What was the first sin that mankind committed? God had asked Adam & Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil but they eventually committed the first sin by eating from that tree.
Why didn't God want mankind to have the knowledge of good or evil? Was knowledge of good and evil the problem or the ability to do good and avoid evil the problem?
Convention teaches us that having knowledge of a certain thing empowers us and gives us authority and mastery of that thing and allows us to excel in it. Therefore logically, knowledge of good and evil should also give us mastery over good and evil.
So by not allowing man to have fruit from the tree of knowledge good and evil, was it God's intention that we should not have mastery over good and evil?
I believe the answer lies in distinguishing between and the act and the knowledge of good and evil. Unlike other matters, knowledge of good and evil doesn't translate into good character or enhanced ability in doing good. Knowledge of good and evil only gives an understanding of what is right and wrong and at the same time overwhelms us showing how much we are falling short of the standards.
This is not what God expects of us I believe.God acknowledges that we will never meet the mark and hence provides us grace through Jesus Christ to meet the requirements of the law.
But He also want us to do good which is why He gives us His Holy Spirit. Jesus said that Holy Spirit will guide us in what to do. I don't think the Holy Spirit will give us elaborate details of what is right on wrong. The emphasis is on action and not knowledge, and the action (the good deeds) will come by His transformation power which begins its work in us when accept Christ as our Savior.
As I mentioned before Holiness is not Christianity's objective. Holiness is the byproduct of relationship with Christ.
Why didn't God want mankind to have the knowledge of good or evil? Was knowledge of good and evil the problem or the ability to do good and avoid evil the problem?
Convention teaches us that having knowledge of a certain thing empowers us and gives us authority and mastery of that thing and allows us to excel in it. Therefore logically, knowledge of good and evil should also give us mastery over good and evil.
So by not allowing man to have fruit from the tree of knowledge good and evil, was it God's intention that we should not have mastery over good and evil?
I believe the answer lies in distinguishing between and the act and the knowledge of good and evil. Unlike other matters, knowledge of good and evil doesn't translate into good character or enhanced ability in doing good. Knowledge of good and evil only gives an understanding of what is right and wrong and at the same time overwhelms us showing how much we are falling short of the standards.
This is not what God expects of us I believe.God acknowledges that we will never meet the mark and hence provides us grace through Jesus Christ to meet the requirements of the law.
But He also want us to do good which is why He gives us His Holy Spirit. Jesus said that Holy Spirit will guide us in what to do. I don't think the Holy Spirit will give us elaborate details of what is right on wrong. The emphasis is on action and not knowledge, and the action (the good deeds) will come by His transformation power which begins its work in us when accept Christ as our Savior.
As I mentioned before Holiness is not Christianity's objective. Holiness is the byproduct of relationship with Christ.
