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Importance of God’s Word
By Frances McCrory Meservy
@ 1992
Notice God told Adam not to eat from the tree of good and evil before he created
Eve.
Enter Satan. Adam told Eve that God said "Do not eat of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil - don't even touch it - or you shall die". When "nor
shall you touch it" was added to God's word, it was no longer God's word. This
left the door open for Satan to ask, "Did God really say?" We should be careful
what comes out of our mouths. We should not say God said something when he did
not.
God's words are very important in our battle with Satan and his followers.
When Eve ate the forbidden fruit, nothing happened. She handed the fruit to Adam
and as-soon-as he ate their eyes were opened. Adam had authority and
responsibility from the start. This is why the Bible says, "Sin came through one
man, Adam."
What would have happened if Adam had not added to God's word; spoke up and
ordered Satan to leave; told Eve to not eat the fruit or if he had refused to
eat and told Eve she should not have eaten the fruit. What if he had said, "God
told me not to eat the fruit and I told you not to eat it. I forgive you for
eating it; but you must never eat it again." Would God have kicked them out of
Eden?
Eve did not sin against God – she sinned against Adam. If Adam had refused to
eat the fruit, he would not have sinned. Had he admonished Eve and forgiven her,
sin would not have entered the world.
The major thing we learned from the story of Adam and Eve is that if we add to
God's word, it is no longer God's word. When we add to God's word, we also open
the door for Satan to say, "Did God really say?" We also loose God's protective
shield that protects us from Satan's lies.
The Bereans were
considered more of noble character than the Thessalonians because
they were eager and examined the Scriptures to make sure that
what Paul was teaching was true to scripture. We keep our
pastors and teachers honest if we ask them about anything they
are teaching that is not backed up by scripture. They are
human and so are we. If either is wrong, it is good to know
the truth. This is one of the ways that we edify each
other. Questioning the validity of what someone is saying
is considered a good thing. Scripture says they are of
noble character.
Finally Jesus gave us the example. He overcame Satan using God's word. God's
word is the most powerful thing in the universe and beyond.
Acts 17:11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the
Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness
and examined the
Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Gen 2:16-18 And the LORD God
commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day
that you eat of it you shall surely die. And the LORD God said, "It is not good
that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."
Gen 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the
LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall
not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We
may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which
is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it,
nor shall
you touch it, lest you die. Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not
surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be
opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Gen 3:6…When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; …
Prov 30:5-6
Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their
trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a
liar.
Isa 55:11 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.
Ro 5: 12-14 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, …
Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even
over those who did not sin by breaking a Command, as did Adam, who was a pattern
of the one to come.
Eph 4:25-27 Therefore each of you must
put off falsehood and speak truthfully to
his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. In your anger do not sin" : Do
not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and
do not give the devil a
foothold.
Eph 6:16 above all, taking the
shield of faith with which you will be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
Mat 4:3-11 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, "If You are the Son of
God, command that these stones become bread." But He answered and said,
"It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took Him
up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him,
"If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall
give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him,
"It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your
God.'" Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and
showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him,
"All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then
Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For
it is
written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"
Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.