August 10

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…she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6

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🔊 It has been observed that evil people triumph when good people say and do nothing. This was never more true than when Adam remained silent while Eve disobeyed God. Perhaps he wanted to see what God meant when He said that they would die. He knew definitely that this was what would happen. When Adam saw Eve die spiritually in front of his very eyes, there was something that attracted him, and he also ate. It is at our own great peril that we close our eyes to God’s instruction and guidance. There is a comfort in fellowshipping with others in their worldliness. Adam had the opportunity to prevent this disaster, but he did not take it. This wellspring of all sin began with moral passivity in Adam. Evil as we often understand it is in terrible acts of cruelty or moral depravity. But Adam unleashed great monsters of lust and destruction on his own soul and on the human race, by simply doing nothing. Moral challenge will not come from the world, but from the Holy Spirit – from the insistent prompting of the inner voice of God. That prompting is a challenge to set a course that is higher and purer than the acceptable standards of other Christians or even of those closest to us. Ananias and Sapphira agreed to tempt the Holy Spirit – Acts 5:1-11. They should have risen in fervent exhortation to challenge each other to a higher path of life. It is always hardest to be a disciple when we have to rebuke those we love, whether by word or by our personal obedience. The cutting edge is always, whom do we love most? Adam went down the path of self-fulfilment and broke God’s heart. The Holy Spirit is active at the cutting edge of our conscience, and when He speaks, we ignore Him at our peril.