Some Religious Topics of Christian

The apple that Eve and Adam ate represents more power than what they need. The apple is the original of our sin. Human usually wants to be in control and obtain some more power than necessary. The desire for wealthier, safer, healthier, and longer life for ourselves and our descendents may cause us to try to get more power than what we really need. This sin cannot be removed because it is not easy to judge the need and the desire. Only God can decide what we really need.

Is it unlawful? Law can be changed. Is it immoral? Moral will evolve. In Holy Bible, Satan is evil. Satan means against God. Therefore, against God is evil. What is the way God punish Satan (evil)? God will imprison Satan in the future by fire but God will not kill Satan.

What do God permit and forbid the conducts of Satan? The answer is in the book of Job. Satan is authorized to damage, threaten, and lure people. It is like the tests that Jesus Christ encountered in the wild field. First is the hungry test. Second is the life threatening test. Third is the power and money temptation test. Although Jesus prayed for not to test people, nevertheless, people will be tested by Satan through above three kinds of test. Those tests are permitted by God and are the ways to choose people for Heaven. God forbid Satan to kill Job. God do not let Satan to possess Job. Therefore, everybody is safe under God's control. Everybody has his or her own will to behave. God will give us life in heaven if we pass God's tests. Peter did not acknowledge Jesus for three times so he can save his life for more God's things later.

Do you know the people who cannot pass God's tests will be left behind on Earth or thrown to Hell not on Earth? Bible said that Jesus will pick up some people to Heaven secretly. Bible also said that we pray the kingdom of God will come to Earth. Ideally, we want to make Earth like Heaven. But, this is impossible and not necessary. Earth is a place for God to test people.

In New Testament, Jesus did not go to the hostile village to preach. Jesus preached to a woman who lived in a hostile village and then that woman went back to spread Jesus' word. For hostile area, Jesus' word needs to be distributed indirectly, to special persons, at special timing.

Everybody wants to love and be loved at least like brother and sister or friend. Love is a common food for our hearts. With love from people and God, faith can be built, and then hope will come. Peace in heart is what we need in daily life. Pray, especially with others, is the way to get all the above.

Very interesting thoughts you have posted here. I just wanted to say a few things.

First of all, there is no mention of the fruit being an apple in Scripture. Just want to be accurate. Also, I would like to note that Adam and Eve would have lived forever, perfectly healthy, completely safe, with the entire earth as their wealth. That is what God intended for human beings all along, so the desire for those things is not wrong or unnatural. Ultimately, since His purposes are not thwarted, we will still have those things, just not in this wicked, dying system.

In addition, the Bible is actually pretty clear as to what sin Adam and Eve committed.

Genesis 3:5 - "For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad."

God gave Adam and Eve everything, but they wanted the power to determine right from wrong for themselves. That is a domain reserved exclusively for the Creator. He is the only one who knows what is good and what is bad.

What do God permit and forbid the conducts of Satan? The answer is in the book of Job. Satan is authorized to damage, threaten, and lure people.

This is an interesting perspective. Satan challenged God on two counts: 1. He challenged God's right to rule, God's sovereignty. He told Eve that she could rule herself, determine for herself right from wrong. Of course, what Satan wanted was to rule them himself. 2. As was illustrated with Job, Satan challenged that the humans who DID worship God were only doing it because of the benefits.

As to the first charge, the history of human rule is a sordid, sad tale. Jeremiah 10:23 puts it best, "to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step." Clearly, humans canNOT rule themselves. As to Satan's second charge, it is up to God's servants to be witnesses of Him, to worship and serve Him no matter what Satan throws at us.

However, I must wonder if this is why we exist, to be tested and tortured by Satan. According to scripture, God did not create humans on earth with the purpose of them being misled into horrible lives by Satan. We were put here to fill the earth, subdue it. To have righteous and caring dominion over the animals. To make the entire earth a Paradise like Eden. To live forever, in health and perfection. God made the earth to stand forever, and he made it for humans.

Ideally, we want to make Earth like Heaven. But, this is impossible and not necessary. Earth is a place for God to test people.

Do you really believe that this beautiful earth, with its millions of diverse and splendid delights, the many species of plant and animals, the delicious fruits and spices, the vast oceans and the inspiring terrain...this was all made just to be a hellish "testing ground"?

Matthew 5:5, "Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth."

Psalms 37:11, "But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, And they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace."

Psalms 37:29, "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it."

Revelation 11:18 says that God will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth." Why if He did not care about it? Psalms 104:5 says the earth has been made to stand, and will not be "made to totter" forever.

Jesus compared the final judgement to the days of Noah. 2 Peter 3:5-7 further fleshes out the comparison, and he says the "world of that time suffered destruction". But it was the world of wicked mankind, not the earth itself that was destroyed. No, this wonderful earth was meant to be made into a Paradise, where peaceful, faithful mankind would live forever. Isaiah 55:11 says God's purpose cannot be thwarted.

The apostles and early Christians certainly preached in "hostile territory", did they not? At Matthew 24:14 and Matt. 28:19, 20 says that disciples must be made in all the nations. There are no limits on the evangelizing work. We are told to preach with boldness. Jesus instructed his disciples to go everywhere, but if their message is rejected or they are not treated hospitably, to "shake the dust off" their feet and move on. But he did not tell them to shrink back from "hostile territory".

Jesus did not preach to the Gentiles or Samarians because, according to Matt. 15:24, "I was not sent forth to any but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." However, Jesus notably sent his own disciples to the nations, and Peter was given the keys to open up the preaching work to the Gentile peoples. Paul preached everywhere, to the unbelieving and mocking Greeks and to Jews who wanted to kill him. I am not sure what account you are speaking of, but we will suffer and be persecuted as Christians. Many have died. We do not shy off from it.

Thank you for the interesting discussion.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.