Genesis 3:9 (KJV);
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
In speaking on this text, a preacher said, "I make three divisions to this text. First: Every man's got to be somewhere. Second: Some men are where they ought not to be. Third: They that are where they ought not to be are going to find themselves where they do not want to be."
It is said that experience is the best teacher, and for much in this life that is quite true; we remember those mistakes which force us to experience the consequences, don’t we?
But there are areas where this is foolishness. You may learn to ride a bike by trial and error with no more consequence than skinned knees, but it is not a good idea to learn how to shoot by that method, nor how to pilot a helicopter.
Similarly, if we want to find out what sin is by experience, we will soon find ourselves where we do not want to be. If we seek to discover it by a righteous, God-honoring reflection, then we will never taste to find out, because we will know the results beforehand. Remember Adam? He found himself where he did not want to be after he had tasted the forbidden fruit.
Genesis 3:16-19 (KJV);
”Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
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.”
We should all pray for wisdom to recognize the forbidden trees!
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