Man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil

Genesis 3:22 — “The man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil”

When God says in Genesis 3:22 that “the man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil,” He is not announcing that humanity has gained divine wisdom or holiness. Instead, He is declaring that humanity has crossed into a realm that belongs to God alone—the realm of moral authority. Scripture consistently uses the phrase “knowing good and evil” to describe the ability to make independent moral judgments, not the possession of divine insight. For example, Deuteronomy 1:39 describes children as those who “do not know good and evil,” meaning they lack the maturity to make independent moral decisions. Likewise, in 2 Samuel 14:17, the woman of Tekoa praises David as one who can “discern good and evil,” referring to his judicial authority. These passages show that “knowing good and evil” is about claiming the right to decide, not about becoming morally enlightened.

This is exactly what Adam and Eve seized in the fall. Before sin entered, God alone defined what was good (Genesis 1), what was not good (Genesis 2:18), and what was forbidden (Genesis 2:17). But by eating from the tree, they rejected God’s authority and claimed the right to define morality for themselves. This is the tragic fulfillment of the serpent’s promise: “You shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). They did not become divine; they became self‑authorities, attempting to determine right and wrong apart from God. This moral autonomy is the essence of corruption, because humans now judge good and evil through a fallen nature rather than through God’s holiness. Scripture later describes this condition repeatedly: “Every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The fall is therefore not merely the breaking of a rule—it is the birth of human self‑rule.

Grace Gospel 101 (Part 1): Man’s Sin Condition

Grace Gospel 101 (Part 1): Man’s Sin Condition

The Fall of Man

The first man ever to live was Adam and the first woman was Eve. They lived in the Garden in Eden. God had provided for all of the needs of Adam and Eve. They were given great freedom in the Garden. However, God put Adam to the test in one area: "And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die" (Genesis 2:16-17). The only restriction placed upon Adam was that he must not eat of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil."

God was testing Adam to see if he would obey. Adam failed the test: "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat" (Genesis 3:6). Thus, Adam disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit.