Conversations with God – The Knowledge of Good and Evil

Conversations with God

I’m going to attempt to share something personal and possibly offensive, but on the flip side could be very encouraging and life-giving. I believe God speaks to us today, and I have decided to share one of my conversations with him to the public. This puts me in a very humble place. Who am I to say what God is saying?

But I ask you to weight and test the things I announce as coming from God. Basically I sit down at my computer, ask God a question, and type almost whatever I hear. This means some of the thoughts may be my own. I try to use discernment and much of the time I do hear God’s voice. On occasion however, I can mishear something. So use discernment and give me grace to have heard incorrectly. Otherwise, be encouraged! O! And be gentle in the comments please, I am in a humble position.

The Knowledge of Good and Evil

Lower Falls at Yellow Stone National Forest

Lord, you’ve spoken a lot to me about this subject, but how would you speak to someone who’s never heard this message?

“I would tell them that the knowledge of good and evil is not good for man to eat. They would ask, what is the knowledge of good and evil. And I would tell them this. It is the awareness of your sin, the message of shame. It is the law in all its convicting power.”

What does that look like practically? How do I know if I’m listening to the knowledge of good and evil or you?

“The spirit will guide you into all truth. But the message of the law and prophets is according to that knowledge. The message of the wrath of God poured out on sinners is that message. The message of shame is that message. The message of pain and suffering is that message. If it subtracts from the righteousness of Christ, then it is the message of shame. You will know it by its fruit. It takes my children’s confidence and turns their hearts to lead. They cannot serve me under that knowledge. They are doing themselves ill. The message of shame is the message of death and condemnation.”

“If it subtracts from the righteousness of Christ, then it is the message of shame.”

God, how do we live without that knowledge?

“Very simply, in the love and provision of your Father, no longer in the awareness of your sin.”

Then how do you correct your children without the awareness of sin?

“Love keeps no record of wrongs. A sinful behavior may be changed, but it is not credited to your account. If you want to live perfect, then be merciful as your heavenly father is merciful.”

“If you want to live perfect, then be merciful as your heavenly father is merciful.”

Help me to see the difference between correction and the knowledge of good and evil.

“Correction must be mixed with the grace of God. If you try to live righteously under the law, your efforts will fail. The law does not make anyone righteous but holds everyone accountable to God.”

“Correction must be mixed with the grace of God.”

What happens when a believer is trying to become more righteous?

“I suppose you’re meaning in his actions? Holy Living? In grace he will succeed every time. But apart from Me he can do nothing.”

So then how do we approach becoming better people?

“Your heart must be established in the grace of God. Do not think I was joking when I said apart from Me you can do nothing. Man’s efforts to redeem himself always backfire. Maturity can not come from the will and effort of man. If they could be achieved, Christ died for nothing.”

You say man’s efforts cannot succeed? Are you suggesting we should give up on our efforts to live holy?

“Who makes you holy?”

You do.

“If you are trusting in my efforts then you will lay aside your efforts. Your conscience feels comfortable and secure if you are taking effort to fix yourself, but my grace is established in rest, not in striving.”

“Your conscience feels comfortable and secure if you are taking effort to fix yourself, but my grace is established in rest, not in striving.”

So we should just rest and let you fix us?

“Let my goodness lead you to repentance. When you are sick where do you go?”

To the hospital!

“Sin is like a sickness, and only my love can cure it. Your conscience and all its guilt cannot cure that sickness. No matter how hard you will, you cannot will away that sickness. Sickness is taken away with the proper care and treatment. Unless you rest, your body will not recover.”

So we really should rest… and look to you and your love for us.

“It is not until you receive the gift of no condemnation that you will be able to walk free of your sin. I am not advocating sin. This is not a license to practice immorality, it is a license to be loved unconditionally. And my love will take all roots of sin out of your life.”

“It is not until you receive the gift of no condemnation that you will be able to walk free of your sin. This is not a license to practice immorality, it is a license to be loved unconditionally.”

So what shall I do when I find a sinful habit in my life?

“Where do sinful habits come from?”

I have no idea…

“Identity theft.”

Huh?

“You have been made forever righteousness by the work of my son, when you know that, it stops the power of sin in your life.”

So your saying those patterns emerge from me not believing that you made me righteousness.

“As long as you think you’ve earned your righteousness, you will also think you can loose it. So when you find patterns of sin in your life, instead of falling into terror and worrying about the next time you will commit the sin, let your mind be renewed in the grace of God, letting him convict you of righteousness and bring out that fruit in your life.”

“As long as you think you’ve earned your righteousness, you will also think you can loose it.”

So I should be convicted of righteousness while I’m sinning? That seems backwards!

“Where does sin come from?”

Does it really come from identity theft? Couldn’t it come from me just not trying hard enough or me living in rebellion?

“Trying is not succeeding. And rebellion is not covered in this lesson. Yes Jon Paul, sin really does come from identity theft. As long as you let the enemy tell you who you are, you behave in that same manner.”

So our living comes out of our identity?

“The righteous shall live by faith.”

So we fail because we’ve forgotten that we are righteous.

“Remember Lion King? Simba was falsely accused and believed the lie. That stole his identity from him and he lived as an outsider though he was really the king. In the same way, when one of my children gives into the liar and forgets his place in my kingdom, righteousness becomes unworthy of him (in his mind). When his mind is renewed to the truth or his kingship or position in my kingdom, he takes back the ground he lost! Focusing on the sin is not the root of the problem, and it only makes things worse. When identify is restored, his actions will follow.”

Why are actions tied to identity?

“Identity is the description of how you function. The knowledge of sin brings a false identity to believers.”

Do you think its good to be convicted of sin?

“When you convict a person of sin, you stop the growth of righteousness in their life. It produces the exact opposite fruit of what was intended. That is the nature of the law. It brings wrath, not salvation. When you convict a believer of sin, you are destroying their confidence and faith in God, that he justifies the ungodly. You must realize that God will by no means remember or recall their sins.”

Then how do we train others to behave appropriately?

“In identity, in faith, in grace. In patience and hope. Don’t give up on your redeemer.”

The scripture confirms that. It says, ‘If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! …I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!’ Its saying that if we find sin in our lives, we should not revert back to the law to fix it, but hold faithfully to grace!

“That’s very good! Who taught you that?”

Your spirit did!

“I give you the credit for accepting it. I am very proud of you! Take that and apply it to areas of weakness in your life. When you sin, do you revert back to judgement and condemnation to fix those things, or do you still consider yourself righteous and forgiven because of what Christ has done?”

I believe that’s true, but it seems arrogant. Who am I to believe I am righteous after I sin?

“Who are you not to? Your sin does not make you righteous, my work does. When you believe you are righteous you are honoring me, when you revert to the law you are honoring yourself and worshiping your sin. If you want sin to loose dominion over you, you must revert to grace and not the law for edification. The strength of sin is the law. It is not a trick verse. Sin becomes powerful in your life when you are under condemnation. Reject it, standing firm in the grace of God, and do not let a man nor anything created tell you otherwise. It is my grace that justifies not your efforts.”

“If you want sin to loose dominion over you, you must revert to grace and not the law for edification. Sin becomes powerful in your life when you are under condemnation.”

My conscience doesn’t always agree with that.

“Your conscience is part of your mind and can be renewed. I feel like this topic is appropriately addressed.”

“Your conscience is part of your mind and can be renewed.”

Me too. Thanks God! You’re awesome! I love you so much!

“My grace to you! Be happy loved one! You are highly favored in the Beloved.”

Why do you have all these conversations with me?

“The same reason why you have them with Me.”