The Freedom of Choice

[Daily Devotional]

The Freedom of Choice 

Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning. 2 Cor. 11:3, NIV. {LHU 21.1}

Satan entered into the serpent and took his position in the tree of
knowledge and commenced leisurely eating of the fruit. 

Eve, unconsciously at first, separated from her husband in her employment.
When she became aware of the fact she felt that there might be danger, but
again she thought herself secure, even if she did not remain close by the
side of her husband. She had wisdom and strength to know if evil came, and
to meet it. This the angels had cautioned her not to do. . . . 

Satan would convey the idea that by eating of the forbidden tree they would
receive a new and more noble kind of knowledge than they had hitherto
attained. This has been his special work, with great success, ever since his
fall--to lead men to pry into the secrets of the Almighty and not be
satisfied with what God has revealed, and not careful to obey that which He
has commanded. He would lead them to disobey God's commands, and then make
them believe that they are entering a wonderful field of knowledge. This is
purely supposition, and a miserable deception. They fail to understand what
God has revealed, and disregard His explicit commandments and aspire after
wisdom, independent of God, and seek to understand that which He has been
pleased to withhold from mortals. They are elated with their ideas of
progression and charmed with their own vain philosophy, but grope in
midnight darkness relative to true knowledge. They are ever learning and
never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

It was not the will of God that this sinless pair should have the knowledge
of evil. He had freely given them the good but withheld the evil. . . . 

Eve had thought herself capable of deciding between right and wrong. The
flattering hope of entering a higher state of knowledge had led her to think
that the serpent was her especial friend, possessing a great interest in her
welfare. Had she sought her husband, and they had related to their Maker the
words of the serpent, they would have been delivered at once from his artful
temptation (The Story of Redemption, pp. 32-37). 

Rebellion and apostasy are in the very air we breathe. We shall be affected
by them unless we by faith hang our helpless souls upon Christ. If men are
so easily misled now, how will they stand when Satan shall personate Christ,
and work miracles? Who will be unmoved by his misrepresentations
then--professing to be Christ when it is only Satan assuming the person of
Christ, and apparently working the works of Christ? What will hold God's
people from giving their allegiance to false christs? "Go not after them"
(Luke 17:23) (Selected Messages, book 2, pp. 394, 395). 

>From Lift Him Up - Page 13