God created Adam and Eve, but ...

[achristiantech]

A couple of years ago, a Christian friend of mine spoke of a matter that I'd never considered, but has been on my mind from time to time. I spoke with him recently and he says he feels God has shared this with him. I would like to share what we spoke of and would like to know if scripture would support this, if this matter has been addressed elsewhere and what your thoughts are.

Most Christians would accept that God created Adam, then Eve. But did/does He actually create each of us physically? What I mean is are all the rest of us after Adam and Eve the result of Adam and Eve's original procreation and each generation thereafter are the result of our parents procreation which God ordained? I'm not suggesting that God doesn't breathe soul into our life nor indwell us with the Holy Spirit upon our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior. I know scripture tells us that He knew us before we were formed in the womb, but I'm thinking it may be more of a spiritual thing than a physical thing.

For God created a perfect (pure) earth and all things within, including Adam and Eve. It was the result of sin that man became imperfect. In this case it would explain why there are miscarriages, birth defects and physical/emotional problems later in life. It would help us understand better why so many say "God made me like this" (i.e., homosexuals). When in fact He didn't create us technically, just gave us life. Since God is perfect and His plans for us are perfect, would He created something less than perfect?

Am I making myself clear?

Your responses are welcome.

 

[Dark_Lite]

Babies are created via sexual intercourse. God does not pop into existence and set up shop in the woman to manufacture a baby. God does not physically create new people in the sense that he physically created Adam and Eve in the Genesis story. He makes the soul fully formed and that becomes part of the developing child. Now maybe the soul includes information about the physical nature of our body? Who knows? That opens up a lot of other odd issues though (do souls have mental problems and deformities?).

I don't think the soul would have those kind of problems in it. The soul and body are together, yet still separate. This comes back to the mind-body problem. Are we minds controlling a body? Or are the mind and body part of the same substance? Personally I am somewhere in between. Something of a Cartesian materialist, if you will (and yes I am aware that designation is completely oxymoronic and doesn't make much sense in terms of describing my actual opinion on the matter).

 

[Secundulus]

We live in a fallen world so when we are conceived and born we are subject to it. This explains any number of disorders and also explains why the flesh must die before being resurected in its perfect state. So, I think you are correct.

 

[ebia]

A couple of years ago, a Christian friend of mine spoke of a matter that I'd never considered, but has been on my mind from time to time. I spoke with him recently and he says he feels God has shared this with him. I would like to share what we spoke of and would like to know if scripture would support this, if this matter has been addressed elsewhere and what your thoughts are.

Most Christians would accept that God created Adam, then Eve. But did/does He actually create each of us physically? What I mean is are all the rest of us after Adam and Eve the result of Adam and Eve's original procreation and each generation thereafter are the result of our parents procreation which God ordained? I'm not suggesting that God doesn't breathe soul into our life nor indwell us with the Holy Spirit upon our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior. I know scripture tells us that He knew us before we were formed in the womb, but I'm thinking it may be more of a spiritual thing than a physical thing.

For God created a perfect (pure) earth and all things within, including Adam and Eve. It was the result of sin that man became imperfect. In this case it would explain why there are miscarriages, birth defects and physical/emotional problems later in life. It would help us understand better why so many say "God made me like this" (i.e., homosexuals). When in fact He didn't create us technically, just gave us life. Since God is perfect and His plans for us are perfect, would He created something less than perfect?

Am I making myself clear?

Your responses are welcome.

I think the question reflects a false dualism. Natural processes are the outpouring of God's creative love.

 

[PilgrimToChrist]

Human reproduction is sharing in Creation. As far as birth defects, that is part of the Fall. Each life is precious, even if it doesn't make it to birth or dies within hours or days. I have read beautiful accounts of prenatal tests warning of severe defects (many of which are false alarms, actually) and the doctor recommends abortion, that it's not worth bringing the baby to term. But when the baby comes out, someone is ready there for baptism and the baby is baptized and dedicated to God even for his or her short life. While we do commend to God all souls of the unborn and unbaptized babies, it's a beautiful statement.

Homosexuality is a different matter. Same-sex attraction may or may not be genetic or biological (e.g. pre-natal hormones), there are probably many causes. But that doesn't imply that acting on those desires is moral. Someone might be born with a temper but that doesn't make it moral for them to beat their wife or shoot up a shopping mall. Others argue there is a big difference because same-sex sexuality doesn't hurt anyone but that's because they are applying a different standard of morality. Traditional Christian morality, based on our reading of Scripture and our understanding of "natural law", holds that homosexual practices are morally wrong. This doesn't imply that some people aren't "born that way" or at least feel like they do, it just means they should restrict themselves just like everyone else, to sexuality only within (heterosexual) marriage or be celibate. Most of my dating life has been with women, both as a secular person and as a pro-gay Christian, so I see all sides of the equation. It's a moral question, not a biological one.

 

[prodromos]

Most Christians would accept that God created Adam, then Eve. But did/does He actually create each of us physically? What I mean is are all the rest of us after Adam and Eve the result of Adam and Eve's original procreation and each generation thereafter are the result of our parents procreation which God ordained? I'm not suggesting that God doesn't breathe soul into our life nor indwell us with the Holy Spirit upon our acceptance of Jesus as our Savior. I know scripture tells us that He knew us before we were formed in the womb, but I'm thinking it may be more of a spiritual thing than a physical thing.

God created Adam from the dust, then He created Eve using Adam's flesh (one of his ribs), and now He creates each of us using flesh from each of our parents. This is where some people get stuck on Mary being called Mother of God, because they have some strange idea that a mother creates her offspring. That is not the case though. All creation from the beginning of time till the last day is God's doing.

For God created a perfect (pure) earth and all things within, including Adam and Eve. It was the result of sin that man became imperfect. In this case it would explain why there are miscarriages, birth defects and physical/emotional problems later in life. It would help us understand better why so many say "God made me like this" (i.e., homosexuals). When in fact He didn't create us technically, just gave us life. Since God is perfect and His plans for us are perfect, would He created something less than perfect?

God did not create the world "perfect", He created it "good" with the potential to mature into perfection. Adam and Eve messed that up through disobedience. If they had been "perfect" they would not have been disobedient would they?

John