Before Disobedience

When we listen to bad thoughts about someone it tears down our love for them. We have a choice. God gave Adam and Eve a choice in the garden. It was the first time He forbid them something. But then, love must be chosen to be given.

Satan gave Eve bad thoughts to think about God. He challenged what God told Adam by saying “Has God said . . .? “ and he undermined God’s integrity, insinuating He lied by saying “You will not surely die.” Satan challenged God’s motive by saying “He (God) knows that when you eat it you will become like God, knowing good and evil.” (see Gen 3:1-5) Eve had a choice to love God and rebuff Satan, or to believe Satan’s lies and let her love of God be torn down. Before her disobedience, she chose to believe bad about God.

The ultimate test was to choose love. When we believe bad about God, or a person, we feel justified in thinking, saying and doing wrong. When we rebuff evil thoughts, we grow strong in love.

Satan not only wanted Eve to doubt God’s integrity, but he also wanted her to believe that, though she disobeyed, she could be like a god. This was Satan’s sin; wanting to ascend to a place higher than God (Is 14:13-14). All his words were carefully planted in her ears so that Eve and her husband Adam would sin like he had.

We face the same thoughts now as Adam and Eve did long ago. Do we want fellowship with God based on mutual love, or do we want to be our own god, thinking we know better how things should be done? Before every sin is self-justification, and before every disobedience is a choice. Will we strengthen love today?