Now The Serpent

Back when it all began, Adam and Eve had it pretty good. But then Eve did something that changed everything. And it had nothing to do with the apple. Some background first.

God was giving Adam some basic instructions about the garden that He wanted Adam to take care of.

"And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” - Genesis 2:16-17

Then God created Eve later in the very same chapter. All was going okay for them, until chapter three - The Fall.

The very first words of chapter three tell us everything we need to know about what happened next - "Now the serpent . . ." Satan tried to get Eve to question God's Word. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

"The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” - Genesis 3:2-3

She got it correct, right? No, she did not! She added something! "And you must not touch it."

Is that really a big deal? I mean it's a couple of words!

What does God say about adding or subtracting from His word?

"Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. 2Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you." - Deuteronomy 4:1-2

Lots of people think it was the eating of the apple that was the first sin. Nope. It was adding to and changing God's Command. Why did Eve do that? Because she didn't really KNOW God's commands.

We humans like to change God's Word a lot. Have you ever seen The Ten Commandments, The Bible television series, Noah, or The Chosen? All of them have taken God's Word and changed it for the sake of making it "a better story."

"Well," people might say, "that was the Old Testament GOD. Things changed when Jesus came on the scene. He's not as strict as God the Father."

Really?

“I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! 51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division." - Luke 12:49-51

Disobedience Example #1: Why are there so many LGBTQ+ friendly churches? Here's why. We are pleasers of men rather than pleasers of God.

"He created them male and female." - Genesis 5:2

Disobedience Example #2: Why is abortion even a thing in this world? It's against God's will.

"There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood . . ." - Proverbs 6:16-17

According to the Gospel News Network, "A heartbreaking reminder about the prevalence of abortion, statistics compiled by Worldometers indicate that there were over 42.6 million abortions world-wide in 2021.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?" - Luke 6:46

There are many more examples but this story is already long enough.

Repentance seems to be the number one thing this world needs right now. God is patient, but He is NOT tolerant. Something has to change, and I think it's has to be us.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebrews 13:8