One Choice | The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

Kids Questions

Who decides what is right and wrong?

How do personally find out what is right and wrong? 

Adult Questions

When was a time you became your own God and it brought death into your life? 

How do you find strenght to follow God?

One Choice – Tree of Knowledge

Sermon in a Sentence

You only have one choice, you have free will, but it’s not much of a choice.

Genesis Read-Through

Why Genesis Matters to Israel

• Israel had forgotten God while in Egypt.
• Ten Plagues ⇄ Creation: The 10 plagues mirror the “God said” statements of Genesis 1 (e.g., plague of darkness vs. “Let there be light”), showing God’s supremacy over Egypt’s gods.

 

Recap: Genesis 1 & 2

1. Creator — Jesus Christ: “In Him and by Him and through Him was everything that was made.”
2. Imago Dei — Every human, male and female, bears God’s image (oneness • creativity • dominion).
3. Family — God establishes family against a culture that hates it.

 

Reading the Text

Genesis 2:9, 16-17; 3:1-6

“…of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Key Observation

This is cause and effect: not the curse yet… Eat = Die

 

Genesis — The Original Command vs. Eve’s Addition

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Genesis 2:16-17 KJV

And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die.
Genesis 3:2-3 KJV

 

Jesus Intensifies the Standard (Sermon on the Mount)

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…
Matthew 5:21-22 KJV

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 5:27-28 KJV

 

What Is the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil?

“…you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:5)

Word-Study: “Know / ידע (yādaʿ)”

Verse	Usage	Meaning
Gen 4:9	“I know not.”	Observe / cognitive awareness
Gen 4:1	“Adam knew his wife…”	Intimacy / understanding
Gen 12:11	“Now I know that thou art fair…”	Decide / judge / choose

Knowledge = observe → understand → choose.

The Sin

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. - Genesis 3:6

 

Eve saw (observe) that the tree was good, desired (understand/intimacy), and took (chose). She became her own moral authority. That is the death.

 

 

For there is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is in the days to come shall all be forgotten. And how dieth the wise man? as the fool.
-Ecclesiastes 2:16

 

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
Ecclesiastes 12:8

**Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Ecclesiastes 12:13

 

 

God’s Word or Choose Death

 

His delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.” — Psalms 1:2-3

 

16 Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.

- Proverbs 3:16–18 (KJV)

 

 

 

The Tree of Life…

1. The Battle of the Mind

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” — Philippians 4:8 (KJV)

 

2. Relationships

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” — 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (KJV)

 

3. Handling Wealth & Money

“Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.” — 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (KJV)

 

4. How to Work

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” — Colossians 3:23-24 (KJV)

 

5. Handling Anxiety & Fear

“Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” — 1 Peter 5:6 (KJV)