The first sin began with just a simple bite.
Eve tasted forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, and the results were devastating. Innocence was lost.
Adam and Eve's purity of heart and life became a muddled mess that immediately caused them to want to hide from their Creator.
The world has continued on the path of sin with wars, perversion, lying, hatred and the list goes on.
All because of one taste.
Why does God not put a stop to it? In His wisdom, He had to give mankind a choice to love Him or refuse Him.
I do not like things associated with sin — child abuse, hatred, lies and the like. But I do have the choice to put up with those things or make something good come from them.
Without hate, we would not comprehend love. Without sickness, you have no healing. Without sin, there can be no forgiveness.
You see, the flip side is in the story — just a little further on.
We are told that when man recognized his nakedness, God provided a covering for him and the woman. To make this clothing of skin, some animal had to die. This is an indication of what it would take to cover this world's sins. The Old Testament sacrifices foreshadowed the one true sacrifice that would eventually come about: the sacrifice of the true Son of God, Jesus the Christ.
All sin begins with a small sample: a first taste of alcohol; that first dip; giving in to various lusts of the flesh; and that first lie to keep from getting in to trouble.
We all have faced them. Not all will forsake these things, and they grow into a lifestyle of addiction, perversion, and in light cases become bad habits. We will turn from God, even try to reinvent Him and His intent to appease our conscience.
All because of that first taste.
We are called to taste of God and see that He is good. With just a simple gesture of talking with Him, we will see and feel the renewing touch in our lives.
He can not only cover us, but heal and change our lifestyle, regardless of the sin or sins.
Choose what you will follow: Him or sin.
Really, for me there is no choice.
The Rev. Richard Helms serves at Miracle Acres Ministries, 3187 E. James Lee Blvd., Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HELMS: Choose your path — Him or sin