When we talk about "original sin", that's what brought about the curse. But, the nature of temptation has stayed the same. According to Genesis 3:1-13, I notice that there are a few interesting things about the nature of temptation to sin, and the general
nature of doing the sin.
If you read the passage, the following tactics, still used by the devil today, become apparent:
1 - The result of yielding to the temptation will be "good". In this
case, Eve would be "like God".
2 - This will make you wiser, knowing more than you did before.
3 - This will provide for a "need" you think you have.
4 - It's appealing. It's a delight to the eyes.
Then, the nature of the sin itself seems to be the same today:
1 - Sin is often shared, like Eve did. People often like accomplices in their sin, or an "affirming" community. Call it what you will.
2 - If a person's conscience is not completely seared, they still have a sense of right and wrong. Many people know that what they've done is wrong, so they try to hide it, or the results. Often, sin is carried out in secret, or in the dark, so it won't be seen or discovered.
3 - Often, sin is blamed on someone else, like both Adam and
Eve did.
So, when the "angel of light" appears to us to use our own weaknesses and lusts against us, it's important to remember that these temptations are like a thin veil, a facade, so that if we resist the devil, he flees. This reveals that the stolen apple, though it might have tasted "sweet", yields bad, not good, results, does not make us any
wiser, and still leaves a person in "need".
