I have a question .....

[cygnusx1]

I would appreciate it if you can answer my small question , keep in mind that I believe in TULIP , and if it is possible , please refrain from a quick answer ,often a knee Jerk answer is like a half baked cake

Right , here we go.........

If man cannot choose God , cannot move in God's direction , but is always pulled down by sin , and is depraved from head to foot , and THUS , unable to prefer light as opposed to darkness (I believe all these things , just in case you wondered) then ......................

How come God had to put an Angel with a sword in front of the tree of LIFE , in the garden of Eden ?

Surely there would have been no desire in man to go back to God and to obtain eternal life anyway.

Surely man would have prefered sin.

Is this just a question of "choosing eternal life" as opposed to say , redemption through God the Son?

thanks for your imput.

 

[frumanchu]

I don't have time for an in-depth answer, cygnus, but keep in mind what was being guarded: paradise. Man was consigned to work and toil against the land all his days after having walked in communion with God and with all animals.

 

[Antman_05]

How come God had to put an Angel with a sword in front of the tree of LIFE , in the garden of Eden ?

Well it was for protection, i mean i'm glad i don't have to live forever in a fallen state, and thats just what would have happend, because man now been fully sinful, wouldn't have listend to the Commandment of God saying don't eat from that Tree, as eating from the Tree would have just become another way to rebel against God. It wouldn't have been so that man could have been saved or redemed.

Also it would have controdicted what the Lord had already said, as if you look at the way the story Happend (I do, hold to 6 day creation, as literal), the promise of redemption came, then they got kicked out of the Garden, so therefore if God hadn't of removed the tree, in man rebellin towards God he would have eaten the Tree and live forever in a sinful state, not able to have full, true redemeption. Which only comes when we are with Christ once we Die.

 

[hopper]

-

 

[CoffeeSwirls]

I understand cherubim to by a symbol of judgement. God was judging the people by casting them from paradise. Also, if they could, of their own accord, walk up to the tree and take what they wanted, grace would never be the same. For man to live with all of the rewards of paradise except communion with God would be a travesty to the glory of the Lord.

Just a few thoughts...

 

[cygnusx1]

Interesting comments , keep em coming , it does us all good to exercise our minds on God's Word .........


I have a small contribution to make , I was once told , can't remember who , that Satan has Power , he can heal the sick , and do many miracles , but his power is stolen ........ not a GIFT and not Authorised by God .

Satan has no right to do miracles ........... same could be true of Eternal life , God wanted it to be a gift , NOT STOLEN or GRABBED at ..........mmmmmmmmm

just puzzeling it over ...........

 

[hopper]

-

 

[reformedfan]

Great question.

Look in Numbers 14, as soon as God banished Israel to wander rather than inhabit the promised land, suddenly the Israelites decided they would try to take the land after all, & they tried & were defeated. It wasn't a sudddenly Godly desire to believe God's promises, I think remorse over blessings being revoked. There is remorse of the world, but it leads to death.

 

[rnmomof7]

Interesting comments , keep em coming , it does us all good to exercise our minds on God's Word .........


I have a small contribution to make , I was once told , can't remember who , that Satan has Power , he can heal the sick , and do many miracles , but his power is stolen ........ not a GIFT and not Authorised by God .

Satan has no right to do miracles ........... same could be true of Eternal life , God wanted it to be a gift , NOT STOLEN or GRABBED at ..........mmmmmmmmm

just puzzeling it over ...........

I just heard a Reformed pastor preach on the radio that the flaming sword that guarded the way into paradise was the word of God .

I like the thought.. it is the word that brings us faith to believe and opens the gates to paradise for us .

"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. "

Where is that tree of Life now?


Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.


Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which bare twelve [manner of] fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations.



I do not believe that Satan can steal anything from God..
As My pastor says Satan is a tool in the hand of God.

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God

 

[cygnusx1]

I just heard a Reformed pastor preach on the radio that the flaming sword that guarded the way into paradise was the word of God .

I like the thought.. it is the word that brings us faith to believe and opens the gates to paradise for us .

"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. "

Where is that tree of Life now?


Rev 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.


Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, [was there] the tree of life, which bare twelve [manner of] fruits, [and] yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree [were] for the healing of the nations.



I do not believe that Satan can steal anything from God..
As My pastor says Satan is a tool in the hand of God.

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God

hi Sister
mmmmmmm

it is worth examining all of this over and over , Satan is no match for God , dualism (equal opposing powers) is certainly UnBiblical , but so is the idea that Satan is merely a 'puppet king' , sure God can and does overrule every evil device , thank God He does , yet Satan is a very real enemy of God and there is a genuine war going on in the heavenlies , some Calvinists would vitually deny this by stressing God's sovereignty , but there really is no need , just contemplate the enmity there is between God and satan , on both sides , no ransom or redemption even being offered Satan or any fallen angel...........

as for satan not stealing anything fron God .......... mankind , made in God's image is under the power of satan , and Jesus did say , of Satan -

"The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy…" John 10:10

likewise , Judas was stealing from the common purse and Jesus both knew it and decreed it , yet theft it was.

just my thoughts , keep up the imput , thanks