Yesterday, I talked about how Eve's selfishness is reflected in how selfish we are with our natural resources. But that is not the only reason our world is groaning from the weight of sin. Adam was indifferent with the way he handled the situation and God held him responsible for both of their sins.
Let's back up a little. To be indifferent means you just let things happen. You neither agree nor disagree with it. You go with the flow. You turn a blind eye. Adam did all of that and all without a serpent telling him he could. In Gen. 3 :v6, right after Eve eats the forbidden fruit, we learn Adam is right there with her. Now the bible doesn't say if he overheard the conversation with Eve and the serpent or not, but it certainly implies he knew where the fruit came from didn't he? He must have watched Eve stand on her tiptoes, pluck the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and walk back over to him and hand him some.
Why didn't he say anything? Why didn't he run and stop Eve from biting into the flesh of that fruit? Why did he just dig in and let the juice dribble on his chin? Did he think God wouldn't really punish him? We Christians probably won't know until we get to ask Adam ourselves on the other side of eternity. All we know is indifference is a lot more trouble than it's worth.
If your heart doesn't break when you hear of dwindling number of an endangered species, or you don't stand in awe at a sunset or you just toss a candy wrapper on the ground figuring that it won't really hurt anything; then you suffer from indifference my friend. Indifference to God's creation and even worst God's commands (including his call to take care of the earth) can be a dangerous thing. Adam learned that the hard way.
In chapter 3 of Revelations, v.15-17 we learn the church of Laodicea is so indifferent, God calls them 'lukewarm'.
'I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of your mouth. For you say, "I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.' You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked." (NRSE)
The church in Laodicea's indifference was such that God would rather they wouldn't even spread the gosple or follow His commands at all. To God, indifference by keeping up the illusion of Christianity but ignoring the needs of His children is a horrible thing. With indifference, we say,
"I need nothing, I've got what I need. Why should I risk losing it for somebody else?' The problem is when we need nothing, we give nothing.
Adam thought he was safe. He was living in paradise. He had a godly wife. He didn't have to till the land for his food. It must have never occured to Adam that God would punish even through He loved him. He thought he had everything and he did. But when indifference let him think he could have just a little bit more, he lost everything. And I think it has to do with the fact that since God had given Adam dominion and responsiblity, indifference is saying to God, "What responsibility? Oh, I'll just let the world alone. It's not bothering me.'
Indifference is a denile of responsibility, and when we deny our responsibilities given to us, we deny God's will. Do you see why God held Adam responsible when we tend to place most of the blame on Eve? Selfishness may have caused Eve to reach her arm up into the tree, but indifference made Adam take a bite.
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