuries of darkness, yet denial lets overcome every point by effort through Christ's fast.
Doing what warned against though not grievous leading Adam to sin opening floodgates, Adam failed to endure manifold malignant temptations degrading leaving no strength lest perish, so Christ clothed divinity reaching with human arm grasping Infinite conquering in wilderness on which depended salvation and Satan's destruction, elevating humanity linked to Infinite by merits and grace.
Losing Eden through intemperance in transgression, fell through indulgence taking good for food which Jesus met in wilderness after forty days conquering by Word knowing to help tempted to perfect character, obeying Satan's voice for supposed advantage gaining only knowledge of evil losing purity to enemy, same false gain in dishonesty, while many still fall selling reason for stimulant showing power Christ suffered to overcome.
Leading to transgress by his science still at work on track to steal away requiring watching Christ to acknowledge worth and enjoy presence, tempting by promising liberty freedom as gods still soliciting youth to destruction and spurious sabbath with another mark.
Deceived into disobedience listening believing apostate rather than God departing light for dark robes and blight, opening floodgates yet restoration through truth for sons and daughters believing.
Example disobedience listening instead of God yielding mind taking wrong way beginning conflict, letting Satan claim family charging calamities and leaving feeling law cannot be kept till Jesus passed same ground conqueror combining human divine to teach obedience.
Deceiving through deceptive science to transgress become shut away as in heavenly courts, carrying rebellion by falsehood turning from allegiance afterward worked in antediluvians and Sodom.
Accepting brought sadness suffering forbidding tree of life lest sin immortalized subjecting to disease death, choosing selfishness instead of self-denial opening heart to every selfishness grieving God.
Tempting to eat to obtain weakening knowledge disordering through violation of physical laws depressing machinery from God-designed part.
Sin that lost Eden revealing justice test ending disgraceful failure, Son pledging life for another trial not abolishing law nor benevolence at expense of justice, Christ passing same ground in identical humanity temptable as man redeeming.
Method drawing from loyalty to pure unselfish principles tempting promising liberty with stealthy plausible theories justifying questionable gain marring work putting false for true dimming eyesight till history sin and suffering, soliciting youth to broad road and spurious sabbath.
Original apostasy disgraceful failure on appetite whose alienation cannot be overstated perverting warnings, Christ passing same ground victorious placing on vantage to overcome through merits.
Transgressing law in Eden home full of knowledge, entertaining suggestions misleading minds through ambition and praise opening door to ruin, temptations assailing Adam met by Christ relying on divine power proving sin not necessity as perfect pattern.
Required obedience not rendered in taking therefore fell, failing appetite test in Eden where light love seen where Christ bore same test in repulsive wilderness emaciated proving power of debased appetite, failing because did not keep Word before them leaving unfortified requiring diligent study never to hurt or deceive.
Caused fall by lie against government forfeiting loyal claim, perverting understanding through supposed wisdom spoiling spirituality presenting disobedience as making wise.
Deceiving eating would make as gods with Word as tree of life while false sentiments as forbidden fruit disorder imagination, fall bringing woe Adam living nearly thousand years witness to ninth generation instructing yet few heeding and reproaching.
Sin of disobeying requirements opening disappointment sorrow suffering to be kept before children to train obedience with mothers as queens not followers of fashion.
Fell on appetite taking good for food which Jesus met in wilderness after forty days conquering by Word to help tempted, remembering fast when tempted against selling reason for stimulant amid degeneracy.
Tempting with seducing attractions keeping mind under strain even using demons pretending angels to catch clue for controversy undermining confidence, same brought against Christ who met with It is written giving no opening.
Eating what seemed small yet opened floodgates meaning resist unfaithfulness in small matters since commonness does not lessen, and transgression by responsible with greater light far greater, requiring singleness to honor God not world.
Ate from intemperate desire meaning improper appetite harms moral nature weakens resistance lessens piety, so temperance in diet has much to do with restoration.
Leading to transgress taking form suited to bewilder working charmingly corrupting minds beginning usurpation starting conflict not yet ended intensifying toward close when will bring all power even appearing as human impersonating Christ over kingdoms.
Using Eve working behind making instrument revealing method through human agents continuing now as uses people to turn Christians as sought to turn Christ from purpose of love.
First great rebel leading to transgress disregarding word failing single test bringing sin, same repeated through agents to disregard law with impunity.
Test Jesus in flesh united with divinity passed tempted in all points yet without sin where failure one point meant Satan victory, so forsaking self faith in Him only valuable science as living obedience.
Accepted enemy's words not only ones since multitudes likewise follow in disobedience.
Error taking to gain knowledge withheld meaning impatient refusal to trust wait watch find rest instead rushing to tear veil gaining only evil displeasing God revealing lack trust leaving open to master-deceiver through familiar spirits.
Choice to take applied to people following own ideas rather than advancing in received light thereby placing human above divine.
Eating successful first experiment controlling appetite making means to tempt.
Acting on desires after beguiled Adam following meaning experience conflicting with clear command cannot justify disobedience or be treated as guidance.
Fall pillar of faith yet practically rejected by much professedly Christian world though presented as great fact.
Disobedience by which fell bringing woe descendants unable rescue so God provided ransom to restore image, loved at infinite cost.
Deceived as generation before Flood setting darkness instead of light giving minds to control accepting sophistry suiting corrupt lives rejecting truth that would save making wise unto salvation.
Complete failure Christ's victory as complete won with suffering ending contest leaving freed for season from Satan and legions.
Example warns law must not be disobeyed applying to disregarding Sabbath after claims understood.
Before sin surrounded with clear beautiful light leaving nothing obscure, when yielded light departed losing garments losing light illuminating nature so could no longer read nature aright nor discern character in works.
Before fall could form righteous character by obeying but failed bringing fallen nature showing why cannot make selves righteous against perfect obedience required, transgression of commandments where before work pleasant but sin brought world where work not only pleasant.
Taking education after world's wisdom grasping forbidden like seeking from authors with no vital connection estranges hardens feeds vanity leads into paths wearies to death while Word is tree of life false sentiments forbidden giving disordered imagination centuries darkness only wood stubble shutting faith, wisdom of world foolishness against God's order bringing vital connection and enduring knowledge.
Loving to pluck wrong knowledge produces disobedience disregarding rules carrying own plans tainting others, so for others sake persisting must be separated as Satan expelled to keep host from danger.
Acting as soon as world created resolving to conform parents to own nature unite with rebellion efface image trace own instead, as father of lies accuser murderer succeeded bringing sin by every power to win cooperation in apostasy.
Fall after plan of redemption laid opening floodgates leading corrupt through unbelief, while God given privilege gaining back manhood so image restored through work not compelled carrying into eternal life.
Experience constant warning may turn from word follow desires, God does not compel, each free to place tendencies under Spirit or follow imaginations.
Tree still forbidden not even leaf to be taken, to eat is let mind diverted to human devising apart from Christ of no avail nothingness, so safety refuse altogether use only heaven's means look to Jesus to help and bless.
Presenting human wisdom as higher good in place of God's, what offered not God's wisdom but counsel originated by Satan put into minds causing mistaking unsanctified devising for wisdom by deceiving power.
Apparently small transgression closed Paradise proving God cannot approve work with thread of selfishness, since sin increased yet benevolence flows earthward, smallness and loss should make fear littleness and sin-loving propensities.
Prevailing in beginning still carrying same mischievous work even in churches, so be on guard, for God has no place for lovers of deception fraud and sin.
Partaking fruit of disobedience meaning refusing light choosing disobedience, whoever turns from truth because acceptance hurts business sells soul cheaply bargaining with Satan ruining conscience worth more than world.
Disobedience repeated when dishonor Sabbath memorial accepting spurious, eating means disregarding Sabbath confirming in disobedience to immutable law gaining Satan power to change law failed to gain in heaven.
Eating gave kind of knowledge pattern for all learning leaving eternity out, meaning knowledge apart from wisdom toward God not heart education failure never recovery.
Fall caused by deceptive inspiring mind same still inspires spiritualistic ideas misinterpreting truth.
Very small sin looked slight recoverable yet sinning against light debased soul opened floodgates bringing eternal ruin on millions, so worldly side watched with vigilance no place to devil.
Devil caused fall by deceptive power against restrictions still uses to make of none effect, so enticed must not consent but pray put will on God's side seek grace and deliverance.
First great apostasy where Satan worked by secretive spiritualistic mind upon mind to seduce spoil sow infidelity bring darkness, Eve came under mind-weaving, same acted in last days with Testaments acting same part for admonition on whom ends come, exercised over servants.
Eating not little though small smallness did not avert because disobedience meaning no dishonest practice breach selfishness overreaching extravagant spending excused as small, character requires punctuality justice no guile in lips and heart.
Husband accepting wife's sinful suggestions repeats fall, when wife plants suspicion and husband agrees thinking talking evil he eats from forbidden tree as Adam ate what wife gave.
Tempting with false worldly inducements meaning offering present happiness through alluring presentations soliciting mind same unchanged today, while Jesus knows strength because clothed divinity tempted in all points.
Fell though no sin lived in him, for God made after own character pure upright faultless as angels with no corrupt tendencies, so strength of assault lay in no indwelling sin, how faultless could yield unexplainable now but will be plain when see as seen.
Transgression eating was sin since sin transgression of law, disobedience lost Eden same law still stands transgressing now causes loss of heaven, while Jesus saves imparting righteousness to those obeying.
Sin forfeiting right to dwell in Eden home of innocence depraved nature lessened strength opened access, and though confessed pledged obedience could not remain because yielding in innocence would in guilt have less power.
Working to cause souls lost warning young must be given different discipline firm course or lost, enemy working under scientific devising as father of falsehood same now through spies in conferences to mislead and sow evil.
Tempting spirit overcame by opening mind to enemy control, same yielding still overcomes ministers physicians discarding testimonies putting on false track reading into correction things not there being deceived deceiving others, so testimonies not to be placed in hands.
Sin entering ending perfect obedience severing connection causing divine light enshrouding to depart, by sin image defaced understanding darkened guidance cut making necessary God send Son to shine as light.
On trial under law no less binding now, Eve believed tempter bearing false witness tree good wise as if God withheld good though given every fruit only wanted know He proprietor, in partaking became transgressors, recorded happiness in obedience ruin in disobedience makes after more responsible.
Instant accepted doing what forbade Christ stood between living dead to let punishment fall on Himself to give another chance, so though Satan works with power people in Christ's strength can stand.
Sophistry with strong temptation led astray same will test every pillar so unless firm faith present truth and Christ as helper tempted will swerve, while those doing kept blessed with power and blessing.
Eating small common-seeming yet opened floodgates teaching no sin called trivial excused because esteemed treat lightly, no joining ring conniving at evil, and as act called common so eternal ruin common.
Deliberate eating contrary to command, God freely gave good withheld evil because not will sinless know evil, but by eating took knowledge of evil for selves race would have all days bringing temptations, instead of happy labor anxiety toil grief pain death.
Failure on appetite choosing because looked good desired for taste repeated when childhood appetite perverted taste educated to relish injurious foods cannot make best blood, letting taste rule instead of sense beginning early requiring parental sense.
Temptations deceiving still used now, while Christ came in likeness to live perfect overcome besetting and give power to all receiving to become sons and obey righteousness.
Tempted through beautiful attractive representations same method presenting false ideas in pleasing form continues bringing danger must be met with plain warning from beginning.
Ground where stumbled bringing sin on world Christ as second Adam took nature passed bearing world's sin as bearer lived without sin where fell to prove can live sinless through power, by death overthrowing kingdom redeeming glorifying God as divine-human sacrifice.
Deception teaching law takes cognizance of heart thoughts as well as acts with far-reaching claims, so teachers must humble search as hidden treasure lest deceived.
Fall Christ's love met willingly coming as greatest missionary passing over same ground to redeem.
Transgression brought woe leaving laboring under sin calling for provision Son opened taking penalty laying aside robes clothing divinity coming man of sorrows suffering insult though Majesty opening escape.
Sin entered through desire for self-exaltation when ate losing dominion, what lost through self-seeking redeemed by Christ through self-abnegation, so through humility people overcome become heirs when meek inherit earth.
Taking seemingly small yet opened floodgates all violence crime traced, sin new so disobedience far lesser than any violation now committed by those having result before them.
Listening leaving path of rectitude brought blight separation between nature and God light departed deprived could no longer discern character in works, through disobedience change wrought marred bearing imperfect testimony so perfect knowledge no longer revealed in natural world as in innocence.
Losing Eden through indulgence brought race under appetite no person can overcome alone, Christ made infinite sacrifice bringing divine to unite with effort joining finite to infinite, through merits by denial sons may gain Eden.
Unrestrained indulgence tends to sensuality more easily under control, since author of disease assails where greatest success, intemperance leads to lower passions prepares disregard obligations leaves little resistance when assailed, same means used with Eve used to lead Israel to murmur over flesh restricting food.
Disgraceful fall bringing curse test small circumstances favorable compared Christ's hundredfold severer, where fell Christ withstood presenting as angel of light, by victory redeemed saved world so hope for all coming receiving as Saviour.
Temptations assailing Adam Christ in sinless humanity met overcame relying on divine power, life resisting proving sin not necessity revealing what fallen may become through union as perfect pattern from infancy to manhood.
Failing to endure in beautiful Eden where light love appeared losing all bringing disgrace which Christ stood to bear in desolate wilderness fasting nearly six weeks emaciated whose length strongest evidence of sinfulness power of debased appetite, breaking power in successful conflict not in Eden but among wild beasts repulsive with keenest hunger marred visage.
Coveting what forbidden same character as superficial unlawful affection wanting what God forbidden instead of finding every want supplied in Christ, promised exalted enjoyment.
Seemingly small but smallness did not make less sin opening floodgates proving commonness does not make less objectionable nor penalty less sure.
Fall and consequences opening floodgates most important knowledge definite truth flashing divine light on receivers.
Listening to false representation attracted to earthly instead of heavenly brings great loss placing little value on what Son made possible losing eternity, following suggestion concentrates on what cannot bring happiness idolizing degrades unfits, in pursuit accepting dishonest methods blinds disconnects, mind becomes like leader as Satan imparts mind molds to earthly takes captive into slavery beholding deceiving picture filling memory until debased.
Conniving with human agency to turn aside responsible trust danger now after experiment, Eve exchanged God's way for proposition because seemed advantage having own way instead of walking humbly teaching position does not change character, overestimating right to control repeating choice, refusing straight paths brings confusion giving no wisdom.
Seduced into rebellion fall of all intelligences cutting off from immortality Paradise, while still seduces same, immortality purchased with living faith, by suffering rebels may lay hold Infinite elevated heirs partake life Paradise opened Satan's power over loyal annihilated by victory.
Transgressing led by prince with sophistry same constantly uses to lead same way, when transgressed fell making law void fall caused Christ enter Redeemer work granting probation.
Fall caused by lie against government, by believing eating forfeited claim loyal became captives, yet Satan held under false pretenses no lawful right to demand price, while justice demanded price to preserve honor, and Christ gained right to free by infinite blood volunteering to pass over ground to conquer save all accepting as jailor to creditor.
Yielding transgression caused Christ's suffering, Christ did not suffer to give liberty to keep transgressing but because law transgressed to honor magnify yet save enduring penalty, while same falsehood now holds world as transgressors leading by tradition to make void instead of obeying.
Yielding to lying suggestions Christ in human united divine tempted in such nature could have yielded as Adam but did not one jot, through same Source finite may connect stand partake stand pure undefiled.
Angels turned by false theories prepared temptation and they yielded, disobedience estranged separated earth heaven making gulf Christ pledged to bridge.
Fall Christ placed in sinner's place passing over enduring wilderness hundred times stronger where fell resisted same way every tempted can by saying it is written appealing to record.
Eating sin disgraced law cost more than afforded losing eternity warning against gratification continuance teaching same conflict with sleepless foe luring from Christ still requires daily overcoming lifting cross choosing serve God, because by obedience what lost will be regained.
Disobedience believing falsehood preferring statement cost life of Son, yet goodness shines brighter now where sin abounded grace abounded so no excuse continuing, and on Eden ground after disobedience promised Saviour invincible Deliverer star of hope delivering perfect image to save from death.
Falling when disputed sovereignty assailed with appetite pride desire for worldly same pursued with Christ challenging prove sonship turn stones presume accept glory, where yielded in disgrace Christ as second endured same threefold without yielding anchoring will in Father's redeeming placing on vantage.
Forbidden fruit very beautiful apparently desirable falsely inviting same marks false theories repeated today destroying many requiring distinction between eating that and eating fruit bearing gospel message deciding to serve Lord.