06.1.2. Man's Way

II. -- MAN’S WAY AS to the way of man, as man, it is from God to self and independence; a way not without its marked stages, -- for there is first temptation, then sin, and disobedience, -- and each of these has its own steps, but the steps and stages are all away from God. Such is the way of man. If he returns, that return is God’s way for man, and not mere man’s way.

First in this way comes the temptation. This at once touches a field of mystery, assuming the existence of an enemy of God and man; though how he became such, or whence or what he was, or how he had power to reach this world, and to use its creatures, is not told us. What we know is this, that man is tempted, and that by some of the common creatures which surround him here; the weaker vessel being ever first assailed, as being more likely to yield, and in yielding to draw the stronger with her. Christ was "tempted of the devil," and could say, "Get thee behind me, Satan" (Matthew 4:1-10), for the New Man sees a spiritual world. But man as man sees but the creature, some outward thing, and not a spirit under it. Some paltry thing, the smallest, commonest creature, may be, and is often, used to ruin us. A tree or beast may stir our lusts, and a garden or fruit awaken passions and desires, which may prove too strong for us. For though man, as Adam, sees but the creature, a world of spirits is working under it, by the creature tempting man to trust in self and creatures more than God.

Yet with this difference, that Adam saw only the creature, whilst Christ in His temptation recognised the devil as the direct agent in it, the two temptations varied not. The serpent’s words in substance exactly answer to those recorded in the Gospel; first suggesting doubts as to God’s love, then as to His truth, then openly attempting to put the creature into God’s place. Such is the trial here: such was Christ’s: and such is man’s temptation yet. There is indeed no other.

First comes a suggestion questioning God’s love; and this is put with great subtlety, suggesting that the commandment was merely arbitrary, imposed by power, rather than ordained in love: -- "Hath God said, Ye shall not eat?" (Genesis 3:1). (Note: It is noteworthy that the serpent always substitutes Elohim for Jehovah, -- "Hath Ehohim said," &c., Genesis 3:1; Genesis 3:3; Genesis 3:5. This, compared with Genesis 3:8-9; Genesis 3:13-14, &c., where in every instance we have Jehovah Elohim, is suggestive and significant.) As much as to say, He grudges; He cannot really love you. Keeping out of sight what God has done, His unnumbered gifts and proofs of love everywhere, the serpent fixes on the one thing denied, and brings this forward in the way most likely to awaken hard and evil thoughts. Yet he only puts a question as to God. He questions what God does: thus he opens the temptation.

If we question what God does, we judge God; we get out of our place, and put Him out of His. For simple as the question seemed, by it the serpent was drawing Eve to be God’s judge, rather than His worshipper: -- an awful place for men, yet one into which our adversary is ever drawing us; to lead ere long to make ourselves as gods, and to make God a liar. A really humble soul never judges God. It may not have peace or joy, but at least it will not judge God; submitting rather to His sovereign will; tempted to question, yet not questioning. Such a soul has broken through the snare. It is safe, for it will not entertain questions as to God’s ways.

Eve, however, meets the question, as men yet meet it, with knowledge. She answers with the truth of God (Genesis 3:2-3); shewing how the serpent misrepresented God. And yet she fails. What was wrong here? This, that the woman was parleying with Satan instead of worshipping. Could Satan have gone on with success, if the woman, instead of arguing the point, had at once given God His place by worship and submission? Then God and the creature would both have had their place, and the serpent’s subtlety would have been foiled. But Eve utters truth, while her soul drinks in the lie. Unconsciously she is taking the place of judging God. And truth held away from God will not preserve: on the contrary, it may very readily be used against us. Balaam had the truth; but he walked not with God. Instead of helping him, therefore, the truth only judged him (Numbers 24:17; Numbers 31:8). And we too may have some well-known text, when Satan, "that old serpent" (Revelation 12:9), suggests that God does not love us. Will it help us against the tempter’s wile, if we are parleying with him, instead of worshipping? Alas! We all know how powerless truth is, if we are admitting questions suggesting doubts as to God’s love.

Such is man’s first trial; and thus, in doubts of God’s love, comes in creature love. All the world is doing what Eve did. They think God does not love them: they must therefore love themselves. So man turns to find his joy out of God, in things which cannot satisfy. This is the fundamental lie, -- God does not love. Every other lie is possible after this. This it is which leads man away from God. Distance from Him is easy, if the poison of this lie is really rankling in us. Oh how deep this lie has gone! Who likes to be at the mercy of God in everything? Men will trust a strong box more than God, because they are not quite certain that He so loves, that at every step He will order what is best for them. God will stint them, they fear. God cannot make them happy now. This tree or that will give far more joy than God can; for love is joy, and, if God loves us not, we can but try self and creatures and creature love. The next step is the denial of God’s truth. "The serpent said, Ye shall not surely die" (Genesis 3:4). Love being doubted, truth is next assailed. God now is treated as a liar. He said indeed, Ye shall die, if ye transgress. But fear not: ye shall not die.

Now here, as before, if God lose His place, something else must take it. If the truth is doubted, some lie will be believed. Where God is not trusted, Satan will be; and, indeed, the world’s happiness consists in trusting him. To this day, wherever man is doubting God, he is building his happiness upon the devil’s lie. Could men, if they believed God’s word, go on happily in a course of disobedience and self-will? But they believe a lie. Their happiness in sin rests on believing the devil. Carnal happiness apart from God could not live for a day under a faith that God is true, and will fulfil His word on those who disobey Him. The truth is, man must trust some one. Boast as he may, he cannot stand alone. The man, therefore, who doubts the love and truth of God, having given up God, must trust the creature. If, therefore, creatures ask him to sin, he will obey them; for they are now in the place of God to him. If we believe God, we are free. If we will not trust Him, we are the tool and slave of any thing or any one who is stronger or cleverer than we are. And now God’s love and truth being denied, the next step is to take God’s place openly. So the serpent says, "Ye shall be as gods" (Genesis 3:5). He now can dare to say any thing; for if the poison of the first two lies has entered, God has quite lost His character in the heart of man. Self now may therefore seek to be "as God;" so entirely is spiritual perception gone when we begin to doubt God.

Some may not see the sin of this. Sin blinds us so that we do not know what is sin. Men see no harm in seeking to be gods, in setting themselves up to know or judge both good and evil. (Note: The expression, "knowing good and evil," may mean sitting in judgment on it, as in 2 Samuel 14:17, and 1 Kings 3:9. Ambrose so takes it, De Parad. c. 11, § 52.) Self-glorying therefore is thought to be no sin, till some wretched fruit of exalting self opens our eyes to see it; while judging good and evil seems almost to be our work, so readily do we pass sentence on everything, as though neither sin nor danger were connected with it. But both are sin, for they rob God. They take His place, to put self into it. God must be the centre where He is known. Let Him be dishonoured, self will be the centre; and each fair gift is turned into a curse, the creature exalting itself at the expense of God’s glory; till, as in Nebuchadnezzar, loss of understanding is the result, and man becomes as a beast for his self-exaltation, "until seven times pass over him" (Daniel 4:30-32). God does, indeed, call us to glory, but by glorifying Him, not by self-glorying. And in that day we too may judge, for man shall "judge the world," yea, "judge angels" (1 Corinthians 6:2-3). But the way thither is the way of Christ, who "grew in wisdom," while in subjection even to His earthly parents; in meekness and obedience offering Himself to God, taking man’s place and giving to God His place. In such a path, blessing must be man’s, for in it God is glorified. Let man arrogate the glory, blessing will depart, until God receives His own again (Compare Malachi 2:2, and Psalms 29:1; Psalms 29:11, and Psalms 96:7-10).

Still the serpent spoke some truth. They "became as gods." God Himself declares, -- "The man is become as one of us" (Genesis 3:22). And this is yet the tempter’s way: he does not put forth a lie only, with the uncomeliness of a mere lie; but first a question full of plausibility, then a lie, and then a truth out of its place, working as a lie, and used to deceive us. For he can tell much attractive truth; but never for God against self, always to nourish self and self-will against the will of God. And there is a point where truth becomes the surest snare, aiding to fix us in the most awful self-deception; while held in sin, without conscience, to exalt self, it becomes our worst punishment. So a saint, when asked, "What was the most dangerous doctrine?" replied, "God’s own truth held carnally and to exalt self." For His light may blind, His ark destroy, His sanctuary smite, His table be damnation (Leviticus 10:1-2; 1 Chronicles 13:9-10; 2 Chronicles 26:18-20; 1 Corinthians 11:29). And a truth perverted may be the firmest chain to hold and bind and blind us for ever.

I might speak much here of other outward things, which had their weight in this temptation; such as the lust of the flesh, for "the tree was good for food;" the lust of the eye, for it "was pleasant to the eye, and fair to look upon;" and the lust of the mind, the pride of knowledge, for it was "a tree to be desired to make one wise" (Genesis 3:6). All these concur, and thus falls man: thus grows the "evil heart of unbelief;" and God, -- Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, -- gives place to that other trinity, the world, the flesh, and the devil. The Father is superseded by the world: creature love serves now instead of God’s Love. The Son, God’s Truth, is doubted, and at once Christ’s opposite, the devil, "who abode not in the truth," must be trusted. Then the Holy Ghost is grieved and assailed; and in His place the flesh or self is glorified. (Note: The New Testament is full of these contrasts; the Father is ever set against the world, Christ against the devil, and the spirit against the flesh. See 1 John 2:15-16; 1 John 3:8; Galatians 5:17.) In this order does the evil work, as then, so now, in every man; till man actually believes that sin is blessedness: not to sin and do as he will is now considered bondage. So deceived is he, that he thinks the evil good, and counts self-pleasing to be joy, though he finds no peace in it. (Note: For many of the best thoughts in this section, I am indebted to a paper, entitled "The Rejected Man," being No. 41 of the series, "Words of Truth.")