THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL

I. MIND OF THE FLESH vs. WALK IN THE SPIRIT

In this chapter, I want to fully explain the relationship of the mind of the flesh with the walk in the Spirit. For many years now, we have ministered and come to believe that the mind is our worst enemy. We have sought over and over again to purge ourselves of its influence. In most cases,

we have failed. This is evidently disclosed in our failure to walk in the Spirit.

Many in the ministry are frustrated and even angry with themselves because they are tired of fighting their minds. I have counseled countless saints who confess that they just cannot seem to turn their minds off. They really believe that they could live holy if it was not for their fleshy minds.

II. IN THE BEGINNING

I want us to really look into the plan of salvation and discover the intent of the Father in this war of the mind and Spirit. I know just the right starting point--the beginning.

Genesis 3:19

In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

If we look into this passage, we find that there are keys to discovering how to win the battle of the mind. What actually happened here?

1. God condemned Adam to death. He placed his natural body under the power of sin and death. The day Adam ate of the tree, he was dead to God. The human being was dead. He died the day He ate. His body would manifest that death on a daily basis until it finally returned to the dust from whence it was taken.

1. Note here that the condemnation in the judgment of that day was complete and final. It was complete and all-inclusive. Everything Adam was died. Everything he possessed died. His entire world became a giant tomb for the walking dead.

1. I simply need you to remember that the man, the entire man, died. There was no part of him that did not suffer sin and death. All that remained was a mind that functioned to provide for the flesh until the day it returned to the dust. The mind of this dead man had only one focus. Having sold himself to the powers of darkness, being void of any hope of reconciliation with God, he could do only one thing and that is to try to survive and occupy until his appointment with final destruction.

1. The law of sin and death forced Adam to have to scratch out a living of some kind until his days were up. He was forced to strive for a living in the world Satan would now create for him.

Let us look at the 22nd verse:

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

This is an interesting verse. Let us look at its Amplified version:

And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

What is actually implied here? I mean Adam had to understand right from wrong, before he ate of the fruit. He was given a commandment that forbade him to partake of it. Therefore, we must conclude that he knew what it meant to disobey God. This is further confirmed in Paul’s writings.

III. ARROGANCE: THE SIN

I Timothy 2:14

And ADAM WAS NOT DECEIVED, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

Adam was not seduced by the lie. He made a conscious decision to disobey God. He chose to become as his wife rather than cleave to his God. Adam did not believe Satan. He was not tricked into sin. He simply chose to suffer the consequences of disobedience.

I was talking to another preacher of the gospel, who unfortunately has the same mind Adam had. He said to me concerning disobeying God, “If God does not stop me from disobeying Him, then I will have to suffer the consequences. The scripture tells us to take whatever we have to suffer patiently (I Peter 2:20).” Now at the time of this conversation I thought, “What a pitiful state of arrogance.” I could not believe anyone in the church, preaching the gospel, could be so arrogant about sin. Then I discovered that this was the same mind Adam had about sin. This mindset is the motivation for the next response from the Father. “So the man has become as one of us, knowing good and evil.” Do not mistake this to mean that Adam only understood good and evil or right and wrong after having eaten of the fruit. Remember he was not deceived, tricked or beguiled. That means he understood his actions.

The disposition of man became pitiful after the fall. He was completely alienated from God. Nevertheless, his conscience now has knowledge of the consequences of right and wrong. It is now knowledgeable of the definition and power of good and evil. You see it is one thing to understand doing wrong, but it is another thing to understand and know the attributes of evil, which is the consequence of disobedience. So now the man has become as God. This simply means that:

1. He has now received the knowledge of the horrors of walking outside the Word of God and
2. His conscience is now experiencing the attributes of sin.

In his arrogance (overbearing pride), Adam sought to appease his flesh, but now the horrors of the separation have come. He knows fear and shame. These are emotions never experienced before. He is ashamed because the truth about the captivity of sin is now disclosed. The evil, horrors, captivity, degradation and fears are unveiled. Now the man knows, as God knows, the EXPERIENTIAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL.

Just how far would the arrogance of this man extend? God knew. Therefore, Adam’s Creator performed an astounding act of mercy and love. He drove the man out of the Garden of Eden, blocking the entrance to the tree of life. Thus assuring that mankind would not eat of it and remain in that fearful disposition forever.

Romans 6:21-23

21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is DEATH.

22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

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

This is the inference in the statement, “The man has become as one of us to know good and evil. Well, now that you have exercised your will to disobey Me, what is the fruit of your disobedience? In all things, you are now ashamed and the end of your sin is death. Fear, shame, death and eternal damnation are the fruits of your sin. Now you have discovered the meaning of evil. You knew right from wrong, but you did not know the characteristics of wrong, which is evil.” Now is manifested the horror of living outside of the Word of God.

IV. THE REVELATION OF GOOD AND EVIL

Having been created in a state of innocence, man was totally unaware of the character of good and evil. This is so because the true character of good can only be expressed in Jesus Christ and the true character of evil is only expressed in Satan. When Adam sinned, he experienced the attributes of the evil within that sin. It is the plan of God that man will also experience the attributes of good, which is the righteousness within obedience.

One might think that Adam understood “good” because he was created innocent, knowing right from wrong. However, the character of good was not revealed until Jesus.

For example:

• Man’s perception of wrong is to fornicate, but God’s perception speaks on this wise; “A man has sinned when he so much as looks upon a woman to lust after her (Matthew 5:28).”

• Man’s perception of right: Love those who love you, while the Lord commands us to love those who hate you (Matthew 5:24; Luke 6:27).

• God’s perspective of giving is that you have not given until you have given all.

• Man’s perception of living is self-preservation, while God commands us to deny ourselves (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).

MAN’S PERCEPTION: GOD’S PERCEPTION:

WRONG Fornication A man has sinned when he looks upon a woman to lust after her.

RIGHT Love those who love you Love your enemies.

LIVING Self-preservation Deny self.

GIVING Give by his own measurement Have not given until you have given all.

These are just mere examples as to the character of good versus the knowledge of right and wrong, from man’s comprehension. This is a concept that can only be perceived by one who is spiritual, not natural.

Now let us go to I Corinthians the 2nd chapter:

12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Satan was and is the manifestation of all that is evil, but Jesus Christ is the manifestation of all that is good. Just as we were partakers of the first so now are we able to become partakers of the latter. Jesus is manifest. The righteousness of God is revealed.

I want you to consider very carefully all of the proceeding chapters, for they so powerfully describe the affection of the Father toward us. They also disclose His eternal plan to free man from his terrestrial tomb.