Bible Discussion Thread

In the Beginning, God Created the Heavens and the Earth. In it, He placed a Garden. In it, He also placed Adam and Eve. And God declared everything He created, Perfect.

1. Why didn't the Garden cover all of the earth?

2. What is the meaning or definition of a Perfect Garden?

3. How do weeds grow in a Perfect Garden?

4. How Perfect were the people God created and placed in the Garden?

5. What are the flaws of Perfection?

6. If Adam and Eve were Perfect, how was it possible for them to disobey God?

7. Where did God go wrong with creation?

In the beginning ... God created Heaven and Earth.

Could this also mean that the earth is millions or even billions of years old?

Then we see the creation of 6 days and He rested on the 7th. day.

Could this also be the creation of Paradise in which still exists today, but not on this wicked planet in which Satan is the god of? Because an Angel was station at the entrance to prevent anyone from entering. After the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the veil was torn open and we now have access to the throne of God and Paradise is now open for the saints and for those who hath been redeemed. The TREE OF LIFE is still in the midst.

Is it possible that the first man Adam failed because of deception and the second man Jesus Christ was tempted just like Adam... but he defeated the accuser.

I say this because Jesus said to the man on the cross.. today... you will be with me in Paradise.

Then the graves were open and the saints who had died were now resurrected into Paradise.

I hope and pray that someone could help me or prove me wrong.

Because if Cain killed his brother Abel and he was to leave home, He went to the land of Nod, where he met his wife. This was after Adam and Eve were removed from Paradise and brought down to this OLD EARTH. Could there be 2 earths... One that is billions of years old and the other in which God created in 6 days.

Brian, first of all, there is only one earth. God created the earth with a Purpose and that Purpose is Christ ( Col 1:16). Everything happened here. With respect to the days of creation, St. Augustine and many of the Church Fathers questioned whether the 6 Days of Creation were literal 24 hour days. In Genesis 2:5-9, for example, tells us plants and trees took time to grow. God, we are also told, planted a garden in Eden. The implication is that planting, watering and cultivating a garden takes time. So the question is, do we do Scripture justice by insisting that God created everything in 6 literal days?

The Days of Genesis are probably more than likely periods time, phases of development, stages. This is not a new thought. What has confused many is the fear of accepting that the word 'Day' is not literal. Many Christians fear God will not be happy with them and think admitting it is tantamount to denying the infallibility of Scripture.

But take a peek at Hebrews 3-4. There Paul explicitly tells us that we are still in the 7th Day of God's Rest. And that Day will come to an end at the coming of Christ. So, if the 7th Day can be 6,000 years old, why can't the 1st Day be as long? Now, St. Augustine believed God created us imperfect (able to die, experience pain and suffer). We were supposed, he said, to work our way into Paradise. But when man disobeyed, he failed to perform the works that would lead him to Paradise.

What I want everyone to think about is that God created everything that exists, not for its own enjoyment or road to Paradise. God created for Christ to enter creation to eradicate, annihilate, destroy and put an end to corruption (physical, moral, spiritual), pain, suffering, evil, death and to establish eternal perfection in all things God creates. That is why God stopped creating on the 7th Day, to resume creating a new earth and universe, after His Purpose for this existence is accomplished in Christ, who is the Tree of Life.