“You will not surely die” (Genesis 3:4): Tempting lies

This lie was a direct contradiction of God (Genesis 2:17). We tell ourselves lies too, or we believe the Serpent's lies, because we want to do, what we want to do. As an unbeliever, I knew what I was doing was wrong. But I either didn't know, or didn't care (until I did), that bad choices have bad consequences. It's the law of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7). But I kept bumping up against the reality that “sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:15). It certainly felt like death!

In the end the choice is simple, we either choose life, or we choose death (Deuteronomy 30:19). But the Serpent is a deceiver, and he uses doubt and temptation as a kind of pincer movement on our senses (Genesis 3:4, 5). We can choose what we want, but we cannot choose the consequences of our choices. We might try, even denying the pain. In the end however, the pain is prolonged, and we end up suffering even more. But as with the prodigal son, the consequences are there to bring us out of the lies, into our right mind, and into the arms of the Father (Luke 15:17-20). Like the prodigal son, many of us we were not willing to change until we reached the place where the pain of the consequences became greater than the fear and pain of change.

James explains that we are tempted when we are drawn away by our own desires and enticed (James 1:14). But drawn away from what? Well, sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2). So then, first and foremost what we drawn away from, is relationship with Him, whom to know is life eternal (John 17:3). And the lies and the enticement also draw us away from both freedom and truth. This is because truth is suppressed in unrighteousness, and it is only the truth at sets us free (Romans 1:18; John 8:32). Finally, we are drawn away from the protection of obedience, and from the wisdom that comes from the fear of the Lord (Galatians 6:7; Psalm 111:10).

Now there has to be something attractive about sin that entices us (entraps, catches us, as with fish bait), or we would not be tempted. Few of us are tempted to eat dirt! So let's not pretend there's no pleasure in sin. It is however fleeting, lasting only for a season (Hebrews 11:25). Since Jesus was tempted, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15), being tempted, in and of itself, is not sin. Unless checked however, it leads to the next stage, namely that “desire conceives and then gives birth to sin” (James 1:15).  How many of us flirt with the darkness? When we do so, emotions are aroused, as in our imagination we contemplate the delight of what it would be like. This is so dangerous! In terms of sexual fantasy, Jesus tells that we have already committed adultery in our hearts (Matthew 5:28). In fact, the best way to deal with temptation, is to immediately nip these thoughts in the bud, taking them captive, and replacing them with pure thoughts (2 Corinthian 10:5; Philippians 4:8).

Father, we thought that doing what we wanted was freedom. Only later to learn that the one who sins is addicted to sin. And true freedom is found in continuing in Your word, meditating on it and obeying it (John 8:31-34 AMPC). True freedom is being able to choose to not do what harms us. Thank You for these truths Lord, in Jesus Name Amen