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1: Education in the Garden of Eden – SPD Discipleship Video — 6 Comments

1. Romans ch 8:18-39 explains the condition of Man at creation, and the purpose for which Man was created.
   Genesis 2:25 to Gen 3:21 is one narrative, where Man is created defenseless against deception, then clothed by the Messiah.
   Creation narrative in Genesis teaches that Man is unable to reason out his own eternal life.
   Adam could eat from the tree of life, and yet did not, why? Because Man was created to be saved.

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2. In Genesis 2:9 we learn that God planted "...the tree of life also in the midst of the garden,", and in 2:16 "the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat". What would happen if Adam did eat from the tree of life, would there be need for the Savior Jesus? No, there would be no need for Jesus.
   Every time "free will" is claimed, Jesus is denied.
   Think about this, if Adam had free will he would have eaten from the tree of life, and then Jesus would not be the Savior, please read Romans 8:18-

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   • Hello Henry – I believe that the Tree of Life was available to assure the longevity of man in its original state. God did not forbid them to eat from this tree because it sustained them just as did the food they ate. It certainly is a mysterious tree – it is mentioned again in the book of Revelation 2:7; Rev.22:2,14.

     As you suggested, I read Rom.8:14-23 and found it relating to the new body(form) we will have: (v.19)”For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the ‘manifestation’ of the sons of God.” At that time, not just the children of God, the faithful believer, but all creation will benefit from the change and our new form will again be eligible to be sustained by the Tree of Life.

     As I understand it, Adam and Eve had free will, they did eat of the Tree of Life until God forbade them due to their ‘fallen nature’. Yes, the progression of the relationship between God and His Creation would have taken a different course would they have remained faithful. Our world would not have had the need for the Son of God to come down from Heaven to redeem the world from its curse - Thank God, His Love prevailed - He would have continued with the occasional visit as He did from the Beginning.

     Gen.2:16,17; Gen.3:22 – reading these verses, we can see that the fallen state was not to be supported by the Tree of Life. Something so significant changed the workings of creation that *it* should not be kept ‘alive’, causing man to be barred from eating the Fruit of the Tree of Life. This *it* is so pervasive that the whole Creation became cursed because of its ‘death/separation-causing) influence; therefore, God determined from then forward to eliminate *it*, provide Salvation for mankind and make all things new - all living things, a new world and new heavens.

     Reading Rev.2:7 - “…To him that overcometh will *I* give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” This Paradise of God appears to be permanently present in Heaven; does this Fruite of the Tree of Life in Paradise present 'Ultimate Love of Truth or Ultimate Truth in Love'?
     Rev.2:14 – “Blessed are they that *do* his commandments, that they may have *right* to the Tree of Life… .”
     Rev.22:2 speaks to the effects of the fruit and the leaves of the Tree of Life in Heaven. Even though the tree yields its fruit every month, the verse does not say that they are eaten by anyone; and the leaves are ‘for the healing of the nations.’
     We will know one day – to God be the Glory, Honor and Praise!

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     • Greetings Brigitte,
       "Free will" is a theological term, and concerns only one thing, the most vital thing, namely whether Man needs the Savior, it is not about what we have for breakfast or what socks we wear, it is about Jesus our Savior.
       When our theologians are saying that Adam could choose between obedience and disobedience, it means that Adam could prevent Jesus from going to the cross by his obedience.
       Claiming free will is doing what Peter did in Mathew 16:22, we are claiming that Man has power to choose to obey the Law without help from Jesus.
       The tree of life was available to Adam, but thy never ate from it, see Gen 3:22, because eating only one time of its fruit would have assured eternal life.

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       • Hello gain, Henry - I appreciate your reply. To have 'free will' seems to me a pretty straight forward statement describing the ABILITY of the mind to excercise its capacity to choose freely. I suppose any consequences arrising from the choice 'Adam and Eve' made are therefore implicit - awareness of known and unknown consequences - when Eve and Adam exercised their ability to choose.
         Simply put, they chose to distrust their Creator and with this act freely chose to take upon themselves the responsibilities to work out the consequences their choice would bring; but God is mercyful and gracious.

         I do not want to speculate if Adam was aware of the full extend the implications of his choice would have - but they chose.
         We, with hindsight, can 'see' these far-reaching consequences and, yes, if he had not chosen as he did, the Son of God would have remained a frequently welcomed visitor and could have avoided the agony of the trials to become the savior of a fallen world.

         Matt.16:22 - In response to Peter's rebuke, Jesus spoke to him: "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest *not the things that be of God*, but those that be of men - Matt.16:23. (just like Eve and Adam)

         No, I do not believe that today's "Man has power to choose to obey the Law without help from Jesus"; he lost this power when he made the choice to distrust the Father. If we believe and live trusting the Father's Will, we are savely living in Jesus and with Jesus residing in God; we are covered by His Love, Grace and Mercy.

         In my view, ultimately, the 'Tree of Life' represents God's spiritual principle we are offered to live by -Faith and LOVE-; we are either part of our Creator again or we remain part of the cause that brought the destruction to this world - distrust(self-will).
         We choose to either be part of the solution(Salvation) or part of the problem(sin and destruction).

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     • I agree thank you.

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