It's difficult to leave the opening chapters of Genesis--they are so foundational to our understanding of life on this earth. But before we exit these chapters, we must ask: If Adam and Eve's sin brought "cancer and canker sores, tornadoes and tomato worms, asps and AIDS, calamity and cavities, aging and arguing, famine and fat," why did God allow the freedom to eat from the tree?

On the highway of life, God gives us the opportunity to play demolition derby--and not all of the participants signed up for the game. Innocent, unsuspecting people get rammed every day. Is freedom good in light of such painful chaos?

What are the alternatives to freedom? In the recent movie, The Stepford Wives, a female scientist (Glenn Close), created robotic people who lived in a special community after she had murdered her husband and his mistress: “All I wanted was a better world where men are men and women are loved and cherished.” Would it be good if God created a Stepford-like world where brothers can't murder brothers? where children aren't abducted? where politicians don't lie? where terrorists don’t exist?

Nicole Kidman’s husband, Matthew Broderick, was considering “enrolling” her in the Stepford program so that he could hang onto her. But Kidman asked, “These machines, these Stepford Wives, can they say I love you?” The director of the program answered: “Of course, in 58 languages.” Kidman: “But do they mean it?” Then she rushed over to her husband and planted a passionate kiss on his lips.

God created a world in which people are genuinely free--free to do good or to do evil. Why? Because He wants creatures who freely, passionately choose to love him. Do you want to argue with God? Would you like to see a little less freedom? Well, take it up with him when you stand before him.

Gen.3--The Beginnings of Sin

The wily serpent began his attack asking Eve: “Did God really say ...?” Satan’s question was designed to implant the suspicion that God was holding out on them, that God had maliciously misled them, and therefore could not be trusted. They would then be open to explore elsewhere for the good things in life.

Eve was eventually hoodwinked, believing that eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil would provide all sorts of fantastic benefits—it would be “good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom.” (This all took place before any “Truth-in-advertising” laws had been passed!) God’s warning about the deathly consequences from eating the fruit could not be trusted.

This has always been the Enemy’s goal—to destroy our trust in the complete goodness. But believing in the undiluted goodness of God is essential for our “moral sanity.” It’s chilling to think that God might have a mixture of good and evil motives toward us.

A.W. Tozer believes that “the whole outlook of mankind might be changed if we could all believe that we dwell under a friendly sky and that the God of heaven, though exalted in power and majesty, is eager to be friends with us.”

But what happens when we sin? when, like Adam and Eve, we try to hide from God? Our great, good God comes searching for us in the back alleys of life. He knows that if left alone, we will utterly destroy ourselves.

Every day, every hour, every minute, every second, the all-powerful God of the universe is working for my good! And if I pursue an obedient relationship with Him, I will experience that unending, unlimited goodness. (See Psalm 118,136)

Assignment for October 8:
Gen.4:1-16
1.What do we learn about sin? temptation?
2.Why was Abel’s offering accepted and Cain’s rejected?
3.Analyze God’s advice to Cain.

Gen.6:1-22
1.Describe the condition of Noah’s world.
2.Why did God judge the world so harshly?
3.What kind of a man was Noah?