How should we account for Evil in the Garden?

[biblestudent78]

Without a doubt, there was evil that crept into the a garden of Eden. It took the form of a talking snake. If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from and what does your answer imply about the omnipotence and omnipotence of God+?

 

[sawdust]

Free will and it implies God is not worried about it's misuse as He is greater than our rebellions.

 

[biblestudent78]

Free will and it implies God is not worried about it's misuse as He is greater than our rebellions.

Interesting. God+ does not "worry" about our rebellion? What was the snake and who put it there? Then why the punishment? If God+ has no worries, why condemn all humanity and then effectively kill all life on earth?

 

[LoProfile]

Evil was not limited to the Garden of Eden, that same failure corrupted each and every one of us.
We face evil every day.
Some days we overcome.
Some days we succumb.
We can't let it hinder our walk with God, Jesus blood is what is cleansing our iniquity .... Not our failures or successes

 

[timf]

If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from

It is the risk God takes by giving his creatures free will. The reward is the harvest he gets of those who trust in his provision for us in Christ.

 

[tablet123]

Without a doubt, there was evil that crept into the a garden of Eden. It took the form of a talking snake. If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from and what does your answer imply about the omnipotence and omnipotence of God+?

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God an innocent nature in flesh so they knew no sin.

The only thing they would know is the reality that God told them and could not see it any other way.

God put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden because He gave them a choice.

But it would of never entered their mind to eat of the tree unless an outside source tempted them with an alternate reality.

So God allowed Satan to tempt Eve which she said they could not eat of the tree for that is all she could think and know.

So Satan tempted her with an alternate reality that if the ate of the tree they would be as gods having an elevated position.

So Eve ate and sinned.

Then Eve was the outside source that tempted Adam and he ate and sinned.

Then they knew they were naked and were shameful putting fig leaves on themselves and realized they were deceived not receiving any elevated position.

1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

The new age christianity that interprets the Bible and religions according to the occult and evolution, and people are going to evolve to be spiritual, and greater, and Jesus became an ascended master among others, and there is no personal God, but they honor the God of forces the power of the Cosmos, and the New Age Christ is the next world teacher.

The time will come that people will not want to hear the truth of the Bible but want to hear it according to the new age.

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Isa 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
Isa 14:17 That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?

The new age believes Lucifer is a god, and an alien, that gave mankind the principle of mind, and aliens will help mankind which they talk about the return of the gods.

This will happen again at the time of the antichrist which they believe they will evolve to be greater, and have peace on earth.

But they will realize they were deceived and there was no elevated position and the New Age Christ was no better than them.

Eze 18:18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
Eze 18:19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
Eze 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Mat 18:10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

And for people that think we are blamed for Adam and Eve's sin it is not true.

No person is responsible and not guilty for the sins of other people.

But everybody will bear their own sin.

We are born innocent with no sin on our record.

When Adam and Eve sinned they now have a choice.

So their offspring are born having a choice which is the rest of humanity.

Since we are born with a choice we are born not knowing God so we will sin before we accept God if we do.

So all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

 

[sawdust]

Interesting. God+ does not "worry" about our rebellion? What was the snake and who put it there? Then why the punishment? If God+ has no worries, why condemn all humanity and then effectively kill all life on earth?

Reality has consequences. Truth was given before the lie.

 

[Gideon300]

Without a doubt, there was evil that crept into the a garden of Eden. It took the form of a talking snake. If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from and what does your answer imply about the omnipotence and omnipotence of God+?

Satan was once the most glorious and powerful of angelic beings. He became proud and rebelled against God. God kicked him out of heaven and he came to earth. He was not a talking snake. He was a stunningly beautiful, intelligent and clever angel.

God allowed Satan to tempt Adam and Eve. The reasons require a good deal of explanation, but the short version is this: God wanted a being made in His own image with whom He could fellowship, like Father and son. God did not want a robot. He wanted someone who would freely choose. So God allowed Adam to make that choice. Adam listened to Satan's words and rejected the word of God. So Adam took on Satan's nature and turned away from his Creator.

Another purpose God had for Adam was to rule and reign over creation. That included Satan. God intended for Adam to defeat Satan.

God knew this would happen. He already planned that Lord Jesus would come as the Last Adam. Lord Jesus emptied Himself of all that made Him God and took on the form of man. Lord Jesus obeyed God perfectly in every way. Lord Jesus defeated Satan every time the devil attacked. Finally, Satan killed the innocent man and so Satan brought about his own downfall.

Evil did not "creep in". God placed the tree of the knowledge of good an evil in Eden as well as the tree of life. God knew what He was doing, knew what it would cost Him and what the result would be. One day we will see clearly and be even more amazed than we are now.

 

[Magenta]

Adam and Eve were of the natural world.

James 1 verses 14-15; 1 John 2 verse 16 Each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. For all that is in the world- the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life- is not from the Father but from the world. .

 

[rewriter]

When God created the physical realm and all its inhabitants, He made it good, very good, which carries the implication that it was working exactly as God wanted it to. Are we humans mistaking something intentionally included in the physical creation to teach us a lesson we don't want to learn as "evil"? The more important question to my mind is not, where did evil come from, but rather, just what exactly is evil. Romans 1:25 includes the same definite adjective, "the". before both "truth" and "lie", so either it says, "a truth" and "a lie" or it is "the truth" and "the lie", even though most translations say, "the truth" and "a lie", and are thus inconsistent and perverting the word of God. I find evil to be humanity's choice to believe a very specific lie, so evil was not present in the garden until humans created it by our own choice.

 

[PaulThomson]

Without a doubt, there was evil that crept into the a garden of Eden. It took the form of a talking snake. If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from and what does your answer imply about the omnipotence and omnipotence of God+?

Maybe Adam and Eve were as much a temptation for Lucifer as Lucifer was a tempter to them. It seems to me like angels made from light were appointed to serve mankind made from earth, and man had been given greater authority on earth than the angels commissioned to serve them. But Lucifer was offended that he, so much more obviously glorious than flesh and blood, should be requires to serve under mankind, so in his pride and envy he seems to have devised a plan to usurp authority over the planet away from mankind, by getting man to trust and obey him and to distrust and disbelieve God - man thereby yielding to Lucifer his God-given authority over the planet, making Lucifer the top god of this world. After becoming satan (adversary) by working against man and God, bringing mankind under ingis own rule, satan then convinced 1/3 of the angels to serve under himself to help him rule over mankind, rather than them serve God and being ruled by mankind. So he became the prince of demons.

The evil came into the garden first as a lust within Lucifer’s heart, which he acted upon, becoming satan’s sin and causing Lucifer’s fall, and leading to Adam’s sin and Adam’s fall. Evil was the result of misused free will granted to angels and men. Despite initial and ongoing rebellion against God by angels and men, God has been able to persuade a vast multitude to turn back to Him, which evidences His great power and wisdom and patience and long-suffering and mercy and love toward His creatures and over His creation.

 

[Lovette]

Without a doubt, there was evil that crept into the a garden of Eden. It took the form of a talking snake. If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from and what does your answer imply about the omnipotence and omnipotence of God+?

Evil is not of its own entity, but the absence of godliness, it's the perversion and destruction of God's good creation. God doesn't create junk, neither is he responsible for any junk.

 

[Mem]

When God created the physical realm and all its inhabitants, He made it good, very good, which carries the implication that it was working exactly as God wanted it to. Are we humans mistaking something intentionally included in the physical creation to teach us a lesson we don't want to learn as "evil"? The more important question to my mind is not, where did evil come from, but rather, just what exactly is evil. Romans 1:25 includes the same definite adjective, "the". before both "truth" and "lie", so either it says, "a truth" and "a lie" or it is "the truth" and "the lie", even though most translations say, "the truth" and "a lie", and are thus inconsistent and perverting the word of God. I find evil to be humanity's choice to believe a very specific lie, so evil was not present in the garden until humans created it by our own choice.

The definite article, the, only appears before "truth." Even if you search the Bible app for "'the' lie," the only relevant result is the NIV's Isaiah 28:17 but the definite article is missing in the Lexicon and the Strong's. There is only one truth, 'the' (definite) truth, but there is an innumerable amount of lies within any deviation from the truth. The truth is uncommon but lies are not. Adam was not deceived; how then did he not know that the serpent was lying?

 

[GWH]

Without a doubt, there was evil that crept into the a garden of Eden. It took the form of a talking snake. If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from and what does your answer imply about the omnipotence and omnipotence of God+?

The essential aspect of being a human rather than a robot or subhuman creature is moral free will (MFW), which is what enables a person to experience love and meaning. This is what makes humans different from animals, whose behavior is governed mainly by instinct. This is what it means to be created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27; robot or responsible)?

MFW only exists when there is the possibility of choosing between two qualitatively opposite moral options that we call good and evil. These options are opposites because of essentially different consequences for choosing them. Choosing good results in blessing, life and heaven; and choosing evil results in cursing, death and hell (Deut. 30:19). This is why hell as well as heaven exists. It is the just consequence for choosing evil rather than God.

The Spirit of God is good: love, peace and joy (Gal. 5:22-23). Therefore, whoever rejects the Lord is spiritually separated from Him (Isa. 59:2) and thereby chooses the evil or satanic spirit of hatred, strife and misery and reaps the just consequence called “hell” in the afterlife (Gal. 6:7-9, Heb. 9:27-28). Jesus referred to this fundamental choice in terms of a fish or egg versus a snake or scorpion (Luke 11:11-13). Life… or Curse? (Gen. 3:24, Rev. 22:1-2)

God created theoretical evil or the possibility of rejecting Him as an option that actualizes MFW/free human personality. As such it is necessary and even good (Gen. 1:31). Of course, it was wrong for Satan (1John 3:8) and humanity (Rom. 5:12) to make evil actual by choosing to Sin or reject Faith in God’s Lordship. Sin: ignoring God/God’s Word.

 

[rewriter]

The definite article, the, only appears before "truth." Even if you search the Bible app for "'the' lie," the only relevant result is the NIV's Isaiah 28:17 but the definite article is missing in the Lexicon and the Strong's. There is only one truth, 'the' (definite) truth, but there is an innumerable amount of lies within any deviation from the truth. The truth is uncommon but lies are not. Adam was not deceived; how then did he not know that the serpent was lying?

I am looking at the original Greek where the same definite article appears in the text two times, once before the Greek word translated as "truth" and once before the Greek word translated as "lie". Now that human translators most often choose to ignore the definite article before "lie" does not change the fact that in the original Greek it is present.,

Many things are presented as being "truth", just as there are many lies. But when the Greek specifies "THE truth" and "THE lie" it is not referencing just anything but rather something very specific.

 

[God-fearing]

Without a doubt, there was evil that crept into the a garden of Eden. It took the form of a talking snake. If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from and what does your answer imply about the omnipotence and omnipotence of God+?

This very event designed by God imo had placed the entire Bible into play. Obviously the separation of man and God is awful but needed to be established. Creator from creation. Futher it established faith, and obedience to his word.
If you look at what God did then siad you can see its out come.
Our first parents tried to cover up there shame with fig leaves which are a very uncomfortable attire. Which would most likely lead to more irritation. The fact of this action suggest that they could fix the problem. (Be as God)
God in his grace and love provides a alternative. (For by grace you are saved)

God spoke of child bearing being painful iam sure eve recalled this moment when she gave birth. Teaching that the word of the Lord shall come to pass. (Through faith)

Adam now tends a garden that is cursed with thorn and thistle, depending on God for its yield to provide food for him and family.
( and that not of yourselves...it is a gift of Gods.)

The serpent is not a snake but a dragon cursed to crawl in the dust of the earth as a beaten foe. Defenseless and pitiful.

Just some observations

 

[biblestudent78]

If God+ did not put the evil in the garden, where did it come from

It is the risk God takes by giving his creatures free will. The reward is the harvest he gets of those who trust in his provision for us in Christ.

If sin was the enemy and God knew what would happen if He put sin in the garden, either He did not know what would happen, or He planned for it to happen. There is no biblical basis in Genesis that mankind was created with a "free will" and that God did not know exactly what would happen when He put Satan in the garden.

 

[God-fearing]

If sin was the enemy and God knew what would happen if He put sin in the garden, either He did not know what would happen, or He planned for it to happen. There is no biblical basis in Genesis that mankind was created with a "free will" and that God did not know exactly what would happen when He put Satan in the garden.

Why do you think God put Satan in the garden? God does not tempt us with evil.

 

[biblestudent78]

The essential aspect of being a human rather than a robot or subhuman creature is moral free will (MFW), which is what enables a person to experience love and meaning. This is what makes humans different from animals, whose behavior is governed mainly by instinct. This is what it means to be created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27; robot or responsible)?

MFW only exists when there is the possibility of choosing between two qualitatively opposite moral options that we call good and evil. These options are opposites because of essentially different consequences for choosing them. Choosing good results in blessing, life and heaven; and choosing evil results in cursing, death and hell (Deut. 30:19). This is why hell as well as heaven exists. It is the just consequence for choosing evil rather than God.

The Spirit of God is good: love, peace and joy (Gal. 5:22-23). Therefore, whoever rejects the Lord is spiritually separated from Him (Isa. 59:2) and thereby chooses the evil or satanic spirit of hatred, strife and misery and reaps the just consequence called “hell” in the afterlife (Gal. 6:7-9, Heb. 9:27-28). Jesus referred to this fundamental choice in terms of a fish or egg versus a snake or scorpion (Luke 11:11-13). Life… or Curse? (Gen. 3:24, Rev. 22:1-2)

God created theoretical evil or the possibility of rejecting Him as an option that actualizes MFW/free human personality. As such it is necessary and even good (Gen. 1:31). Of course, it was wrong for Satan (1John 3:8) and humanity (Rom. 5:12) to make evil actual by choosing to Sin or reject Faith in God’s Lordship. Sin: ignoring God/God’s Word.

Man was created initially with a degree of free will (and in the second version of creation, woman was created at the same time.) He named all the animals, birds and fish using whatever free will he had been given to do that. Man tended the garden based on his free will as there is no evidence God instructed him how to tend the garden. All that expression of man's free will was sinless. It was only after God put Satan in the garden, something man had never seen or experienced and man had never heard a lie. Thus had no frame of reference about new information coming from the mouth of a talking snake. It works as a beautiful allegory or an indictment about the two creation stories if taken literally.

 

[biblestudent78]

Maybe Adam and Eve were as much a temptation for Lucifer as Lucifer was a tempter to them. It seems to me like angels made from light were appointed to serve mankind made from earth, and man had been given greater authority on earth than the angels commissioned to serve them. But Lucifer was offended that he, so much more obviously glorious than flesh and blood, should be requires to serve under mankind, so in his pride and envy he seems to have devised a plan to usurp authority over the planet away from mankind, by getting man to trust and obey him and to distrust and disbelieve God - man thereby yielding to Lucifer his God-given authority over the planet, making Lucifer the top god of this world. After becoming satan (adversary) by working against man and God, bringing mankind under ingis own rule, satan then convinced 1/3 of the angels to serve under himself to help him rule over mankind, rather than them serve God and being ruled by mankind. So he became the prince of demons.

The evil came into the garden first as a lust within Lucifer’s heart, which he acted upon, becoming satan’s sin and causing Lucifer’s fall, and leading to Adam’s sin and Adam’s fall. Evil was the result of misused free will granted to angels and men. Despite initial and ongoing rebellion against God by angels and men, God has been able to persuade a vast multitude to turn back to Him, which evidences His great power and wisdom and patience and long-suffering and mercy and love toward His creatures and over His creation.

Does that imply that God had no power over Lucifer? Are you suggesting that even if God+ did not Lucifer in the garden, God+ was powerless to prevent it? Where is the part about angels in the first two creation stories?