Although God tells us how we should live, He doesn’t force that way on us. When He created man, He gave him freedom to choose how he would live: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Few, however, choose to live God’s way of life, and Romans 8:7 explains why: “the carnal [physical] mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” Another factor which comes into play is the enormous influence of Satan, who ” deceives the whole world” (Revelation 12:9).
Satan’s deception began with Adam and Eve, when he appeared to Eve in the form of a serpent and asked, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). When Eve explained God allowed them to eat of the fruit of every tree except one, and that if they ate of its fruit they would certainly die, Satan deceived Eve by lying to her: “‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day 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… she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (verses 4-6).
It is not always immediately apparent just why something is harmful. What Adam and Eve and all humanity have overlooked is the vital importance of obedience to God. Romans 5:12 summarises the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin: “just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin,” death has “spread to all men, because all sinned.” Adam and Eve chose a way of life humanity has chosen to follow—the way of sin that inevitably brings death.
The result of being cut off from God because of our sins has had disastrous results, as Isaiah points out in Isaiah 59:2: “…your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” Isaiah then goes on to describe sin’s deadly impact on mankind in the rest of this chapter.
Paul continues this theme by describing human nature untempered by God’s influence: “There is none righteous… none who understands… who seeks after God. They have all turned aside…There is none who does good…[Their] mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:10-12, 14-18).
But in spite of humanity’s sinful attitude God makes it clear He does not hate sinners, as John 3:16-17 points out: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).
This does not, however, mean God the Father and Jesus Christ are accepting of or tolerate sin. They clearly hate sin, but the death of Jesus Christ allows us to be reconciled to God, making a relationship with Him possible (Romans 5:9-10). Through Jesus Christ giving His life to pay the penalty for our sins, God offers us the priceless gift of eternal life.
Psalm 103 explains God’s attitude of love toward the human race: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who forgives all your iniquities…who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies…The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. He will not…keep his anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins” (verses 2-4, 8-10).
