The Tree of Life

Then the Lord God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever"-- therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 3:1-24

Man was not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He was to enjoy the fruit of the tree of life and live a spiritual life in communion with GOD.

The temptation to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil was from the devil. His motive that caused him to fall from his position with GOD, was imparted also to man - "You will be like GOD, knowing good and evil." Man was enticed to step on the pedestal of pride which caused his fall. This broke his relationship with GOD. He lost his peace and immediately experienced shame, guilt and fear. Rather than walking with GOD, he hid from GOD his Creator!

We have inherited the sin nature and continue to crave for the fruit fromthe tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. The fruit from the tree of life is love.

We need to overcome this situation to have access to the tree of life.

We tend to steer our lives according to the selfish way of our soul, but as believers, we must yield our will to the Holy Spirit.

 Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
James 1:12-1

Selfishness desires fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Once eaten, the fruit makes us self- conscious and self-centred. This leads to feelings of shame, guilt and fear.

The solution is, another tree!

 "If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.
Deuteronomy 21:22-23

 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),

Galatians 3:13

The LORD JESUS carried His cross to Calvary and He was crucified on it. He was nailed to the tree and hung on it.

 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
Genesis 6:5-6

 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.
Isaiah 53:11

The LORD, being pure and holy, had to go through the most unpleasant experience of seeing, hearing and knowing all the obscenities, vulgarities and evil that come out of wicked and perverted minds. That was the cup that was so difficult for the LORD JESUS to drink. At the garden of Gethsamane, He made the decision to drink it for the sake of you and me.

The cross of CHRIST gives us the picture of the curse that came out of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He took the curse of sin upon HImself by carrying the cruel cross and being nailed to that cross.

The cross of CHRIST also is a picture of the tree of life! The blood that flowed down the cross, washes our sin away, releasing forgiveness and freedon from guilt, shame and fear. The perfectly pure Son of GOD, changed the cursed tree into a tree of blessing. JESUS hung on the tree of the cross and through His intercession, changed the cross as it were, into the tree of Life! The cruel cross became the wondrous cross! By His immense love He took our punishment for sin upon Himself, and now releases blessing and life to those who come to the cross in repentance. 

Therefore it is only the cross of JESUS that bridges the gap between the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. He is the  Resurrection and spiritual Life to all of mankind who are dead because of the fruit from the cursed tree.

How do we overcome?  We overcome, by repenting and returning to our first love - the LORD JESUS.

 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have, you hate the works of the Nicola'itans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.'
Revelation 2:4-7

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