Knowing Good and Evil

Genesis 2:15–17 ESV

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 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.”

Central Idea:

We need God in order to deal with our knowledge of Good and Evil.

The Definition of Evil

Evil is a deprivation of Good

It is like rust in a car

it is like rot in a tree

It is like the cut on your arm

It cannot exist on it’s own it can only exist as a lack in a good thing

We are talking about evil when we are using words like:

unrighteousness

wickedness

iniquity

sin/ falsehood

reprobate

wrong

Evil only exists because there is good.

The Definition of Good

Good is the character of God and the standard that is established by His Being.

Good is God’s purpose

Good is God’s intent

Good is what God would call well pleasing

Good is desirable

We are talking about good when we are using words like:

acceptable/ purpose/ intent

well done

faithfulness

right/ righteous/ truth

beautiful

benefit

The Reality of Evil

The Bible gives it to us straight...

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Still men insist that there is nothing wrong, we continue to live out our existence absent the truth...

1 John 1:8 ESV

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

We know when things are not right.

We know when something is not acceptable

We know when something ought not to be

Doing this we acknowledge the reality of evil. We acknowledge a standard that has not been met.

All of this is to say our knowledge of good and evil demonstrates a standard that is God and comes from God.

The reality of Evil disproves Atheism

The Reality of Good

Once again the Bible gives it to us straight...

Romans 7:18 ESV

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.

Jesus gives it to us straight...

Mark 10:18 ESV

18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

Good is alone achieved with and through God...

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The Bible states that God was with Jesus in the good He did...

Acts 10:38 ESV

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

It is through God and with His help we achieve good...

2 Corinthians 9:8 ESV

8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.

God’s purpose and intent for us, is to do good...

Ephesians 2:10 ESV

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Philippians 2:13 ESV

13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

The Knowledge of Good and Evil

The ultimate issue is not that man doesn’t know Good and Evil

The ultimate issue is that man desires to determine for himself Good and Evil along with it’s consequences...

We can see this in Romans 1

v.21 rejected praise of God

Romans 1:21 ESV

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

v.23 rejected loyalty to God

Romans 1:23 ESV

23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

v.25 exchanged truth for a lie

Romans 1:25 ESV

25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

v.28 refused God in knowledge

Romans 1:28 ESV

28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

We have not handled the truth very well…We have rejected it...

Refuse to acknowledge it

Ignore it - a seared conscience

Accept it, refuse to acknowledge consequences - I know I’m going to hell but I’ll join my friends there and we will party hardy

Accept it, rationalize it away - yeah but there are many truthes

Accept it, use it against God - don’t blame me it’s your fault

The Effects of the Reality of Good and Evil

Lack of peace of mind

Isaiah 57:20–21 ESV

20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

See also Job 15:20–35; Ps 38:5–8; Pr 13:15–22; La 1:20–21

Bondage to a continuing habit of sin

John 8:34 ESV

34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

See also Pr 5:22; Ro 6:16; 2 Ti 2:16

Physical death

1 Corinthians 15:56 ESV

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

See also Ge 2:17; Ge 3:19; Pr 21:16; Ro 5:12–14; Ro 6:21–23; 1 Co 15:22; Jas 1:15

The sinful life is equivalent to death

Ephesians 2:1 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

See also Ro 7:9; Ro 7:13; Ro 8:10; Col 2:13

Separation from God

Isaiah 59:2 ESV

2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Ephesians 2:12 ESV

12 remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

See also Dt 31:18; Is 1:15; Is 64:7; Eze 8:6; Ho 5:6; Mic 3:4

We need God in order to deal with our knowledge of Good and Evil.

God’s Plan of Salvation

Hear - Romans 10:17

​Romans 10:17 ESV 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Believe - John 8:24

John 8:24 ESV

24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

Confess - 1 Timothy 6:13

1 Timothy 6:13 ESV

13 I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,

Repent - Luke 13:3

​Luke 13:3 ESV 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Be Baptized - Acts 2:38

Acts 2:38 (ESV) 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Remain Faithful - Revelation 2:10

​Revelation 2:10 ESV 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.