“The Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil,” of which our human father Adam ate, is actually a tree of apparent independence from reliance upon God. You see, Adam’s fall, was a fall to independence by the knowledge that he had gained from that tree. Eve saw that tree one that “was desirable to make one wise,” as the Serpent told Eve, “you shall be as God’s knowing good and evil.”

This is why the society we live in today encourages the young to be self-assertive and independent. We all come into this world as little gods of our own lives. Christians begin their Christian life with that as of their way of living.

This world system and society we see around us has evolved from what the Biblical record describes soon after the fall of Adam. In Genesis 4:20-22, we see Jabal, Jubal and Tubal-cain, who helped develop the “world” system of independence from reliance upon God. Tubal-cain – developed bronze and iron for weaponry as man’s protection apart from God, Jubal – developed musical instruments for entertainment apart from God, and Jabal – developed commerce by raising animals for food, as man’s provision apart from God. Man could now, apparently, survive apart from reliance upon God. A complete society that is independent from reliance upon God has fully developed from these meager Biblical historical roots. We see independence and self-reliance is the prescribed way for living in this godless world we see around us today.

God had intended that Adam eat of “the tree of life,” indicating that God desired for Adam live by His supply for all he needs. Jesus is that “tree of life” as we see by the vine tree of John 15 and in Revelation 22 as it orders the river of life. But Adam chose the other tree that would make him “wise,” independent, as a god, by knowing good and evil (Gen 3:5, 22, 27). So, today we see men, Christian, as well as non-Christian, asserting their self-godhood, living apart from reliance upon God. They are functioning in religion by their “self-doing.” Christina and non Christian both live as god of their own lives until God intervenes in the life of the Christian. Non-Christians live for themselves in godless acts, while most Christians live for themselves in keeping a code of moral ethics or doing religious acts – but both are devoid of dependence upon the life and headship of Christ. Christians do not depend upon Christ in them to initiate, empower, lead, and guide their lives.

“The Tree of Life” represents Christ as our all-sufficient life-supply. We may rely upon Him and rest in Him. We as Christians must eat of (take into our soul/self) the Tree of Life (Christ who indwells our spirit) as our daily life-sustaining source. Being deceived by the temporal, Adam and Eve thought they had life and so they did not eat of that tree of life. But we need to eat of Him daily as we rely upon Him as our spiritual supply. We must maintain our personal union with Christ in order to be maintained in rest and peace – this is subjective, not corporate. In the wilderness, manna was supplied daily to Israel as indication of daily dependence upon Him, not only as the initial life-giver, but also as the sustainer of their life. All they had to do was receive, and so it is with us.

I believe that most Christians today are reaping the result of living their overburdened lives, living by carnal (outer, soulical) religious knowledge, trying to make it work by their soulish effort. They are living in a separated and independent state of being, depending upon themselves; their own impotent will power, wits and sensibilities. Thus, they carry an impossibly heavy load. Their lives don’t demonstrate any greater peace and rest than that of the non-Christian. As they live by the law of their carnal knowledge, they emasculate the very Christ (The mute His overcoming life) who lives in them. Therefore, they have made Christ of absolutely no beneficial effect in their lives. Galatians 5:4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.