Separation
Stuart Fickler, Ph.D.
What was the challenge of the events of The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil?
God separated Adam and Eve from God's immediate presence. The text makes it clear that, from that point on, they were on their own. They had to struggle in the world that existed beyond the sublime serenity of the Garden of Eden. Why?
We know that the destiny of humans was set by God's command that they rule. Rule requires responsibility. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve (humanity) lived in total innocence. 1 They had acquired no knowldge of responsibility. They had to learn it.
Responsibility is not learned in a classroom. It must be experienced. One must learn to live within the boundaries established by the laws of the Creator of the universe.
Before humans can "rule" they must discover the laws of God's creation and apply them to themselves. Today, we are part of that process.
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