Temptation and Fall
39
excite a spirit of irreverent curiosity, a restless, inquisitive desire to
penetrate the secrets of divine wisdom and power. In their efforts to
search out what God has been pleased to withhold, multitudes overlook
the truths which He has revealed, and which are essential to salvation.
Satan tempts men to disobedience by leading them to believe they are
entering a wonderful field of knowledge. But this is all a deception.
Elated with their ideas of progression, they are, by trampling on God’s
requirements, setting their feet in the path that leads to degradation
and death.
Satan represented to the holy pair that they would be gainers by
breaking the law of God. Do we not today hear similar reasoning?
Many talk of the narrowness of those who obey God’s commandments,
while they themselves claim to have broader ideas and to enjoy greater
liberty. What is this but an echo of the voice from Eden, “In the day
ye eat thereof”—transgress the divine requirement—“ye shall be as
gods”? Satan claimed to have received great good by eating of the
forbidden fruit, but he did not let it appear that by transgression he had
become an outcast from heaven. Though he had found sin to result
in infinite loss, he concealed his own misery in order to draw others
into the same position. So now the transgressor seeks to disguise his
true character; he may claim to be holy; but his exalted profession
only makes him the more dangerous as a deceiver. He is on the side
of Satan, trampling upon the law of God, and leading others to do the
same, to their eternal ruin.
Eve really believed the words of Satan, but her belief did not save
her from the penalty of sin. She disbelieved the words of God, and this
was what led to her fall. In the judgment men will not be condemned
because they conscientiously believed a lie, but because they did not
believe the truth, because they neglected the opportunity of learning
what is truth. Notwithstanding the sophistry of Satan to the contrary,
it is always disastrous to disobey God. We must set our hearts to
know what is truth. All the lessons which God has caused to be placed
on record in His word are for our warning and instruction. They are
given to save us from deception. Their neglect will result in ruin to
ourselves. Whatever contradicts God’s word, we may be sure proceeds
from Satan.
The serpent plucked the fruit of the forbidden tree and placed it
in the hands of the half-reluctant Eve. Then he reminded her of her
[56]