And the LORD God commanded the man,

.... saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16, 17). Every  healthy relationship needs boundaries, limits, places for 'yes' and for  'no.' And eternal life is all about relationship with God (John 17:3). Boundaries help form, shape and protect relationships (I recommend “Boundaries” by Cloud and Townsend). I never let my children call me “Phil,” I'm “Dad!” When they were little there were many more rules, I knew better than them at that point. And God always knows better!  Some see God as a tyrant demanding His way, looking to condemn when we mess up. It's a wrong picture, in fact when we allow Him to define the relationship,  there's no condemnation at all (Romans 8:1).

I love my kids, and though the process was far from perfect, my 'yes' and my 'no' were there for their provision and protection. It's the same with God.  Choices have consequences,  the wages of sin is death, we reap what we sow, bad choices have bad consequences  (Romans 6:23; Galatians 6:7).  God did not give Adam multiple,  difficult to obey rules, He gave him just one easy to obey command,  “don't eat from the  tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” He gave  one 'no,' and many 'yes's (every other tree).  When we come into relationship His way (repent and believe the gospel - Mark 1:15),  and  do things His way (walk in the Spirit  - Galatians 5:16), then there is so much freedom (free indeed - John 8:31, 32, 36).  You wouldn't know it, the way many Christians live!

To me there is none so miserable as a not fully committed Christian. You can't even enjoy your sin!  Just one unsurrendered part is your Achilles' heel!  If they have to operate on you to remove cancer,  how much do you want them to leave? And sin is a cancer! Read on in Genesis to see how it spread its tentacles,  accelerating as it spread.  This is why the disobedience of the single command was so devastating.

In 1 John 5:3 we read “this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. In fact it wasn't burdensome for Adam, but when we come (or came) to Christ we are not (were not) where Adam was. He did not have a lifetime of the consequences of sin to deal with.  He had not yet developed ungodly appetites that demand to be satisfied (John 8:34).  And putting to death  the deeds and the desires of the sinful nature we inherited from Adam (by the Spirit),  is a process (Romans 8:13). It's a struggle, but I;m getting there!

Father, Adam and Eve experienced spiritual death that day and would eventually experience physical death. It was not Your intention that they ever die, but to live forever in a fallen state would be hell.   Your one command was simply asking Adam to bow,  and acknowledge that You and You alone are God. One day every knee will bow,  and every tongue confess that You are Lord (Romans 11:14).  Thank You  Lord that You brought me to the end of myself,  leading me to bow now before I am forced to when  You destroy the last enemy death (1 Corinthians 15:26).  I sense my bowing gives You glory Lord, it's my sincere desire to do so in Jesus Name Amen