The story of Adam and Eve is beautiful when viewed through the lens of God's presence, but it becomes a sad tale when understood from the perspective of humanity.

The fall of man was inevitable. Questioning what might have happened if Adam and Eve had never eaten the fruit is pointless. God knew it would happen, and it was all part of His plan to give us free will—to eventually lead us to salvation and growth.

The account of Adam and Eve is also the story of humanity. You can see yourself in their place—if we had been the first humans, we too would have sinned against God.

When Satan tempted Adam and Eve to eat the fruit, it posed the age-old question we all must confront: Do we truly need God? It’s the same question Satan faced and the same challenge our flesh and this world continually present us with—the question of whether we can live independently.

Most of us live with an independent mindset, believing we don’t need God. We place misguided faith in ourselves, thinking that determination alone can achieve anything and that hard work guarantees success. We convince ourselves that we can control our lives—our jobs, finances, and relationships. Even as we drive, we take it on faith that we won’t be struck and killed by another speeding car.

The danger increases when we experience a small measure of success in our quest for independence, as it reinforces this misguided belief. This mindset is childish, akin to a child who refuses to heed their parents and naively believes that living independently will be easy.

Some people stubbornly hold onto this belief throughout their lives, thinking they don’t need God to be good, moral, loving, successful, or even to care for themselves.

Adam and Eve partially realized their grave mistake when they found themselves naked. Yet, they quickly exposed their childishness: they hid from God, blamed each other, and even Adam blamed God.

Humanity is no different; we are just as childish as Adam and Eve. We hide from God as if He doesn’t exist so we can live according to our own desires. When things go wrong, we blame each other, our circumstances, and, most troubling of all, the God we choose to deny. It is childish to flee from and deny our Father in our quest for independence, while having the audacity to blame Him for everything that goes wrong.

God provided a covering for Adam and Eve—a manifestation of His grace—so they could recognize their mistake. Without this grace, God would have had no choice but to judge and condemn them.

God also barred Adam and Eve from the kingdom to protect it. He shielded His holy realm from those who sought independence and god-like status, as Satan did, ensuring its sanctity.

God has placed a covering of grace over the earth and all humanity to give us time to recognize our rebellious nature, exhaust our independence, and turn back to Him.

Did Adam and Eve repent, seek God's forgiveness, and find their way back? The Bible does not provide clarity on this. However, we know that God continually knocks on our hearts, inviting us to return home no matter how far we have wandered.

Without God, we may accomplish many things, but not in a healthy, life-preserving way. Our actions are tainted by sin and the flesh, leading to death. Until we understand that our independence signifies spiritual death, we remain destined for hell.

There is no life apart from God. We must live in dependence on Him.