I'm just thinking out loud here so bear with me. I've been studying Calvin on Hosea and Ephesians and Durham on Isaiah 53, so for a little light reading I'm hitting Owen's book Temptation.

Owen says God tests man for two reasons: to show man what is in his heart and to show himself to man. I am wondering if this fits the testing of Adam under the Covenant of Works? There was nothing intrinsically evil about the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, right? There was nothing appalling to Adam when he looked at it that would have caused him to turn away from it. God simply commanded Adam not to eat of it because he was testing him.

So at this point is it safe to say that according to Owen that God was showing Adam what was in his heart? Adam was without sin, yet able to sin. If God was showing Adam what was in his heart by this test, was there sin already abounding in Adam's heart before he failed the test? That can't be because the sin happened the moment Adam chose the tree and Eve over God. So was God simply showing Adam what was in his heart by showing him the fact that he was a free creature. Free to choose; able to sin and able not to sin?

Or does this definition of testing according to Owen simply not fit the testing under the CoW's? Is he simply referring to post-fall testing?

Does this question make sense?

__________________
Ryan Barnhart - Pastor of OGBC
Husband to a beautiful wife, Father to two beautiful girls
Student at Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary - B.D.

"I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms. And in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer." - John Paton