Looking for a Christian perspective of Genesis 3 vs 22

So God says that it's OK that other people (non-Christians) have other gods even though they will burn in hell for believing in those other gods because those other gods are backed by Satan?

That doesn't seem very compassionate to me. Sounds more like a perverted version of "Let's Make A Deal"

Behind one of these doors is salvation, but behind the other two is eternal fire and damnation!

 

God told us that if we seek Him with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind we will surley find Him. Another words, God will reveal to all who He is if we really want to know Him. Most people may have religion, but few have God. And religion will not save you. God will not be found hiding behind a door, you just have to ask Him to reveal Himself to you, and He will. Yet this requires a true, and seeking heart.

 

Ironically, I think that that is exactly what you're doing. You're taking the verses you mentioned in a such a literal sense that God saying "You shall put no other gods before me" means indefinitely that there are other gods existing. What I don't think you're taking into account here is the cultural backdrop, or the context. Let me put it this way, if we assume (as I think the bible does) that there is only one God, and if God wants to communicate this to people who are prone to worshipping other false gods, how could God communicate this in a way that would satisfactorily avoid your dilemma? Even if God were to say, "I am the one and only true God, therefore you shall put no other gods before me" this still wouldn't avoid your dilemma since God would still make mention of "other gods." However, the (I think) clear interpretation--and thus the intention--of this verse would have nothing to do with the existence of other gods, but with the conduct of people--how they ought to act in light of the fact that there is only one God.

Other verses deal explicitly with the existence other gods, like Isaiah 44:8 which says, "Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none."


Or Isaiah 43:10 which says,

"You are My witnesses," declares the LORD, "And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me."

Yes, thus it wouldn't be Judaism.

They were definitely important.

No, they wondered in the desert for 40 years precisely because of their weak faith, and their eagerness to turn to other gods.

No.

True, one is free to believe whatever he wants, but what he should be concerned about is if his beliefs are true.

 

But that revelation can only come through the Bible and JC, right Campbell?

 

According to the Bible... yes.

If one is getting any other "revelation" other than from the God of the Bible... then they better "test the spirits."

 

John 6:44

"No man can come to me unless the Father that sent me draws him,and I will raise him up on the last day."

These were Jesus' words to those who could not understand who he was or what he was saying.

Ephesians 1:4-6


"4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ according to the purpose of his will, 6to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

The Spirit of God alone illuminates the mind and regenerates the heart so sinful men may turn to Him in repentance. Man does not choose God,God chooses (predestined) those who will be conformed to the image of his son,"according to the purpose of his will".

Read also romans 9

let the discussion begin!

 

PungentHip...from my POV not worth my time to discuss.


IMO, the concepts of original sin and predestination are bullshit. Others here will disagree with me, I will disagree back, and nothing will be agreed upon or resolved.

End of discussion.

 

He's talking to jesus. Jesus ruled in heaven with god in the beginning. Or what others would call the trinity.

 

Oh... and I'm not one to argue on trinity. To each their own. But here are some scriptures as to why I personally don't believe in a trinity.

Malachi 2:10, Mark 10:18, 1 corinthians 11:3

 

Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?

-God is ONE god with three parts.

18"Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.

-Jesus was inferring that HE was indeed GOD!

Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

-Christ and God our equal but Christ relied on the power within the trinity.

 

I have my own interpetations of the scriptures. I appreciate you showing your views. I like seeing it in different perspectives.

 

you can have your your views about the Bible... but there are some general truths to the Bible... truths that are a solid foundation... and the trinity falls under that foundation... ESPECIALLY by Christians

 

The reason you have a different interpetation is because your doctrine does not agree with the Scriptures. Let me ask you a question. Who created the Earth? Was it Jesus? Was it the Father? Or did both of them create it together? I will look forward to your answer.

 

Could you tell me who created the earth? Was it Jesus? Was it the Father? Or was it both of them together?

 

sorry, i rarely visit these days, and now its so long after the fact. but ill add my thoughts anyhow.

when you ask who god was speaking id first ask you to define god...there is the supreme, acculmulated whole of creation, the lifeforce, eternal infinity... god...and i dont believe that is the god who spoke in this passage.

men of antiquity had many gods who i do believe exist and resonate independantly, but they are only gods to us, like we could be perceived god to an insect. i think elohim reffers to our original biological creators, but they knew as little as we do now of our spiritual creator...meaning they couldnt bring forth into existece the life in our biological bodies. much like we human beings are able to clone animals.

so the elohim were an advances race of beings involved in a genetic expireiment here on this planet, and humanity is the fruit of those expiriments.

 

before i get fire for that last post im going to say first...i truly believe nothing... for the mind cannot be trusted indefinatly. but this story i have come to agree with on some level, not because i am crazy, but because i have searched through history in various sources from various locations. this is a common thread in every creation story, though it is clouded in individual sources by cultural metaphors and our interpretation of such metaphors. look back to all the ancients peoples and read their creation stories, and their myths. there is a common theme.

the annunaki of egypt are the same as the nefelim, the giants who walked the earth, after decending from heaven in a magic boat, they bread with the daughters of man.