The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life - RESULTS OF DISOBEDIENCE

 When Jehovah created Adam and Eve, they became the earthly part of God's great family, which already included a great number of spirit creatures in the heavens, God was the Father of the human pair, since he had given them life. The gift of life, however, was conditional; that is, it would continue to be theirs only as long as they met the condition of loving obedience to their heavenly Father. Obedience to law is necessary to continue peace and good order, so they had to recognize God as their Supreme Ruler. Did they know this? Yes, because Jehovah placed upon thema test that emphasized the seriousness of obedience. He said to Adam: "From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree and life of knowledge of good and bad you must eat of it you will positively de." - GENESIS 2:16, 17.

The test of obedience was not a difficult one. They were not deprived of needed food, nor were they tested beyond their ability. However, their obedience would show that they appreciated that relationship with God. (1 John 5:3) Although some persons have the idea that the 'forbidden fruit' had to do with sex relations between man and woman, this was not the case. God himself had already told them to be "fruitful and become many and fill the earth." (Genesis 1:28) When God commanded them not eat the fruit pf a certain tree it merely meant that God singled out one of the many fruit trees of Eden and commanded the human pair not to eat of its fruit.

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