"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ" (II Corinthians 11:3).

When Eve decided to eat of the forbidden fruit, whose fault was it? Was Satan's enticement the only cause of Eve's sin? Or was her mind led astray by the simplicity of God's command?

God commanded Adam and Eve, "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it . . ." (Genesis 2:17); yet Eve claimed that God had told her not to "eat of it, neither shall ye touch it . . ." (Genesis 3:3). Because Eve perceived in her mind that the temptation to partake of the fruit would be too great to overcome if she touched the tree, she added to God's instruction. Eve did not discern the purity of God's word, Proverbs 30:6 says, "Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."

Moses reminded the people to obey God's word: "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you" (Deuteronomy 4:2). If Eve had not been influenced by her own perception, she could not have been deceived. God's command, "do not," was simple yet life sustaining; death came through false perceptions and Satan's deception.

Just as God's plan for Eve was simple, the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ that gives us life is uncomplicated: "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" (I John 5:11,12). Many today are adding to the simple gospel; their perceptions add to or take away from the word of God. We must lean on God's understanding so that our perception will not lead to deception and, ultimately, death. PN