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THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT

By Alan Yusko

In this tract we will look at the fall of mankind back in the garden of Eden. Then we will look at some of the sins committed in relation to the fall by Adam and Eve. It is interesting that these very same sins are still being committed today. The devil still offers the same temptations to lost people today.

The following is the record of the initial sin and the fall of mankind.

Gen 3
1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3 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.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

God created heaven and the earth. He made the garden of Eden and put man and woman in there to enjoy the beauty of God's creation. However, in the garden, the Lord gave Adam and Eve only one restriction. They were not allowed to eat the forbidden fruit. The goal of this restriction was to test their obedience.

When mankind fell many sins were committed. Here is a partial list of the sins.

REBELLION

The first and foremost sin was the sin of rebellion to God. Adam and Eve were told not to do something and they did it anyway. They ignored God's command and did what they wanted. They disobeyed a command of God.

1 Samuel 15
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.

Today the sin of rebellion is literally glorified. The world of lost people love sin and rebellion. Even within the professing Christian church there are many disobedient rebels. These rebels love rock music, the occult, false ecumenical unity, and charismatic foolishness. Right now the world is ripe for Divine judgment. Many have rebelled against God, His Word, His commands, and His people. Some, sad to say, are professing Christians within the church! In reality they are tares!

TREASON

The devil started the temptation be approaching Eve. The first part of the sin was for Eve to simply listen to the devil and what he had to say Then she conspiried with the devil against a command of God. The devil directly contradicted a command of God and Eve listened.

Gen 3
3 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.
4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:

The devil told Eve in verse 4 the exact opposite of what God had said. She was told that she would not die if she ate the fruit. God has previously told her that they would die if the forbidden fruit was eaten. Eve had to make a choice. She could listen to what God said or she could listen to the lies of the devil. In the end, Eve listened to the evil lies of the devil and ate of the forbidden fruit. Eve believed the lies of the devil over the command of God. It is interesting to note that in verse 3, Eve knew exactly what God had said!

Today there are many people given over to treason. For example Satan is making popular the sin of sodomy in these last days. It has become socially acceptable to speak well of the sin of sodomy and negative to take a Biblical stand against this sin and perversion. Even many in professing Christian churches have accepted the world's position on sodomy.

Others in professing Christian churches have given themselves over to the morality of the world. People are living together out of wedlock. Others are fornicating and doing things directly against the commands of God. Still others are divorcing and remarrying 2, 3, or even 4 times. Marriage has lost its meaning and the vows of marriage mean nothing in these days of apostasy.

Another example would be Satanic rock music which has gained acceptance within the professing Christian church. For the last 20-30 years the devil and his tares have been singing the praises of rock and roll music. Many have listened and have rejected God's commands for obedience and separation from the world and sin. Both secular and religious rock is now firmly entrenched in many professing Christian churches. Professing Christian young people can listen to the latest Satanic groups and after go inside the church for a watered-down Bible study of some sort given by a "hip" and long haired youth pastor.

Acceptance and converts are constantly sought for compromise and sin. The people involved in sin are always seeking others to take part in their debauchery and evil. With treasonous mouths these people speak glowingly of the sins they love and desire. Many listen and like Eve, commit treason against the clear commands of God as recorded in His Word.

GODLESS AMBITION

Adam and Eve had godless ambition. They wanted to be in a higher state than which they were created. Satan told them that they would be as gods knowing good and evil. The devil promised Adam and Eve a form of godhood which was supposedly superior than their current condition.

Gen 3
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

The sad note is this lie is still being presented today. The new agers and occultists have dangling before their noses the false promise of godhood. They are taught the divinity of man. The devil has been very successful with this lie and deception. People are duped into believing that they can achieve some form of godhood here on earth. The New Agers are not alone. The Mormon false religion also promises godhood to their members. They even believe that God is nothing more than an exalted man. Adam to be exact. But the details on the Mormon cult are another subject. There is lots of info on the internet about their false teachings.

Others teach from within the professing Christian church that we are already little gods with god-powers. These charismatic and pentacostal wolves present a form of godhood to their gullible and deceived followers.

The promise of godhood is not new. The lie has just been re-packaged and presented to the lost, power hungry, and ambitious. The devil has had great success with this godhood deception.

LUSTING AFTER THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT

After listening to the lies of the devil, Eve began to look closer at the forbidden fruit. She examined the tree and the forbidden fruit. She looked at the fruit, she thought about it and analyzed it in her mind, she reached out and grabbed the fruit and held it. Finally, she totally gave into temptation and ate of the fruit in direct disobedience to the command of God. Here is the account:

Gen 3
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

Eve lusted after the evil things of the devil. She lusted with her eyes and her mind. She had a lustful anticipation of the taste of the forbidden fruit. She handled the forbidden fruit and it was very pleasant to the senses. She lingered in temptation long enough until she reached the point of simply giving in to the desire. She then ate of the forbidden fruit.

Today lusting after sin is a major problem. I have heard whole sermons on this topic. The bottom line is to remove yourself from the source of temptation. Don't be like Eve and stand around listening to the lies of the devil. If you are weak in a certain area of your life then take great care to remove yourself from the source of the temptation. Do not be like Eve and linger around thinking, examining, and touching the source of temptation.

Today, Satan's people and tares within the church promote evil things. They justify evil and reject obedience to God and His Word. People need to cut off the temptation and lies from the devil right at the source. Don't even listen to these false servants and tares of the devil.

Had Eve rejected the devil before he had a chance to speak, she would have not considered the evil deed of eating the forbidden fruit. Remember, remove yourself from the source of temptation and do it early. Do not linger around thinking about it. Get away!

If you attend a liberal doctrine rejecting church that is constantly vexing your spirit then don't stick around. The longer you stay and watch their compromise and sin the more danger you are in from accepting and being drawn into the compromise yourself. Get out and find a good Bible based church where the Bible is preached and the people love and seek to obey the Lord.

INGRATITUDE

Ungratefulness is a major sin in these last days. I'm reminded about the account when the Lord Jesus healed ten lepers. Only one of the ten actually returned to say thank you. The other nine didn't even return to say thank you after such a great healing and miracle. Isn't that sick? Myself I'd be thanking the Lord again and again for doing such a great and wonderful miracle in my life!

Adam and Eve were ungrateful toward God for all the good things He did and made for them. God gave them everything a heart could desire except from eating the forbidden fruit. Yet Adam and Eve desired more than God gave. They did not stay content with all their blessing. The had a love of the world and the things of the world rather than a love of God.

Had Adam and Eve been grateful for all the wonderful things God did for them, that alone would have prevented them from displeasing God and eating from the forbidden fruit.

Today we live in a sin-loving cold hearted world. People are not grateful to God or to God's people. Just look at what the Lord Jesus did for the lost hellbound sinner! God became a man (Jesus). He died on the cross and paid the penalty for sin so we would not have to. The Lord literally suffered the complete penalty for sin for us (in our place). He now offers salvation as a gift to all who would receive it. No one has to go to hell. Jesus provided the only way to heaven and it is a gift! How many people want what God offers? How many people really care? I'm sad to say... not many! People love their sin and evil and do not want to repent and turn to the Saviour, the Lord Jesus.

Look at the below verses and it can be seen that ungrateful lost people who reject the Lord actually hate the light of the Gospel.

John 3
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Today we are living in a self centered and an ungrateful world. Many choose to reject the Lord and have no concern for the great price paid for salvation.

UNBELIEF

Adam and Eve had a case of unbelief. They really did not believe in what God said. God told them they would die if they ate the forbidden fruit and they did not believe Him. Instead they listened to the lies of the devil that said they would not die but instead become gods.

Today the world is filled with atheists and followers of false religions who reject God and His Word. They do not believe in God's plan of salvation with the Lord Jesus as the only way to be saved. Instead all the false religions present some kind of works-based salvation that is pleasing to the pride of lost man.

Lost men choose some kind of religion that will not interfere with their moral lifestyle. The fornicator or sodomite will choose a religion that allows him to continue fornicating yet still have acceptance from his false diety. Other lost people are proud and feel that they must take part in attaining their salvation. The reject the Lord Jesus and the Bible while they run off and seek their false gods.

MURDER

Adam and Eve committed murder when they fell into sin. Before they sinned there was no death in God's creation. After the sin man died spiritually and physically. Today we all live for a certain amount of time and then we die. Along with death came pain, sickness, and many hardships. This originally was not in the plans for the human race. Because of Adam and Eve, we are now all sinners doomed to die. Below is a description as to how sin and death entered the world through Adam and Eve. On the other hand salvation and righteousness is now available through the Lord Jesus! Here is what the Bible says:

Rom 5 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Rom 5
15 But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

1 Cor 15
21 For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The good news is that God loves us so much that He became a man and came to earth. He died on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins. People can be saved and no one has to go to hell to pay for his sins. Instead the Lord Jesus paid the entire penalty for sins on the cross. The sad thing is that the majority of people reject the Lord Jesus and His salvation that He freely offers. What about you reader, have you too rejected the Lord Jesus as YOUR Lord and Saviour?... or have you accepted Him?

Matt 7
13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

HATH GOD SAID

One of the key deceptions of the devil is the "Hath God said" lie. He seeks to deny at the very foundation the Word of God. The devil can quote Scripture. Just look at all the cults and the false religions. They deny the Lord Jesus and the plan of salvation with many of them quoting Bible verses.

I heard on the news that the Archbiship of the Anglican church went through a occultic Druid ceremony. He claimed the ceremony was very "Christian". Other churches claim homosexuality (sodomy) is good an natural. Others encourage their youth into all kinds of rock and roll music. Finally others are involved in the charismatic foolishness and laugh like lunatics and bark like dogs during a church service. The foundation of accepting all these lies of the devil is Satans lie: "Hath God said". The Bible is mis-quoted and twisted to allow all kinds of heresies. Many blindly listen and like a dry sponge, soak up all the false teaching. By rejecting and refusing the Word of God, people are wide open to false teachings and deceptions.

I have noticed one thing that is very particular about lost people. Many will easily accept lies and false teaching but they will resist the truth with all their hearts, mind, and soul. I have seen people pick up the supermarket trash magazines and will soak up all the foolishness found in those pages. However, when presented with the simple plan of salvation through the Lord Jesus, these people raise all kind of arguments as to why they will not and why they refuse to believe in the Lord Jesus.

This trait will be very apparent after the rapture when the antichrist comes to power. He will literally deceive the entire world of Christ rejecting lost people into following himself and the devil. Lost people will gladly accept the mark of the beast and persecute and kill God's blood bought people in those dark days. The truth will but totally rejected while lies, deceptions, heresies, and blasphemies will prosper.

SEPARATION FROM GOD

When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit their close fellowship with God was broken. The immediately knew they were naked and tied fig leaves on their body. When God came for a visit, they hid from Him. Because of sin close fellowship with God was broken.

This is true today. If you are living your life in sin and rebellion to God then deep down you know God is not pleased. Here is what the Bible says:

Rom 1
32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them

Deep down lost people know sin is wrong and is not acceptable to God. However, because they reject God and His Word, they are wide open to believing the lies of the devil. The above verse states that lost people know that the judgment of God is coming. But do they care? No they don't. Instead they encourage and have pleasure in others who also take part in sin and rebellion.

2 Tim 3
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Notice verse 5 above. Many evil people will have a form of godliness. They will appear to be religious or holy to some people. Some of them will even be in professing Christian churches. Just look at the Catholic priest, nuns, Islamics who pray several times per day, the holy looking Hindu, the greedy tele-evangelist, and the mason who is a pastor or a decon in church. This list can go on and on but the fact is many evil people look religious and godly to some. But the reality is they are evil, lost, and ministers of the devil. Through it all these lost people have no fellowship at all with God. They are lost and seek to deceive as many as possible.

THE GUILT OF SIN

After the sin in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve tried to cover things up. They put on fig leaves to hide their nakedness. When God appeared they hid from Him.

Today all men are affected by the guilt of sin. The Bible clearly states that we are all sinners and therefore we are all under the death penalty for sin.

Rom 3
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 6
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The wages of sin is death and since we are all sinners (no exceptions) then we are all under the penalty of death. The penalty for sin is torment forever in the lake of fire. But thankfully God loves us so much that He became a man and died on the cross to pay for our sins! Notice Romans 6:23 where it says "...the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord".

I want to make two points:
1) Salvation is a gift ..."the gift of God is eternal life..."
2) This gift is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ "...through Jesus Christ our Lord".

There is no need for lost men to do good works to remove the burden of sin. There is no need to wear a costume and try to appear holy in order to be saved. Instead salvation is a gift and is freely available through the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

The Lord Jesus is the only Saviour and the only way to heaven. Salvation is found only in the Lord Jesus. All other so-called paths lead to hell and an eternity separated from God.

This is the narrow and simple message of salvation. Lets review... It is freely given as a gift and is only found in the Lord Jesus.

However, the majority of lost men and women would rather try to cover their guilt and sin by their own methods. They would rather try to cover themselves by using the "fig leaves" of a works based false religion or a method to get to heaven without the Lord Jesus. Even though these things may appear to be holy on the outside, the end result is death and an eternity separated from God in the Lake of fire.

Salvation is God reaching down to save lost man. It is not lost man reaching up and attaining salvation on their own terms by false religion or so called good works.

RESULTS OF SIN

Lets quickly look at some of the results of sin after the fall of man:

- general disasters... Plagues, famine, wars
- sickness and death
- being deceived by the devil
- spiritual blindness to the truth while accepting false teaching and lies
- reprobate mind that loves to sin and cannot discern between good and evil
- hardness of heart and a seared conscience
- vile affections and widespread sexual immorality
- strong delusions and belief in damnable heresies unto eternal damnation in hell
- children of wrath who reject the Lord
- hell and a lost eternity separated from God
- lost communion and fellowship with God
- the burden of the guilt of sin and separation from God
- the fear of God as a result of being a lost hellbound sinner

This is not an exhaustive list but it begins to show the terrible results of sin. Right now we are in the days of salvation. God is calling men and women to salvation in the Lord Jesus. Everyone must make a choice either to accept or to reject the Lord Jesus. There is no middle ground. A person is either for the Lord Jesus or he is against Him.

Sin will not be allowed to run freely in God's creation forever. In light of eternity the invasion of sin is only but a small time. A few thousand years compared to all eternity is a small season for sin. However, people are forced to make a decision to accept or reject the Lord Jesus. The good news is that the Lord Jesus is coming back again very soon. Once He returns He will setup a 1000 year Kindgom on earth. After that time there will be the great White Throne judgment of the lost and then God will create a new heaven and a new earth. In this new creation there will not even be a trace of sin. The good news is that those days are coming quickly! We are in the last days and Bible prophecy and the end time events are being fulfilled in our days. Soon the Lord Jesus will return to rapture home His body of true believers, the Church.

CONCLUSION

In this article we have looked at the results of the sin and fall of mankind. We have seen that the devil is still very active in promoting the same lies he told Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Today, lost men and women are believing the same lies of the devil. The lies are the same but the packaging has changed a bit. The devil still promises godhood to lost mankind. He denies the Word of God and many accept his lies and false teachings.

We have seen that God has provided salvation and a covering for sin by becomming a man and dying on the cross. Salvation is a free gift and can only be found in the Lord Jesus. All other so-called pathways to God lead to hell.

Soon the Lord Jesus will return to rapture home His Church. Men and women must choose their side. Either they choose the Lord or they choose the devil. To come to God one must come on God's terms. A person must repent of his sins and humbly accept the Lord Jesus as his Lord and Saviour.






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