The Tree Debate

Well, just when i think it can't get any stranger - it does. I'm referring to a debate that i was in just the other day. Let me premise my remarks with an overview of what we were discussing...

The idea came from the book of Genesis and Adam and Eve and spoke that the 'true' sin of the first parents was 'getting into a tree that they weren't supposed to'. Now, this simple statement is totally true, but the real sin was disobedience because God Himself had told them specifically not to get into this particular tree. From my understanding, the viewpoint of this book that we were discussing that highlighted the relationship between the tree and Adam and Eve, and the individual whom i was talking with, was that the true sin of Adam and Eve was their arrival in 'someone else's tree'. This concept, then, is equated with looking at the actions of others over the actions of ourselves and 'judging' them. The true sin is 'judging' others when we should simply be focusing on our relationship with Christ and not looking at anyone else.

Let me point out that i am a strong proponent of focusing on our personal spiritual lives. I am a strong supporter of not casting twigs or stones at every Tom, Dick and Harry that passes by who isn't living up to my perfect picture of Christianity. I also loathe the countless youtube videos that i see tearing down any 'Christian' leader who struggles with moral failure. But i also understand that the true sin in Genesis wasn't because of the tree they were in, but because of the words of God commanding them not to go into THAT particular tree.

The heart of the matter is 'disobedience' and the reality that disobedience pulls us further and further away from God. After Adam and Eve eat the fruit, God still comes, AS WAS HIS CUSTOM! God didn't change. God wasn't holding a grudge. God understood that there were going to be consequences, but that didn't diminish His love for them. The same way that if i embezzle money from my job i may go to prison, or get drunk i may wake up with a hangover or eat greasy food every day i may have a heart attack and die. These are all sins. These are all wrong. These are all things that God encourages us not to do and also things that carry with themselves their own consequences. The good news is that God knows the end at the beginning and has the power to be with us through the storms of our lives.

The particular problem with what i see as 'not climbing anyone else's tree' is that is runs counter to the entire purpose of the Bible. God's Word is filled with stories that i believe i am encouraged to read. Why? What is God's purpose for me reading them? So that i can get in someone else's tree. Not so that i can tear down another individual, but that i can understand the reality of sin and the slippery slope of poor decisions and be aware of them in my life. God wants me to look at the lives of others to help me... to encourage me... to mold me. When i choose to ignore everyone else around me and only focus on me and my relationship with God i have the potential to become extremely egocentric, forgetting that there is a world out there that's lost and becoming very comfortable with my 3/2 house, two year old car, spouse and kids. I become very me-focused - the antithesis of what the American culture needs right now.

So, the moral of the story - feel free to get into all the trees you can with the right motives. Don't feel that your job is to tear another down because of their decisions in their tree, but take those decisions - both good and bad - and commit to learn about them. Commit to discuss them. Commit to wrestle with them. And like Jacob with the angel, you just might go away from that discussion walking a little different!

GP
http://www.gphintz.com/