When God gave humans free will, he granted us with the ability to choose good or evil. But our responsibility isn’t simply to choose good because evil is an active force that must be also be resisted.

Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. 9 The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. —Genesis 2:8-9 (NLT)

In the garden there are many trees, but two are named. 1) The tree of life and 2) the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It is interesting that this second tree contains the fruit of knowledge for both good and evil.
Why do you think this is the case… why not separate this knowledge into two trees?

The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. 16 But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” —Genesis 2:15-17 (NLT)

What is the purpose of this restriction?

This tree provides them with the opportunity to choose… but there is more going on than just the choice.

The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” 2 “Of course we may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,” the woman replied. 3 “It’s only the fruit from the tree in the middle of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God said, ‘You must not eat it or even touch it; if you do, you will die.’ ” 4 “You won’t die!” the serpent replied to the woman. 5 “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” —Genesis 3:1-5 (NLT)

What is the temptation here?

TOV and RA (good and evil). If TOV points us toward God’s desire for his designed creation, then RA points us in the opposite direction. And more than just pointing us… RA tempts us before we have made any choice to chase after evil. And so, it is not enough to simple “do good”… as TOV people, we must resist evil.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. —Ephesians 6:13 (NLT)

What does Paul say is the purpose of putting on the armor of God?

To live a life of TOV means resisting the sinfulness and toxicity and anything else that isn’t TOV.
So… how do we resist evil?

In the sermon, Mitch offered 3 questions that we should ask to help us continue on a path of creating a TOV culture in our church family. Consider each question and feel free to add to the list.

Who have we hurt?

Who have we ignored?

What evil have we done in the name of good?