"The devil in tempting Eve told a truth when he said unto her that when she should eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil they should become as Gods. He told the truth in telling that, but he accompanied it with a lie as he always does. He never tells the complete truth. He said that they should not die. The Father had said that they should die. The devil had to lie in order to accomplish his purposes; but there was some truth in his statement. Their eyes were opened. They had a knowledge of good and evil just as the Gods have. They became as gods, for that is one of the features, one of the peculiar attributes of those who attain unto this glory - they understand the difference between good and evil!" (Cannon, Gospel Truths 1:16).
On the face of it there is nothing there that I haven't already learned, but as I have considered it more thoroughly I am wondering about the attribute of "knowing good from evil." The antithesis of God is Satan and the antithesis of "knowing good from evil" would be NOT "knowing good from evil." Is it possible that the more that we sin, give in to the carnal man, and do not repent that we become more like Satan - or at least in his captivity? Certainly. And is it possible that the more that we move along that continuum we lose ever so gradually our ability to know good from evil?
Does this explain in some part why people confronted with truth do not recognize it? Is it why people advocate for abortion, thinking that they are the compassionate ones, but unable to recognize the horrific thing that they are urging? Does this explain why people seem to be so blinded by "government health care," "cap and trade," and other things that so clearly point to a loss of agency and freedom - and yet they gladly, willingly promote these ideas? Have they lost their ability to know good from evil?
In Moses 4:6 - "And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) and he sought also to beguile Eve, for he knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world." A simple scripture chain leads us to John 16:1-3; 1 Cor. 2:16; 1 Jn. 3:19-24; 4:7-21.
"It is one thing to know about God and another KNOW Him. We know about Him when we learn that He is a personal being in whose image man is created; when we learn the Son is in the express image of His Fathers' person; when we learn that both the Father and the Son possess certain (specific) attributes and powers. But we KNOW them, in the sense of gaining eternal life, when we enjoy and experience the same things They do. To KNOW God is to think as He thinks, to feel as He feels, to have the power He possesses, to comprehend the truth He understands, and to do what He does. Those who KNOW God become like Him and have His kind of life, which is eternal life." (BRM, DNTC 1:762)
Satan really didn't know the mind of God, still doesn't - but gratefully the Lord knows Satan's mind and is able to compensate, overcome, and use to His advantage any of Satan's mischief. But sadly, too often, unless we are striving to be a true disciple of the Savior, we may not know it either - and that is when we are prone to Satan's temptations.
I came across another quote today which I love:
"Every person who desires and strives to be a Saint is closely watched by fallen spirits that came here when Lucifer fell and by the spirits of wicked persons who have been here and departed from them....Those spirits are never idle; they are watching every person who wishes to do right, and are continually prompting them to do wrong." Brigham Young, J of D 7:239
Does this not behoove us to seek to follow the Savior so that we can have our eyes opened?
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