The Period in which the Commandment was Necessary

Lesson Objective: Understand that the need to follow the commandment was a temporary requirement so that Adam and Eve could build a strong foundation in their future relationship.

Divine Principle Reading:

Was God’s commandment not to eat of the fruit binding forever? God’s second blessing was to be fulfilled when Adam and Eve entered God’s direct dominion of love, by joining as true husband and wife and bearing and raising children in God’s love.46(Gen. 1:28) Indeed, the Principle mandates that human beings eat of the fruit once they reach full maturity of character.

Activity: Outgrowing Rules

1. Explain:
   1. The commandment not to eat of the fruit was not meant to be forever. God intended for Adam and Eve to experience a romantic relationship after they have entered the direct dominion of God’s love.
   2. This means that God wants us to become husband and wife on the foundation of becoming one with God and people of mature character. Because an absolute love for God means that you see and treat people as God does, with absolute love.
   3. God created this blueprint for us so that we could be in relationships of integrity that would never be hurt or broken by some outside force.
2. Things We Can’t Do:
   1. Draw 5 sections on the board and label the first one “Toddlers & Pre-K.”
   2. Brainstorm with the group about what kinds of rules toddler’s and pre-kindergarten kids would be expected to follow. Some examples could include: hold someone’s hand when crossing the street, don’t touch the hot stove, etc.
   3. Label the next section as “Elementary School,” and do the same brainstorming process for this age group. Some examples could include: can only watch G rated movies, supervision, must do your homework when you get home from school, etc.
   4. Continue this process with the following sections:
      1. Middle School: no dating, can’t get piercings, etc.
      2. High School: can’t hang out with a boy/girl alone, curfew, etc.
   5. Label the last section as “Adulthood” and ask the question who imposes rules on adults?
   6. Explain: Aside from legal laws, no one tells adults what they can and can’t do. The idea is that while we are growing to adulthood we are using rules and guidelines as ways to practice being an adult. Once we become an adult, we should know what’s right and wrong within ourselves and no longer need rules to govern our choices.
3. Things We Can Do:
   1. Repeat the same process as #2 except instead of focusing on rules and things we can’t do, focus on things that we can do. Here are some examples:
      1. Toddler’s & Pre-Kindergarten: Feed ourselves food, use the toilet instead of a diaper, walk on our own, etc.
      2. Elementary School: Spend the night at a friends’ house, use the computer

• Middle School: Get your own cell phone, text friends

1. High School: Drive a car, go on trips with friends
2. Adulthood: Anything! Ideally by this point we have fulfilled the 1st Blessing and are mature people who are one in heart with God and acting as God would act.

Concluding Point: These kinds of rules in life are temporary and are used so that we can learn important skills that will help us be successful in the next stage of life. God doesn’t want us to live limited lives where we feel like we can’t be ourselves, instead he wants us to live lives full of expression and freedom. In order to get to that point in our lives, rules and guidelines help to protect us until we understand God’s heart and can make decisions with God at the center of our heart.  It is part of our portion of responsibility during our growing period to be focused and intentional about growing our hearts and our character to resemble our Heavenly Parent.

Divine Principle Reading:

The power of love is stronger than the power of the Principle. Had Adam and Eve reached perfection, become a godly husband and wife, and experienced God’s direct governance by the absolute power of His love, their conjugal love would have become absolute. No person, no power in the universe could ever break that bond of love. At this point, Adam and Eve would never fall. There would have been no way that the love of the Archangel, who is inferior to human beings, could ever have severed the conjugal love of Adam and Eve once it was grounded firmly in God. Accordingly, God’s commandment, “Do not eat of the fruit,” was binding upon Adam and Eve only while they were immature.

Activity: Relationships that Don’t Break

1. Explain:
   1. If Adam and Eve had waited to start their romantic relationship until they were mature in character and united with God, they would have had a relationship filled with fidelity and trust.
   2. However, Eve had a romantic relationship with Lucifer before she was mature and betrayed her betrothed. Likewise, Adam and Eve started their romantic relationship before they were ready.
   3. Because of their premature relationship, they never entered God’s direct dominion of love and never knew their Heavenly Parent the way God had hoped they would. Instead, they tried to build their relationship and raise children while they were still immature themselves.
2. Why Do Relationships Break:
   1. Discuss in small groups,
      1. Have you seen relationships that have not been successful? What was your relationship to those people?
      2. Why do you think that relationship broke?
   2. Write their answers to the second question on the board.
   3. Ask the youth to get into pairs and brainstorm with their partner what could have made those relationships successful?
   4. Share their answers with the group and write them on the board as well.
3. You Need a Strong Foundation:
   1. You’ll need to make small cubes out of paper before this session begins. You should make at least two per person in your group. You can find simple directions online by searching “DIY paper cubes.”
   2. Have the youth try to stack as many of the cubes on top of each other before they fall with these directions:
      1. Try to stack them on top of just one cube.
      2. Try to stack them on top of two cubes.

• Try to stack them on top of three cubes.

1. Try to stack them on top of four cubes.

1. Explain: These towers are taller and stronger when you have more cubes in the foundation. The same is true for our marriages and future families. The stronger foundation you have, the more your relationship can grow. The foundation for the 2nd Blessing is the 1st

1. Unbreakable Marriages:
   1. Have the youth build a tall tower with the cubes. (Make sure to leave one cube per person not in this tower)
   2. Explain: Adam and Eve didn’t have a strong foundation before they started having romantic relationships. Because of this, outside forces (Lucifer) could break their relationship.
   3. Knock down the tower that was built, representing those outside influences.
   4. Have the youth rebuild the tall tower, but use a hot glue gun or strong tape to stick the pieces together.
   5. After the tower is complete, try to knock the tower down.
   6. Explain: This is what Adam and Eve’s relationship should have been like: unbreakable no matter what outside influences came their way. God asks us to follow the commandment until we are ready to have romantic relationships so that we can have these types of relationships.
2. Have the youth reflect on the questions:
   1. What would you like your future marriage to look like?
   2. What area’s in your life do you need to work on so you can have a strong foundation for your future marriage?
3. Give each person one of the paper cubes and have them write their answers from 4b on each side of the cube. Encourage them to take the cube home and leave it somewhere as a reminder to build their personal foundation so their marriages can be unbreakable.

Concluding Point: Each of us is meant to be married, that’s the way God designed the universe. However, God wants to ensure that we are never hurt in our romantic relationships. For this reason, God asks us to focus on our personal growth before engaging in a romantic relationship.