Do we need an Antagonist?

Do we require an antagonist to motivate us to perform well or poorly? Before Eve’s introduction, Adam never consumed from the Tree of Good and Evil. The Tree of Life existed in the Garden before Eve, as did the Tree of Good and Evil. If the carnal mind is synonymous with Satan, why didn’t Adam heed his own instincts before Eve’s arrival?

Adam, before Eve’s creation, had made a decision not to listen to the serpent. He was determined to be exactly what God had planned for him and was diligently fulfilling God’s instructions, taking care of the garden and naming the animals. Therefore, it seems that Adam’s disobedience was not directed at the serpent but rather at his own choice to deviate from God’s plan.  

God walked with Adam in the garden, keeping him company. God had placed a hedge around Adam, a commandment not to eat from the tree. God believed Adam needed to be tested to prove his love for Him. Additionally, God recognized that it was not healthy for humans to undergo trials alone. Therefore, God created Eve, and Adam encountered his true adversary, his test.

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil transformed into the serpent, which later became the dragon, possessing the power to deceive Eve. Adam was aware of this, yet he prioritized pleasing Eve over God. Eve had disregarded Adam and God’s advice and turned her attention to the serpent and her own worries. Adam was determined to regain Eve’s attention at any expense, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.

Adam’s desire wasn’t to gain power or eternal life. Instead, he yearned to restore favor and acceptance with Eve. To fulfill this desire, Adam crafted Eve’s garments from leaves, making her appear divine when she expressed her aspiration to be like a god.  

The disobedience wasn’t that Adam sought to be worshipped as a deity; it was that he worshipped Eve as one. When Adam willingly heeded Eve’s words, he sought to please her by acknowledging her newfound wisdom. Consequently, he began to worship her. Eve became Adam’s true companion, and he elevated her above God’s dominion over him. Adam replaced God with a new deity, and this new god was none other than Eve.

Adam, influenced by the Serpent’s words, convinced Eve that it was acceptable to be like God. He willingly prioritized pleasing Eve over God. When confronted by God about his disobedience, Adam’s actions further solidified his desire to replace God with Eve.

Adam’s Tree of Good and Evil was actually Eve. 

Genesis 3:17 (KJV) And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

In conclusion, Adam blamed God for creating Eve, his antagonist. He shifted the blame from himself to Eve and then directly back to God. Consequently, he and Eve were punished, along with their offspring. The example of Adam illustrates that God desires us to demonstrate our worth through conflict. We require an adversary, and the world’s lust and Satan will serve as our opponents or provide one. Adhering to this pursuit of an antagonist leads us away from the sole and true God and Savior, Jesus Christ.  As Christians, we must identify our antagonists and entrust them to God. 

Written by: Charles E. Cohenour Jr.

If thou faint in the day of adversity,
Thy strength is small.