The First Ever Test

Imagine you are in school (any grade) and you are sitting at your desk. The teacher says, "Students today, we will be having a test Please take out your pencils."  Uh oh. You had not studied for a test. You did not know you were going to have one. You think to yourself, "Do I know the material? Will I pass it?" Or maybe you will think, "No problem. Whatever the material, I will ace it. Or maybe, you will think, "Whatever it is, I am going to flunk it."

The teacher starts handing out single sheets of paper and when you get yours, there is a single question on it. You look up at her, not saying a word but with a questionable look on your face.

The question may have a true or false answer or a multiple choice answer. But whatever, the question itself says:

You must not eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.. Will you:
1. eat the fruit  2. not eat the fruit  3. other (fill in the blank)____________


Many eons ago, there was a test given. The very first test ever. No, it didn't involve paper and pencil. But sadly for those people that took it, and for all of humanity to follow those that did, miserably failed it. Their imaginary test paper had been stamped with a big fat F, by satan himself.

Adam and Eve. God's first humans. Our first parents. They had a decision to make for that test. They are found in to be in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 2:16-17 where God has told them they can eat from any of the trees there, but they must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Why? Because if they did, they would die.

You would think that would be enough for them to back off and go take their pencils and their test papers someplace else. Right?

But no. Along comes the cheater of the test. The one that gave them the answer to it. He told them that they would not die if they ate of the fruit on that tree. That indeed, their eyes would be opened and they would be like God, knowing good and evil. ( Satan should know, right? He would try something similar with God at some point and be kicked out of heaven.)

I wonder how long it took for them to decide whether to eat it or not. Seconds, minutes, hours? How long did it take for them to decide on what answer they would choose? However long it did take, it does not say. But the fact was, they got that big fat F as soon as they did the very thing that their Creator had said not to do. They ate the fruit. And because of their disobedience to God, and because of our own, we have reaped the wages of sin.  For the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23 tells us.

Thank God, that that scripture does not end there. The whole verse is this: For the wages of sin is death. but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The story of Adam and Eve is not just a bible story to tell our kids in Sunday School. It is a life's lesson. It is a test for us to take even today. If we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we pass the test. Oh, we still sin at times because we live in a fallen world.. But because of the redemptive blood of Christ, we have his forgiveness when we ask it whereas if we do not accept him we have failed the test and our punishment is death and eventual seperation from him forever.

Just as Adam and Eve, we have a choice. Do we try to cheat and go to hell?  Or do we pass with flying colors, this test of life and death, thereby spending eternity with Jesus? Because it really is up to each of us to decide which way we want to go. I opt for passing, what about you? Getting that A in life is the only way to go.

Joshua 24:15 says: Choose this day whom you will serve....as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Who will you choose this day? What place to do you choose to go to at the end of your life?  Do you choose ......





                          Or

                                                               The choice is up to you.

This is a little heavy for a weekend day that we should be having fun or and/or a day of rest for tomorrow, the Lord's Day. But I am so happy you came to visit. I hope you will be back tomorrow for Happy Fall! God bless!