Lesson 22

Allowing sentient beings to make their own choices did not stop with the angels. God continued the theme when he first created mankind. Instructing Adam and Eve on what they could eat in the garden of Eden, He provided them a choice by having one tree they should not eat from. Allowing them to choose the tree of knowledge tested their resolve to resist Satan’s influence over them and to obey God. How have you been influenced by Satan to sin? How often do you pass the test? What areas are there in your life where Satan always seems to win and you fail to resist sin? Do you have control over your choices? How does the Holy Spirit encourage you to resist evil enticements? How do you decide how you should follow God?

Genesis 2:15-17 New Life Version
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work the ground and care for it. 16 The Lord God told the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden. 17 But do not eat from the tree of learning of good and bad. For the day you eat from it you will die for sure.”

Genesis 3:1-12 New Catholic Bible
1 The serpent was the most clever of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. It said to the woman, “Is it true that God told you not to eat of any of the trees in the garden?” 2 The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but as for the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, God said that we must not eat it, nor even touch it, lest we die.” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “Certainly you shall not die! 5 God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will become like God, knowing that which is good and that which is evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to look at and desirable for imparting wisdom. She took some fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband who was with her, and he also ate it. 7 Their eyes were opened and they realized that they were naked. They took fig leaves and sewed them together, making themselves a covering. 8 They then heard the Lord God walking in the garden toward the evening. The man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where were you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you walking in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who let you know that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree from which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man answered, “The woman whom you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.” 13 The Lord God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me and I ate it.”