>Dave <dave_and_darla@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>Re: Tree of Life
>In Genesis 2, God grows two trees in the midst of the Garden of Eden,
>the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and the tree of life, and God
>forbids Adam to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In
>Genesis 3, Adam and Eve eat of the forbidden fruit, and God drives
>them out of the Garden, and stations an angelic guard to prevent them
>from eating of the tree of life and living forever.
>
>The tree of life is mentioned again in:
>Rev 2:7, "To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of
>life which is in the Paradise of God."
>Rev 22:2, "[in the New Jerusalem] On either side of the river was the
>tree of life, ...."
>Rev 22:14, "Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may
>have the right to the tree of life, ...."
>Rev 22:19, "if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this
>prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life ...."
>
>So my question is: Can people today eat of the tree of life? If so,
>under what cir***stances?
>
>Dave
Dave,
Good question. And from what I can see, yes. The "tree of life" back
in Genesis symbolized God guaranteeing everlasting life to Adam and
Eve. Before that time, they could sustain themselves on the fruit of
other trees, but they were in a 'testing' phase of obedience during
that time and so were not guaranteed everlasting life at that time.
Also, they were unaware of the "tree of life" until they were expelled
from Eden because their testing phase had not ended yet.
After they were expelled, God prevented Adam and Eve and their
offspring from eating from that tree symbolizing life everlasting.
That is because at that time, there was no provision that had occurred
for guaranteed everlasting life. The human offspring of Adam were
doomed to death. As Paul says here at 1 Co 15:22 "For as in Adam all
die".
But when Jesus came along, his ransom provided the op****tunity to
receive everlasting life, as if we were eating of the "tree of life".
As Paul also goes on to say in that same Scripture: "so in Christ all
will be made alive".
Paul contrasts Adam and Jesus at 1 Co 15:45,
"So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the
last Adam, a life-giving spirit."" (NIV)
Yes, everlasting life, the "tree of life" is now possible by means of
Jesus. And those who make it to the end, will benefit from its
fruitage. Mt 24:13,
"But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved." (NASB)
And as a popular quoted Scripture says at Joh 3:16,
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting
life." (KJV)
Yes, Jesus is the means by which humans can now partake of that "tree
of lie".
Sincerely, James
**If you wish to have a discussion with me, please use email since I
do not follow ng threads
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