The First Questions In The Bible

It seems significant. The human Spirit did not question God’s Word
without interference from outside our spiritual existence.
Possibly, our willingness to doubt God, or rather give sway, to a
physical creation over the Spirit of God seems to have
created distance between our Spirit and the Spirit of God. Imagine
the consequences exponentially . The more one doubts the Spirit of
God (or believes a physical creation over God who is spiritual) the
further they are separated from one another in the physical realm ("reality").Sounded good on paper . God’s perfect plan may be to evolve and establish a concise
understanding of what doubt (sin) is, along with its cause and effect,
and allow (freewill) each of his own accord to choose:
belief (unification w/ God) or doubt (separation);
each to its own consequence.Has man not devolved, spiritually, from the Presence and Knowledge
of God since being deceived, in the very beginnings, by doubt.By understanding doubt and its consequence, some would choose
Belief; in turn, continuing the evolution of being united within
the Love and Understanding and Presence of The Almighty God, without
losing your choice to resist its Presence.Or maybe not .

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

Only as far as believing the Jesus gospel ( by Grace we are saved ), and the one commandment that sums the previous commandments . love your neighbors as yourself. If the Bible didn’t exist, but God’s plan remained the same, we would need some form of communication of God’s grace. He expects some to question and doubt, and that some will just believe. Not so much, I used to constantly . humans + religion = suck
Sorry, that’s kinda harsh.
I should have equated it to “doubtful confusionists“.
That’s probably not very nice either.

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

Not so much.
Rather equating doubt of God’s advice (Word),
providing you knew he existed (ex. He walked and talked with you ),
to sin.

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

Me too, when concerning people.
I’m not referring to people . but rather God himself, assuredly. And your entitled to .
I view certain thoughts as sins...
adultery, doubting God’s audible spoken Word (which I've yet to here) , etc.“But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” . Jesus of Nazareth Not the gathering of information for the purpose of decision-making,
rather the choice that was made after the information was gathered,
motivated by doubt, contempt , etc.
God’s spoken Word being the good info, and the “snake’s” words being the evil info.

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

Granted, it’s only useful to prove a point of speculation .
either way we will have to keep things in proper context
for anything to even potentially make sense.
You and I aren't the best at this. You win a lifetime supply of Rice-A-Roni . the San Francisco treat! In that they were imperfect upon conception,
as are all humans (speculatively),
with the choice to doubt and rebel(freewill). Can we agree it wasn’t the motivated by trust in the Spirit of the Living God? Because God knows when He is naked? Note... Adam and Eve were not ashamed
of their nakedness beforehand.
Is God ashamed, even though He has The Knowledge?I agree it made them like God. We know this from scripture.
You say “more” like God . I dunno.
God has the knowledge, and therefore the choice,
of good and evil; yet continuously motivates His choices,
shamelessly I imagine,
with good . that is, unconditional love. People, although possessing the knowledge of both good and evil,
are continually selfish, rarely expressing this most God like trait (unconditional love).
Potentially to the point of complete annihilation and extinction.
This knowledge hardly seems to make them more like God to me.
Many curses ensued Adam and Eve’s choice to eat the fruit .
no expressed blessings.It seems they would have enjoyed life with God just fine,
along with all things that became cursed,
and not hid themselves from Him, had they not erred.Yet without their imperfect choice, the evolution of
the “first fruits of a new creation” may not have been spawned.
Our Perfect God knew this all along,
and had a Perfect plan . Even though I claim only to be a perfect jackass,
and not actually "perfect",
and we don’t always agree, know this:
I love you
(and I don’t even want your Bud Light!!)Curious .
In Genesis 3:8, what emotion would you speculate
caused the two lovebirds to “hide themselves from the
presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”?Would you agree it was suddenly their own feelings of guilt, which separate them from God?

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

No, no, no .
I don’t imply freewill to be evil by any means;
I can name my dog, feed the poor,
and love my neighbors as myself, of my own freewill.
These things are not bad.
And in actuality, this decision of Eve’s, in question,
was not the first time freewill was exercised.
Adam used his freewill to give names to all the cattle,
and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field.
But,"symbolically", this is the first time it was exercised
and it led to a choice that
led to shame, a scroll full of curses, God to be “sad“, etc.,etc.. Eve was created after all other things,
and was given no authority in the Earth.
She may have had no reason,
providing she felt slighted with her provision from Adam and God,
and lied about being deceived.
But is that speculation .
Adam, on the other hand, had,
literally,
every reason in the world to trust God.
The snake never did squat for him.
God gave him all his hearts desires;
even his honey bun, Eve, a "helper suitable for him",
when one could not be found.
He continously met his every need.
Adam had excellent reasons to trust God, and so do we. "Ashamed of their nakedness" indicates a loss of innocence or trust.
This is what our spirits experience at the age of accountability.
I am suggesting God is “innocent”, by referring to His innocence.
Without this God breathed innocence, or trust,
we cannot be in God’s Presence, save for His Grace . I could entertain the idea of “more Godlike”
If your not careful with this it’s kinda like saying ,
“ Because I give my 11 yr. old $30,000 worth of Snap-On tools,
complete with roller bearing slides in the chest,
he is more like an A.S.E. certified mechanic.”
Or
“Because my deceased Grandfather left my Grandma his woodworking shop,
she is more like a cabinet maker.”
Although it brings them slightly closer to the title,
it doesn’t change the fact that they don’t know how
to use the tools and their probably gonna hurt themselves.Hopefully, we could agree it didn’t actually make them equal to God. Fair enough,
but God’s been trying to convey this of his character to people,
with the imitation thereof for the purpose of being “Godlike”,
for quite some time.
Agape love is scattered all over the Good Book.
Either people aren’t getting’ it, or they just choose not to. Snakes don’t bother me so much.
The story definitely represents why it is important to trust God’s Word.
Eventually, some people will wind up even more Godlike, if they’re careful. I’ll make a note. Yur no fun . Did they decide to play a figurative game of hide-n-seek when they
“heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day”
because they realized they were in God’s peer group.
They hid themselves post “screwing up”.
They didn’t play hide-n-seek pre “screwing up”.
You don’t think this “figurative game of hide-n-seek”
may refer to a separation from God’s presence? Better yet, why, besides guilt, would they hide,
if they were not playing a “figurative game of hide-n-seek”?

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

I can’t believe your not impressed with selflessly putting another person’s benefactor ahead of my own as an act of freewill. I was gonna own up to it. I realize it’s all just symbolic, figurative, speculation, but that much being said, these two statements completely contradict each other. If God put in a personal appearance to make His claims, Adam would no it wasn’t "the snake" who continously met his needs. I thought the story depicted how even when people created in the image of God, without the know-how, get into a world of $h*t by not trusting God’s Word and thinking they can perform like Him, God will still maintain their freewill and provide good choices for them to make, and if they make them, they’ll result in Him having mercy and saving their a$$. We have the consequences of our actions whether we have the knowledge of good and evil or whether we are “more Godlike”. The lovebirds weren’t somehow void of consequence before the fall. The consequences of their actions just weren't cursed. The implication of freewill is not negated by the absence of the knowledge of evil. Why doesn’t it make sense that they could have had multiple non-evil options when faced with a decision before the fall. The result of a choice made without the knowledge of evil would just result in a blessed consequence. If we do and He doesn’t,
how does that make us more “Godlike”.
That makes us opposite.
Kinda like,we're mortal, and God's immortal. Honestly, it took me a long time to come to this conclusion, and I’m not so great at it yet, but I'm am getting better. Nevertheless, it is branded in my heart. To trust God’s Word is to questioning conventional wisdom. The wisdom of the Knowledge of Good and evil.. I’m assuming you referring to why it is important to trust the Word of the Spirit of God’s as opposed to that of a symbolic “talking snake”. The basic principals of this world are founded in the knowledge of Good and evil. Let me get this straight .
They became closer to Him, not farther and in doing so hid farther from his presence? Realizing your dying equated to hiding from God. Quite a stretch for me. I can’t always allegorize that well. I never stated this, I think you did.
But I’ll give it whack.
After the institution and realization of their mortality, they realized they “screwed up"?
No...that not it.
After the institution and realization of their mortality, they realized they were “more Godlike”?
Wait...I thought "more Godlike" was to be immortal and not "screw up".
I give up.

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

You can’t unravel a sweater by knitting a different one.
We were established as “more Godlike” than all other implied creation already by being created “in God’s image” from the “beginning“. I understand you don’t subscribe to a “standard dogma”, in terms of religion and I don’t either. You do have a dogma of your very own, but your not alone. Curious . does the “Garden of Eden” symbolize something other than God’s Presence to you? Simply by selecting his actions based on trust in God”s Word, rather than acting on his doubt of God”s Word. Remember, we’re created with the ability to doubt, but we have freewill not to act on it. We acquired the “knowledge of good and evil”, without the knowledge to differentiate them. An acquired knowledge is only useful when combined with the wisdom of how to use it; not by the acquisition of said knowledge.
Your sig. almost substantiates this; “Faith moves mountains, but only knowledge moves them to the right place”.
Knowledge can lead to wisdom, but is not conceived with wisdom.
I would agree more that
“The knowledge of Faith moves mountains, but only wisdom moves them to the right place”
I proposed, we were already established as “more Godlike” than all other implied creation by being the only thing created “in his image” from “the “beginning“. We were created with all the knowledge, and wisdom to utilize it, that we needed to exist “more Godlike”. We didn’t need the acquisition of the “knowledge of good and evil” to become “more Godlike“. We already were more Godlike than anything in creation. You imply freewill is established only when we can act on the choice to doubt God. Or, “if we cannot act on our choice to doubt God we have no freewill“. I propose we can doubt God according to our freewill and not act on that doubt, all the while maintaining our freewill. You’ve implied freewill is achieved only by acting on our doubt in God (partaking in the fruit of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in this case), yet, in this story Adam is told “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely”. “Any tree” establishes choices, hence, “freewill“. “May eat freely” equates to without consequence. Here “May eat freely” (freewill) is equated to without “death” (mortality), being “sent out from the garden of Eden” (separation from God’s Presence), “hiding themselves from the presence of the God” (guilt).
I impose they were given “freewill” and none of the plethora of choices provided, selection after selection through all their Godlike, immortal, guilt free days walking with God would achieve them “death” (mortality), being “sent out from the garden of Eden” (separation from God’s Presence), or “hiding themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden“ (guilt); All but one choice; not doubting, but rather acting on the doubt they had in God.
In the story, my proposed "right" choice is Trust in God blindly, with the benefactor being a clear conscience, immortality, and communion with God (all while maintaining our Godliness). Yours seems to be act on the choice we have to doubt God, with the benefactor being guilt, mortality and separation from God (with an acquisition of “more Godlikeness“). Act on trust or act on doubt, live or die, remain innocent or become corruptible. This is like equating that legislator’s passing laws, or Judge Judy, is causing the actions of those on trial. If you choose to break the Law, you should bear the consequence. Be responsible. Law is upheld spiritually in Heaven as well as on Earth. Sin is the equivalent to breaking God’s law. Nobody else should assume responsibility for your actions.
Yet, through God’s mercy, he will do just this for people. Then what is; mortality, guilt, or the lack of wisdom on how to utilize the knowledge of good and evil? Not so.
I answered this.
I chose not to act on my understanding of the knowledge of good and evil, the basic principles of this world (See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow an deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ) and chose to not act on my doubt of scripture (God’s Word) that states Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.
These choices resulted in that conclusion. I take responsibility for them Your dogma aside, again, I ask; How does mortality, guilt, or the lack of wisdom on how to utilize the knowledge of good and evil make us more like God? It appears your choosing blind faith in contradictory dogma? God has Wisdom to use his knowledge, we are given that same knowledge (of good and evil), without the wisdom to use it helpfully. Blind trust is the childlike state that allowed Adam and Eve in God’s presence
(the garden of Eden). It is what allows anyone in the presence of God. Truly I say to you, whoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter into it. Again, I ask; How does mortality, guilt, or the lack of wisdom on how to utilize the knowledge of good and evil make us more like God?
We were already established as “more Godlike” than all other implied creation by being the only thing created “in his image” from “the “beginning“. We already were “more Godlike”, as you say, than anything in creation. They had the decision who to trust since they encountered the ”snake”, before they acted on their choice to doubt God. With their new-found knowledge of good and evil, they were faced with a burden of possessing a trait they didn’t understand how to use wisely. Is it this burden (lack of wisdom) that, to you, bolsters they were more Godlike, after the acquisition of the knowledge of good and evil, as opposed to before the acquisition, when they were already “more Godlike” than anything in creation. This concludes nothing.
I noticed they made coverings themselves with figs first, as well . I’m sure this knowledge of good and evil they acquired would have eventually resulted towards an evolution of not so rudimentary clothing,Adam-crumblie & Fig perhaps, had God not intervened. Don’t cut yourself short, you don’t do so bad yourself . . I don’t.
I get it symbolically by their reaction to the consequences they received after the acquisition of the knowledge of good and evil; being “sent out from the garden of Eden” (separation from God’s Presence), “hiding themselves from the presence of the God” (guilt).

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

I didn’t know if you believed in gardens . Why is the sky blue? Faith and blind trust don’t question why.
God and the lovebirds lived in community together, not Eve and the “talking snake”.
The consequences of trusting God and living in community with Him thus far served them well. If you never had citrus fruit and I give you a bowl of lemons and oranges, could you tell them apart by me saying “Here”s a bowl of lemons and oranges“. Why do you suppose he restricted the Tree of Life if it was good to become “more Godlike”? She didn’t have to eat from that tree to be Godlike or confirm her freewill? Not just “consequences”, sorrowful consequences.
So by your logic freewill is only significant or authentic when it produces consequences that lead to grief and sorrow? I never stated that. Kinda like “Distance makes the heart grow fonder”?
Not living in community with God improved their communion with Him? The choice to not act is not a real choice?
But some people would say these types of choices keep them out of jail.
This is fitting in nicely with your “Not living in community with God improved their communion with Him” and “Freewill is only significant or authentic when it produces consequences that lead to grief and sorrow” dogma. By causing grief to those who live in our community.
Unless we are completely selfish.
Does this selfishness your implying cause us to be "more Godlike"? So you agree good and evil could not be differentiated except by consequence.
Doesn’t this contradict your previous theory: “The knowledge of good and evil is the ability to differentiate them”?
Which is it that differentiates good and evil: knowledge or consequence?
It can’t be both.

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

Yessir. Freewill was always there because the choice to obey was always there. You got that right.

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

Any answer is speculative opinion. There is no reductive “binary”, as you would say.
Unless this is leading somewhere it is null; but for the sake of debate:
God had numerous interactions with the Adam well before the introduction of the “talking snake”, even if you don’t consider the lovebird’s communion with God living in community with Him. Generally, most people tend to trust those they have a formidable relationship with over a stranger. Again, I speculatively opine, that’s “why”.
Since Adam didn’t talk with the snake, but Eve, why do you suppose Adam should have trusted her word, over the word of her (their) Creator. Ringo, your favorite verse immediately precedes this restriction.
This has been overlooked until this point, but it is obviously relevant to the content and context of the story.
They did not eat from the Tree of Life and it is the only other tree mentioned by name.
The guarding of the Tree of Life was not established until after their choice to eat from the tree of Knowledge.
Do you think the fruit from this tree could have also caused them to become "more Godlike"?
To eat from the Tree of Life would have yielded immortality and God was OK with that.
Apparently, they could have eaten from this tree all along, yet no person can eat from both.
The Tree of Life is significant.
Please answer the question...
Why did God restrict the Tree of Life after after their choice to eat from the tree of Knowledge, if it was good to become “more Godlike”? You certainly do receive a benefit if the fruit is poisonous and you don’t choose it.
Unless you consider being poisoned the benefit.
Speaking of fruit, if you never had citrus fruit and I give you a bowl of lemons and oranges, how could you tell them apart by the knowledge of me saying “Here”s a bowl of lemons and oranges“. Very entertaining.
How would anybody know what choice you made?
Unless you conveyed your intentions of committing the crime to “everybody” it was only a thought.
Thank you for your support. God . Moses . Bible? Genesis 6:6
They communed with God.
Their actions consequentially caused God to be grieved in His heart.
Their actions consequentially caused them to be ashamed in their hearts Please don’t dodge.
I’m not debating whether it was Elohim who said they became “more godlike”. That’s clearly stated. Genesis 3:22
It states they became “like one of us”, which we already were, “knowing good and evil“ . not good from evil. I propose Elohim had the existing ability to differentiate good from evil. They had to learn it consequentially, which infers quite a difference in character and likeness. Again, how does this not contradict your previous theory: “The knowledge of good and evil is the ability to differentiate them”?I do not come from a religious background and I’ve rarely ever stepped in a church. I am openly admitting I don’t know my a$$ from a hole in the ground, but it would appear that Elohim did not think it a good thing that they/we became “more godlike”.
I am asking you to support your assertion that is was not perceived as a bad thing to Elohim that they became “more godlike” in the context of the story.

• Why do you suppose Adam should have trusted Eve’s word, over the Word of God (her (their) Creator)??
• What motive would you speculate caused the two lovebirds to “hide themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”??
• Why would their actions consequentially cause them to be ashamed in their hearts if it was good that they ate from the tree of Knowledge and became “more godlike“?? Genesis 3:7
  
• Why would they hide from God if it was good that they ate from the tree of Knowledge and became “more godlike“?? Genesis 3:8
  
• Why would their actions consequentially cause them to be afraid if it was good that they ate from the tree of Knowledge and became “more godlike“?? Genesis 3:10
  
• Why would their actions consequentially cause the snake to be cursed above all livestock if it was good that they ate from the tree of Knowledge and became “more godlike“?? Genesis 3:14
  
• Why would their actions consequentially cause a great increase in pain from child bearing if it was good that they ate from the tree of Knowledge and became “more godlike“?? Genesis 3:16
  
• Why would their actions consequentially cause the ground to be cursed if it was good that they ate from the tree of Knowledge and became “more godlike“?? Genesis 3:17
  
• Why would their actions consequentially cause them to not be allowed to take also from the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever (which they were allowed to do previously), if it was good to eat from the tree of Knowledge and become “more Godlike”? Genesis 3:22/ Genesis 3:24
  
• Why would their actions consequentially cause God to drive them out and banish them from the Garden of Eden if it was good that they ate from the tree of Knowledge and became “more godlike“?? Genesis 3:23
  
• Why would their actions consequentially cause God to be grieved in His heart if it was good that they ate from the tree of Knowledge and became “more godlike“?? Genesis 6:6

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

Genesis 2:7,15,16,19 No. If they ate from it they’d have been immortal.
Since they died, they didn’t. Very simple.
Study. That’s your response?
Seriously? But they were told the Tree of Knowledge was poisonous. God had made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - tree that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. They weren’t in any danger of starving. So after they ate the fruit they could tell when someone was lying to them? Did you inherit this trait . it must have skipped me? Do you have any evidence to support this assertion? It’s listed in the post.
I’ve answered all your questions.
Stop dodging please. Ringo, you should be ashamed you lil” Godhead.
I wonder if they thought it was a step up?
They must’ve, they were ashamed too. You suppose as much as any of us, you bible studier, you. I’ll sleep well knowing you can’t provide any evidence for your assertions.
Anyone wanna play dodge ball? Being like God is a “good” thing. We were created “in his image” after all, right.
And I suppose by the gift of death and abundance of joyous curses that were decreed, eating from the Tree of Knowledge must be a good thing too. Not.If the sarcasm gets to you, let me know. I'll tone it down.
It’s been fun!!
I like you. You make me think.

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

You sonsa bych!!
I see it now.
They had no reason!!
This whole occurrence of history which started consequentially with Adam and Eve’s lack of faith is designed to reveal why it is important to have faith (believing in something unproved). Through the process that began in Genesis and culminates in the prophecies yet to be fulfilled in Revelation, we are shown why it is important to trust Elohim's Word instead of "talking snakes" (or presumably any creation lesser than God), even if we have no reason.
Consequentially, once we”re with the Father our spirits will have a reason.Elohim . the God/man with a plan. Edited by Bailey, : Punct.

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

Yessir I like what yur sayin', but let’s put a jumpsuit on the poor lil’ Tree of Life that’s constantly getting benched. For the sake of debate let’s give it some sort of representation. For instance, let’s say it represents the mystery of “Godliness” as opposed to the likeness of a God (form of Godliness). Then, let’s take it a step further.It's about how we all must learn to differentiate good and evil, the attainable form of Godliness, from the incomprehensible mystery of “Godliness” that gives Life and how we all face the consequences of our decisions. We are them now, not then. Are you kidding. Everything has do with him. He put himself right in the mix. Although, realistically, everybody is responsible for their own choices in those other books. After all, they didn’t have to choose The Way of the Serpent. What if any guy who claims to be God is a snake? This could turn into a great biblical paradox. Duality killer possibly.Since it'll transfer nicely, and maintain on topic for the most part, you can razz me In The Center Of The Garden if you want...

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Mercy Trumps Judgement,
Love Weary

C'mon Elohim didn't say "I'll kill you".
He said "You'll die" You guys...