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Such an attitude is entirely reasonable once you either eliminate God from human life, or are satisfied (like Adam and Eve) that you are in a better position to decide.  Of course one could muster a variety of pragmatic arguments against, for example, couples living together before marriage. Significant Australian research done in the late ‘90s indicated that couples who lived together before marriage had higher rates of domestic violence and higher divorce rates, amongst other findings.

But the issue in Eden is still the issue. It is not about what works, or feels good, or fits with the current society (although a reading of the next chapter of Genesis is worth some reflection). Rather the deeper issue is about who really knows what is good and what is evil, what is right and what is wrong. And who has the right to say.

Death came to the humans not just because they ate the forbidden fruit, but because they made themselves into pseudo gods. That is still the issue. Will we listen to God and do what he says, or will we take over his role and try to revise and edit  - or worse just ignore – what he says?

It is just possible that the good God who made such a wonderful world, intended good for his people when he made the rules for their life. For us two things are at stake. By making our own rules we may end up with a “mickey mouse” kind of life – at best. But worse, we will turn our backs on the God who loves us. We cannot serve two masters.

Dale

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