Everything in the garden was lovely. The flowers were in full bloom, and the perfume was exotic. The trees were in fruit and ... what fruit! Never had the young couple, who now wandered along the carefully prepared pathways, hand in hand, seen such beauty or tasted such fruit. Not a plant was out of place, colour and size was so perfectly blended; and ... not a weed was to be seen!
"Think of it," murmured the young man to his beautiful bride, "all this is ours," and they strolled still further into the garden, exclaiming at the fresh beauty as they turned yet another corner along the many pathways.
"Yes, indeed, but remember, he also said we must not eat of that fruit, any other, indeed every other fruit we may eat, but not that or we shall die, and we've only just started to live, so let us enjoy what is ours."
How wise the young husband was. But .... was it strange that day after day they felt drawn back to that one tree ... wondering ... could there be anything wrong with such a beautiful looking fruit? Could the one who had planted such a perfect garden, put just one tree, right in the centre, that was not good to eat? Indeed was deadly poison?
Was it not strange that they should ignore another tree just a few yards away, almost identical to the ordinary observer, to the one with the "DO NOT TOUCH" notice on it?
At last they could stand the strain no longer, they had to make the choice ... which tree to eat from ....? They chose .... the forbidden fruit ... and .... immediately something snapped! No, they did not fall down dead .... but something inside snapped, and died. The peace the young couple had enjoyed suddenly disappeared. Fear gripped them. They knew they had chosen wrongly. They shrank among the bushes realising it was too late to be sorry. Spiritually they were dead. Their body only lived on, to suffer the results of disobedience.
"Why," exclaimed a young man in anger, "should I suffer and be punished because of what Adam did? It wasn't my fault he chose wrongly!"
Are these your thoughts too, I wonder? Then I have news for you! You do NOT have to suffer for what someone else did wrong. No, you are only to be punished because you too are making the wrong choice. Remember we said there were two trees - both bearing fruit. One was the Tree of Knowledge, the other the Tree of Life. Mankind down the ages has chosen Knowledge in preference to Life.
One man, Solomon, when given a choice, chose wisdom and God gave him not only wisdom, but riches beyond measure. Jesus said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you."
One day Jesus Christ, God's son, had to make a choice. He chose to die on the cross of Calvary, the most cruel death ever devised by man. He said: "No man takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord," in order that you need not die in the same way Adam died. Jesus died to pay the penalty, the price, of all sin; to give to all people a new life ... that Life which snapped and died when Adam ate the wrong fruit can be brought back to life in you.
You do not have to suffer. You are not punished because of what someone else has done. That would not be justice, would it? And God is a just and righteous God. No, you will be judged and punished at the last day only because of your rejection of God's offer of salvation. It was for you that Jesus died; won't you accept his wonderful offer now?
Just turn to him in simple prayer and tell him you want this new life. You want this dead part in you to be born again. Tell him you are sorry you have been rejecting him for so long and thank him for making it possible for you, at the end of this life, to eat the fruit of the Tree of Life. Thank him for dying for you and accept his wonderful pardon ... and begin to LIVE!
(Bible references: Genesis 2v9; 1 Kings 3:5-14; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 26:39; John 10:18; Deuteronomy 32:4; Revelation 2:7)
This tract was written by my father many years ago. He is now enjoying LIFE with Jesus in Heaven!
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