Treasure in Heaven

God is the only being in the universe who has life inherent in Himself. Every other living thing receives its life from God and is continually sustained by Him. When the serpent came to Eve in the Garden of Eden, however, he lied to her about the source of life. By flattering her with the notion that she would not “surely die” (Genesis 3:4) despite God’s warning, the serpent implied that humanity was not dependent upon God for life. Eve ate of the forbidden fruit because she was deceived into thinking that she could live her life independent of God.

Today the deception that fooled our first parents continues to bear sway over humanity. Rather than see ourselves as managing that which belongs to God—our lives, our bodies, our children, our possessions—we are tempted to think that everything in this life is ours to do with as we please. The Bible tells a different story. “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20).