Finding Freedom, Week Two

Published: Feb. 11, 2018, 6:30 p.m.

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So God created\\xa0mankind\\xa0in his own image, in the image of God\\xa0he created them; male and female\\xa0he created them. God blessed them and said to them,\\xa0\\u201cBe fruitful and increase in number;\\xa0fill the earth\\xa0and subdue it. Rule over\\xa0the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.\\u201d \\u2026God saw all that he had made,\\xa0and it was very good.\\xa0And there was evening, and there was morning\\u2014the sixth day. Genesis 1:27-31 (NIV)

God\\u2019s original plan was perfection.

Now the\\xa0Lord\\xa0God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden;\\xa0and there he put the man he had formed.\\xa0The\\xa0Lord\\xa0God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground\\u2014trees\\xa0that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life\\xa0and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil\\u2026The\\xa0Lord\\xa0God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden\\xa0to work it and take care of it.\\xa0And the\\xa0Lord\\xa0God commanded the man, \\u201cYou are free to eat from any tree in the garden;\\xa0but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,\\xa0for when you eat from it you will certainly die\\u2026\\u201d Adam and his wife were both naked,\\xa0and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:8-25\\xa0(NIV)

God\\u2019s plan for humanity was to be completely known and to feel no shame for it.

Now the serpent\\xa0was more crafty than any of the wild animals the\\xa0Lord\\xa0God had made. He said to the woman, \\u201cDid God really say, \\u2018You must not eat from any tree in the garden\\u2019?\\u201d The woman said to the serpent, \\u201cWe may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, \\u2018You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.\\u2019\\u201d \\u201cYou will not certainly die,\\u201d the serpent said to the woman.\\xa0\\u201cFor God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,\\xa0knowing good and evil.\\u201d When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable\\xa0for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband,\\xa0who was with her, and he ate it.\\xa0Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;\\xa0so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the\\xa0Lord\\xa0God as he was walking\\xa0in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid\\xa0from the\\xa0Lord\\xa0God among the trees of the garden.\\xa0But the\\xa0Lord\\xa0God called to the man, \\u201cWhere are you?\\u201d He answered, \\u201cI heard you in the garden, and I was afraid\\xa0because I was naked; so I hid.\\u201d And he said, \\u201cWho told you that you were naked?\\xa0Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?\\u201d Genesis 3:1-11\\xa0 (NIV)

  1. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil says, \\u201cI HAVE TO DO TO FIND ENJOYMENT.\\u201d The Tree of Life says, \\u201cENJOY WHAT HE HAS DONE.\\u201d

You study\\xa0the Scriptures\\xa0diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life.\\xa0These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,\\xa0yet you refuse to come to me\\xa0to have life. John 5:39-40\\xa0(NIV)

  1. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil says, \\u201cMY ACTIONS DETERMINE MY ACCEPTANCE.\\u201d The Tree of Life says, \\u201cHIS ACTIONS DETERMINE MY ACCEPTANCE.\\u201d

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.\\xa0This is real love\\u2014not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9-10\\xa0(NLT)

  1. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil says, \\u201cBECAUSE OF WHAT I HAVE DONE, I HAVE TO HIDE.\\u201d The Tree of Life says, \\u201cHE ALREADY KNOWS, AND WANTS TO WALK WITH US.\\u201d

Come to me,\\xa0all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,\\xa0for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.Matthew 11:28-29\\xa0(NIV)

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