The Garden Temptation: How Modern Independence Leads Away from God
"For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." - Genesis 3:5
The Original Temptation
In the perfect environment of Eden, with just one boundary established by God, humanity faced a pivotal moment. The serpent approached Eve with a temptation that continues to resonate through human history: the promise of independence from God.
This deception contained several key elements:
- Questioning God's goodness: "Hath God said...?"
- Denying God's consequences: "Ye shall not surely die"
- Promising godlike status: "Ye shall be as gods"
- Offering forbidden knowledge: "knowing good and evil"
At its core, this temptation represented a declaration of independence from God's authority, wisdom, and love.
The Visual Deception
Interestingly, a commonly overlooked aspect of the fall was the visual nature of Eve's temptation. Genesis 3:6 records that "the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes..."
While we often focus on the different temptations men and women face (men being more visually oriented, women more emotionally influenced), Eve's experience reminds us that:
- Visual temptation affects everyone
- What we continually look at shapes our desires
- Our eyes can lead our hearts toward or away from God
- Guarding what we view is essential for spiritual health
Satan's Consistent Strategy
There is a powerful parallel between Satan's fall and humanity's temptation. In Isaiah 14:12-15, Lucifer's rebellion is characterized by five "I will" statements:
- "I will ascend into heaven"
- "I will exalt my throne"
- "I will sit upon the mount"
- "I will ascend above the heights"
- "I will be like the most High"
This self-centered rebellion mirrors the temptation he presented in Eden: "ye shall be as gods." Satan's strategy hasn't changed—he continues tempting mankind to declare independence from God's authority.
America's Declaration of Independence
Consider this thought-provoking connection between spiritual independence and American history. While acknowledging the benefits of political freedom, it raises concerns about how America's founding fathers reflected a selective approach to Christianity. For example: in the Jefferson Bible, Thomas Jefferson clipped out parts of the Bible that he didn't like, namely the resurrection, the ascension, the deity of Christ, and he left the morality of Christ.
This approach—keeping Jesus' moral teachings while rejecting His deity—represents a type of spiritual independence that continues today. Many want Christ's ethics without His authority as God.
Modern Declarations of Independence
Today's declarations of independence from God take many forms:
- Choosing which biblical commands to follow
- Creating personalized spirituality that avoids accountability
- Accepting moral teachings while rejecting the biblical authority of Christs' deity
- Embracing religious freedom without spiritual submission
- Following our own desires rather than God's design
Sadly, many today have declared their independence against God, not FOR God.
The Empty Promise of Independence
Like Adam and Eve, those who declare independence from God never find what they're promised. Instead of becoming "as gods," they discover:
- Shame rather than freedom
- Separation rather than fulfillment
- Fear rather than confidence
- Brokenness rather than wholeness
Remember, true freedom comes not through independence from God, but through submission to Him.
True Freedom Through Surrender
Contrary to cultural messaging, genuine freedom comes through surrendering to God's design and purpose:
If we are free as Americans, but we are not free from the bondage of our sin, what in the world have we accomplished as Christian families–that has eternal perspective and value?
Political freedom, while valuable, cannot provide what only Christ offers: freedom from sin and death.
As Christian families seeking to avoid the garden temptation:
- Recognize independence impulses that draw you away from God's authority
- Identify areas where you've been selective about biblical teaching
- Submit fully to God's design and purpose for your life
- Teach children the difference between healthy autonomy and rebellious independence
- Focus on eternal freedom rather than temporary independence
Remember that true liberation comes not by declaring independence from God but by surrendering completely to His loving authority.
In what ways have you been tempted to declare "independence" from God's design for your life or family? How can you move toward greater surrender?
#BiblicalTruth #TemptationAndFaith #GardenOfEden #SurrenderToGod #ChristianIndependence