Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  0  »  5033 knowledge of good and evil

Every human being has some innate knowledge of good and evil. The full knowledge of good and evil derives from God and is revealed in Scripture. The human desire of Adam and Eve to know good and evil, and thus gain independence from God, brought about the fall.

The human quest for knowledge of good and evil

Genesis 3:22 See also Genesis 2:9; Genesis 3:5-6; 2 Samuel 14:17; Samuel 19:35; Ezekiel 28:2-7

The consequences of the attempt to attain this knowledge

Genesis 2:17 See also Genesis 3:7-19; Ezekiel 28:13-19; Romans 1:28-32

God as the source of full knowledge of good and evil

Psalm 119:66 See also Job 28:28; Psalm 34:11-14; Psalm 111:10; Romans 7:7

The natural knowledge of good and evil

Given in the human conscience

Romans 2:14-15 See also Job 27:6; Ezekiel 36:31; John 3:20; Acts 24:16; Romans 9:1; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 1 Timothy 1:5,18-19; 1 Peter 3:15-16

Conscience and moral decisions

1 Samuel 25:30-34; 1 Chronicles 21:6-7; Psalm 37:27; Amos 5:14-15; Ephesians 4:25-32

A natural knowledge of good and evil will not necessarily empower anyone to do good

Romans 7:15-25

See also

5008  conscience
5031  knowledge of sin
5080  Adam
5093  Eve
6020  sin
6154  fall, the
8226  discernment
8357  weakness
8361  wisdom
8734  evil
8755  folly