in the Garden of Eden if Adam would have asked God for forgiveness instead of blaming Eve?

I'm sure the answer has something to do with belly buttons.

The human race would never have started.

quote:

Originally posted by MrJones:
I'm sure the answer has something to do with belly buttons.

ROFL@Jonesy!

Hi Shoals,

You ask, "What would have happened, in the Garden of Eden, if Adam would have asked God for forgiveness instead of blaming Eve?"

That is a very insightful thought. I would venture to guess that most folks do not think about Adam's repentance. Yet, we do have clues. First, we know there is no forgiveness without repentance; for a person must recognize the error of what he has done and turn from that sinful way and turn to God -- which is what repentance means.

In Genesis 4:1, "Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, 'I have gotten a manchild with the help of the LORD.'"

Here, Eve, is acknowledging God's dominion; that all we have comes from God.

And, in Genesis 4:1-7, we read that their son, Abel, was a keeper of the flocks; while their son, Cain, was a tiller of the ground. From this passage, we can deduct that, although Adam and his family had lost their spiritual connection with God because of Adam's disobedience; He, God, still had made known to them what He required to atone for sin -- an offering of the blood of a perfect lamb. This is well before He gave the Ten Commandments and the Law which defined sin and His required sacrifices for sin atonement; but God still made His Word known to man -- just as He still, today, writes His Law into the hearts of all men (Romans 2:14-16).

Why was God pleased with Abel's offering of the firstling of his flock, i.e., a lamb -- while He was displeased with Cain's crop offering? Blood is symbolic of life; blood flowing through the veins and arteries of our bodies carries the nutrients, etc., that our body needs to sustain life. So, since Adam's disobedience, his sin, had brought both physical and spiritual death to all mankind; and blood represents life -- only the life sustaining blood of a perfect lamb could atone, restore spiritual life, for man's sin.

You will notice that it restores spiritual life; but, not physical life. In this lifetime, because of Adam's disobedience, our bodies will continue to deteriorate bringing physical death. Mortal man will carry this sin curse upon him -- until he lays aside this mortal body and He, Jesus Christ, raptures us into our immortal bodies (1 Corinthians 15:50-53).

Grain, while it is necessary for man's nourishment; still does not represent life in the same sense. Therefore, God obviously had made it known that offerings to Him must be the blood of a perfect lamb -- a precursor, or type, of the Perfect Lamb coming to offer His blood for all mankind.

In Genesis 5:1-3, we read, "This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created. When Adam had lived one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his own likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth.

I see this as telling us that Adam was created in the likeness of God, able to have spiritual communion with God -- and that, although Adam fell into sin, he regained his spiritual life, his spiritual link with God -- and we are told that Seth, Adam's son, was in born in the likeness and image of Adam, i.e., in spiritual communion with God. I connect those dots because we know that it is through the lineage of Seth that the Redeemer came, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Yes, Shoals, I believe Adam did repent and was forgiven. But, just as today, if a non-believer gets high on drugs or alcohol, has an accident and loses his arm -- and then he becomes a Christian believer; that person is a forgiven sinner, a Christian believer -- but, in this lifetime, he is still a one armed man. God forgives us; but, in this life we still have to pay the physical and civil penalties for our sinful lifestyle.

And, Adam's blaming Eve is just another sign that he was just a forgiven man, not God or a god. When we are raptured into heaven, we will be perfect as He is perfect (1 John 3:2). Until then, we struggle through this life in our frail human bodies. But, the Christian believer is once again in spiritual communion with God -- and through Him we gain the strength to overcome and actually grow, mature, through the tribulations of this world (Romans 5:1-5).

Shoals, I pray that I have answered your question, and that if you are not yet a Christian brother/sister, you will see the wisdom in turning to follow Jesus Christ. For that is what being a Christian means; being a Christ Follower.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bill Gray:
Shoals, I pray that I have answered your question, and that if you are not yet a Christian brother/sister, you will see the wisdom in turning to follow Jesus Christ. For that is what being a Christian means; being a Christ Follower./QUOTE]

stupid old man, you don't give answers by wrintg a dang book and listening to yourself type. you answer by example, love, kindness, compassion and respect for those who feel differently.

What being a Christian means to you is "its my way or the highway!" that is NOT what i was taught nor what i believe. now go ahead and show me my doorway to hell, you old wrinkle.

I wrote this as more of a Food for Thought! To think about and apply to our lives. If Adam had immediately asked for forgiveness and not tried to blame someone else I'm sure thing would have been different.

QUOTE]

stupid old man, you don't give answers by wrintg a dang book and listening to yourself type. you answer by example, love, kindness, compassion and respect for those who feel differently.

What being a Christian means to you is "its my way or the highway!" that is NOT what i was taught nor what i believe. now go ahead and show me my doorway to hell, you old wrinkle.[/QUOTE]

Bill, yes I'm a believer and I want to thank you so much for taking the time and caring.

Hi all,

Right now I am having trouble deciding if this new character we have following me around is our old Friend, Skeptik, or if it is our mild mannered Friend, Crusty. And, there are a couple of other likely candidates. But, it is irrelevant; just as he is irrelevant.

Don't you really admire a person who will hide behind a vulgar name and use it to spew garbage at others on the Forums?

I have been on the Forums for almost three years -- and I have always used one posting name, my real name, Bill Gray. Regardless of whether I agreed with another member or disagreed -- I did it in my own name. When I write, I have nothing to hide.

Our new Friend is like a couple of kids I grew up with in Sheffield. They would throw something at you or hit you from behind -- and run like the devil for the safety of home.

One day, I got tired of the one guy doing this -- and went into his home to kick his behind. His mother grabbed me from behind while he was hitting me; so, when she released me, I kicked her in the behind.

Of course, I got punished for it -- but, it was worth it -- at the time.

Our new Friend is either cowardly, so he hides behind this vulgar new name -- or he knows his trashy name and language will soon get him booted from the Forum; so, he uses this vulgar new name only as an attack name.

So be it. He tells me, "What being a Christian means to you is "its my way or the highway!" that is NOT what i was taught nor what i believe."

Personally, my Friend, I do not believe you have any idea what it means to be a Christian. And, I know you have no idea what it means to be a man.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

Bill,
Its just words, if you know who you are in Christ then don't let it bother you. I truly believe that God puts people like this in our paths so we will pray for them. I'm not only praying blessing over you Bill, but also Fugly.

quote:

Originally posted by intheshoals:
I wrote this as more of a Food for Thought! To think about and apply to our lives. If Adam had immediately asked for forgiveness and not tried to blame someone else I'm sure thing would have been different.

Hi Shoals,

Thank you for raising this question; for I believe it will make some of us think -- and hopefully make us "search the Scriptures" (Acts 17:11).

What Adam did in trying to put the blame on Eve -- I would think there are very few of us who have not done this at one time or another. It is all part of being human. But, praise God, even when a Christian believer does it, and it is still wrong, we are still "forgiven sinners."

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

quote:

Originally posted by intheshoals:
Bill,
Its just words, if you know who you are in Christ then don't let it bother you. I truly believe that God puts people like this in our paths so we will pray for them. I'm not only praying blessing over you Bill, but also Fugly.

Hi Shoals,

You are right. And, I thank you for your prayers. Believe me, they are appreciated.

It is not that his words bother me; for, even in his other personas he has said the same things or worse. It is just that I feel bad for a person who will create crude, vulgar posting names just to be used to attack others.

Shoals, I thank you for your prayers for this person also. Prayers never go unanswered.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Gray:
Hi all,

Right now I am having trouble deciding if this new character we have following me around is our old Friend, Skeptik, or if it is our mild mannered Friend, Crusty. And, there are a couple of other likely candidates. But, it is irrelevant; just as he is irrelevant.

No, Bill. It is not me. I have better things to do with my time, and I try to practice what I preach.

quote:

Originally posted by CrustyMac:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill Gray:
Hi all,

Right now I am having trouble deciding if this new character we have following me around is our old Friend, Skeptik, or if it is our mild mannered Friend, Crusty. And, there are a couple of other likely candidates. But, it is irrelevant; just as he is irrelevant.

No, Bill. It is not me. I have better things to do with my time, and I try to practice what I preach.

Hi Crusty,

Thank you for letting me know.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill