The Lie That God Is Withholding Pleasure

Genesis 3:1 says “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.”

Before the writer of Genesis (i.e., Moses) makes this statement, we learned that the Lord God had just looked at all that He had made in six literal days and said, “It was very good” (1:31).

Zooming in on the Creation story from Adam’s perspective in Chapter 2, God had placed him in the garden, instructed him to eat of “every tree of the garden” except for the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (2:16-17). God then made a helper for Adam (i.e., Eve) and verse 25 says that they “were both naked and were not ashamed.”

Did God Actually Say?

With that context, let’s get back to this crafty serpent. The serpent approaches Eve and asks a specific question: “Did God actually say?” (3:1).

Is this statement exactly what Moses had in mind when he described the serpent as crafty? Did Moses know that this same crafty question would be used for the rest of human history to deceive God’s people? At the heart of every temptation is the question, "Did God actually say?"

Let’s dive further. “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (3:1).

Have you ever told your kids to go find something to eat and they come back and tell you that there's nothing to eat? And then you go and find a fully stocked pantry and fridge? I know my parents experienced this with me growing up and now I have the blessing to experience this as a parent to my kids.

Let's look at what God had actually said. In chapter two God told Adam that, besides the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he could eat of every tree of the garden (2:16-17).

I have no idea how many acres the Garden of Eden was, but with my biblical imagination, I can see myself standing in the middle of the most lush place on earth, looking and taking a 360° view of everything there, and realizing to myself that I have access to everything that I want, except for one tree.

And yet the serpent, in his craftiness, convinced Eve that God was withholding the most pleasurable experience from them.

Penetrating Safegaurds

She responded to the serpent by saying that God said not only should they not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, but they shouldn't even touch it (3:3).

I interpret this to mean that Adam and Eve had even taken proactive measures to make sure that they definitely don't ever do what God told them not to do.

So how did Satan penetrate their safeguards and render their defenses useless?

He reinforced the lie that God was withholding something pleasurable and good from them. Most importantly, he reinforced the lie that the tree was going to open their eyes and make them like God (3:4-5).

Moses gives us the exact reasoning behind why Eve took of the fruit. Yes, she wanted to be wise, as the serpent had alluded to. But even before that, she saw that the tree was good for food and a delight to the eyes.

She believed the lie that God was withholding pleasure from her.

It's been 6,000 years since this real historical event took place and the devil continues to play the hits.

Nothing Is New Under the Sun

I've become more convinced that satisfaction in Christ is the unregrettable pleasure of being fully known and fully loved by God, enjoying fellowship with Him as we live in alignment with His created order.

This practical definition of satisfaction does two things:

First, it helps us understand that real joy and satisfaction are obtainable here on earth. Jesus is able to keep His promise in John 15:11, in the sense that we may have His joy, and that our joy may be full. We can experience real satisfaction here on earth as we await full satisfaction without the friction of sin when Jesus returns.

Second, it helps us understand that all temptation stems from the very first temptation, coming straight from the father of lies in Genesis 3. All temptation ultimately leads back to the lie that Jesus is withholding pleasure from us. When we realize that Jesus has done nothing but allow us access to pleasure, this temptation loses a significant amount of power through the work of the Holy Spirit.

I don't know your story but if you were to look deep into your life right now and examine your thought patterns, your habits, your ruts, I have no doubt that you could trace all of your issues back to consistently believing the lie that Jesus is withholding pleasure from you and that whatever your go-to is, it's more satisfying than what Jesus has to offer.

Maybe another time I'll get to expound on the other aspect of Satan's temptation: that we not only don't believe Jesus provides pleasure but we don't believe that there are real consequences for sin (regret and so much more).

Believe today that Jesus offers unregrettable pleasure and watch the Spirit transform your life.