WOULD God Lead Us into Temptation? (Genesis 2:9)

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And out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:9 (NKJV)

Did the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil smell like Grandma's homemade cookies? I ask because God sure seemed to make it enticing in every other way! Why would He put it in the place of prominence in the Middle of the Garden? Why would He include it in His definition of "very good" when describing Creation? Why would He make it good for food and pleasing to the eye? Seriously, if God was going to be so upset when Adam and Eve ate the fruit, why make it so scrumptious-looking in the first place?

That tree with all its beauty was actually created for Adam and Eve's good. And if utilized correctly, it would have accomplished the purpose of their existence. How so?

Man was created in God's likeness - to be like God. Of course, Adam and Eve would never be omnipresent, all powerful, and all knowing like God, but they COULD learn a knowledge of good and evil like God.

To enable this, God planted a tree loaded with forbidden fruit. If Adam and Eve obeyed God and didn't eat the fruit, they would have learned the definition of good and evil by choosing good, and they would become like God in the knowledge. If they DISOBEYED and ate the fruit, on the other hand, they would still learn the definition by choosing evil, and become like God in the knowledge.

Either way, the tree would be instrumental in making Adam and Eve in God's likeness.

As an added bonus, the tree provided the opportunity to base their relationship with God on faith. Would Adam and Eve put their trust in God completely with His definition of morality or would they insist on eating the fruit to define the standard of morality for themselves? The tree being so overwhelming enticing even gave them the opportunity to exhibit a STRONG faith. How much would they have had to desire God to reject THAT? 

It was their chance to start a beautiful relationship with their Creator,  but the couple chose wrong. Now whether politician or prisoner, preacher or prostitute, we've been doing what was right in our own eyes ever since. 

That's bad news, because God doesn't share the position of morality's definer. He actually considers anyone trying as treason against His Kingship. The only solution is to surrender our wills to God, trusting in His definitions. 

Unfortunately, we're not even good enough to do that. So Jesus, at the end of the Story, brought us back to where we should be. By being tempted, Jesus had the opportunity to choose right where we consistently choose wrong. As a man walking in our shoes, He developed the relationship with His Father we were created to have.

And He's willing to share that relationship with us! If we join our lives with His through dedicating ourselves to Him, we can start experiencing one of the main reasons we exist!  

Dear Heavenly Father, Your ways are so good; Your laws are perfect. Teach us to tune out whatever everyone else is defining as right and tune in to what You've declared. We trust You and dedicate ourselves to Your Son as our Savior and Lord. In Jesus'Name, Amen. 

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