Genesis 2:15-17 

¹⁵ The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. ¹⁶ And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; ¹⁷ but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”

Did you know that we’re created for work? Man’s dignity is seen by his work. God created Man not as a parasite but as a creature with an active and productive lifestyle. Man took care of the Garden of Eden and worked upon it so that he and his wife would continue to live and realize God’s desire and design for them.

Man’s primary diet was fruit. Eden was full of fruit trees which were freely available and easily accessible; Adam and Eve would not starve to death. The Genesis narrative does not give details on the variety and number of trees. It is enough to note that it was more than enough for man to eat to his heart’s content.

Among the trees were two significant ones that would affect the life, prospects and future of man. One was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the other was the tree of life. Note that the fruit of knowledge had equal capacity to impart knowledge of good or knowledge of evil, depending on a person’s choice. Knowledge is cumulative, and a person can choose the one on which he wishes to focus, expand and specialize. He cannot be both good and evil at the same time and at the same capacity. One form of knowledge will be greater than the other.

But did you know that God told man of only one tree – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? He didn’t want man to eat its fruit and warned him of the consequences. But the tree of life? There was no need to tell man because as he continued to eat the fruits permitted in the Garden, he would eventually come to eat of it and obtain eternal life and immortality. The possibility of obtaining immortality was great; man could eat it anytime!

The narrative is silent on the proximity of one tree from the other. No data is given on the shape, color, taste and other specifications of both trees and their fruits. But the odds of eating the fruit of tree of life seemed very much greater than the fruit from the tree of knowledge!

Human history, current experiences, social situations and the human condition are simply the result of the choice Adam and Eve made in eating the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

We find both good and wicked people in the world. Both kinds of knowledge have increased in quantity and quality – with differing degrees in each - in human history. Man has become sophisticated in doing both.

Some examples of people who opt to do good are:

Philanthropists

These people work hard so that they can acquire wealth above what they and their families need. They have surpluses and choose not to spend all for self nor for stockpiling. Instead, they unselfishly share their surpluses with those who are not as successful as themselves - the less fortunate, the needy, the poor. Philanthropists provide those who have failed in life, opportunities to stand up and move on. They assist people to have a second chance to improve their lot in life. Helping others is doing good. Rockefeller is an example.

Life achievers

These people use their talents, knowledge, training, skills and specialization to improve the lives of others. Some spend their entire lives developing medicine, technology, processes and systems.

Missionaries

These expend their lives, potential and future in service to God. Instead of pursuing lucrative and high-paying jobs, they choose to go serve people in places that others wouldn’t even think of. God’s workforce consists of these people.

Martyrs

The common understanding of martyrs are ‘dead heroes’. Scripture, however, depicts them as living testaments of God’s goodness and greatness. They are the people who were willing to pay the ultimate price of service for others with their lives. Many of them are names of which we may never hear.

On the other hand, we needn’t expound on those who choose to do evil. The world is full of them and society is burdened with them and their activities. The world is busy solving issues caused by the evil schemes of many. There is no nation on our planet that doesn’t address the perennial problems of poverty, injustice, hunger, man-made calamities, wars, drugs, human trafficking, inequality, graft and corruption in government ad infinitum.

Rev Dr Betia points out that eating from the tree of knowledge involves more than merely receiving information or data. Is a person good or is a person wicked? Knowledge is manifested through actions, activities and behavior patterns. It is not what one knows but what becomes of the person who received the data and information.

We are constantly straddling between the two very basic choices, aren’t we? It is often a struggle to decide to do good or evil. The dilemma is often related to a person’s spiritual condition. Even the Apostle Paul was puzzled as to why despite wanting to do good, he did the exact opposite! He might have experienced extreme difficulty in the struggle, but his conclusion and secret of victory was not in himself but in the person of Jesus who gave him victory in choosing and doing good.

Even though how much a person struggles to do good, it seems to be a losing proposition. The end of one’s life - physical death - is the ultimate result of partaking the fruit of the forbidden tree. This was what God wanted man to avoid. The first humans disregarded the Word of God and followed the voice of the serpent. Human suffering today is of a magnitude unimagined by Adam and Eve. Repentance at the end will never nullify nor diminish the gravity of disregarding God’s voice. One will just have to bear and suffer the consequence.

Rev Dr Betia says, ”The key to doing good begins with the choice of living under the authority of God and His Word. When a person fully obeys God even in the midst of trials, that person reflects how much free rein Jesus has in his/her life. And God has won in His desire and design for man.