Genesis 3:1 reads: “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?”  Satan, the serpent knew that if the man was to fall, it would begin within his mind. It would begin with thinking independently of God and His Word. The serpent knew that sin would hatch in Adam if he could be tempted to question God’s Word and become his own god. Therefore, he moved in on Eve with the question, “Yea, hath God said…?” He is planting doubt in Eve’s mind as to the accuracy of God’s Word. Satan’s strategy has not changed. 

The authority and inerrancy of God’s Word is still questioned. With this questioning, the truth of God’s Word and the sensuous appeal of the serpent, Eve disobeyed God and ate of the forbidden fruit. Adam also succumbed to the temptation and ate the forbidden fruit.  Their mental and spiritual communication with God was severed. Sin’s curse has now fallen among the human race. 

The first couple’s posterity possessed brilliant minds, but the dark depravity of fallen man was evident. We are told in Genesis 6:5: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” 

The mind of man by nature is now unregenerate and governed by his soulish and sensuous drives. First Corinthians 2:14 tells us: “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The natural human mind cannot communicate with God nor understand His thoughts. The serpent takes advantage of man’s unregenerate heart and blinds his mind or mental perception from seeing the light of the gospel. Jesus said, “Ye must be born again” in John 3:7. 

Only a divine transformation can show the natural mind the need to repent. Why the emphasis on repentance? Repentance deals with the sinner’s mind which controls his attitude and actions. Repentance is from the Greek word “metanoia” meaning “a change of mind.” 

This is a divine transformation within man’s spiritual understanding and not a fleeting natural exercise of the brain. Repentance is not mere sorrow. Judas was remorseful over the outcome of his betrayal, yet there was no change of mind or purpose. In true conversion, the sinner’s mind is dethroned, and the Lord Jesus Christ is enthroned as King. When this happens, one obtains a “renewed mind” (Romans 12:2) which can begin to think right and act accordingly.