Acquiring Knowledge Without God's Consent

Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof 1 commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? Genesis 3.11.

Is it a sin to know good and evil? Is it not virtuous to seek to know good and evil? For God knows good and evil. Is it a sin to be like God? Is it not a commendable thing to seek to be like God? How is it, then, that this act of Adam’s becomes the very root of all human sin and misery? For what reason? Although such action on the surface appears to be good, Adam acted without God’s command or promise. And in trying to obtain this knowledge outside of God and according to his own self, Adam sinned. Do we see the significance here of that word "independence"? All independent actions are sins. Adam had not trusted in God; he had not set himself aside in order to obey God; he had acted independently of God; and in order to obtain this knowledge he had proclaimed independence against God. And that is why the Lord declared that this was sin.