February 2, 2021 — What’s The Big Deal?

Yes, cutting yourself loose from God IS a big deal, and disagreeing with Him is intellectual suicide.

It seems such a little thing to get upset about, say some folks. It was just one bite. Was that such a big deal? “She took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Gen 3:6). Well, let’s think about it. Imagine a billionaire offering to make you a partner in his massive business. He tells you trust is the most important thing to him. If trust is broken, the partnership is over. He pulls out a contract. It wasn’t written by lawyers. There’s no complicated language. It’s just one sentence: “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.” He wants you to enjoy not only everything he owns; he also wants to be best friends. You can connect with him anytime. On his vast estate he has a magnificent garden. There are so many trees, laden with sweet fruit that all say, “The owner is generous; enjoy this garden whenever you want.” But there’s one special tree there that says something different: “This belongs only to the owner; do not touch. After all, the owner should get to decide the rules to run his own business.” So that’s the one-line contract. By eating from that tree, Eve and then Adam said in no uncertain terms, “We’re the owners, not God. We don’t trust Him or what He says. We’ll do what WE want. Our personal desires are way more important than a relationship with our Creator.” And that is a REALLY big deal! You know what’s amazing? After all this, with billions of His creatures acting as though He doesn’t matter, God is still willing to go back into partnership with us! Again it’s a one-line contract, based on another tree, one on Calvary’s hill where the Owner’s Son died to save us from our sins. It says: “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the [one] who trusts in Him!” Amazing!