This Painting: Temptation of Eve
Depicts the Lack of Clarity of this Sin
When Lucifer encountered Woman {Eve} in the Garden she was in her pre-sin state. Her mind, unlike ours, was unclouded by sin. She could reason more clearly, more fully, than we can possibly envision; therefore, the question becomes, “How was she deceived?” Herein lies the tale that affects us especially today in our 21st century postmodern worldview: the fallaciousness of autonomy.
Autonomous means to be independent from outside control, self-governing and subject only to one’s own laws (Dictionary.com). Fallaciousness is that which is logically unsound, deceptive or misleading (Dictionary.com). How did Lucifer use a fallacious concept so Woman would accept a false premise and reach an erroneous conclusion? The answer to that question continues to beguile modern man.
The Bible never attempts to prove the existence of God. God’s existence is the Bible’s major premise (Ge 1:1). As creator God He alone has the authority to define right and wrong {morality} (Je 18:1-6; Ro 9:14-21). One would believe that God is autonomous, free to define morality arbitrarily. However, this is fallacious. God is not free because He is bound by His nature (Ja 1:13-18). Second biblical premise is His nature is immutable {unchangeable}, without sin, impervious to sin. Third biblical premise is that nothing is greater than God (He 6:13-16). The final premise, for our purposes; God works through an established order He has defined: Man is the head, then Woman and finally come the children {at this juncture there are no children} (1co 11:2-3; Ep 5:22-6:4).
Lucifer, the Accuser (HaSatan), Tests
Man and Woman: Innocent & Fleshly
Lucifer’s backstory is told in Isaiah fourteen (12-17) and Ezekiel twenty-eight (11-19); he has sinned, he is without redemption, therefore, everything he does comes from sin producing sin (Jo 8:43-44). Moreover, Lucifer could not have come unannounced! He needed God’s permission to test the integrity {steadfastness} of Man and Woman; which he received (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-7; Lk 22:31-34). Lucifer was the greatest of God’s spiritual creations {angels} and he comes to determine the mettle of these physical creations made in God’s nature (Re 12:9).
As stated earlier, Woman had not sinned. She had an untainted nature with a reasoning ability we cannot conceive. An uncritical reading of the Genesis account of the Fall appears to show Woman as silly, shallow, even stupid; however, she was far from exhibiting any of these traits (Ge 3:1-7). But, she was unknowingly locked into an encounter with the “master of deception”. We need to understand that Genesis is written in a terse, very condensed style demanding clear hermeneutical exegetical interpretation to gain a clear understanding of what actually occurred. Just as the Lord had Balaam’s donkey speak to Balaam (Nu 22:26-28) Lucifer inhabited the dragon to have a physical form to speak to Woman. The issue is not that Woman was ignorant to believe animals could speak. The issue is that the account skips the introductions and pares the conversation down to the absolute essentials focusing our attention on the vital elements of their discussion. I have no doubt that Woman knew she was talking to Lucifer, angelic personality, and not to some animal.
God had defined a moral imperative: Do not eat of the Tree of Knowledge {Good and Evil}. God, as Creator, has the authority to define right and wrong for His creation. Man and Woman, as created beings, trusted God to avoid harm {death}. As long as Woman stayed focus on these truthful premises she could not be swayed to accept false conclusions. However, Lucifer did not attack her directly. Instead, he chose to attack her premises. This is what made him crafty {using his knowledge for evil}. The Hebrew word for crafty is also similar to the Hebrew word for nude. Man and Woman were nude, completely transparent to God, each other and Lucifer (Ge 2:25). They used their knowledge in concert with God’s guidance to live in harmony with His creation. Lucifer intruded his fallen knowledge into this relationship to isolate and deceive Woman (1Ti 2:13-14).
Lucifer inserted the false premise that the acquisition of knowledge would give Woman the power to define her own morality apart from God; thus, man and woman would be as gods simply by possessing the knowledge of good and evil. By accusing God of evil, withholding knowledge so He alone can be god, Lucifer, now Satan, submitted his false premise to Woman. At this juncture Woman accepted his premise and sinned. Her fleshly nature came alive demonstrated by seeing the fruit as good, as delightful to the eyes and desiring the wisdom God was hiding from her. She now became an active agent of sin, following her new authority: Satan.
Man Not Deceived into Sin
Man Willingly Seduced to Sin
Woman’s new found fleshly desires and changed nature had to be evident to Man who was not deceived by Lucifer’s argument. Woman seduced man into this new relationship who willingly followed her into these newly awakened sensual pleasures. Their eyes were opened, they perceived their sin was now transparent to God’s eyes as it was to each other’s eyes. Their creative action as gods {sex} was undertaken on their own authority and they sought to hide their creative organs from God’s eyes; hence, the leaf coverings. Herein is also their contradiction; if they were as gods possessing knowledge and defining their own morality: why did they fear God?
Rejecting God’s Order They Had to
Leave Eden Establishing their Order
The acceptance of Lucifer’s false premises led to false conclusions which led to sinful decisions and actions. They could deceive themselves but when confronted by the true creator they could not maintain the illusion. They excused themselves and accused others but they did not repent and ask God for forgiveness. Yet, God forgave them. There were consequences but there was forgiveness. They had to leave the Garden lest they eat from the Tree of Life and seek to live forever in their fallen state. Also, since they had rejected God’s order He gave them over to establish their own order outside of the Garden. They had created life, Cain, now they had to be as gods and guide that life according to right and wrong.
Modern man seeks autonomy through his religious pseudoscience psychology. Existentialism is simply the rejection of God’s morality with the substitution of man’s self-made morality; however, this ends in nihilism. Sinful modern man still accepts the false premise that if he gains enough knowledge he can be as god. Thus, modern man redefines morality by redefining marriage, family and those values that are innate to each person {made in God’s image} (Ex 20:1-17). By beginning with false premises one must arrive at false conclusions. Sinful man rejects God spiraling downward into nihilistic confusion tainting every aspect of life (Ro 1:18-32).
Sinful Man’s Existentialism Results in
Sensual Animalism, Confused Nihilism
God has given man over to be as gods. Natural man cannot find God, does not seek God and cannot do good no matter the effort expended (Ro 3:10-18). The truth of God is foolishness to the world (1Co 2:14). Man is caught in a false dilemma because of his false premises: there is no way out. However, God has provided Himself as the sacrifice for sin to all who repent (Ro 10:9-10). Come, and He will give you rest (Mt 11:25-30).
