Tree of the knowledge of good and evil

As a symbol of Christ

There must be an understanding of good and evil before the tree can be understood. The symbols of darkness and light represent Love and Holiness (not evil and good as so many would claim). The Trinity lived in darkness before God said "Let there be light".

His nature of Love is expressed in joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

His nature of Holiness is expressed in law, justice, and separation.

Though he was holy before creation, there was no way to express it since the Trinity existed in perfect Love. There was nothing to be separate from. Holiness was hidden in his name. Elohim has a pun, a lo khoom, meaning 'not dark'. The light was hidden.

As soon as he had created, he was different from his creation and could declare his holiness in the declaration, "Let there be light".

We have a problem understanding God as being Holy, and being Love since we cannot comprehend those attributes being mixed up. If we see a criminal get mercy rather than punishment, we say that there is no justice. If we are the criminal and get justice, we say there is no mercy.

The solution to this was that God revealed himself through symbols of holiness, and symbols of love, and then bringing all the symbols together on the cross of Christ.

A symbol of holiness

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was nothing more than a symbol of God's holiness. It was the only thing in all creation withheld from newly created Adam for the purpose of expressing the idea of holiness. No matter how intimate the relationship between man and God was, man would never become God. God must be acknowledged as God in order for the relationship to exist.

By eating the fruit of the tree in defiance of God's command, Adam made the claim that he was peer to God. The creation thought himself equal to the creator. When man does what is right in his own eyes, he is declaring that he is God; the one who defines good and evil.

This is illustrated in a very offensive riddle. If Larry decides to do something because he thinks it is good, and Joe decides to do the very same thing because God says it is good, have they both done a good thing? The answer is "no."

Larry has determined that he is capable of defining good, something which is already defined by the nature and character of God. He has declared that he is a peer to God. This is the essence of evil. When we decide what is good and evil for ourselves we declare that we are a god. Often, we go beyond that and judge God saying that he is incompetent or even evil in the way he runs his universe and we declare that we are greater than God.

The mere act of living, without considering what God says; going about our business instinctively is the very same original sin. This is why God says,

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

God placed himself in the same circumstances through his incarnation. Jesus said:

Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Intimacy with God

Intimacy with God cannot exist without a proper acknowledgement of who he is.

Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Ro 1:19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.

Adam could eat of the Tree of Life all he wanted as long as he acknowledged God as God. But when he ate of the forbidden tree, he was denied the Tree of Life.

God confirmed this lesson in the results. Since Adam did not learn that God was Holy/separate, he was separated even more by expulsion from the garden. He would be in discord with God, other men, himself and his environment.

The cross of Jesus is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and our test is the same as that of Adam. We acknowledge that Jesus is God, that God is God, or we choose to declare that we are gods.

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