Abram vs. Adam (and Eve)

In order to appreciate Abram's great act of faith as recorded in Hebrews 11:8 . . .

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8 ESV)

. . . it is worth our while, I think, to go back and look at the temptation of Eve in the Garden. What do the two have to do with each other? We shall see.

Here's the passage where Eve is tempted. Check it out:

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God actually say, "You shall not eat of any tree in the garden"?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, "You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die."" But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. (Genesis 3:1-7 ESV)

Eve had the word of God. She had received it, most likely, through Adam. It was clear and it was basically this: "You may eat of the fruit of the trees of the Garden, but the tree that is in the midst (or middle) of the Garden, that tree you shall not eat of on penalty of death." Satan contradicts this word from God. He flat-out says that it is not so, that, in fact, God is working to deceive her. Then he offers her this: eat of the tree and become like God.

So what will Eve do? Will she believe God or will she follow the path offered her by the Serpent?

But before we even answer that, let me ask you this. Have you ever really thought about what Satan is offering Eve? With what does he entice her? He says that if she eats of the tree she will be "like God, knowing good and evil."

Wait a minute . . . isn't Eve already like God? Was she not, along with Adam, already created in the image of God, and in His likeness? So how can Satan entice her with what she already has? How does that make sense?

What Satan tempts her with is this: autonomy. Let me paraphrase him: "Eve, are you really going to believe what God said? He is not looking out for your best interests. He is looking out for himself at your expense. Your best bet, Eve, is to make your own path, govern yourself by your own decisions. That's the only way you will reach your full potential and be everything you can possibly be. Don't listen to God. Look out for yourself."

Autonomy.

But we were never meant to be independent, autonomous beings. We were made to be in fellowship with God and dependent upon Him. Only in this way can we ever see our full potential, be all we can be, know true happiness, find fulfillment. Apart from God we are like fish out of water. We flop around for awhile, then die. That's it. But, in God, we become all that God intended us to be--what we were made for.

We need God. Especially now that we are fallen.

So what do Adam and Eve choose? They choose autonomy. And the world has been miserable ever since.

Now fast-forward a few chapters to Genesis 12. Another man receives the word of God now. This man is Abram. God gives him a command also. Will he listen to God? Will he believe God? Or will he follow his own path? After all, what does God know about human happiness? What does he know about blessing or prosperity? Anything? Should Abram believe God? Or shouldn't Abram be like everyone else and follow his own path?

What will he do? Abram believed God. By faith he went out . . .

Sin is any option that is not faith and faith is the only option that is not sin. Think about that one for a minute. Go ahead. Go back and read it again.

And faith always results in obedience. We either believe God or we don't and if we believe him then we obey him. If we disobey him then we obviously don't believe him, don't believe that he knows what is best for us. This is why Paul says in Romans 14: For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23b ESV)

And this is why the author of Hebrews says in chapter 11: And without faith it is impossible to please him, (Hebrews 11:6a ESV)

So Abram is given the word of God also. It is a word of command followed by a promise. Will Abram believe God or will Abram follow his own path?

Abram believed God. And just as Eve's mistrust of God resulted in her disobedience, Abram's trust in God resulted in his obedience. "He went out, not knowing where he was going." And so Abram becomes the father of the faithful.

Do you believe God? Or are you in rebellion to him? Still think you can find true happiness on some other path, the path of your choosing? Think again. Your path only leads to misery and death. Believe God. Follow him.