Would You Have Eaten The Fruit?
“What in the world were you thinking?”
This is a question often asked when someone does something that causes harm to self, property or others. As a dad, I’ve asked this question a million times. In my attempts to be self-aware, I’m asking this question internally more and more. Those who know me, know I’m all about Romans chapter 8 and its life-giving words about living in the spirit. Living as God’s beloved son or daughter and being revealed (growing up) as a I’m created to be is the lens through which I view everything.
I’m currently working on a session I’ve led many times, The Heart of a Woman. My heart to partner with God in creating safe environments for the beautiful feminine image bearers of God to be restored and revealed is perhaps the largest part of me. This is the reason I love to partner with God to set men free. When men can walk in their true identities, (go all out in love for their wives Ephesians 5:25-28) women will be free and safe to do the same.
This blog post, however, isn’t about that session, it’s about the flesh. We don’t get to Romans 8 without first going through Romans 7. Anyone feeling like a wretched man? Why? What’s that about? Where does that come from? The flesh. The short answer is the flesh. As I ponder giving honor to talking about the heart of a woman (which I know without a doubt would be better delivered by a feminine heart), I feel the weight of standing in the gap to present an intended and restored view of the magnificently beautiful, strong and equal feminine heart of God.
“Where did that come from?” “Who told you that?” We always teach about following a wound, a lie, or a wrong back to its source. The answer to this question, we all know, is the fall (Genisis 3).
Adam and Eve had it all...equal authority over all the earth and were naked without shame. You know the story...Eve was tempted by Satan to eat the forbidden fruit then gave some to Adam and he ate. You may not know that Adam was right there with her when she ate. Many pictorial representations and most teachings of this moment put all the blame squarely on Eve, because that’s what Adam did. I think blaming her could be viewed as the second sin. Most every teaching proclaims that Eve committed the sin alone with the implication Adam was nowhere around. The scripture tells us that HE WAS WITH HER and according to verse 7, only after Adam ate were their eyes opened.
“6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise and insightful, she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband [c]with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of the two of them were opened [that is, their awareness increased], and they knew that they were naked; and they fastened fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. ”
“And the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me—she gave me [fruit] from the tree, and I ate it.”
What in the world was Adam thinking? He was standing right there with her and did nothing. He didn’t protect Eve, nor all of humanity. He just let it happen, then joined right in. I’ll expound more on Adam in a later blog. This writing is about you and me.
As I’ve been preparing, and spending time with God in preparation for this session, I've been convicted of my arrogance. Long have I said, I would have killed the snake. I just couldn’t fathom passively allowing any harm to come to my wife or kids (or any feminine heart or child). So, again…what in the world was Adam thinking? This morning, I was reminded that we have what he didn’t. The Holy Spirit. This is the main point of our teaching on the Trinity of Marriage. Our unity with God through Jesus (see John 17), supersedes the unity of the flesh, therefore giving us strength that is not ours, but God’s to stand where Adam and Eve failed.
HOWEVER, absent of the Holy Spirit....what would I have done. This is the Romans 7 part of me. The flesh part of me. The part that knows the Spirit’s voice, but can quickly ignore it. Without the power of the Holy Spirit, I would have totally eaten the forbidden fruit as well. I try to stay away from all-inclusive statements, but with this one I’m confident. Every man and woman IN THE FLESH would have done the same thing.
“Wretched and miserable man that I am! Who will [rescue me and] set me free from this body of death [this corrupt, mortal existence]?”
So how might we have the strength that Adam and Eve didn’t have? Paul tells us very quickly in the first verses of Romans 8...
“Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior]. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do [that is, overcome sin and remove its penalty, its power] being weakened by the flesh [man’s nature without the Holy Spirit], God did: He sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful man as an offering for sin. And He condemned sin in the flesh [subdued it and overcame it in the person of His own Son], 4 so that the [righteous and just] requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not live our lives in the ways of the flesh [guided by worldliness and our sinful nature], but [live our lives] in the ways of the Spirit [guided by His power]. 5 For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh [which gratify the body], but those who are living according to the Spirit, [set their minds on] the things of the Spirit [His will and purpose]. 6 Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever—because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God—both now and forever]; 7 the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, 8 and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God. 9 However, you are not [living] in the flesh [controlled by the sinful nature] but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God lives in you [directing and guiding you]. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him [and is not a child of God]. 10 If Christ lives in you, though your [natural] body is dead because of sin, your spirit is alive because of righteousness [which He provides]. 11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you. ”
Today, I’m repenting of my arrogance to stand personally strong and acknowledging the weakness of my flesh...again… and inviting the Holy Spirit to guide my every step.
My encouragement to you brothers and sisters, is to ask this question: “What forbidden fruit am I being tempted with today?” Don’t listen to your flesh, listen to the Holy Spirit. You can have this confidence...whatever death looms in your life, the same power that rose Jesus from the grave can give life to your flesh. Your flesh will entice your true self into a pity party in order to bring you back under the bondage of death. DO NOT LISTEN TO YOUR FLESH! Listen to the Holy Spirit.
If you don’t yet know him, please reach out to me. I want to introduce you to him. He’s awesome!
If you do know him and feel your flesh taking control, consider asking these questions: “What am I thinking?” “Where does this come from?” He’ll make that known to you and will bind your heart and set you free. In Jesus, you have the strength that Adam and Eve did not!