The First Question in the Bible

Who asked the first question recorded in the Bible?
A. Adam
B. Eve
C. The Serpent
D. Polycarp
E. God

For the answer read Genesis 2:25-3:6 here.

The final verse in Chapter 2 of Genesis says that the first humans, Adam and Eve, were naked, but they felt no shame. They were living in the Garden of Eden, which was a place of perfection and innocence. They were in paradice. The only restriction placed on them was to avoid eating from one tree which was in the middle of the garden.

Then, enterd that slick serpent, Satan, who placed doubt in their minds. (Yes, the answer is "C.")

He asked, "Did God really say you shouldn't eat of the fruit of any of the trees in the garden?" Next, after questioning their understanding of God's instructions to them, he painted God as one who was trying to withhold a blessing from them. Basically, he was saying to them, "He knows how wise you will become and he doesn't want you to know what he knows. God is so mean and selfish He wants to hold you back."

Next, you read that Eve took a look at the fruit and saw how delicious and beautiful it looked. Also, it appeared to "make one wise" as the serpent had said. So, she just had to take it and eat. Then, she offered it to Adam and he freely decided to do what God had commanded them not to do.

This first temptation, which is the sinful fall of mankind, was not the last time Satan has used his "God-questioning" approach to cause folks to sin.

Satan is still leading people to ask, "Did God really say that?" He wants us to question God's authority and His love for us. In other words, "If God really loved you, why would he want you to be denied any pleasure?" We are tempted to think "What's the harm in a little sin? How bad could it really be?" Satan wants us to feel abused by seeing God as an over-protective parent, while we can only be free when we obey His commands.

The Bible says, "The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple (Psalm 19:7)."

I once heard Andy Stanley preach a sermon in which he encouraged people to stop asking whether an action is "right or wrong," but to question whether or not an activitiy is "wise or unwise."

Many things in life may be "legal" or in a supposedly "gray area," but once they are evaluated according to the wisdom of God, the actions can only be deemed unwise.

Is there a decision you are trying to make right now? Are you struggling with whether what is right and wrong in a certain area? Well, what do you feel is the wise thing to do?

The Bible says, "A wise man fears and departs from evil, But a fool rages and is self-confident (Proverbs 14:16)."

Many years ago, before the invention of the automobile, a wealthy man needed to hire a driver of a horse and buggy to carry his daughter on a journey over a mountain. The concerned father placed an ad in the paper for a driver and two men responded. The father asked the first man, "How close can you drive a buggy to the side of a canyon?"

The man bravely responded, "Sir, I can drive the wheels of any horse drawn carriage within only inches of the side of any mountain without ever falling off the side."

Next, the father asked the second applicant, "How close can you drive a buggy to the side of a canyon?" After a short pause, the wise man responded, "Sir, since I'll be carrying your daughter, my goal will not be to see how close I can get to the edge of the mountain side, but, rather, how far away from the edge I can travel."

Who do you think gained the confidence of the Father.

Let's all stay away from the edge of sin today. Be wise.