Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: spirited irish; betty boop; TXnMA; hosepipe; MHGinTN
Unless my understanding of your stated view is incorrect, what it appears to be saying is that Adams’ fall was from spirit into matter. If this is so, then it is similar in many ways to Western pagan, Gnostic, and Eastern views.

I'm saying that Adam was banished to mortality at the top of Genesis 4 - that his existence before that was in the spiritual realm. As evidence, the tree of life is in the midst of the Garden of Eden which is Paradise.

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. – Genesis 2:9

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. – Revelation 2:7

Whether my beliefs have any counterpart in Western pagan, Gnostic, and Eastern views is irrelevant to me. That many belief systems have a form of the golden rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you - does not invalidate it in Judeo/Christian belief.

My concern is the Word of God, Jesus Christ, and the words of God in Scripture.

Adam was sown into corruption. And he was the first sown into corruption.

So also [is] the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was made] a quickening spirit. The first man [is] of the earth, earthy: the second man [is] the Lord from heaven. As [is] the earthy, such [are] they also that are earthy: and as [is] the heavenly, such [are] they also that are heavenly.

And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. - I Cor 15:42-49

I truly cannot say whether, upon banishment, Adam's soul was enfleshed into an existing creature's fleshy body or whether he brought his own fleshy body or was given a new one. Likewise, I cannot say whether the spiritual realm intersects the physical realm in reference to the Garden of Eden, the Temple, the Holy Mountain and the Ark of Covenant - or whether the earthy was a type of the heavenly.

Some Jewish mystics believe the firmament of Genesis 1 is not geometric but rather a boundary separating the spiritual from the physical, i.e. that the spiritual and physical co-exist in the same space. If one were able to cross the boundary, he could appear any where or when, e.g.

Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. And this [is] the writing that was written, MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. - Daniel 5:24-25

And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. - Mark 9:4

Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. - John 8:59

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: [then] came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace [be] unto you. - John 20:26

But I can say that Adam was sown into corruption. That does not mean earthy=evil, heavenly=good - after all, Satan was in heaven and Jesus was in the earth.

However, it does mean that but for Christ we would be dead, body and soul.

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ [be] in you, the body [is] dead because of sin; but the Spirit [is] life because of righteousness. - Romans 8:9-10

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. - John 3:18

And again,

But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man [came] death, by man [came] also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. - I Cor 15:20-22

The Catholic Church does not reject evolution and, as I recall, sees Adam as the first ensouled man.

And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. - Genesis 2:7

And Christ is God enfleshed.

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:35

And again,

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. - Romans 5:12-14

Obviously I have serious problems with evolution per se because information (successful communication), autonomy, semiosis, inertia, etc. cannot be explained by natural causes and every attempt sounds like a "just so" story. Nevertheless, I am not threatened by such theories.

My faith is built on the Person Jesus Christ not any scientific theory or the debunking of any such theory.

But I do not expect anyone else to see things the way I do.

God's Name is I AM.

44 posted on 07/22/2012 9:38:05 AM PDT by Alamo-Girl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies ]


To: Alamo-Girl
Selah!
47 posted on 07/22/2012 12:36:18 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson