Were humans created immortal?

sccs · May 30, 2011

Hi folks,

My question is:

When God created man and woman in the garden, were they designed to be immortal? I know that they were created in God's image, therefore, spiritual and eternal beings. Does that mean physically?

I can see the argument for immortality because once sin was introduced, death was also introduced, thus putting a cap on human life.

I'd like to hear your thoughts. Please explain what you think and possibly some Scripture references please. Thank you!

Assyrian · May 30, 2011

Noblerare said:
Hi folks,

My question is:

When God created man and woman in the garden, were they designed to be immortal? I know that they were created in God's image, therefore, spiritual and eternal beings. Does that mean physically?

I can see the argument for immortality because once sin was introduced, death was also introduced, thus putting a cap on human life.

I'd like to hear your thoughts. Please explain what you think and possibly some Scripture references please. Thank you!

1Cor 15:50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Adam and eve were made of flesh Gen 2:23 Then the man said, This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. So, no. Mankind was not created immortal.

Greg1234 · May 30, 2011

Noblerare said:
Hi folks,

My question is:

When God created man and woman in the garden, were they designed to be immortal? I know that they were created in God's image, therefore, spiritual and eternal beings. Does that mean physically?

Yep- see the Nazarene preferably post resurrection. He came to restore the kingdom, which was not a reversion to a bacterium.

juvenissun · May 30, 2011

Noblerare said:
Hi folks,

My question is:

When God created man and woman in the garden, were they designed to be immortal? I know that they were created in God's image, therefore, spiritual and eternal beings. Does that mean physically?

I can see the argument for immortality because once sin was introduced, death was also introduced, thus putting a cap on human life.

I'd like to hear your thoughts. Please explain what you think and possibly some Scripture references please. Thank you!

If Adam physically die before the sin, then the whole Christianity is over. He must not die, until he sinned.

juvenissun · May 30, 2011

Assyrian said:
1Cor 15:50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Adam and eve were made of flesh Gen 2:23 Then the man said, This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. So, no. Mankind was not created immortal.

This is another example of insufficiency of human language. We always overload the meaning of a single word. The flesh in ICor 15 is not the same word as the flesh in Gen 2. In ICor 15, it means sinful flesh, but in Gen 1, it means sinless flesh.

In fact, this error is inherited from your metaphoric interpretation of Genesis. Adam's flesh is NOT the same as our flesh. Adam is more than a normal human being.

Mallon · May 30, 2011

Noblerare said:
When God created man and woman in the garden, were they designed to be immortal?

Obviously not because immortality was only gained through eating of the Tree of Life.

Assyrian · May 30, 2011

juvenissun said:
This is another example of insufficiency of human language. We always overload the meaning of a single word. The flesh in ICor 15 is not the same word as the flesh in Gen 2. In ICor 15, it means sinful flesh, but in Gen 1, it means sinless flesh. ]

'Flesh and blood' means sinful nature?
Heb 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.

In fact, this error is inherited from your metaphoric interpretation of Genesis. Adam's flesh is NOT the same as our flesh. Adam is more than a normal human being.

That's not what Paul says. 1Cor 15:47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust. Paul says our bodies are just like Adam's and Paul isn't talking about when Adam fell, he is talking about when God made him from the earth. It has nothing to do with a metaphorical interpretation. The text simply does not say what you read into it.

shernren · May 30, 2011

Either way it's a bit of a moot question, innit?

chris4243 · May 30, 2011

Mallon said:
Obviously not because immortality was only gained through eating of the Tree of Life.

Exactly. If Adam and Eve were created immortal, then the Tree of Life was useless.

shernren · May 30, 2011

But the Tree of Life is also in Revelations 22; will we still be mortal then?

juvenissun · May 30, 2011

Assyrian said:
'Flesh and blood' means sinful nature?
Heb 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.

That's not what Paul says. 1Cor 15:47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust. Paul says our bodies are just like Adam's and Paul isn't talking about when Adam fell, he is talking about when God made him from the earth. It has nothing to do with a metaphorical interpretation. The text simply does not say what you read into it.

Yes, the first man. But Paul referred to the first man who lived outside of the Garden.

Assyrian · May 30, 2011

juvenissun said:
Yes, the first man. But Paul referred to the first man who lived outside of the Garden.

So the first man wasn't Adam?

1Cor 15:45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.
47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.

Mallon · May 30, 2011

shernren said:
But the Tree of Life is also in Revelations 22; will we still be mortal then?

If we insist on reading the Genesis creation accounts and Revelation literally, then I guess so!

Greg1234 · May 30, 2011

Mallon said:
Obviously not because immortality was only gained through eating of the Tree of Life.

The tree of life here depicts the retainment of man's heritage while in flesh which is through the tree of life. After the fall, man was gaurded from the tree of life. Jesus, when immortal said "I am the bread of life" Rev 22:14, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life". Adam's right to the tree of life means that his robes were already washed and was immortal in flesh.

Mallon · May 30, 2011

Greg1234 said:
The tree of life here depicts the retainment of man's heritage while in flesh which is through the tree of life. After the fall, man was gaurded from the tree of life. Jesus, when immortal said "I am the bread of life" Rev 22:14, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life". Adam's right to the tree of life means that his robes were already washed and was immortal in flesh.

A very non-literal interpretation of Genesis 2, I might add.

juvenissun · May 30, 2011

Assyrian said:
So the first man wasn't Adam?

1Cor 15:45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.
47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.

Are you OK? You seems to be confused.

Yes, the first man was Adam, the sinful Adam who lived outside the Garden.

juvenissun · May 30, 2011

shernren said:
But the Tree of Life is also in Revelations 22; will we still be mortal then?

Adam certainly can eat the fruit from the Tree of Life. The fruit won't make him any different. That is why God did not forbid him to eat from that tree. And Adam probably couldn't care less about that tree. Notice that he and Eve did not jump up and run to that tree after they sinned.

Tree of Life is also in Heaven. But we will not care about it either. Do we still need food in the Heaven? I don't think Adam actually needs to eat to live in the Garden. Can you simply eat fruits all day all the time?

Mallon · May 30, 2011

juvenissun said:
Adam certainly can eat the fruit from the Tree of Life. The fruit won't make him any different. That is why God did not forbid him to eat from that tree. And Adam probably couldn't care less about that tree. Notice that he and Eve did not jump up and run to that tree after they sinned.

Actually, after the Fall, Adam and Eve couldn't "jump up and run to that tree" because God banned them from the Garden for the express reason that they couldn't eat from the Tree of Life.

Assyrian · May 31, 2011

Too busy hiding because they were naked.

Assyrian · May 31, 2011

juvenissun said:
Are you OK? You seems to be confused.

Yes, the first man was Adam, the sinful Adam who lived outside the Garden.

Confused? You are the one who seems to be talking about two Adams. Then again that's what Philo thought so you are in good company. Paul also talked of two Adams but the other one was Jesus. You are talking about two different Adams aren't you?

Anyway, did you notice how Paul was quoting from scripture?
1Cor 15:45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being";
Paul is quoting from Genesis 2
Gen 2:7 then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
This is the Adam God put in the garden. Gen 2:8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. He lived in the garden until he sinned.

Were humans created immortal?

Active Member

Basically pulling an Obama (Thanks Calminian!)

In the beginning was El

... and God saw that it was good.

... and God saw that it was good.

Senior Veteran

Basically pulling an Obama (Thanks Calminian!)

you are not reading this.

Advocate of Truth

you are not reading this.

... and God saw that it was good.

Basically pulling an Obama (Thanks Calminian!)

Senior Veteran

In the beginning was El

Senior Veteran

... and God saw that it was good.

... and God saw that it was good.

Senior Veteran

Basically pulling an Obama (Thanks Calminian!)

Basically pulling an Obama (Thanks Calminian!)

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency