God created us human beings …
… in the image of God …
capable of self-knowledge,
[capable] of self-possession …
[capable] of freely giving [ourselves] …
[capable of] entering into [fellowship and union] with other[s] # 357
Capable of mutual love.
Having created us in His image …
God … established [human beings] in his friendship. …# 306
(and) … from their friendship with God flowed the happiness of … paradise. #384
However… [we human beings] can live this friendship only in free submission to God. # 396
IF you freely choose friendship with God, you will give God a joy that no-one else can give. But you have to freely choose to give yourself in obedience to God or it does not work.
So, God gave Adam and Eve an opportunity to freely choose to obey God.
The LORD God gave man this order: “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die.” Gen 2:16-17
Of course, an opportunity to freely obey is also an opportunity to disobey.
Satan took full advantage of the opportunity.
… the serpent said … “You certainly will not die!
… your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is evil.” Gen 3:4-5
The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Gen 3:6
[Adam and Eve], tempted by the devil, let [their] trust in [their] Creator die … # 397
… Adam and Eve … [became] afraid of … God # 399
… original sin …(caused) a deprivation of original holiness and justice, … human nature … [was] wounded … and inclined to sin…” #405
Put another way, the knowledge of good and evil includes this knowledge about evil: We like it!! We all have times when we like to be naughty.
However …
Only in God will [we human beings] find the truth and happiness [we never stop] searching for… # 27
[We] cannot live fully according to truth unless [we] freely acknowledge [God’s] love and entrust [ourselves] to [our] creator. #27
God still loved Adam and Eve.
By love, God has revealed himself and given himself to man. # 68
In spite of God’s love, because of human sin, the Harmony with creation [was] broken: # 400
The LORD God therefore banished [human beings] from the garden of Eden Gen 3:23
This was a natural consequence more than a punishment.
God was willing, even eager, to have friendships built on mutual love.
God … created [us human beings] out of love [and also] calls [us] to love … # 1604 see also # 356
But Adam and Eve did not trust God anymore. Neither did their children. As we see in the story of Adam and Eve’s first two sons – Cain and Abel
Gen 4:1-16