There Were Many Trees in Paradise, 2 in Particular:
Consider the nature of the two trees mentioned in Genesis. The Tree of Life and the Tree of the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It's the later that I'd like to draw attention to. Some ppl shorten the name of the tree to the Knowledge of Good and Evil, suggesting that knowledge is somehow evil but 'knowledge' is the general, higher qualifier; the phrase 'of Good and Evil' is the specific, finer description.
When mankind ate the FRUIT of that tree, experiencing the outcome of knowing Good and Evil our eyes were indeed opened (as expected) but built into that process, and coming with it was our own sense of wrongness, our conscience which showed our wrongness, having fallen short of the Goodness. Some have suggested that although mankind was ashamed and aware of the situation the sense of loss prohibited our being able to do well and that we needed God to provide laws to guide us in our decision making process. Clearly, our desire to be able to judge good from evil, to be able to "be like God", apart from God, was not able to save but only to convict.
God then gave the law for the purpose of bringing us to Christ. I've heard (on this very forum) an analogy of how the law was like a school bus driver, who was tasked with delivering us to the school and teacher, and that after being brought to Jesus and forgiveness, the task of the law (and its authority) was discharged. Knowledge (even of God's good Law) failed in the task of righting the situation. It took God, delivering on His promise to do that. He has written the law into our hearts and those who walk with Him, who love justice and mercy have been given the power to become Sons of God.
We see the rule of the Fruit of Good and Evil, of being able to judge right from wrong apart from God, clarified in the New Testament. Be aware that Paul was speaking to men who considered themselves Judges and capable spiritual leaders:
totopic HOW IMPORTANT IS BELIEF?
Remaining in Genesis, but departing paradise brings us to a man known as Abram. He is the father of our belief, our GodTrust. That man heard what God said and acted on it. He left his own city and walked with God seeking a new city, as promised, whose builder and maker was God. Abram did more than look to his ability to know the difference between good and evil. He trusted (believed) God and walked with Him. We see then that the promise given to Abram by God, to make him the father of nations (even in his old age) was kept. The Promise continued through his son, Isaac and his grandson Jacob. The Promise continued through the seed of Ruth, a Moabitess, the grandmother of King David.
Behold the Goodness of God
I don't want to sidetrack too far here though but mention this to further show the goodness of God - that He makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both good and evil alike. The children of land of Moab (and Ruth) came from Abraham's nephew, Lot. They were joined back into the Children of Israel (Jacob) and fully joined into the promise even to the extent that the one known as the Tree of Life itself, Jesus was born of her as well.
THE PROMISE:
It was a promise that was first made to the serpent that first lied, being a deceiver, back in the garden, - "So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."
Genesis 3:14-15 NKJV
God continued to speak to the Children of Abraham, through His servants, the Prophets, "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV
"With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:6-8 NKJV
How Important is Belief?
In conclusion then, and in reply to your question about the importance of belief, it is absolutely critical. Who would go to God without the expectation that He is good and that He will reward those who diligently seek Him? To answer your unstated question, "Can we continue to sin and remain in faith?"
"For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
2 Corinthians 5:14-21 NKJV
With regard to a specific man, Gandhi, for instance, I can not speak about what is between him and God. I do know that every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess that God is Good, that He is Just and that He loves Mercy. Those who walk with Him are given the power to become sons (and daughters). Let our hearts then be turned to our Father that the service of Jesus have the benefit, the fruit intended. He is the Tree of LIFE.
Consider the nature of the two trees mentioned in Genesis. The Tree of Life and the Tree of the Fruit of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It's the later that I'd like to draw attention to. Some ppl shorten the name of the tree to the Knowledge of Good and Evil, suggesting that knowledge is somehow evil but 'knowledge' is the general, higher qualifier; the phrase 'of Good and Evil' is the specific, finer description.
When mankind ate the FRUIT of that tree, experiencing the outcome of knowing Good and Evil our eyes were indeed opened (as expected) but built into that process, and coming with it was our own sense of wrongness, our conscience which showed our wrongness, having fallen short of the Goodness. Some have suggested that although mankind was ashamed and aware of the situation the sense of loss prohibited our being able to do well and that we needed God to provide laws to guide us in our decision making process. Clearly, our desire to be able to judge good from evil, to be able to "be like God", apart from God, was not able to save but only to convict.
God then gave the law for the purpose of bringing us to Christ. I've heard (on this very forum) an analogy of how the law was like a school bus driver, who was tasked with delivering us to the school and teacher, and that after being brought to Jesus and forgiveness, the task of the law (and its authority) was discharged. Knowledge (even of God's good Law) failed in the task of righting the situation. It took God, delivering on His promise to do that. He has written the law into our hearts and those who walk with Him, who love justice and mercy have been given the power to become Sons of God.
We see the rule of the Fruit of Good and Evil, of being able to judge right from wrong apart from God, clarified in the New Testament. Be aware that Paul was speaking to men who considered themselves Judges and capable spiritual leaders:
"Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? ... For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel."
Romans 2:1-3, 11-16 NKJV totopic HOW IMPORTANT IS BELIEF? Remaining in Genesis, but departing paradise brings us to a man known as Abram. He is the father of our belief, our GodTrust. That man heard what God said and acted on it. He left his own city and walked with God seeking a new city, as promised, whose builder and maker was God. Abram did more than look to his ability to know the difference between good and evil. He trusted (believed) God and walked with Him. We see then that the promise given to Abram by God, to make him the father of nations (even in his old age) was kept. The Promise continued through his son, Isaac and his grandson Jacob. The Promise continued through the seed of Ruth, a Moabitess, the grandmother of King David.
Behold the Goodness of God
I don't want to sidetrack too far here though but mention this to further show the goodness of God - that He makes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both good and evil alike. The children of land of Moab (and Ruth) came from Abraham's nephew, Lot. They were joined back into the Children of Israel (Jacob) and fully joined into the promise even to the extent that the one known as the Tree of Life itself, Jesus was born of her as well.
"But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."
Joshua 22:5 KJV
"Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."
1 Kings 8:61 KJVJoshua 22:5 KJV
"Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day."
THE PROMISE:
It was a promise that was first made to the serpent that first lied, being a deceiver, back in the garden, - "So the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel."
Genesis 3:14-15 NKJV
God continued to speak to the Children of Abraham, through His servants, the Prophets, "For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this."
Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV
"With what shall I come before the LORD, And bow myself before the High God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, Ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?"
Micah 6:6-8 NKJV
How Important is Belief?
In conclusion then, and in reply to your question about the importance of belief, it is absolutely critical. Who would go to God without the expectation that He is good and that He will reward those who diligently seek Him? To answer your unstated question, "Can we continue to sin and remain in faith?"
"For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
2 Corinthians 5:14-21 NKJV
With regard to a specific man, Gandhi, for instance, I can not speak about what is between him and God. I do know that every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess that God is Good, that He is Just and that He loves Mercy. Those who walk with Him are given the power to become sons (and daughters). Let our hearts then be turned to our Father that the service of Jesus have the benefit, the fruit intended. He is the Tree of LIFE.
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