Genesis chapter three is before us. We'll look at verses six through eight this morning. And we want to continue along with our thinking from last week and look at more lessons from the forbidden fruit. Please give your attention to the reading of God's holy and inspired word, Genesis chapter three and verse six. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave it to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. We are thankful for the promise regarding God's word that we find in Isaiah chapter 55. For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and make it bring forth, and by that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Our prayer this morning is that God would bless the reading and the hearing and the application of his perfect and holy word. Amen. Well, May the 1st, 1998, was an exciting day at the University of Missouri. Because for the first time since 1939, the elusive carrion flower was finally blooming in the United States. It's a massive and rare plant. And sometimes it only blooms every dozen to 20 years or so. And they're very rare to be able to see. So whenever these plants bloom, it's a national event. People travel from all over the world to see these amazing flowers. Well, what you might not know about the carrion flower is that it's also called the coarse flower. And it has a smell that it puts off like rotting meat. It's a terrible thing to smell, which is what makes it so unusual. It's unlike flowers and fruit that we're familiar with, flowers and fruit that draw our attention. Normally we want flowers and fruit that are beautiful, that are pleasant to see. So it's interesting that it strikes me that the carrion flower is really the opposite of the forbidden fruit for us. but not for flies. You see that smell of that rotten meat, it draws those insects to itself, so then the flower is pollinated. We can learn a lot about the forbidden fruit that's before us today by its appearance, the way that it looks, the way maybe that it smells, the way that it draws our attention. Last week we introduced the forbidden fruit to learn some lessons from God's Word. And so the obvious one before us then was that the fruit is forbidden. And it's very important for us to see because there are sins that are always forbidden. And we use the example of the young man who's seeking a wife. A wife isn't a forbidden fruit. That's a good thing to see. It's not yet. You have to wait until the right time. It's not the same thing as a forbidden fruit. Some good things that you desire, you'll have in your future. But the forbidden fruit is always wrong. It's always sinful. Secondly, it appeals to the senses. The forbidden fruit is something that draws us. A powerful lesson that we looked at last week, and one that we are often very slow to learn, is that our senses are not a good measure of our happiness, or of what we even need. Sometimes the things that would bring us physical pleasure are the things that we need last in this world. And so we need to learn that lesson of the forbidden fruit. Thirdly, we saw that the forbidden fruit often desires company, as we see with Eve drawing Adam into her sin, and then Adam shares in that sin with Eve. And so then, Our last application from last week was that the forbidden fruit, really being drawn toward it, involves a profound ignorance of God's Word. Anytime we're drawn toward a forbidden fruit, we really just discard everything that we've ever learned about the Bible. Or, it's possible we really don't know much about the Bible to begin with. So certainly the forbidden fruit is associated with ignorance of the Word of God. And as we move forward then, I want to pick up where we left off last week. The forbidden fruit continues to reveal many lessons to us. And today we're going to see that associated with the forbidden fruit is often a struggle with our faith. And when we're drawn to the forbidden fruit, it's because we have a lack of faith, not an abundance of it. Next, we'll look at the attributes of God. The forbidden fruit often accompanies a questioning of God's attributes and His character, God's motivation, God's goodness. And then lastly, for our remaining time this morning, I want to look at the Ten Commandments. Because the forbidden fruit often has a strange way of clouding the Ten Commandments for us, not just one particular thing. It's connected to all of the other commandments of God. So let's start then with our outline. We'll see here that we, that a lack of faith is associated with the forbidden fruit. Let's talk about our faith. So when confronted by the forbidden fruit, sometimes it will be when we're really frustrated with God. In a time, maybe when we're questioning God. That's what's happening with Eve. And maybe she didn't question God until the serpent made his little speech. And so then we begin to question God. It's often at that time, then, when maybe we're frustrated with the providence of God, or the plan of God, that we will be tested by the forbidden fruit. It's of great interest to me in the text. I want you to think about this with me. It's of great interest to me that God does not tell Adam and Eve why they cannot eat of the tree. Isn't that interesting? He tells them not to eat of it. And as we see in our text, he only says, in the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. So there's always been this curiosity, perhaps, with Adam and Eve, especially with Eve, as we see the story unfolding. Why is the tree forbidden? Why can't I have the tree? Now, for us, our application is, when God has said something, when God has made a decree, God has made a commandment, that ought to be good enough for us. Sometimes, for us, the reason for a particular commandment, the reason for a particular providence, it's not clear. Intentionally so. Often in God's fatherly wisdom, He withholds the reason for particular trials and temptations, and even the reason for particular commandments. Wouldn't it be wonderful if just the Word of God was good enough for us? And yet, it's often not the case, is it? We want more. We want God to tell us why. And we press, and we press, and we move toward the forbidden fruit, because God And our mind has failed to tell us why. How many Christians have spent their whole lives wrestling with God just because they must know why? Think about how often your frustrations and your spiritual walk revolve around wanting to know why. Many Christians love and serve God, but they constantly question why. Why must we know why? Why are we a people who wholeheartedly love God, but we still press and want to know why? I think this is a good measure of our faith. whether or not we're willing to trust God, even in the darkness of a particularly difficult providence. Whatever's happening in Eve's heart, for example, whatever she's wondering about and wanting to know, why can't we trust God in those moments? The larger catechism deals with this somewhat. I didn't have room for this, but put this in your notes. Question 105 and 113. Question 105 says, What are the sins forbidden in the first commandment? And part of that answer is bold and curious searching into His secrets. Really, one of the ways that we often violate the first commandment is that insisting on knowing why God has made a particular decree. Larger Catechism 113 says, What are the sins forbidden in the Third Commandment? And a part of that answer is murmuring and quarreling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God's decrees and providences. We're not supposed to do that. we accept by faith. So see, whenever we press too far, it's a question, really, about our faith, not really about what God has revealed. Our question before us, then, is how will we deal with God's decrees? Our confession deals with this at times when it seems that God is withdrawing Himself from us. So look with me here for Confession of Faith, Chapter 5 of Providence. I did have a room to print that, so follow along with me. The most wise, righteous, and gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season his own children to manifold temptations. See, we can almost get a sense of that happening in our text with Adam and Eve. and the corruption of their own hearts, to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled, and to raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their sin, and for sundry other just and holy ends. It's in those times, then, when it seems that God has left us or withdrawn, that we might long for Christ even more. And yet we may still long for the forbidden fruit. I especially appreciate the Song of Solomon chapter three in verse one and Song of Solomon four six. They both describe the bride desperately looking for her love, the one who has departed. And it's a picture really of the church longing for Christ. And so when Christ has withdrawn, we don't just throw up our hands and sit idly by. We search for Christ. There's a desire for Christ in those moments of darkness in God's providence. We have to look for the purposes of God in those times. Why has God withdrawn himself from me? Why has Christ withdrawn? And it may be in that particular moment, that rather than seeking Christ, we seek the forbidden fruit. Because it's a moment of weakness. Christ withdrawing Himself from us causes us, then, to look at our own sin and corruption. And then we look to Christ as our support. So Christ withdrawing Himself from us, I think, is so beautifully described for us here in our confession. God does not withdraw from us to harden us into sin, or to plunge us into despair. It's actually to draw us nearer to Himself. And it's fascinating and wonderful that we see examples of that in God's holy word. And often like Eve, though, for us, returning to Eve, we too begin to dwell upon the thing that we don't have. We somehow think that God is withholding something from us that we need. So the next lesson then of the forbidden fruit is that it does involve a test of our faith, and it does reveal a lack of faith, but it also involves a wrestling with the attributes of God. And here we see God's wisdom, His goodness, and His power before us here. First of all, let's talk about God's wisdom. God knows best. God's plan is perfect. And yet, for us, whenever we want to know why, or we question what God has given to us, then our questioning of the wisdom of God is really an attack upon the wisdom of God. If we truly believe that God was perfectly wise, we'd have no reason to ask why. But we'd also not be drawn to the forbidden fruit. When we desire the forbidden fruit, and some of the examples that we looked at last week, it really is an attack upon God's wisdom, the providence that God has revealed to us, and the plan of God's commandments that he's revealed as well. And we certainly see this with Eve. Next, we might notice not only a questioning of God's wisdom, but a questioning of God's goodness. And we want to know why. when we seek the forbidden fruit. We're declaring that God's plan is not good. That what God has put in my life is a disaster. I want something better. What God has done is not good. That's what we're saying with our actions. There's something wrong with what He's decreed. I can't be happy without the thing that God has denied. But if we believe God to be perfectly good, We'd have no reason to question his decree, and we'd have no reason to pursue the forbidden fruit, because what God has given to us is perfectly good. In God's word, this is sometimes described as tempting God. Tempting God. In Deuteronomy chapter six and verse 16, you shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted him in Massa. Matthew 12 and Matthew 16 and Mark 8 and Luke 11 all talk about the Pharisees tempting Christ and asking Him for a sign. You're not good enough as you are, give us a sign. And they tempt, and all of those passages use that particular phrase. 1 Corinthians 10.10, neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer. Philippians 2.14, do all things without murmuring and disputing. So the Word of God continually deals with this theme of questioning the goodness of God. That's really then questioning God's attributes, who He is. Thirdly, here we might notice a doubting of God's power as well. And you sort of see this with Eve, by seeking that forbidden fruit, certainly not believing that God would do anything about it, or really that God didn't have the power that He said He had. We want to know why, for example, when we question God, we're declaring that God's not able to protect us or to bring our particular need to a resolution. the forbidden fruit will often involve an attack upon these three truths that are before us, God's wisdom, God's goodness, and God's power. The forbidden fruit, as described by the serpent, for example, he's more than willing to question these particular attributes of God in dealing with Eve. And so we have to be very careful then, in learning these lessons of the forbidden fruit, that the tempter will cause us to question God. His attributes, His character, His wisdom, goodness, and power. The next lesson of the forbidden fruit is that the forbidden fruit often causes us to underestimate sin. We underestimate sin. And I mentioned this a little last week. I wanted to make a couple more applications. This is really a constant problem for us from the very beginning, especially if we look to Adam and Eve. The first reaction of Adam and Eve, after they had eaten the fruit and their eyes were opened, what was their response in our reading of our text today? In Genesis chapter 3, And verse 7, Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, they sewed fig leaves together, and they made themselves coverings. My friends, as we've pointed out, a woefully inadequate response to sin. That's our natural response. We notice it's a common response. We do the same. Not only do we underestimate sin, we tend, at times, to not even notice it. Matthew Henry comments here. We looked at this last week. He says, When there is thought to be no more harm in forbidden fruit than in other fruit, sin lies at the door, and Satan soon carries the day. It's true, isn't it? We don't think about the consequences of sin, when the serpent says, hath God said, and a part of that speech there was the taking away of God's word. Even Eve does the same. Whenever they both mention that they'll surely die, they don't mention the fact that in the day you eat of it, you will surely die. So there's an immediacy about it. There's an emergency about it that isn't mentioned by Eve or by the serpent. And that's always our tendency. I want you to think about that as a lesson of the forbidden fruit. Our tendency is to reduce the severity of the judgment. It's not going to be as bad as God says. And so the serpent then still tempts us in that way to change the word of God, to take away the severity of it, to gloss over sin, or even just simply as most churches in our time do, just don't ever talk about sin. Because it's something that they don't believe. Two things I want us to notice here with Eve, along with this observation, is that Eve underestimates physical death, and she also underestimates spiritual death. Now, as the statement was given, that you would die when you eat it, why would Eve eat it? Well, obviously, there was a doubting of what God had said, but there was an underestimating of that. But also, from a spiritual perspective, which surely she did not grasp, that they would spiritually die. As we think about that, we see that Eve then failed to comprehend the physical death, but then she also failed to comprehend the spiritual implications of what she did. And this is a common problem for us. We also fail to consider the implications of what we do when we long for the forbidden fruit. If you think about Adam and Eve, what happens when Adam and Eve and they die in the eating of the fruit, spiritually, we all died. We all died there with Adam and Eve, spiritually. And so there must then be some renewing of that desire for spiritual good that must take place through the Holy Spirit and through the intervention of God. So it's certainly as they ate that fruit, they're not been thinking about the physical implications and the spiritual. And I want you to make that application to yourself as I make that to myself. When we see that forbidden fruit, we're not thinking about the terrible implications that will come from that down the road. Underestimating sin is one of the lessons of the forbidden fruit. When we long for that forbidden fruit, it really does then also reveal our true desire, much more than what we want to admit. And so the next lesson of the forbidden fruit is that the forbidden fruit reveals the heart. The forbidden fruit reveals the heart. It's interesting if you'll think as well, we have already sinned in our hearts before we ever touched the fruit. Isn't that interesting to think about? When does the sin occur? James Fisher talks about this, he says, we're not our first parents guilty of sin before eating the forbidden fruit? And I love his answer, it's very, very clearly stated. Yes, they were guilty in hearkening to the devil and believing him before they actually eat it. Why then is their eating of it called the first sin? Fisher says, because it was the first sin finished, and an expressed violation of the positive precept. And so my friends today, all of our particular sins that we commit with our hands, they're really the product of what has already occurred in the heart. And the forbidden fruit reveals this for us. We sin first with the mind, and then that work is given to the hands, the feet, the eyes, the senses. Particular sins, then, I want you to, again, think about this closely with me. Particular sins are the finished work of the mind. The mind is the mine where sin is discovered. It's discovered, and then there is labor given to extract that sin. It becomes the anvil where sin is forged, and the factory where sin is reproduced. Sin, then, is the final crown of the mind, its final work. It's been fashioned, and it's now gleaming, dredged up from the depths below. Sin is what the mind has to show for its labor. And sometimes we might want to think, well, I only thought something, I didn't actually do it. The Lord Jesus Christ addresses this particular problem in Matthew chapter five, verse 27. You have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." You see, that's exactly what we're talking about. Not only underestimating sin, but also forgetting the fact that the hurt is really being revealed when we see and desire the forbidden fruit. Now, how we respond to the forbidden fruit then will also reveal our heart, what we truly desire, how highly we count the commandments of God, or how lightly we take the commandments of God. In fact, the case is easily made that when we give in to the forbidden fruit, we actually violate all of the Ten Commandments. Now let's spend the rest of our time here looking at the two commandments, because I think this is a good lesson to learn. Thomas Vincent on this particular subject, just very wise in his statement here, he says, what sins did the eating of the forbidden fruit include? I wonder what we would answer there. Good discussion question, isn't it? He says, what sins did it include? And he says, the sins included in our first parents eating the forbidden fruit were, number one, rebellion against God, their sovereign, who had expressly forbidden them to eat of this tree. Secondly, treason in conspiring with the devil, God's enemy against God. Thirdly, ambition in aspiring to a higher state, namely to be as God. 4. Luxury in indulging so much to please the sense of taste, which did inordinately desire this fruit. 5. Gratitude to God, who had given them to eat of any tree in the garden besides. Sixthly, unbelief, and not giving credit to the threatening of death, but believing the devil, who said they should not die, rather than God, who told them that they would surely die, did they eat of the fruit. Seventhly, and again, we're going to expound on some of these, but Vincent says murder, and bringing death by this sin upon themselves and to all their posterity. These and many other sins were included in the sin of our first parents eating of the forbidden fruit, which did render it exceeding heinous in the sight of God. Now that's consistent with our understanding of sin. And especially in the larger catechism, question 151, I want you to look there with me. And we're just looking at the headings there of the answer in 151, there's much more to it. What are those aggravations that make some sins more heinous than others? First of all, sins receive their aggravations from the person offending. Who's offending in our text? Adam and Eve. And Adam is representative of many other people. In fact, he's representative of all people that will ever live. Secondly, from the parties offended. This is a direct sin against God's very expressed commandment. Thirdly, from the nature and the quality of the offense. So this sin is particularly heinous in that way. And from the circumstances of time and place. So that's also an important point to realize here. This is a sacred place, a fellowship with God. Sin in the garden is more heinous than a sin in any other place. Let's go through, building a little bit upon Vincent's observations here, and see the forbidden fruit in the light of the Ten Commandments. In summary, I'll try to go through each one briefly, hoping that you'll see some good seed there for further thought. First of all, with the First Commandment, rebellion. Just simply rebellion, eating the forbidden fruit is a supreme act of rebellion against God. God had clearly said that the fruit was forbidden. In fact, God's graciousness in his kindness, he had given them all of the other trees in the garden, which makes the rebellion all the more sinful. And that's really so like us, is it not? God's already given us so much that we want the one thing that he's denied, We think about the Sabbath day, for example. God's given us six days, but then we grumble because God takes one of them. We wrestle with the Sabbath. Vincent here, in his quotation, he I think effectively uses the word treason. He says it's a conspiring with the devil. And because we take sin so lightly, that may strike us as being an unusual statement. We don't realize that every time we commit a sin, we commit an act of treason against God, and rebelling against Him. We betray Him. Instead, choosing that sin that is the opposite of Him, choosing the unholy thing, rather then the thing that is so wonderful and holy, choosing God, we choose the vile trinket, then, instead of the pearl of great price. It's common choice for us, and we commonly choose that which we should not. We might connect rebellion and treason, I think, closely with the first commandment, a commandment that's all about putting God first, treating God with the dignity and the obedience that He deserves. Eating the forbidden fruit or any sin really is an attack upon the first and primary commandment. We might also include in the first commandment the sins of unbelief, of ingratitude and pride, all are violations of the first commandment and connected to the forbidden fruit. Secondly, let's look to the second commandment with worship. And it may seem odd to make this application, but isn't our passage really about worship? It is, isn't it? It's in the presence of God, what they ought to be doing versus what they end up doing. Hasn't the eating of the forbidden fruit in our passages broken the ties of perfect worship and fellowship? That's all destroyed now. We have to have a mediator after that to bring us into the presence of God. This means then to interact with God is now broken. And so it is with a whole list of biblical examples where men seek the forbidden fruit of man-centered worship. Instead of fellowshipping with God as they should have been, Adam and Eve seek after something that pleases their senses. Worship that fits their own preferences, rather than going to God as He has commanded. Many people seek out a worship that is really self-centered and petty, rather than a worship that is high and holy. False worship is always a forbidden fruit. Let's make that very clear. False worship is always a forbidden fruit. It will never, ever, ever be acceptable, as long as we dwell upon this world. If we're here a million years, It'll never be acceptable to worship from our rules rather than God's. And yet how many very good and devoted, loving Christians have labored their whole lives to put their hands upon that forbidden fruit of worship? It's so very common, we see it every day. How many people thinking that new holy days and days on a calendar are pleasing to God? when in fact these days bear the dark consequences of forbidden fruit. We are denied those things. And I have to stop and notice how very subtle and wise of the serpent to make up new days that God has not commanded. And then to take those days and to cover them up in religious language and pretty colors, to touch the heart of man, to make him feel warm and good. Many would say that a particular time of the year is the most wonderful time of the year. But all the while, It takes away from those biblical duties that we are given, and it casts a shadow over the weekly gift of the Holy Sabbath. It distracts the weary soul from the real Christ of the Word of God. Strange, when we make up new days to celebrate the birthday of Jesus, for example, we have no idea when Jesus was born. And so to select a day To worship Christ and to acknowledge his birth is immediately built upon a lie. And so it is. False worship is a forbidden fruit. And we can see it connected with Adam and Eve in the garden. Thirdly, for the third commandment, Eating the forbidden fruit is a result of not only twisting God's words by the serpent, but then Eve also confirms that twisting and changing of something that is holy and set apart by God. The Third Commandment, the Larger Catechism 112, says what is required in the Third Commandment. The Third Commandment requires that the name of God, His titles, attributes, ordinances, the word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, His works, and whatsoever else there is whereby He makes Himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought, meditation, and word, and writing. by a holy profession with answerable conversation to the glory of God and the good of ourselves and others. So certainly then the reaching for that forbidden fruit is a violation of the third commandment, because God had revealed himself in a particular way, and when we lunge for that forbidden fruit, we're violating how God has revealed himself. Fourthly, time and place. If we consider the fourth commandment, Adam and Eve, they offend God in a place of holy fellowship. The garden is arguably, many have made the comparison, it's a temple. It's a place of intimate fellowship with God, where they walk and they talk with God. Then eating the forbidden fruit is all the more heinous, as we would say in the larger Catechism 151, in the garden. The Four Commandments speaks of a holy day that's set apart. And so sins are more grievous on that particular day. It's a good reminder to us that our sins are inflamed depending upon the time and the place that we commit them. I wonder if the forbidden fruit is presented to us more often on the Lord's Day. What would you think about that, if that were a discussion question? I bet Satan all the more enjoys displaying the forbidden fruit to us on particularly holy and set-apart days. Certainly, that's what we find in the garden. Some Puritans make the point that they fell on the Lord's Day. Possible. Fifthly, let's look at the fifth commandment, and let's talk about authority, because reaching for the forbidden fruit, that particular sin, is always a questioning of authority in some way. You see that with what's happening in the garden, the fifth commandment? God, who's the supreme authority, is given a forbidden something, and yet they seek it, something that's been forbidden. The sin of eating the forbidden fruit, in our text, is given forth by the serpent, implying that God is withholding something from Eve, some kind of authority. She wants to have God-like qualities, that really, these seeds are then planted in her thinking by the serpent. So that's definitely a connection with the 5th commandment, and the eating of the forbidden fruit. Eve longs for qualities that belong only to God. She longs to be equal with God in what she knows. 5th commandment. Notice that the serpent tempts her in this particular area. And so I think also, in our time, the serpent will tempt us to long for power and authority that belongs to someone else. And what's going to happen with Eve and Adam, and we're not here yet, we're coming to the consequences. But what's going to happen then, in the fall, Eve will then begin to long for the authority of her husband. There's going to be a clash there, between them, in the future. Now Thomas Watson talks about this, and I think it's actually a very good thing to hear. Watson says, the serpent's subtlety and tempting was that he set upon Eve first because he thought she was less able to resist. Satan broke over the hedge where it was the weakest. He knew he could more easily insinuate and wind himself into her by a temptation. An expert soldier, when about to storm or enter a castle, observes warily where there is a breach or how he may enter with more facility. So did Satan, the weaker vessel. He tempted Eve first because he knew if once he could prevail with her, she would easily draw her husband. Thus the devil handed over a temptation to Job by his wife. Cursed God and died, Job 2.9. Satan knew a temptation coming to Adam from his wife would be more prevailing and would be less suspected. There's a lot of wisdom in that. And I want you to get the impression, though, that what we're saying here is that the woman is the weaker vessel. That's not what we're saying at all. And I don't think the Scriptures give us that impression. There are many times in God's Word where the woman is the source of strength in the family, where she's the source of reason, and the husband falters and falls away. And so that's definitely not what we're saying, but in this particular example, certainly Eve was weaker than Adam. And we know from the New Testament that she was deceived, but Adam was not. So this is a lesson of the forbidden fruit. It really is to be watchful of the serpent's subtlety in creating struggles over proper order and authority. Think about that in your own life. Wherever you desire the forbidden fruit, is it because you're dealing with the Fifth Commandment? And I think that's a helpful application. We noticed last week that in the fall, Eve will struggle with authority, but we will see in future weeks that that will be intensified with the fall and the judgment that comes upon her. So I wanna make an application, we're not quite there yet, but how much more so in our fallen state do we need to think about and respect authority? You see, if at our best, in Adam and Eve, we can't respect authority, do you think it's a problem for us? It's absolutely a problem for us each and every day. So the fifth commandment is important. The sixth commandment deals with life and murder. The eating of the forbidden fruit greatly disrespects the sixth commandment, and so it would also be with us whenever we seek the forbidden fruit. It shows little respect for life, for the well-being of others, and for the well-being of the family, or the church, or a nation. Look at all the death that came into the life of David, because he sought the forbidden fruit. Think of all of his family members that died, and all those that died in battles, and all of the things that he brought upon the world, because of his seeking the forbidden fruit. Thomas Watson says, Adam was a public person, and all of his posterity were involved and wrapped up in him. And he, by sinning at once, destroyed all of his posterity. If free grace did not interpose, if Abel's blood cried so loud in God's ears, how loud did the blood of all of Adam's posterity cry against him for vengeance? Did you ever think about that before? That Adam murdered everyone that would descend from him? John Flavel talks about this as well. He says, what was the evil of sin? A threefold evil of sin. First, this sin was against God, called disobedience. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, Romans 5.19. Secondly, against himself, soul, body, and estate. Thirdly, against his posterity, Romans 5.12. Wherefore, as by one man's sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned." Isn't that a tragic way of relating a view of the forbidden fruit? Do you think there's some application for you and I today? We're not Adam and Eve in the garden. The whole future of mankind doesn't rest upon our shoulders. But do you think there's application there? Do you think that maybe this would make the forbidden fruit in our lives less attractive? When we thought about the implications that it would have for others? We may be murdering someone by taking a fruit. Seventhly, let's go through these last few here as we close up our time. Marriage. We want to focus on the 7th commandment, especially the fact that Adam and Eve, in eating the forbidden fruit, they end up causing a great damage to their own marriage. And they actually caused great damage to every marriage that would follow, because of the Fall. Marriage vows are a part of the 7th commandment, larger catechism, 138. What about the 8th commandment, theft? Well, the eating of the forbidden fruit involves taking something that's not ours, usually. So the application is easily made. The 9th commandment, lies. The whole affair of eating the forbidden fruit was based upon the believing of the serpent's lie. And then Eve believed the lie about God, which is the worst kind of lie that you can believe. Truth is distorted in so many ways in our texts. That's before us, and so it's distorted for us. In every encounter that we have with the forbidden fruit, truth will be distorted. It wouldn't be attractive to us if we acknowledged truth. Forbidden fruit would be a thing that nobody cared about, if we cared about the truth. If we look at the truth of the event, we'll run from the forbidden fruit. And so the ninth commandment, Bears a great connection to forbidden fruit. Lastly, coveting the Ten Commandments. Eve was not content with God's provision. And she coveted what was forbidden. Just the very idea of lust. Eating the forbidden fruit. Every sin that I commit is a longing for something that I shouldn't have. sins really are, lusting after things, people, time, success, happiness, on and on and on, not being content with our state. Matthew Henry, let's close with his thought here. Matthew Henry says, she should have turned away her eyes from beholding vanity, but she enters into temptation by looking with pleasure on the forbidden fruit. Observe, a great deal of sin comes in at the eyes. At these windows, Satan throws in those fiery darts which pierce and poison the heart. The eye affects the heart with guilt as well as grief. Let us therefore with holy Job make a covenant with our eyes not to look on that which we are in danger of lusting after. Good counsel. Good counsel from the forbidden fruit in Genesis chapter three. Today, my friend, if you are apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, Adam and Eve have plunged you into a state of spiritual death by their taking and eating of the forbidden fruit. And yet, for some reason, you still live apart from Christ. Christ is your only hope of salvation and fellowship with God. And so the scriptures call you today to repent, to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to serve God with all of your life. He is your God, whether you acknowledge it or not. Seek Christ while he may be found. Christian, today, heed these many lessons of the forbidden fruit. There are many more that we could probably go into, and I trust that you would dwell upon each of these. Look at all the ways that we question God's wisdom, His goodness, His providence, His decrees, and see how easily that we underestimate sin. It's just a piece of fruit. What's the big deal? It's our first thought. And when we consider the depth and the wisdom of the Ten Commandments, we then notice how the forbidden fruit abuses and violates all of God's commandments. But at the time, we don't want to think about that. And I trust that through training and preparing and thinking through God's Word, we will be more fit to deny ourselves the forbidden fruit. We also see that the forbidden fruit is always a test of our faith. Put your faith in God and flee to the Lord Jesus Christ. And I think at that point then in our Christian walk, the forbidden fruit really wouldn't be that attractive. I think about that plant. There was a time I wanted to travel to see this plant bloom. It's just kind of a nerd in me, I guess. It's cool. But I want to see it because it's rare, not really because I'm drawn to it. It smells like rotting flesh. But that's not the way that Satan tempts me. That's not the way that he tempts you. He'll put before us something that we truly desire. and long for, but put that in the context of God's holy word and his law. Would you stand with me as we pray? Father in heaven, forgive our taking sin so lightly. Give us a renewed sense of the deadly nature of forbidden fruit. And may you appoint us always to Christ. In his name we pray, amen.