Choose wisely!
Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17 //3:1-6
By: Ysrael De la Cruz
We make choices every day, in fact life is about the choices you make. We choose where to go shopping, what to wear, eat, what sport to follow, who to follow on social media, etc. We are constantly making choices. Sometimes, our choices would get us in trouble. This is why we must pay close attention to the choices we make. We must learn to choose wisely so that we do not reap the consequences of bad decisions.
When the Bible speaks about us humans being created in the image of God; we clearly see that God made us with the ability to make choices. God did not make us machines, he made us humans and as humans we are given the ability to choose and therefore, be responsible for the decisions we make.
Sometimes we make good choices and other times we do not. We must know that some of our bad choices have drastic consequences.

Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17
Everything God made was good, creation was perfect, beautiful and good. The creation of humanity was even better, it was very good.
We read about two trees which were in the midst of the garden of God, the garden in Eden (delight, pleasure).
The tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. These two trees were in the midst of the garden. God placed man there to take care of the garden. (To work it and keep it) v.15

God commanded the man to eat of all the trees of the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (v.16-17). Death would be the consequence of disobeying God.
If God knew humanity would eat of that tree and disobey him, then why did he create that tree?
God gave us the ability to choose; he created you and I with the capacity to make decisions, to love or not to love. To follow him or not. That tree was the only one tree God told humanity not to partake of. God gave us freedom to choose because he did not make us machine. Even in the garden we see the freedom God gave us to make decisions. You are free to eat of all the trees of the garden, but don’t eat of this one tree because the day you do, you will die.
These were the instruction from their Creator.

Genesis 3:1-6
Satan appears in the garden to bring to humans a different perspective or alternative.
Did God actually say, you shall not eat of any tree in the garden? (v.1)
This has been Satan’s strategy from the beginning; to question what God has said. Did God really say marriage is only between a man and a woman? Are you sure God said there are only two sex male and female?

The woman informed to the serpent God’s instructions (v.2)
We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, “you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree in midst of the garden.”

v.4) The serpent.
You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Notice Satan’s strategy.
To bring doubt and confusion into what God has said. He brings to people a different alternative, one contrary to God’s word.
You will not die if you eat of that tree. If you do, you will be like God knowing good and evil. Humans were already like God for they were created in his image. The tempter lied to the woman so they would choose to go against God’s command.

The tree was good and delightful to the eye. It was desired to make one wise. (v.6)
The woman saw the tree was good and delightful. It peaked her desire to be wise. Then she took of it and ate and so did her husband.
The tree was not bad; everything God created was good and so was this tree. It is possible that something good and delightful and very desirable would get you choosing against God.
This is the culture lie today; it is feels good, then it will be ok. If I desire it, it must be good, then it must be right. If it doesn’t hurt anyone, then it must ok to do.

The woman listened to the serpent’s lie, then she saw the tree was good and delightful; she made her own judgment and decided to partake of the tree to gain knowledge. This knowledge apart from her Creator.

Humanity made the wrong choice here and it caused them a lot. We are still dealing with the consequences of their choice.
-Humanity rebelled against God’s command. They completely ignore God’s direction and decided to believe Satan.
-Humanity listened to their feelings and senses rather than their Creator.
This is the sad story of how humanity fell from their privilege position with God.
Adam and Eve did not make a good choice for they chose someone else but their Creator.
We must choose wisely; we know what our Creator has said about our present issues today. We know what God has said about sex, about gender; about life in general.
The culture is deluded by the lies of Satan. If it feels good then it must be right.
God did not say anything about….. It is not about what feels good and what you desire; but it is about choosing what God has said over what the enemy is telling me.
It is about choosing God over what makes me feel good. It is about choosing God over my own feelings and desires.
It is about choosing God’s word, rather than culture made-up ideologies. We make wise choices when we listen to God rather than our own feelings.
God has given us his word so that we must choose him in our decision-making process.