“Why did God plant the tree of knowledge where Adam and Eve could reach it?” “Why does God allow pain and disease?”

QUESTION: Why did God plant the tree of the knowledge of good and evil where He knew Adam and Eve would find it and eat from it?

ANSWER: In no way did God try to hide anything He had made from mankind whom He gave dominion over His entire creation on earth. Man was to tend and keep the garden. God deliberately did not plant the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in an obscure, hidden corner of the Garden of Eden. Rather, we read, “The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen. 2:9 NKJV). This verse tells us that it also was one of the trees that was pleasant to the sight and good for food. God had His purpose for this tree!

We must never forget that God is both all-wise and sovereign. He does what He pleases, and whatever He does is absolutely the best. He is the divine Potter. We are the clay. Building on Old Testament passages such as Jeremiah 18, Romans 9:20 makes plain that it is not for us to call Him to account. Rather, we will one day have to give account to Him.

Being sovereign, when He entrusted man with dominion over the earth, He imposed one limitation on him to test whether he would be obedient, as is proper for every creature. “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat,” God graciously told man, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” The location of the tree would be a constant reminder of the obedience and allegiance man owed to his Creator. This was a divinely devised test and not (as implied in this question) an unfortunate mistake on God’s part.

As we well know, man failed the test. Tempted by Satan in form of a cunning and apparently gorgeous serpent, the woman took of the fruit and ate it, giving some to her husband as well. Rather than obeying God, he chose to listen to his wife. Satan – as Lucifer, the highest of God’s created beings – had chosen to rebel against God. (Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:12-19 present this in figurative language.) The woman was deceived by him. Adam was not deceived (1 Tim. 2:14); hence Romans 5:12-19 holds him responsible for sin entering the world, bringing with it judgment and death.

Man failed the first test God gave him, and he has continued to fail every succeeding test. But God in His marvelous wisdom and grace had purposed something better for mankind than a life of innocent bliss in a lovely garden. To accomplish His purpose, He sent His beloved, only-begotten Son into this sin-cursed world to die on the cross for us who were inextricably lost and helpless. The Lord Jesus was not only fully subject to God’s will in both His life and death, but He glorified God here where we had so disobeyed and dishonored Him.

In consequence, God now offers eternal life to each one who receives Him as Savior and Lord. So instead of questioning the ways of God, let us join Paul in saying, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Rom. 11:33).

By Eugene P. Vedder, Jr.

QUESTION: Why does God allow pain and disease?

ANSWER: We all experience pain and disease at some time in life. Pain is the response by our nervous system to an abnormal situation; it is like an alarm. If the alarm doesn’t operate, then we can hurt ourselves without knowing it. Disease is a lack of health that is often associated with a depressed immune system. So pain and disease are reactions by our bodies to the circumstances we face.

Pain and disease began when Adam and Eve sinned and they are part of the trouble that is inevitable in the sinful world (Gen. 3:16-19; Jn. 16:33). In fact, “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Rom. 8:22 NIV).

Job, the most righteous man on earth in his time, was a good example to his wife and to Satan when God allowed him to endure pain and disease (Job 2:6-10). Jesus is the only one with a record of power over pain and disease. He healed people who “were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed” (Mt. 4:24).

God permits pain and disease to shape believers so they become more like Him (Heb. 12:5-11). They should not grumble or be discouraged during these times (1 Cor. 10:10), but rejoice because it develops Christian character (Jas. 1:2-4,12). God is training them through the pain and disease so they might rely on Him and be able to comfort those who are suffering (2 Cor. 1:3-9).

The ultimate solution to pain and disease depends on our relationship with God, because those who trust Him go to heaven where there is no pain or disease (Lk. 16:19-31; Rev. 21:4). The eternal glory of heaven far outweighs the believer’s temporary pain and disease here on earth (Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17). However, those who do not accept God’s offer of salvation will suffer for eternity.

By George Hawke