The other choice before man was the tree of knowledge.
The tree of knowledge signifies Satan as evil to man. This evil is actually an evil life.
The tree of knowledge issues in a kind of independent life in you. The more knowledge you give people, the more independent they can become. Knowledge causes people to be independent. When you take in the tree of knowledge, you will feel that you do not need to depend upon God. Instead, you will depend upon your knowledge. But if you take in the tree of life, this causes you to depend upon God. Life is a matter of dependence, but knowledge is a matter of independence.
These critical points are pointed out by Brother Watchman Nee in a booklet entitled Two Principles of Conduct. These two principles are actually two lives. One is the dependent life and the other is the independent life. One is the principle of dependence and the other is the principle of independence. The tree of life issues in a principle of dependence, and the tree of knowledge issues in a principle of independence. Due to the fact that man took the tree of knowledge, man became altogether independent from God. But whoever repents to God and receives Him as life becomes dependent on God.
Before we were saved, we were altogether independent of God. But when we repented to God and believed in God, we became dependent. Whenever we have been independent, that was the time we lived by knowledge. Whenever we lived by our spirit, by life, we were altogether dependent upon God. Thus, these are two kinds of principles issuing from two kinds of lives. The divine life makes us dependent, and the satanic life makes us independent. To be independent means to be rebellious. To rebel means to be independent from God.
God wanted man to receive Him as life by the way of eating.
Eating is the unique way to receive nourishment organically. To receive anything organic, there is no other way except by eating. What you eat becomes your organic nourishment. We need to develop this point.