The ear mark of the modern age is SELF and self is where sin begins. But this phenomena is not really so modern. Self is where sin began. The tempter beguiled Eve to think that there was something really good that she was missing out on. Before he came by that day, she may never have paid much attention to THAT specific tree in the middle of the garden. It was a given that it was dangerous , because God had warned about its fruit. Then the beautiful creature sweet-talked her into trying it out. He was so smooth, so very sweet, and he seemed to really care about what Eve was missing out on! He caused her attention to be turned towards THAT tree. Then, without warning the snare he had set caught her; she decided that the tree being so beautiful, and the fruit so appealing, NEEDED to be enjoyed! She simply MUST try it! She wasted no time in reaching out as fast as she could, before she had too much time to think about it, grabbed one of the luscious fruits and sunk her teeth into it, allowing the flavorful juices to burst over her taste buds. It was sweeter than she expected, and momentarily she felt quite happy! She also felt a little twinge of something she was not familiar with, something that made her feel bad, but she pushed that aside so that she could quickly have her husband try the fruit as well. And it just so happened at that moment that he was right there beside her! "Adam! You've just GOT to taste this fruit! It's so delicious! My new friend told me about it! Apoarently it's not as dangerous as we thought!" She practicality shoved the fruit into his hands and up to his mouth, so he wouldn't think too much about it. She was determined he experience what she was experiencing, that he share in her happiness and also this new found "strangeness" that she didn't know what to make heads or tails out of! So Adam, wanting to please his wife, took a bite of the fruit she had offered to him. At the same moment the tantalizing juices poured over his tongue, he suddenly became aware of that same strange feeling that Eve was experiencing. It made him feel..... afraid..... But what was he afraid of? He hadn't ever felt that before! "Eve! We're naked! Oh no! God of is going to meet with us soon! We can't greet him like this! We must hide!"
You know the rest of the story. Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness, made excuses for their disobedience, and had to leave the only home they had ever known to live out the remainder of their existence exposed to all sorts of dangers, heartache and pain.
Today, we experience the same temptation, sin and heartache that Adam and Eve did. And it all boils down to this; We either obey or reject God's word. The Bible says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) And, "All we like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah53:6)
In our own strength we fail. We need Jesus! And the sooner we accept this fact, the better off our lives will be!
Let's be thankful today to God for redeeming us through His Son Jesus. But let's also remember to be aware of the sweet-talker who can "transform himself into an angel of light". Let's not be tripped up by the deception of the modern age, that our own ways and our own thoughts are better than Gods! If the way you're living doesn't match up with His word, it's time to make a change!
