"I Survived Predistination"

Well, we had our Bible Study.

It went really well but it was very intense and very difficult. Elise does not agree with me on my views about Predestination and while her disagreement really helped further the study and brought us to a much deeper study, but I think it was very difficult not to take it personally when Bryan and I both agreed and she did not. We had a great discussion about it afterward, but I don't care to share that here. That's mine and hers.

I think the final verdict was, Bryan and I have a new, deeper understanding of what we believe is an important doctrinal issue and I find myself very excited for Bible Study. I'm having a blast.

A few point we touched on but did not find a solid answer yet:


1.) Is the Tree of Life a physical tree? (I've just changed my mind on this actually as I'm writing. I believe it is a tree.)

2.) If Adam and Eve had not sinned, would they live forever? We did determine that they would, but we were undecided as to whether that would have been natural life, or life sustained by eating physical fruit from a physical Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.

I personally, don't think the Tree of Life is a physical, tree with bark and branches. I think it refers to a precarnated Jesus or possibly the Holy Spirit. I think it is some aspect of God. I have no scripture or anything to support this, it's just a gut feeling I've always had.

I do think that Adam and Eve, without sin, would live forever. In 1 Enoch, God says that the abomination of Angels breeding with Humans is intolerable because childbirth is a gift for Man who does not live forever, but Angels are immortal and have no need for children to contenue their line.

So, it is my belief that without sin, Adam and Eve would have lived forever and had no children, but when they sinned, God numbered their days but he gave them (or taught them) how to have children thought child baring would come with significant pain to women, and men would have pain and toil to work the earth for food.


Anyway, it was awesome. I brought a printout of the previous post and we covered each scripture in detail and a few extras as conversation moved. I really think God met us there and we had a great time of study. I also noticed how much I sound like my dad when I talk about biblical things, but I don't think I mind that. I'm a little bit proud of it, as I am proud of him.

I think I want to print up some T-Shirts that say "I Survived Predestination" to promote the bible study group. We really need more people. I think that would have made this topic much easier to discuss and much less liek a personal attack. None of us want to attack or judge eachother's beliefs, we're all just searching for the Truth.