Welcome to a new week on the Ask Pastor John podcast with Longtime Author and Pastor John

Piper.

First up this week we have a question about the original sin that was committed by Adam

and Eve and it's an insightful follow up question to something that you have said.

Hello Pastor John and thanks for taking my question.

My name is Alex from Dallas.

According to your sermon at Passion 2017, you said the ultimate essence of evil in the

Garden of Eden was not eating the fruit.

You said they lost their taste in God so they sinned before taking a bite.

Can you explain this please?

I thought there was a difference between temptation and giving in to sin.

Let's clarify two things.

One the difference between the essence of sin on the one hand and sinful actions of the

body on the other hand.

And two, let's clarify the difference between temptation and sinning.

Seems like those are the two levels of Alex's question.

First, there's a difference between the essence of sin and the outward act of sinning.

The essence of sin is not what muscles do.

It's what the heart does.

And by the heart, I mean the inner faculty of willing and desiring that give rise to

actions.

If some very strong person took hold of your arm against your will and by force caused

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