The tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil are not part of “an ancient story” which has nothing to do with us today.
Rather, all the way from Genesis to Revelation we can see these two trees developing in two lines – the line of life and the line of death.
In Revelation we see that the line of the tree of knowledge ends up in the lake of fire (together with Satan and his evil companions) and the line of life ends up in the New Jerusalem (the city of life and light).
The principle of the tree of life is dependence, causing man to be dependent on God as life, while the principle of the tree of knowledge of good and evil is independence. Man’s first sin was not merely eating from the wrong tree, but choosing to be independent from God. Whenever we do things independently from God and from the other members of the Body of Christ, there’s a great chance we are on the line of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Even though we are redeemed, saved, and we cannot lose our salvation, we still need to be warned to stay on the line of life and walk by the Spirit, sow unto the Spirit, and live by the Spirit in our daily life.
Since our whole life in the world we are cultivating and growing up the tree of knowledge (at school, at work, etc), it can be very easy to do our best to build the church with wood, grass, and stubble (1 Cor. 3:12-15) – the results of our acting independently from God. May the Lord keep us on the line of life, always depending on Him as our life and life-supply!
Two Trees Issuing in Two Lines with Two Destinations
God Himself in Christ is the tree of life, eager to impart life to those who choose to take from the tree of life. Satan as the source of death to man (Heb. 2:14) is the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and anything that is apart from God as life is also part of this tree. Even Scriptural things, morality, ethics, and good behavior apart from Christ as the tree of life can be utilized by Satan as the tree of knowledge to bring in death.
If we read the Bible we will realize that these two trees have two principles, two lines and two destinations. The principle of the tree of life is dependence on God as life (see John 15:5), while the principle of the tree of knowledge is independence from God and rebellion against God (see Gen. 3:5). The tree of life issues on the line of life, and the tree of knowledge issues on the line of death.
The Bible is full of examples of men who are on either one of these lines, and sometimes they switch to the other line in a matter of minutes. We need to see that as Christians today we can choose the tree of life and we need to reject the tree of knowledge!
At the end of the Bible we see the destinations of these two lines: the line of life consummates in the New Jerusalem (the city of life, see Rev. 22:1-2), and the line of death consummates in the lake of fire (see Rev. 20:10, 14). Today we have to take care of many needs in our family life, church life, and personal life, but the question is: where do we spend most of our time – in the line of life or the line of death?
Are You on the Line of Life? Are You Feeding on the Tree of Life?
All genuine believers in Christ have been saved by God, they have God’s divine life, and they will never lose their salvation. However, what kind of life are they living today? Do they keep themselves on the line of life?
The Bible warns us time and time again to stay away from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and we see many examples of how men of God who were greatly used by God switched from living on the line of life to living on the line of knowledge, and their result was not that good.
The Bible warns us concerning our daily walk with the Lord and our work for Him. Paul tells us to walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16) and to sow unto the Spirit (Gal. 6:7-8).
Also, when we build up the church we need to make sure we build with gold, silver, and precious stone (the result of our experience on the line of life) and not to build with grass, wood, and stubble – which rather damage the building of God (see 1 Cor. 3:12-15).
We need to depend on the Lord, taking Him as the tree of life into us constantly, and not allow other things besides God to occupy us or fill us. Here are some thing that may do – which seem positive, but they bring us into the line of knowledge and impart death into us:
- Duplication – we may have a great experience with Christ or a victory from the Lord, and since the first time it worked under the Lord’s blessing, we may want to duplicate it. Since the first time we depended on the Lord, were on the line of life; but when we try to duplicate it, we are partaking of the wrong tree.
- Imitation – we may see other brothers and sisters do something for the Lord in life, and we may try to “imitate them” yet not depending on God. This brings us onto the wrong tree, whether the result is positive or negative. God desires that we would depend on Him and not try to imitate others’ successes or victories.
- Investigation – many time we say, “I have to find out how this or that happened!” Whenever the Lord does something in the others or in us, He takes the way of life. But whenever we try to investigate and find out how and why it happened, we get into our mind and we eat from the wrong tree.
- Insulation – even our best and brightest idea in doing something for the Lord or in helping with the service in the church can be something that insulates from the life. We may have the “diamond idea”, very precious and good, but we don’t depend on the Lord and we’re not in the flow of life, and we stop the flow of life in us and in others.
- Legalization – sometimes all we want is a “yes or no” answer from the Lord or from the other members of the Body. We simply want to know whether we’re right or wrong, or whether this is good or bad. But the Lord is never about yes / no or right/wrong; He just wants us to come to Him and follow Him. He wants us to enjoy Him, eat Him, and keep eating Him. He doesn’t give us a “map” or a plan – we need to keep eating Him and follow Him moment by moment!
Lord, keep us eating You all the time. Save us from trying to duplicate our past experiences or imitate other’s good experiences. May we not focus on investigating how things happen or seeking for a yes or no answer from You. Lord, we really depend on You. You are the tree of life. We want to be on the line of life. Keep us eating You and depending on You as our life and our life supply. Lord, we reject even the thought of being independent from You. We are branches in You as the vine, enjoying all Your riches by abiding in You!
References and Further Reading
- Inspiration: bro. Andrew Yu’s sharing in the message and portions in, Life-study of Genesis (msg. 15), as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on the Crystallization Study of Genesis (1), week/msg 6, The Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
- Further reading: recommending Gen. 2:9, footnote 3 (from the Recovery Version Bible).
- Hymn on this topic:
# If man would eat the tree of life, / Then God as life he will receive, / And be transformed to precious stones, / God’s will and Purpose to achieve. / If man the tree of knowledge takes, / Then Satan enters into man / As sin, which brings him into death, / That he may not fulfill God’s plan.
# My Christ, He is the Tree of Life / With fruit abundant, sweet; / My hunger He doth satisfy; / Of Him I daily eat.
# There are two lines to live by in our living today— / One the life line to bring us into Christ all the way. / But the other is knowledge which will make us die; / We must be very careful on which line we abide.
# Just to touch the Word for knowledge / Is to take the very way / By which Eve was lured by Satan / And by knowledge led astray; / But as life to take the Scripture / Is the tree of life to eat; / Thus the Word we must be taking / In the spirit as our meat.
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