being over protective through fear is one
thing
DAVEH: That seems to be a tactic of some
Christians. For instance, the whole commonly believed scenario about
hell being a literal punitive torturous form of punishment is an example that
I see driving some people away from Christianity. I'm sure there will be
some SPers who will point to their successes by using such methodology, but
that does not necessarily offset the numbers of those who are turned off by
such rhetoric.
They may be turned off at that moment but who knows
whether or not a seed has been planted that God will
water at a later date? That was John the
Baptists ministry ie "the axe will be layed to the root of the tree of
those
who do not repent"
This is what the wisdom of the world
teaches.
DAVEH: Have you ever read of some of
the examples where groups of people were decimated by diseases brought into
their environment by outsiders?
Yes and usually these groups were already compromised
by sin. The American indians were pagan god
worshippers and the Australian aborigines were
animists leaving both wide open.
God has
given us an immune system which should be able to throw off anything that
comes our way
DAVEH: I tend to agree with you on this
to a point, Judy. Though I don't view it as an
immune system, but rather as inoculation. We aren't born with
a resistance to sin, but we achieve it as we become one with the Lord. I
think it was Paul who explained the analogy of putting on the armor of
God. We aren't born with that armor, but acquire it as we grow in
Christ.
The tree of life is "pure,
peaceable, and full of good fruit" and this is the tree God wanted His
creation to eat from.
DAVEH: Then why do you think God
kept A&E from partaking of it after they transgressed?
Because they would have lived forever in their fallen
and demonized state and He will not have any devils in heaven; but he did
make for them a way of escape planned before the foundation of the
world.
The other tree - the one the
serpent was promoting - is earthly, sensual, and
demonic.
DAVEH:: You've lost me on that one,
Judy. Are you saying the tree of knowledge of good and evil is earthly, sensual, and
demonic? If so, it sounds like you are
implying that God planted something evil in the Garden of Eden in an effort to
tempt A&E. If that is what you are suggesting, do you have Biblical
evidence to support your theory?
I am saying He allowed it - to test their faith
and they bit. It came in the form of the serpent who spoke to Eve
He was full of wisdom from the other tree. In
the gospels you will remember the parable of the sower who sows
the good seed which is God's Word (Jesus explains)
and the enemy who sows another word making tares
which will be separated from the wheat in the last
day. Same idea.
FWIW........I had the
impression that Gen 1 suggests exactly the opposite........
12]
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and
the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw
that it was good.
.........That the trees God created were
good. Reading Gen 2......
We are not talking about "fruit" trees here DaveH; in
the garden there are two trees that have to do with
different kinds of knowledge or
wisdom.
[9] And out of the ground made the LORD God to
grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of
life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree
of knowledge of good and evil.
...........does not give me the
impression that the tree of knowledge of good and evil was in
itself evil. If you disagree, I'd like to understand why you think
such.
Because Jesus says that nothing that goes into the
mouth is of itself evil - it just goes in and comes out in the draught. It is
what comes out of the heart that defiles the man - and these two trees had
that kind of power.
Judy Taylor wrote:
DaveH writes:
FWIW.....While it may be noble to want to keep one's
children pure and innocent, a loving parent who overly protects their
children will end up with kids acutely susceptible to the ills of the
world.
Not necessarily; being over protective through
fear is one thing. Teaching children spiritual discernment in the
fear of God is another because then the parent has His power and watchful
eye on their side.
I see it similar to communicable illnesses. You could raise your
kid in a bubble and he would live a germ/virus free life. But once he
enters the real world, he would be extremely vulnerable to catching a slew
of nasty bugs. Isn't it much better to allow your kid be exposed to
such hazards so that he can become inoculated against the ravages in the
strength of his youth than allow such illnesses to eventually attack later
in life when one is perhaps more vulnerable?
This is what the wisdom of the world
teaches. But we are fearfully and wonderfully made and God has
given us an immune system which should be able to throw off anything that
comes our way when not compromised by sin.
I see that somewhat as an analogy to the tree knowledge of good
and evil. I hope that makes a little sense, Terry. (Though I'm
sure some TTers will take exception.) FTR....I don't think that is the
sole reason for the tree though.
The trees in the garden DaveH are the two
kinds of wisdom. The tree of life is "pure, peaceable, and full of
good fruit" and this is the tree God wanted His creation to eat
from. The other tree - the one the serpent was promoting -
is earthly, sensual, and demonic. So take your pick. One
leads to life and the other to death.
judyt
He that says "I know Him" and doesn't keep His
Commandments
is a liar (1 John 2:4)
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dave Hansen
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.langlitz.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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