Sin: is it really a big deal?

Kerry Helen Jenkins

There may be nothing funny about the way that sin appears to finagle its way into our lives, but not long ago a story that I've read many times suddenly struck me in an amusing light. In this little tale, an apparently innocent and good person is tricked into thinking that a small indulgence on her part will not produce any of the dire consequences that she was warned such an act would occasion.

In fact, the tempter informed her, not only would it not bring such things, but it would actually bless her and her family. This well-meaning but perhaps foolish woman then apparently saw this argument as valid and yielded to the temptation, even convincing her husband to indulge as well.

Now, maybe you already know this famous tale from the Bible. It's the story of Eve yielding to the serpent's persuasive lie about the benefits of eating the forbidden fruit. The part that caught my attention, and even made me laugh this time, was the serpent's response to Eve when she says that God told her that to eat the forbidden fruit would bring death. The serpent scoffs, "Ye shall not surely die" (Gen. 3:4).

How many times I've heard that argument in my thought when I've needed to justify some small disobedience: a bite to eat when I don't really need it, procrastination of one sort or another, an impatient outburst, or a surly remark. Such thoughts may convince us to do things we would never otherwise indulge in, all because we are persuaded that it's not a big deal. After all, it's not as if we were murdering or stealing! Science and Health addresses this deluded view with this statement: "Mortals are egotists. They believe themselves to be independent workers, personal authors, and even privileged originators of something which Deity would not or could not create" (p. 263).

Giving in to temptation—to what we may mistakenly view as the freedom to do as we like—makes us slaves to the indulgence of our choice, and in turn, we give up our peace of mind, our good cheer, and our confidence. We may suddenly feel a gulf between ourselves and God, not to mention our friends and family. Christ Jesus put it this way: "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (John 8:34).

In this allegorical tale about Adam and Eve, God clearly forbade them to eat the fruit, saying, "Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die" (Gen. 3:3). Why was Eve so willing to risk death in order to taste a piece of fruit? Is it perhaps because she didn't believe that it would result in death?

Jesus showed us that we are not helpless in the face of temptation.

Do we, like Eve, sometimes choose to indulge temptation because we are used to mortality and the reasoning, which seems so normal, that goes with it? But Jesus showed us that we needn't be victims—that we are not helpless in the face of temptation. By faithfully communing with and obeying God, we can see our true nature as Life's immortal expression; we can be whole and intelligent, and we can heal and bless mankind.

God-given dominion rightfully belongs to each of us because we belong to God. Knowing our place in God's kingdom, we will be able to laugh the next time the serpent says, "It's no big deal." That laughter destroys the serpent because it exposes the flimsy nature of the serpent's promise—and it reminds us of the dominion, freedom, and joy that are already ours from God.

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"The words we say, each to the other"

November 17, 1997

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