Do What God Says

Last night at Bible study we briefly discussed the interaction between Eve and Satan in the Garden of Eden.  As the devil questioned and denied the truth of God's word, they conversed without interruption.  One might think Adam was caught up in work elsewhere in the garden, and Satan decided to seize the opportunity to tempt Eve because her husband was away.  Genesis 3:6 shows this was not the case:  "So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate."  It seems Adam was standing there with Eve and let her do all the talking--when he should have boldly spoken and affirmed the truth of all God said.

Because Adam was unwilling to take a stand in the fear of God and obedience to Him, without a word he went along with Eve and ate from the single tree God forbade him to eat.  Looking back to the previous chapter, we observe God commanded Adam not to eat from the tree in the midst of the garden before Eve was formed from Adam's rib.  God said to the man specifically, "In the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:17, bold emphasis mine)  Should Eve have been hellbent on eating the forbidden fruit, there was little Adam could do except destroy the tree.  While he could not control sinful appetites of his spouse, Adam remained responsible before God to heed His warning and deny himself the fruit.

Reflecting on this point caused me to consider the peace, joy and rest that is found by taking steps of faith in obedience to God--even when others transgress.  After they sinned, the eyes of Adam and Eve were both opened and they realised they were naked and sought to cover themselves.  When confonted by God for their sin, they both made excuses and blamed others--even God--for their wicked rebellion.  As children of Adam we all naturally are bent toward sin, and we also have inherited the tendency to try to justify ourselves because others have or are doing wrong.  Eve offered Adam the fruit, but it did not mean he needed to receive it from her hand, take a bite, chew it up and swallow it.

Whatever God says, we ought to do it.  Adam silently standing by before he also sinned is a lesson we should take to heart, and we ought to put the words of our Saviour into practice to speak privately with those who have offended us in Matthew 18:15:19.  When we observe someone overtaken in a tresspass, we ought to be those who meekly seek to restore them as Paul wrote in Galatians 6:1-5.  Should those who claim to be Christians persist without repentance in overt sinful, immoral or illegal behaviour, the time can come when we should refuse to keep company with such a person until they repent (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).  If someone in church leadership is accused of sin, it should not be accepted without 2 or 3 witnesses--and should it be true, such ought to be publicly rebuked (1 Timothy 5:19-20).  Rather than seeking to call people out for their sin, we ought to humbly examine our own hearts to ensure we are not ourselves blinded by a log of hypocrisy that causes us to see specks in others.

As Adam sinned by disobedience to God and caused ongoing troubles in this world, when Christians are unwilling to speak or obey God when it concerns speaking privately to those who offend them, who stand by when they ought to take action oulined in God's word, it causes problems in the church, families and society.  Let us be those who are steadfast, immoveable, always abounding in the work of the LORD, knowing our labour is not in vain.  Those willing to humble themselves, throwing themselves upon God's mercy by obedience to our LORD, can rest assured they have done well--despite having many flaws.