When, where and by whom did spiritual terrorism have its beginning? Let us allow the Holy Scriptures to answer this most important of questions.

One day while enjoying the paradise their Creator had provided for them Adam and Eve realized that God’s first church had been blessed with a new member. The new parishioner looked like them, spoke their language, knew their God, recognized Him as God and could quote Him. But the thing that impressed them most about him, the thing that caused them to immediately embrace him as a fellow believer was that he was the bearer of good news. For these reasons Adam and Eve accepted him immediately. From the moment of his appearance the conversation among them flowed smoothly and easily. There was no reason for Adam and Eve to doubt that this new church member had been sent by God. What solidified their acceptance of him was that he made their Creator the focus of his conversation. After having been accepted by the church’s first members as one of their own, the newcomer asked a simple, seemingly harmless question: “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'” This was exactly what He had said. Using God’s own Words, the newcomer had set up his victims for the kill. The question seemed harmless enough. Eve had no reason to doubt his sincerity. Therefore she explained that God had forbidden them to eat of the tree that was in the midst of the garden. They were not to even touch it, lest they die.

Adam and Eve had made their first mistake. Being impressed with their new friend’s knowledge of God and His Words, the ultimate question failed to register in their minds: IF HE WAS WHO HE CLAIMED TO BE HE WOULD HAVE KNOWN WHAT GOD HAD SAID ABOUT THE TREES–HE WOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO ASK.  Adam and Eve had not spent enough time thinking and talking about God’s Words. Had they done so they would have recognized that something was amiss. The stranger’s question should have raised a red flag. It did not. While traveling in Israel several years ago our guide made a statement about Peter and Paul that I knew immediately was not correct. I knew that he was not the Bible authority he claimed to be. I knew because of the countless hours I had spent studying that Word. Adam and Eve had failed their first test. The result would be disasterous. Their new church friend had set his hook. Now he would reel them in.

Unbeknownst to Adam and Eve, this was the point at which the friendly newcomer showed his true colors. With that simple question he revealed that he was a spiritual terrorist. From his position of acceptance and trust he was able to smoothly, imperceptibly change God’s Words. Which was good, positive and uplifting news for Adam and Eve who, hearing what they wanted to hear, accepted them without question. After all, within the church, good news is always right. This new servant of God had enlightened them with a slight change in God’s Words. He had added the word “not.” According to him, the Creator of all things, including Truth, was mistaken. The result of eating the forbidden fruit was not death, as God had said, but rather eternal life. They could sin and “… NOT surely die,” meaning that they could defy God and live forever in the paradise He had created for them. The church would continue to thrive. All would go well with them. Adam and Eve owed their fellow congregant a vote of gratitude. He had, after all, enabled them to “see the light.” Now that the real truth was known, it was time to eat. L.J.