Conflict and Courage

When It's Better Not to Know, January 11

Genesis 3:6-24

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly. Ecclesiastes 1:17. CC 17.1

Adam and Eve both ate of the fruit, and obtained a knowledge which, had they obeyed God, they would never have had,—an experience in disobedience and disloyalty to God,—the knowledge that they were naked. The garment of innocence, a covering from God, which surrounded them, departed; and they supplied the place of this heavenly garment by sewing together fig-leaves for aprons. CC 17.2

This is the covering that the transgressors of the law of God have used since the days of Adam and Eve's disobedience.... The fig-leaves represent the arguments used to cover disobedience.... CC 17.3

But the nakedness of the sinner is not covered.... CC 17.4

Had Adam and Eve never disobeyed their Creator, had they remained in the path of perfect rectitude, they could have known and understood God. But when they listened to the voice of the tempter, and sinned against God, the light of the garments of heavenly innocence departed from them; and in parting with the garments of innocence, they drew about them the dark robes of ignorance of God. The clear and perfect light that had hitherto surrounded them had lightened everything they approached; but deprived of that heavenly light, the posterity of Adam could no longer trace the character of God in His created works.^{14The S.D.A. Bible Commentary 1:1084.} CC 17.5

If Adam and Eve had never touched the forbidden tree, the Lord would have imparted to them knowledge,—knowledge upon which rested no curse of sin, knowledge that would have brought them everlasting joy.... CC 17.6

Age after age, the curiosity of men has led them to seek for the tree of knowledge; and often they think they are plucking fruit most essential, when, like Solomon's research, they find it altogether vanity and nothingness in comparison with that science of true holiness which will open to them the gates of the city of God. The human ambition has been seeking for that kind of knowledge that will bring to them glory and self-exaltation and supremacy. Thus Adam and Eve were worked upon by Satan.^{15Ibid., 1083.} CC 17.7