關於 tree of knowledge of good and evil ，我們在網路上蒐集到這些相關的討論、資訊與評價

The Three Groanings

“For the creation was subjected to vanity, not of its own will, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of decay into the liberty of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. Not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? But if we hope for that which we don’t see, we wait for it with patience. In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don’t know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can’t be uttered. He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.” (Romans‬ ‭8:20-27‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Firstly, the whole creation is groaning due to the fall that happened when Adam sinned. Sin brought death into the world, and death is producing all these groanings that show that creation is suffering.

God never designed for animals to harm man, and insects (such as mosquitoes) never bit Adam and Eve in the garden. Every creature, including man, was herbivorous, eating plants and fruits.

“God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food. To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;” and it was so.” (Genesis‬ ‭1:29-30‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

After Adam, the appointed ruler of earth, ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil against God’s command, that sin caused all of Adam’s subjects and kingdom to experience death and fall under a curse.

Ever since, the earth has been groaning, suffering from the effects of sin. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, hurricanes—these are some manifestations of the earth’s groans.

Animals, insects, and birds attacking humans, plants producing poisons, these are also part of creation’s groans.

Secondly, we believers who have the indwelling Holy Spirit groan because we feel all the limitations and imperfections of this mortal body that has been corrupted by sin.

We who know about the Rapture eagerly long for the redemption of our body. Imagine a body that can never die or be destroyed. It never feels suffering, tiredness, or weakness, and can appear and disappear at will, traveling across the world in an instant, passing through solid objects at ease if needed to. This are just some of the amazing capabilities of the glorified body that is promised to us. Jesus demonstrated these after He rose from the dead.

God knows that we are groaning within, and that the sinful flesh makes us limited and weak at times. Our spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. To combat this, God gave us the greatest gift after Jesus’ ascension: the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The Spirit prays for the solutions to our most urgent needs that even we are unaware of, and He does so through groans that cannot be uttered.

Even though the Spirit does not pray with intelligible words, Abba God knows what is in the Spirit’s mind, and He takes that as perfect prayer in accordance with His own will.

These are the three groanings. The first came because of sin, the second because of patiently waiting for the final part of redemption, and the third is God’s gracious help to us while we are still waiting.

How wonderful it is to know that the Holy Spirit is offering up perfect prayers for you, even when you do not know the right things to pray for.

“Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” (Romans‬ ‭8:34‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

In the same chapter, we find that Jesus who is in Heaven is also praying for us.

We have the Holy Spirit praying for us from earth, and we have Jesus praying for us from Heaven. This is according to Abba God’s will, and it is perfect.

“What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who didn’t spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how would he not also with him freely give us all things?” (Romans‬ ‭8:31-32‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

The triune God is for you, not against you. The world was corrupted by sin, but God’s heart is not to destroy or condemn the world, but to save it.

He has already provided the perfect atonement through the blood that Jesus shed at the cross. God is using all His power to give you a glorious future, so put your faith in Him!

You don’t have to feel helpless or afraid…God has given you powerful spiritual weapons to use in spiritual warfare. In “Silencing the Serpent”, you will discover what these weapons are, what the enemy’s tactics are, and how you can break free from longtime addictions, bondages, and unhelpful beliefs: https://bit.ly/silence-the-serpent-now

The people who lived during Adam’s time lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. It was not the case that there was no sin because we know that sin entered when Adam ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

So what is the difference between then and now? What has caused the deadly effects of sin to be of such great effect today?

The problem lies in the knowledge of sin and the law brings about the knowledge of sin. When you have that knowledge, it causes you to feel condemned, and it is condemnation that kills.

When sin-consciousness is removed from the believer, the believer has physical life extended to him! This does not make the believer want to sin today (Rom. 6:14). Instead, when we are righteousness-conscious, we begin to experience God’s life-giving power permeating our spirit, soul, and body! (Rom 8.10-11).

Watch the full excerpt of this latest sermon, Christ-Consciousness Brings Life (Jul 18, 2021) on the Joseph Prince YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/kndn-gaTsBA

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Better than the Conscience

“Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever...”” (Genesis‬ ‭3:22‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

The ability to discern between good and evil is not a bad thing. God has this ability.

In a person, this ability is called the conscience. Man that has been tainted by sin cannot use the conscience properly because apart from Christ, they seek to build their own way to Heaven.

“They said, “Come, let’s build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let’s make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.”” (Genesis‬ ‭11:4‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Mankind tried to build a high tower that reaches into Heaven, not submitting to the truth that faith in Yahweh is the only way into Heaven.

“For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans‬ ‭10:3-4‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

The conscience causes mankind to invent all sorts of philosophies in fleshly attempts to do good and earn their way into Heaven.

The conscience is the “law for righteousness” (the Ten Commandments) written in every man’s heart ever since Adam ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

This law tells us that whoever sins must pay for it with the penalty of death. It is a law that bringing consciousness of sin.

At the cross, Jesus’ allowed His blood to be shed, and He laid down His life, fully satisfying the demands of the Old Covenant of the Law. His divine blood paid for all of the sins of the world, and His death established the New Covenant of Grace.

Whoever places his faith in Jesus is set free from the Ten Commandments, and instead comes under Grace.

Instead of a law that brings consciousness of sin, God has written a new type of law in our hearts and minds.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians‬ ‭6:2‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

It is called the law of Christ, and it is not the same as the law of Moses.

The law of Moses was the knowledge of sin, whereas the law of Christ is the knowledge of righteousness. The law of Moses is the consciousness of sin which produces the fear of death, whereas the law of Christ is the consciousness of God’s love which produces the desire to obey and follow the Holy Spirit.

““This is the covenant that I will make with them: ‘After those days,’ says the Lord, ‘I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;’” then he says, “I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.” Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having a great priest over God’s house, let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering; for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews‬ ‭10:16-23‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

Dear believer, God writes a new set of laws in your heart and mind. God said that He would remember your sins and iniquities no more, so the new laws cannot be the consciousness of sin like the Ten Commandments. The Old Covenant is different from the New Covenant.

Under Grace, the Holy Spirit writes in your heart and mind, producing the desire and ability to do good works that please God, not out of fear of punishment, but as a worshipful response to His love.

The law of Christ can be summarized in the apostle John’s words:

“This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded.” (1 John‬ ‭3:23‬ ‭WEB‬‬)

It is the law of loving God and fellow Christians, as a response to the love that Jesus showed in His life. Nothing about sin. Meditate on the way Jesus loved His disciples and loved the world by dying on the cross, and His love will rise up in you to produce good works of love.

Our hearts must be sprinkled from an evil conscience that is still trying to earn and establish its own righteousness. The conscience in your flesh never got the memo! It still thinks that the sin debt is not paid, and that someone has to pay.

To sprinkle your conscience means to fill your heart with the truth that the blood of Christ is the final payment for sins. We have boldness when we approach God because of the blood of Christ and not because we have paid for the sin debt on our own.

We have something better than the conscience. We have the Holy Spirit inside us and He leads us by the law of Christ. Instead of fear, we are motivated by love. Follow after love!!

Keep studying God’s word and growing in your understanding of His ways. Our Patreon community is currently on a Bible study series called “My Faith Declarations” which looks at the Spirit-inspired utterances of the authors of the Psalms. They wrote about the trials and tribulations they experienced, so the book of Psalms is very relatable.

By turning their faith declarations into our own, we can learn how to overcome similar circumstances in life through faith in the Lord! Become a “God Every Morning” tier or above patron on Patreon to receive this reward, daily devotionals by email, and also all my eBooks. Thanks for being a blessing to this ministry: http://Patreon.com/miltongohblog