just a question

[artsylady]

Hey sis. You're asking some good and very deep questions, that's for sure.

I personally don't think we will have the answers to either of your questions while we are here on earth. I don't think the answers have been given to us, so we can speculate but never really know. I think we're given info on a need-to-know basis, and God has given us plenty of knowledge about a great number of important things. The rest requires faith.

Hope that doesn't sound too simplistic. I just don't think the answers are available.

Don't stop asking questions either. There really are some great answers out there to many of life's questions and when you do find the answers your faith will be more and more strengthened!

[~candice~]

Why didn't God just kill satan from the get go so he wouldn't have any power over us?

I think all too often we blame Satan for our sin and temptation, when infact, it is usually just us!

James 1 (NASB)

13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Satan didn't shove that apple down Adam & Eve's throat. He tempted them, but they used their own free will to take the first bite. Look what Adam and Eve said when God confronted them about their sin...

Gen 3 (NASB)

12The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate."

13Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Adam blames Eve. Eve blames Satan. None of them say "I did it, I sinned, I take the blame!".

[Massorite]

Why did God not create all people like Jesus?

He did. Adam was like Jesus (except he wasn't the son of God like Jesus was) but Adam choose to disobey God and Jesus didn't.

[mizzdy]

Something that I find really interesting is in Gen. 5:3 where it says that Adam lived 130 years and had begot a son in his own likeness, something that was not said about Cain or Abel. Were Cain and Abel born in the garden, were they in the likeness of God also? Its interesting to think about.

No, only Adam and Eve were made in the likeness of God. The bible says that Adam had a son in his own image (Adam's image), not in God's image. Sin has been passed on to Adam's offspring .

Scripture only tells us that Seth was in the likeness of Adam, nothing about Cain or Abel, just thought it was an interesting statment. I have also wondered why God told Eve her birthpangs would multiply sorrow and conception and in pain you will forth children its as if she already knew what God meant. Just musing through some thoughts we all have from time to time.

[~Shalhevet~]

I personally don't think we will have the answers to either of your questions while we are here on earth. I don't think the answers have been given to us, so we can speculate but never really know. I think we're given info on a need-to-know basis, and God has given us plenty of knowledge about a great number of important things. The rest requires faith.

I think you're right.

[~candice~]

Something that I find really interesting is in Gen. 5:3 where it says that Adam lived 130 years and had begot a son in his own likeness, something that was not said about Cain or Abel. Were Cain and Abel born in the garden, were they in the likeness of God also? Its interesting to think about.

No, only Adam and Eve were made in the likeness of God. The bible says that Adam had a son in his own image (Adam's image), not in God's image. Sin has been passed on to Adam's offspring .

Scripture only tells us that Seth was in the likeness of Adam, nothing about Cain or Abel, just thought it was an interesting statment. I have also wondered why God told Eve her birthpangs would multiply sorrow and conception and in pain you will forth children its as if she already knew what God meant. Just musing through some thoughts we all have from time to time.

God told Eve that in Gen 3, well before any offspring arrived....

Gen 3 (NASB)

16To the woman He said,

"I will greatly multiply

Your pain in childbirth,

In pain you will bring forth children;

Yet your desire will be for your husband,

And he will rule over you."

I don't see how that means that Even must have already known what God meant?

This is the third time in 24 hours I have heard the suggestion that either God created more humans than just Adam and Eve in His image, or that there were offspring of Adam and Eve before the fall. Is there some reasoning for this kind of speculation? It plays with the doctrine of original sin being passed down from Adam, and is dangerous.

[Guest HIS girl]

Who's to say we weren't perfect before the Fall?

Fall? Are you referring to Adam and Eve?

Yes I am -

"we": Adam/Eve

[Guest Ken Rank]

Something that I find really interesting is in Gen. 5:3 where it says that Adam lived 130 years and had begot a son in his own likeness, something that was not said about Cain or Abel. Were Cain and Abel born in the garden, were they in the likeness of God also? Its interesting to think about.

We discussed this when our guests from Israel were in. Adam was made in God's image, but Adam's children were in Adam's image. While "image" does have the "looks like" meaning behind it, we also know that like God, Adam was created without sin. Some believe he and Eve lived or dwelled in light, a reflection of the perfect God who created them. But when they sinned, the light went out, and they could see that they were naked. Adam's children then, would have been born into sin, born with the clock ticking until their death, and dwelling for all intents and purposes in darkness, rather than light. When we are restored, we will again dwell while reflecting the light of God. (some believe)

Peace.

Ken

[Guest Ken Rank]

No, only Adam and Eve were made in the likeness of God. The bible says that Adam had a son in his own image (Adam's image), not in God's image. Sin has been passed on to Adam's offspring .

No reason for the sad face emoticon Andy. Sometimes as Christians we look at scripture and see OT bondage and NT grace. Simply put, that is not a good take of scripture. What did the Israelites to to "earn" favor (which is translated as grace in the NT) while in Egypt? Nothing, yet God performed an act of grace or favor and delivered them from Egypt. Joseph's life is nothing but a story about repeated acts of grace. Being thrown in the pit by his brothers was an act of grace! Look at his life from then on... cutting to the chase of it, had he not been thrown into the pit, he would not have been bought by slave traders. Had he not been bought by slave traders he would not have been sold to Potifer. Had Potifer's wife not lied, Joseph wouldn't have been thrown in jail. Had Joseph not been thrown in jail, he would not have correctly interpreted the dreams of his cell mates. Had he not interpretated the dreams of his cell mates, Pharaoh would not have heard of his ability and not called on him to interpret his own dreams. And if that had not happened, Joseph would not have been made 2nd in command, saved Egypt... and the very family he was estranged from. The 12 tribes of Judah, which play a prophetic roll TODAY... were saved because God's grace allowed Joseph to be thrown into a pit in the first place!

Ok, I digress... I just love sharing that. What was the the first act of grace in the bible? Saving Isaac, delivering the Isrealites, Joseph's life? How about kicking Adam and Eve out of the garden? Had they remained they would have died in the garden with no chance of redemption. But because they were sent out, had offspring, through that line eventually would come a Messiah would would carve a path for us ALL, Adam through you, to follow. The plan of redemption began when God banished Adam and Eve from the garden. So the first act of grace is seen there.

Peace.

Ken

[Guest Ken Rank]

I think all too often we blame Satan for our sin and temptation, when infact, it is usually just us!

You're right, but it is clear there was outside influence in this case. Still, Adam and Eve made their choice, the sin is on them just as it is us when we sin. The devil does not make us do it, we choose to transgress.

Satan didn't shove that apple down Adam & Eve's throat. He tempted them, but they used their own free will to take the first bite. Look what Adam and Eve said when God confronted them about their sin...

Apple? Does it say apple?

Adam blames Eve. Eve blames Satan. None of them say "I did it, I sinned, I take the blame!".

Respectfully, I don't agree on this point. I rather see Adam as simply telling the truth.

Gen 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

Gen 3:11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Gen 3:12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

What are the facts? The command was given to Adam, Eve ate. Then Adam ate. So when Adam says the woman ate and "I did eat," he was simply telling the truth. IMO

Peace.

Ken