by Jefferson David Tant<\/p>\n
While talking with a young woman I had several Bible studies with, I asked whether she had read something I had given her. Her reply was, “Yes, and I understand, but I have my own ideas.” Hers is not an uncommon reaction when discussing what the Bible teaches. This kind of thinking goes back thousands of years, to our origins in the Garden of Eden.<\/p>\n
When Satan approached Eve concerning what fruit she could eat, she showed she clearly understood what God said. “The woman said to the serpent, ‘From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die’<\/em>” (Genesis 3:2-3). She understood, but then Satan convinced her that it made no difference. So even though she understood, she was convinced “her own ideas” were just as good as what God had said. We know the tragic consequences.<\/p>\n In just the next generation, we have the story of Cain and Abel. They both offered sacrifices to the Lord, but God rejected Cain’s sacrifice, which caused him to be angry and kill his brother. “But for Cain and for his offering (God) had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell… And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him<\/em>” (Genesis 4:5, 8). Had Cain understood what God’s requirements were? The answer is yes. “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain<\/em>” (Hebrews 11:4). How did Abel have “faith” to offer a “better sacrifice”? His faith came from hearing God’s command. “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ<\/em>” (Romans 10:17). Cain would have received the same word that Abel did. The clear implication of this is that although Cain understood what God had said, he “had his own ideas.” And he suffered for it.<\/p>\n “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ declares Jehovah. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts’<\/em>” (Isaiah 55:8-9). This is a lesson all need to learn. No matter how smart we think we are, nor how reasonable our thoughts and ideas seem to be, we are not God! He knows what He wants, and why He wants certain things. The only way to know the mind of God is by reading what He has told us. The only way we can please Him is to obey His word.<\/p>\n Jeremiah emphasizes the point: “I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps<\/em>” (Jeremiah 10:23). We tread on dangerous ground when we think we know better than God. Christ warns us about which way to go. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it<\/em>” (Matthew 7:13-14). Why do so many go the “broad way?” Is it not because they have “their own ideas?” Christ further emphasizes the “narrow way” in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.’<\/em>“<\/p>\n Note that those who were rejected thought they were doing right. They had their “own ideas,” but Christ said they were practicing “lawlessness,” i.e., things that were not authorized. We must always respect God’s thoughts and ways above our own ideas. To do otherwise elevates our own wisdom above God’s wisdom and invites disaster.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Jefferson David Tant While talking with a young woman I had several Bible studies with, I asked whether she had read something I had given her. Her reply was, “Yes, and I understand, but I have my own ideas.” Hers is not an uncommon reaction when discussing what the Bible teaches. This kind of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[54,761],"class_list":["post-97360","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-obedience","tag-understanding"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":49897,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-god-tell-eve-not-to-touch-the-fruit-of-the-tree-of-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil\/","url_meta":{"origin":97360,"position":0},"title":"Did God tell Eve not to touch the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 15, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have always loved your website, but I read an article that says that God never told Eve she was not to touch the tree of knowledge, but according to Genesis 3 that's not so. Answer: What God said: \"And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, \"Of every\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":37064,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/satans-devices\/","url_meta":{"origin":97360,"position":1},"title":"Satan\u2019s Devices","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant The apostle John wrote some words concerning Satan in Revelation 12:9: \"And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21641,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/did-eve-commit-adultery-with-the-serpent\/","url_meta":{"origin":97360,"position":2},"title":"Did Eve commit adultery with the serpent?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 9, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Is it true that Eve committed adultery with the serpent? Where was Adam when this sin was committed? If the serpent was a beast why was Cain a proper human being? What is the biblical position on this issue? Answer: Questions like these wouldn't even come up if people\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":92408,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/confusion-and-transgression\/","url_meta":{"origin":97360,"position":3},"title":"Confusion and Transgression","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 1, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Sewell Hall via Seeking Things Above Have you ever heard anyone say, as an explanation for some sinful action, \"I have become so confused I don't know what is right anymore\"? As a rule, the person who says such a thing has had clear convictions but has acted, or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":93004,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/serpent-voice\/","url_meta":{"origin":97360,"position":4},"title":"Serpent Voice","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"by Terry Wane Benton It is surprising that the adversary of God and man, Satan, could use a serpent and project words through such a creature, but he had such power to trick Eve (Genesis 3). She was not discerning enough to know that evil was at work, undermining the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2128,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-are-the-consequences-of-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":97360,"position":5},"title":"What are the consequences of sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 25, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: What are the consequences of sin? Answer: Whenever we sin, there are consequences that come as a result of sin. Some of those consequences are spiritual and some are physical. When Adam and Eve sinned they experienced both physical and spiritual consequences (Genesis 3). 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