Why did God place a tree in paradise?

[Anonymous]

Kurieuo: Split from God + love + hell = ?

PremoMD in reply to the original thought...

This is a question I get asked often. If God is so loving why did He create a hell to eternally punish people? Why didn't He just put the fruit from the tree of knowledge good/evil up a little higher so sin would have never entered into the world? Why didn't He prevent all this from happening so no one would end up in hell? Almost 3 separate questions here but I think you get the gist.

Ask yourself, 'Why did a loving God permit such a tree in paradise?'
Can God tempt man? Now here I am saying can God tempt man with evil.
Absolutely Not! It states in James 1:13-15 that cannot [may I add will not] tempt any man with evil. It would be evil if God was enticing man with something he should not eat or touch. But God was going to allow man to take from that tree, but not now! We as humans are so impatient! We want things NOW! Look at our world, it is building upon the instantaneous. God was wanting man to wait. Wait for what you ask.

Glad you asked. In the book of 2 Peter 1:5 it states [KJV] "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge;". Now 'diligence' is hard work, making every effort on your part. What is it that we are to work hard at.
It is to work hard at 'virtue', 'moral excellence', 'modesty & purity'. In simplest terms it is the desire to be pleasing to God.
Then after you have virtue, then add knowledge. When man has the desire to please God, then he is ready to fill his head with knowledge. Then there will be no desire to move towards evil because he would see that is not pleasing to God.

Similarly, when your child shows trust and desire to please you, you are ready to move them to a higher level of trust. Interestingly, God says we are to be as a little child when we come to Him.
See Luke 18:17, Matthew 18:2-5.
You would never give your young child power tools to play with, and if they did get hold of them they could much damage to themselves and others not understanding the power behind it. So likewise God does not want us to have something before we are ready for it.

In Romans 5:15-19 we find Jesus is the second Adam that learned obedience. Whereas the first Adam was disobedient, the second Adam was obedient. Praise be to God.

Compassion

[BavarianWheels]

PremoMD in reply to the original thought...

This is a question I get asked often. If God is so loving why did He create a hell to eternally punish people? Why didn't He just put the fruit from the tree of knowledge good/evil up a little higher so sin would have never entered into the world? Why didn't He prevent all this from happening so no one would end up in hell? Almost 3 separate questions here but I think you get the gist.

Ask yourself, 'Why did a loving God permit such a tree in paradise?'
Can God tempt man? Now here I am saying can God tempt man with evil.
Absolutely Not! It states in James 1:13-15 that cannot [may I add will not] tempt any man with evil. It would be evil if God was enticing man with something he should not eat or touch. But God was going to allow man to take from that tree, but not now! We as humans are so impatient! We want things NOW! Look at our world, it is building upon the instantaneous. God was wanting man to wait. Wait for what you ask.

I respectfully disagree.

The tree had nothing within it that was knowledge OR life for that matter. The tree had nothing to offer that Adam and Eve didn't have...other than in taking the "forbidden" fruit meant they would learn what evil really was. God knew they would take it prior to...well he always knew. The point being that they didn't trust enough in God to allow Him to teach them about evil in His own manner. How God would've taught what evil does, I don't know. However, the serpent didn't really lie to Eve...even God acknowledges that Adam and Eve...

The man has no become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.

The tree was created by God. The tree itself didn't have life to give, but was a symbol of God's sustaining power. God alone is immortal (1 Timothy 6:16) and who alone affords everlasting life.

God did not create hell. Evil is a by-product of Good.

Sin created Hell. Any creation, created being that goes against God, creates it's own Hell.
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[Anonymous]

I have to strongly disagree my friend...
BavarianWheels wrote:

...However, the serpent didn't really lie to Eve...even God acknowledges that Adam and Eve...

Satan takes a truth with a little lie, and bingo we have evil...
Consider Genesis 2:16,17. God is speaking to man it explicitly states, "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
Consider the temptation of Christ - Matthew 4:1-11 - Jesus corrects Satan's quote of Scripture. With a little lie Satan tries to lead us down the wrong path.

Notice when Satan tempts Eve, he states, "God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." Genesis 3:3
Satan added to the word of God. Notice what Proverbs 30:6, Revelation 22:18,19 states adding you will be found to be a liar. And certainly Satan added the information if you eat from this tree you will become like God. God never gave that information to Adam. At that time it was too much for him to handle, because he had not yet walked in obedience.

It would be like giving to a child information on something they cannot handle yet. You would be overloading that child with something they cannot handle yet. Parents are protective because they know this to be true. Interesting we are to come to God as little children and be simple concerning evil.

If Satan had done nothing wrong, then why did God judge him in Genesis 3:14,15, and why did Jesus state [referring to Satan] John 8:44 that he was liar & murder from the beginning.

You also stated that...

God did not create hell. Evil is a by-product of Good.

First, God gives a Woe [Stop right there] command to those who call good evil, and evil good. Isaiah 5:20,21 If evil was a by product of good, it would be wholesome. How foolish a statement. Would you say murder is a by product of life.
Note: It also states cease from your own wisdom. Isaiah 5:21
God did create hell, and evil. Proverbs 16:4; Isaiah 45:7.
It is not that God is evil, for God is love John 4:8, 1 John 4:16, but that God gives us a capacity to accept or reject Him. Joshua 24:15 When God gave this capacity to reject Him, hell was created.

My friend you state...

Sin created Hell. Any creation, created being that goes against God, creates it's own Hell.

Where do you get this from Scripture. In principle you might correct that a man creates his own hell here on earth, but man has created nothing.

Be very careful with what you are teaching, for a teacher falls under greater judgement. 2 Peter 2:1; 2 Corinthians 5:10; James 3:1.

Compassion

[BavarianWheels]

Be very careful with what you are teaching, for a teacher falls under greater judgement. 2 Peter 2:1; 2 Corinthians 5:10; James 3:1.

Lucky for you, then, I'm not a teacher.
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[Anonymous]

BavarianWheels wrote:

Lucky for you, then, I'm not a teacher.

My friend every time you leave a post, you are teaching. And by the way under a greater judgement means also if you teach the truth, there is greater reward. Matthew 25:14-31; Luke 16:10-12.

So do you think you are free. WE ALL TEACH AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

Be careful thats all, make sure what you teach lines up with the Word of God. John 1:14
Compassion

[BavarianWheels]

BavarianWheels wrote:

Lucky for you, then, I'm not a teacher.

My friend every time you leave a post, you are teaching. And by the way under a greater judgement means also if you teach the truth, there is greater reward. Matthew 25:14-31; Luke 16:10-12.

So do you think you are free. WE ALL TEACH AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

Be careful thats all, make sure what you teach lines up with the Word of God. John 1:14
Compassion

Again...I'm not teaching anything. This is a discussion forum where everyone takes part in a discussion...a dialogue...it goes at least two ways. I'm not even a moderator where it would "seem" I'm directing the thoughts of any.

If you disagree with what I post, you are free to post your disagreement.
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[BavarianWheels]

I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all these things.

When you wave your hand in front of your face, have you "created" wind or does the action of hand movement cause wind?

Cause and Effect.
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[Anonymous]

BavarianWheels...I am not trying to disagree or create problems. I am just stating facts. In a discussion forum we present our thoughts or ideas. This is a form of teaching.
Certainly someone who declares themselves to be a teacher is under greater judgement, than one just giving thoughts. But we know that Scripture states we all will be judged by our words, thoughts, deeds. 2 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:11,12; Matthew 12:36.

I am not here to judge you, only we ought to discuss around the Word of God and that is all I am trying to do. 2 Timothy 2:15 I use the Word of God as my platform. Trust you understand.

Compassion

[Anonymous]

Giving an account of our thoughts/words/actions to God is a pretty terrifying thing. I know that I don't give reverence to this as much as I should, sometimes claiming the blood of Jesus will wash this thing away. I've heard of the rewards system in heaven and losing rewards based on how we're judged - not sure where that's in scripture though.

But anyways, this thread got kind of off topic. You guys should consider starting another one on creation creating its own hell or false teaching. And I hope that I DO sound like a broken record: Eph 4:32

[Anonymous]

Did god lie to Adam and Eve about the tree???

And only God is immortal, how could he promise us eternity in the Kingdom of Heaven???

Is god lying to us????

[Mastermind]

Depends what He means by immortal. I think He means He always has, is and always will be. We were created, so we have not been around forever. He has.

[Felgar]

Depends what He means by immortal. I think He means He always has, is and always will be. We were created, so we have not been around forever. He has.

Agreed mastermind. A better term for God is timeless - in that He had no beginning or end; He simply does not exist within the confines of time.

A lot of humans fail to recognize that they are immortal too - and eternal. We will continue to exist forever, and hopefully in the presence of God.