The Tree and Your Ministry - The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

Sep 28, 2026

This book chapter reflects on Genesis 2:9 and argues that the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” still exists as an ongoing temptation that offers an alternative to God. It explains how gaining self-determined moral knowledge separates people from God’s guidance and dependence, shaping both non-Christians and long-standing Christians. The chapter contrasts self-justification and religious independence with how Christians can become spiritually desolate by clinging to what they believe is right or wrong rather than staying open to God’s current work.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages36

Reading Time1 h 31 min

AccessFree to download

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

Non-Christians and the Tree

Christians and the Tree

TheTree& YourMinistryDag Heward-Mills C THE TREEAND YOURMINISTRY DRAWN Dag Heward-Mills Parchment House Unless otherwise stated,all Scripture quotations are taken fromthe King James Version of the Bible. THE TREE AND YOUR MINISTRY Copyright C2008 Dag Heward-Mills First Published 2008 by Lux Verbi BM(Pty)Ltd,PO Box 5,Wellington 7654,South Africa Reg no 1953/000037/07ISBN 13:978-0-7963-0864-1 First published 2008 by Parchment House4th Printing 2019 Find out more about Dag Heward-Mills at: Healing Jesus CampaignEmail:evangelist@daghewardmills.orgWebsite:www.daghewardmills.orgFacebook:Dag Heward-MillsTwitter:@EvangelistDag ISBN:978-1-68398-248-7 All rights reserved under international copyright law.Writtenpermission must be secured from the publisher to use or reproduceany part of this book. Contents 1. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil……………………1 2. Jesus and the Tree Eaters……………………………………………………………………5 3. The Crossroads of Ministry………………………………………………12 4. The Apostles and the Tree………………………………………………………18 5. Christ and the Tre……………………………………………………………………………24 # The Tree of the Knowledgeof Good and Evil And out of the ground made the LORD God to growevery tree that is pleasant to the sight,and good forfood;the tree of life also in the midst of the garden,and THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OFGOOD ANDEVIL. Genesis 2:9 ost Christians do not understand the place of the treeof the knowledge of good and evil in our lives.Weoften think it is an ancient tree which existed in thetime of Adam and Eve.We believe that this tree had poisonousfruit which once eaten,would kill the eater. Unfortunately,Adam and Eve ate of this tree and died.Whenwe read this story,we think to ourselves,"It was a pity for Adamand Eve to have eaten this poisonous fruit and thankfully we willnever be tempted by such a tree”. Alas,we will have to deal with this same tree and its fruits.What you must realize is that the tree of the knowledge ofgood and evil is still in existence today.It presents the sametemptation to us as it did to Adam and Eve.It presents itselfasan alternative to God. Once you have eaten of this tree,you know what is right andwhat is wrong.You know things that are good and things thatare evil.Once you are armed with this knowledge (of what isright and what is wrong)you don't really need God to tell youwhat to do.You can navigate through life and ministry using theknowledge you have acquired. It is not apparent to the shallow thinker what devastatingeffects the knowledge of good and evil can have.After all,it isnot the knowledge of evil,but the knowledge of good and evil.This tree does one thing to you and it is the worst thing possible!It separates you from the guidance of God and dependence onHim. As you grow in experience in this life,you gradually assimilatethe knowledge of good and evil.By the time you are seventeenyears old,you probably know of many things that are good foryou or are evil for you.This is the knowledge that comes toall mankind.Now comes the difference between Christians andnon-Christians. Non-Christians and the Tree Non-Christians continue to live,doing things that are evilwhilst justifying themselves continually.They especially justifytheir lives by referring to the good things that they do as beingthe basis for being okay. Since they know what is good and what is evil,they do notneed to go to church,to pray or to serve God.This creates a largegroup of people who live without God simply because they thinkthey know what is right and wrong in this life. Once they do a few good things,they justify themselves andoverlook any evil they may be involved in. Another group of people who have eaten of this tree thinkthat religion is unnecessary,and that many church activities aresimply a waste of time.The reading of the Bible is frivolous anda waste of time;once some moral standards are kept,everyonewill be okay Such people even think that the priest is trying to maintainhis

FAQs

What does the chapter say the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represents today?

It argues that the tree still exists in a continuing form, presenting the same temptation as in Adam and Eve. It offers an alternative to God by promoting self-reliance in knowing right and wrong.

How does the knowledge of good and evil affect a person’s relationship with God?

The chapter states that it separates a person from God’s guidance and dependence on Him. It frames life and ministry as navigable through acquired knowledge rather than God’s direction.

What distinction does the chapter draw between non-Christians and Christians regarding the tree?

It describes non-Christians as justifying themselves through good deeds while living without God. It also warns that Christians, especially those with long experience, can exclude God by holding firmly to what they believe is right or wrong.

Sep 28, 2026

Upload by Callum