Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us,

to know (experience) good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden  (Genesis 3:21,22). They had become like God in this, to know good and evil. In Hebrew the concept of knowing is far greater that intellectual knowledge, they knew good and evil in that they experienced its effects,  and were participants in it. Being made in God's image,  mankind contained the nature of God to be good, but  the nature of the serpent was birthed in him when he fell. So then these two natures reside within each of us, and they are at war with each other.

The Law was introduced as a tutor to bring us to Christ (Galatians 3:24). God had to demonstrate beyond a shadow of doubt,  that rules and regulations would not be enough the overcome the sinful nature within us. This demonstration is seem clearly throughout the pages of the Old Testament. To put this another way, you cannot legislate the heart. Or yet again,  we sin because it is our nature to sin, it's the default. Why am I saying all this in the context of this morning's scripture?  It's because if the sin nature was allowed to be present in paradise,   it would not be paradise.  If heaven is to be heaven there can be  “no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain” (Revelation 21:4).  It was for this reason that Adam in his unregenerate state had to be cast out of the garden, out of paradise (verse 22).

To say more, nobody is perfect (Romans 3:23), and how much manipulation, how much put down, control, codependency, selfishness etc., do you want there to be in heaven? Remember things tend to get worse rather than better, and if you get there,  you will be there for ever,  and ever,  and ever! Nobody's perfect, so all this would exclude us all, except that creation was subject to the curse in hope (Romans 8:20). Without Christ we are without hope (Ephesians 2:2), but in Christ we have a sure hope of eternity (Hebrews 6:19; John 11:25). It involves a choice, a choice by faith to accept His free gift of life (Romans 6:23) and then, as living sacrifices,  to cooperate with Him in putting to death the deeds and the desires of the sinful nature (Romans 12:1; 8:5, 6, 13; Galatians 5:24). This cooperation is what it means for the church, the bride of Christ,  to make herself ready (Revelation 19:7, 8).

As the picture of the bride implies, it's all about love, about our responding the the initiating love of God in sending Christ to make provision for us to be put right with Him (John 3:16; 1 John 2:1, 2). Our initial choice to get saved (justification - Romans 5:1; Acts 4:12),   needs to be followed by our becoming holy (sanctification  - 1 Peter 1:16). In this way we can live changed lives that demonstrate to the Word,  the reality of Christ in us, the hope of Glory  (Colossians 1:27).

Lord Jesus, we're all a work in progress.  We need Your help to be   being transformed from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18). Thank You that You who have begun a good work in us,  will keep right on working until that day we get to be with You forever (Philippians 1:6) in Your precious Name Amen