What God said:
(NASB) Genesis 2:16-17 “…From any tree of the garden you may eat freely;
17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”

What Satan said:
(NASB) Genesis 3:4 “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”

What Eve said:
(NASB) Genesis 3:2-3 “The woman said to the serpent, ‘From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat;
3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’ ”

God did not tempt Eve, Adam did not tempt Eve…the serpent (Satan) tempted her.
Where does sin begin?  Doesn’t it begin with a thought, a desire for something we do not have?
Temptation is not wrong…for it is only a temptation…we have a choice…to proceed or to stop with the thought processes.  But if we are tempted and then do that which we know is wrong…we sin.  We sin against God.  We probably sin against others and we do sin against ourselves.
Eve was tempted and she engaged in conversation with her tempter.  And she exaggerated by adding to God’s instructions.  The LORD God never said anything about not touching the fruit.  Could she have not sinned?  I believe so.

(NASB) 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”

What could Eve have done to resist and escape the temptation?  She could have talked with her godly spouse and with God!  If you are without a spouse, you can always talk with a godly friend.  And of course you can always talk with the living God.

What is tempting you today?  First, don’t listen any longer to the tempter.  Second, don’t engage in conversation with the tempter.  Third, talk to God, read your Bible and ask the Lord to give you His answers.  And talk with someone who will give you godly counsel.

 

God is faithful and He does provide ways to escape temptation.