But why did God not want them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Surely it is good to know the difference between right and wrong? Yes, but the ‘knowledge of good and evil’ refers not simply to knowing what is right and wrong, but rather to DECIDING what is right and wrong. Their sin is that of law-making, not just law- breaking. They were saying, ‘From now on, God, we want to be the law-makers in the world, setting the standards by which we will live.’ It was a bid to be like God, but not in any noble sense. They were usurping his authority and establishing their independence. That had been the nature of sin ever since -Vaughan Roberts