The sermon by Eric Bechler focuses on the last paragraph of chapter 4 from the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession, discussing the creation and God's command to Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. It emphasizes that humans have the law of God written in their hearts, as illustrated by Paul's words in Romans. The sermon explains that Adam and Eve's obedience to God's command allowed them to live in happiness and communion with God, without shame or fear, and to maintain dominion over creation. The tree of knowledge symbolizes God's authority, and the sermon highlights the concept of free will, noting how humans often desire what they cannot have, as seen in Eve's temptation. The speaker encourages cultivating a thankful heart by recognizing God's gifts and suggests writing down daily things to be thankful for as a practice to foster gratitude.

Our reading from the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 today comes from chapter 4 of creation in our final paragraph, paragraph 3. Besides the law written in their hearts, they received a command not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which whilst they kept, they were happy in their communion with God and had dominion over the creatures." As I said, this is the third and last Sunday on chapter 4 of creation. God created out of nothing all things in six literal days for his glory, and it was very good. And of all that was created, only man, male and female, was created after the image of God. Today we look at God's command not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

As we begin, we must remember that all men are created with the law of God in their hearts, written in their hearts. Paul tells us, when Gentiles who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires. They are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts while the conscience, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them. Romans 2, 14, 15.

We all, Jews and Gentiles, possess an internal awareness of God's moral law. Creation alone reveals enough about God to hold us accountable for sin and unbelief. Adam and Eve had the law of nature written in their heart. But Adam also had a direct command from God himself not to eat of a specific tree in the Garden of Eden. We read, and the Lord God commanded the man saying, of every tree of the garden thou mayst freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in the day that they eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 2, 16, and 17. It was okay to eat from all the other trees planted in the Garden of Eden, including the tree of life, but not the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. As long as they were obedient to God's command, they were happy in their communion with God. As long as they were obedient to God's command, they were happy in their communion with God. As long as they were obedient to God's command, they were not ashamed.

There was no fear, no hiding, no separation. We read, and they were both naked, and a man and his wife, and were not ashamed in Genesis 2 25. As long as they were obedient to God's command, they had dominion over what God had created. In fact, God blessed them and said to them, be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over all the living things, whether in the sea or in the air on the earth, Genesis 1.28.

It was God who planted the Garden of Eden, all of it. Every tree, every plant. You could look at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as a symbol of God's authority. It was God who determined what was permissible. It was God who said, don't touch this tree.

It is God that sets the rules, yet He is not a tyrant forcing us to do His will. Rather, He gives us free will to choose. Why is it that we are drawn to what we can't have? Eve saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, Genesis 3.6. Why don't we find any description of the other things in the garden?

Were there other trees which had fruit that was good to eat for food and a delight to the eyes? Why is it that we are not satisfied or content with the things God has given to us? They had the whole rest of the Garden of Eden to be content with and to be thankful for. In general we're not a very thankful people. We take so much in our life for granted.

But we can try, and we should try, to be more grateful. We can pray that God would grow in us a more thankful heart. To that end this week, I would encourage or even challenge you to write down on a sheet of paper one thing, one thing each day that you are thankful to God that He has given to you. You can do this by yourself or as a whole family and I would encourage you to even make this a habit. Don't stop after one week.

Keep it going. If you start tomorrow and do this every day until Thanksgiving, you'll have a list of 32 things that you can be thankful for. 32 things that God has given you or blessed you with that you should be thankful for. I would encourage you to try to live each day not thinking on those things that God has not given to you, but think on what He has given to you