Error Correction

September 19, 2008

Dear Charles,

We read in Genesis 2:16-17, God commanding Adam, “saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it…” We note that God did not say, “thou shall not eat it or touch it.” However, in Genesis 3:1-3, we read where Satan has asked the woman to verify what God has commanded regarding the fruit of this particular tree. And it is here that the woman does what so many of us do when offering excuses for our sins – we embellish upon the Word of God and add to what He has commanded us not to do. The woman replies to Satan, “But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die,” We know however, that God did not say anything about not touching the fruit. Eve added those words to God’s commandment. Why? I believe it was in an attempt to make the commandment harsher, and therefore unreasonable. In this way, she was preparing herself to disobey the commandment and justifying in her own mind why it was okay to do that which God had commanded her not to do. I reflected upon this lesson when I read this month’s “The Flaming Sword” and your misstatement regarding the “rule” that was broken by Adam and Eve. According to Scripture, the rule, i.e. commandment, was simply not to eat the fruit. I know your desire to be correct in all things concerning Scripture, so I point this out with that purpose in mind.

Jesus said, “For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” We therefore need not make Jesus’ commandments harsher or burdensome to us, and then offer this “fact” as the reason why we were unable to obey them. They are not there to weigh us down, but to lift us up from the bondage of sill.

May God continue to bless you and may you grow each day closer to His likeness.

In Christ,

Thomas Watchorn

Volume 10, 2008