Genesis 3:22 and mankind's sinful nature

[JonC]

Who did the Devil murder? John 8:44,". . . He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, . . ."

The passage speaks of his nature (hate, deceit)deceitful. He deceived Eve, and through this deceit Adam transgressed God's law. Through this transgression death entered our world.

 

[JonC]

Agree, 'figuratively' is Christ. Pink covers that nicely.

The 'tree of knowledge of good and evil' being a 'figure' of the law, I take 'die' in the Genesis account of the fall in the sense that Paul meant:

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet:
9 And I was alive apart from the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; Ro 7

I agree the quote. The issue is not the tree or its fruit but the transgression. This doesn't mean it wasn't actually a tree, of course.

 

[37818]

I have always equated the Tree of Life with Christ.

Over all, that is a bad analogy.
Genesis 3:22, ". . . now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: . . ."
Revelation 2:7, ". . . To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, . . ."Is in addition to Christ, 1 John 5:4-5.

 

[JonC]

Over all, that is a bad analogy.
Genesis 3:22, ". . . now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: . . ."
Revelation 2:7, ". . . To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, . . ."Is in addition to Christ, 1 John 5:4-5.

So there are two ways to eternal life (Christ is the Life and the fruit is the life)?

 

[37818]

So there are two ways to eternal life (Christ is the Life and the fruit is the life)?

Actually no. Had God permited Adam and Eve immortality, then to be in an eternal sinful state, so they would be like the Serpent for which the Lake of fire was made, Matthew 25:41.

Genesis 3:22-24.

 

[JonC]

Actually no. Had God permited Adam and Eve immortality, then to be in an eternal sinful state, so they would be like the Serpent for which the Lake of fire was made, Matthew 25:41.

Genesis 3:22-24.

I understand your reasoning, but the passages you provide do not support your conclusions.

Additionally, this introduces another topic which has to be addressed.

If Adam had eaten of the tree of life and this made him immortal, like Satan, would not this imply the lost who ate never saved cease to exist rather than being cast into the Lake of Fire?

How can eternal life actually be eternal death? Are we speaking only of physical life, as our e cannot have spiritual life apart from Christ?

 

[37818]

How can eternal life actually be eternal death?

Immortality and eternal life are not the same thing. Immortality is an eternal life. But the eternal life is not the immortality. There is more we do not yet know. Eternal death is the opposite of eternal life. The eternal death, Mark 9:48. What never dies is called their worm. See also Matthew 22:13. Note what Jesus explained in Matthew 10:28.

 

[37818]

. . . the lost who ate never saved cease to exist . . . .

Purely Imaginary. Like annihilationism.

 

[JonC]

Purely Imaginary. Like annihilationism.

I agree. But in truth, whether Hell is annihilation or eternal torment doesn't matter to me.

 

[37818]

I agree. But in truth, whether Hell is ism or eternal torment doesn't matter to me.

The conscious death of Christ on the cross, Psalms 22:1 disproves annihilationism.

 

[JonC]

The conscious death of Christ on the cross, Psalms 22:1 disproves annihilationism.

No, it doesn't. Judgment is a future event and the lost will be cast into the Lake of Fire. This did not happen to Christ.

 

[37818]

No, it doesn't. Judgment is a future event and the lost will be cast into the Lake of Fire. This did not happen to Christ.

On this point we disagree. And the disagreement may have multiple issues outside the intended scope and topic of this thread.

The tree of life issue has little or nothing to do with mankind's sinful nature.

 

[JonC]

On this point we disagree. And the disagreement may have multiple issues outside the intended scope and topic of this thread.

The tree of life issue has little or nothing to do with mankind's sinful nature.

I agree on the first point, and kinda on the second.

The Tree of Life issue is relevant only in that the Two Trees are spoken of as trees and fruit (if the first is literal then so is the second).