Chapter 2 To Establish the Law Is to Increase the Transgression

Why did God put the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden knowing that Adam and Eve would take fruit from the tree, eat from it, and cause them to sin? Understanding why God allowed Adam and Eve to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil knowing that they would sin can be found in both the Old and New Testament. It is because God wanted Adam and Eve, the imperfect creature, to be redeemed from sin and enter glory. The Bible says that “where sin increased, grace increased all the more”(Rom. 5:20).

In the Garden of Eden, eternal life was not guaranteed, but was conditional. When sinners are redeemed through the blood of Jesus, eternal life is no longer conditional but guaranteed forever.

【Rev. 21:4】 「He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”」

The law in the Garden of Eden and the law given on Mount Sinai caused men to eventually die. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was the law in the Garden of Eden, and the Ten Commandments were the law on Mount Sinai. The Bible says the Lord established the law to increase sin.

【Rom 7:10-11】 「I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.」

【Rom 5:20-21】 「The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.」

The devil has continued to deceive the whole world since the Garden of Eden. He deceived Eve in a short time when Adam was not near, and tempted her to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Then, Eve gave it to Adam also, causing them to die.(Gen 3:6). Therefore we can learn that the creation in the Garden of Eden was not perfect, nor were the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

In other words, if you want the eternal life that is guaranteed forever, you must be redeemed through the blood of Jesus. Therefore, the key to eternal life is the blood of Jesus. It is important to know that we can only be redeemed through the precious blood of Christ and there is no perfect way to eternal life where there is no blood of Jesus.

God is still on the way of the creation of perfection. When people rebuked Jesus, who was working on the Sabbath for the creation of perfection, He said:

【John 5:17】 「Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”」

Then, when will the perfect creation be completed? It is written in Genesis that God rested after six days of creation. Let’s look at the apostle Paul’s interpretation of the perfect creation in the next chapter.