Would Adam and Eve have lived forever if they never ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil?

[Curtis]

Was there "decay" in the universe before Adam and Eve?

 

[Searchingtoo]

According to what God told them it would seem they would have lived forever and their offspring as well provided they did not eat the fruit.

I seems God's intention was for them to live on the earth and not heaven or hell. God told them the day they ate from the tree they would die and from dust you cam and to dust you will return. No mention of any other kind of punishment such as burning forever. Now if anyone would be subject to such a place it might be those two. Psalms 37:39 says "The righteous shall inherit the Land, and live in it forever". Does the land sound like heaven?

 

[Curtis]

According to what God told them it would seem they would have lived forever and their offspring as well provided they did not eat the fruit.

I seems God's intention was for them to live on the earth and not heaven or hell. God told them the day they ate from the tree they would die and from dust you cam and to dust you will return. No mention of any other kind of punishment such as burning forever. Now if anyone would be subject to such a place it might be those two. Psalms 37:39 says "The righteous shall inherit the Land, and live in it forever". Does the land sound like heaven?

I am asking the question because if eternal life could be gained by not eating from the tree of good and evil then why have a tree of life?

 

[Curtis]

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

It seems everything that is "seen" by our physical eyes is only temporary subject to decay which includes all of the universe, and our physical bodies.

 

[Curtis]

The sun and stars operate because of the hydrogen and helium that cause atomic nuclear reactions. these elements are in constant decay as they are being used up. This was happening even before Adam, and Eve was formed.

In the New Heaven and Earth, this is not the case as there will be no need for the sun or moon.

Rev 21:22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

 

[rstrats]

I am asking the question because if eternal life could be gained by not eating from the tree of good and evil then why have a tree of life?

It looks like they weren't created having eternal life. They would have to eat from the tree of life at some point.

Apparently the tree of good and evil thing could be countermanded by eating from the three of life because they were kicked out of the garden so that they couldn't eat from it "and live forever".

 

[Curtis]

Sorry, I posted something in the wrong thread.

 

[Beetow]

According to Rev 22:2, the tree of life isn't a source of life the same way that living
water is, rather, the tree is a remedy for treating whatever ails you.

The thing is: when Adam tasted the forbidden fruit, he lost perpetual youth and
began to age. The tree would've cured his mortal condition and restored him to
perfect health.

Another thing: the tree doesn't work like a vaccine, viz: it's curative rather than
preventative, so it's needless to eat its fruit when there's nothing wrong with you.

Now; living water (a.k.a. the water of life) is much superior to the tree because the
water is preventative, viz: folks who drink living water need never be concerned
about losing perpetual youth because the water makes them immune to everything,
including mortality.
_

 

[Curtis]

The tree would've cured his mortal condition and restored him to
perfect health.

I do believe God said.....

Gen 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:

The problem was not that man would liver forever if he partook of the tree of life, but that he would live forever as a fallen man.

 

[Beetow]

Now; living water (a.k.a. the water of life) is much superior to the tree because the
water is preventative, viz: folks who drink living water need never be concerned
about losing perpetual youth because the water makes them immune to everything,
including mortality.

This particular water would make Big Pharma powerful beyond imagination.
Fortunately it's available upon request, free of charge with no strings attached.

● John 4:10 . . If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that asks you for a drink,
you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.

● John 7:37-38 . . If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever
believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from
within him.

● Rev 22:17 . .Whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
_

 

[Beetow]

● Gen 3:22c . . what if he should stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of
life and eat, and live forever!

The Hebrew word translated "forever" doesn't always indicate infinity. Normally it
just means perpetual as "in perpetuity" viz: indefinitely; which Webster's defines
as having no exact limits.

* Eternal life and immortality are not the same. For example: Jesus had eternal life
when he was here. (John 5:26 & 1John 1:2) But he didn't have immortality because
he descended from Adam. (Rom 5:12, Heb 2:16-17 & Heb 9:27) In other words; had
Jesus not been executed he would've eventually died of old age the same as his fathers
David and Abraham.
_

 

[Searchingtoo]

I am asking the question because if eternal life could be gained by not eating from the tree of good and evil then why have a tree of life?

Eating from the tree of life was the only thing God did not allow them to do, so by eating from it they sinned and he told them what the consequences would be. It was the tree of life that would allow them to live forever, but when they sinned God drove them from the garden and placed angels at the entrance so they no long had access to the tree of life. That's why they died.

 

[Searchingtoo]

2Co 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2Co 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

It seems everything that is "seen" by our physical eyes is only temporary subject to decay which includes all of the universe, and our physical bodies.

That is true ever since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden, but it will not always be like that. Those that have a part in the first resurrection will reign over earth with Jesus for 1000 years after satan is locked for that time. During that time the earth will be restored to a paradise (and I assume with a tree of life?) and as Psalms says The righteous shall inherit the land and live in it forever. It goes on to tell about the conditions of the paradise earth that people will live in forever Isaiah 11.

​

 

[Curtis]

● Gen 3:22c . . what if he should stretch out his hand and take also from the tree of
life and eat, and live forever!

The Hebrew word translated "forever" doesn't always indicate infinity. Normally it
just means perpetual as "in perpetuity" viz: indefinitely; which Webster's defines
as having no exact limits.

* Eternal life and immortality are not the same. For example: Jesus had eternal life
when he was here. (John 5:26 & 1John 1:2) But he didn't have immortality because
he descended from Adam. (Rom 5:12, Heb 2:16-17 & Heb 9:27) In other words; had
Jesus not been executed he would've eventually died of old age the same as his fathers
David and Abraham.
_

If Adam did not eat from the of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and only ate from the tree of life how long would he have lived for?

 

[Beetow]

.

If Adam did not eat from the of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and
only ate from the tree of life how long would he have lived for?

The tree of life wasn't intended for the table. According to Rev 22:2 it was a
remedy, i.e. medicine; which is taken only when you come down with something,
e.g. flu, colds, pneumonia, cholera, typhus, typhoid, tetanus, small pox, polio,
tuberculosis, head ache, nausea, vertigo, cancer, STD, infection, snakebite, etc.

Adam had the potential to live indefinitely seeing as how he was blessed with
perpetual youth. However, he wasn't indestructible. Had Adam bled out, he
would've died. Had he been decapitated, he would've died. Had he gone without
food and water too long, he would've died. Had he been smothered, he would've
died. Had his skull been crushed, he would've died. There's any number of ways
that Adam could've been killed, i.e. he wasn't superhuman.
_

 

[complete]

Eating from the tree of life was the only thing God did not allow them to do, so by eating from it they sinned and he told them what the consequences would be. It was the tree of life that would allow them to live forever, but when they sinned God drove them from the garden and placed angels at the entrance so they no long had access to the tree of life. That's why they died.

'And the LORD God commanded the man, saying,
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'.
(Gen 2:16-17)

Hello @Searchingtoo,

I think you have made a mistake here: For it was of, 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,' that they were not to eat, not.' the tree of life'.

Access to the tree of life, following their disobedience to God's command, was denied them, because they had thereby sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Soyeong]

Was there "decay" in the universe before Adam and Eve?

Before Adam and Eve had eaten from either tree they were at a crossroads between mortality and eternal life, where eating from the Tree of Knowledge of God and Evil causes them to become mortal while eating from the Tree of Life would have caused them to have eternal life. People are not judged for doing something that they did not know what was wrong, so Adam and Eve must have knowledge that what they were doing was wrong before they had eaten of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which means that their previous knowledge got transformed into knowledge of good and evil by eating from the tree. There are a number of instances where it shows that Eve's desire was clouding her judgement (Genesis 3:6) and our desire clouds judgement of true and false into knowledge of good and evil where in our own eyes we can no longer be sure if something is truly good or if we just think that it is good because we desire it. So this is where we need to choose whether to lean on our own understanding of right and wrong according to what is right in our own eyes or trusting in God will all of our heart to correctly divide between true and false through what He has instructed:

Proverbs 3:5-7 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

Proverbs 3:16-18 Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. 17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. 18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;

Psalms 119:142 Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your Torah is truth.

In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, the Israelites were at an identical crossroads between mortality and eternal life, life and a blessing for choosing to obey the Torah or death and a curse for choosing not to obey it, so choose life!

 

[Curtis]

The tree of life wasn't intended for the table. According to Rev 22:2 it was a
remedy, i.e. medicine; which is taken only when you come down with something,
e.g. flu, colds, pneumonia, cholera, typhus, typhoid, tetanus, small pox, polio,
tuberculosis, head ache, nausea, vertigo, cancer, STD, infection, snakebite, etc

I guess eating from the Tree of Life could not cure the disease of sin.

 

[Beetow]

I guess eating from the Tree of Life could not cure the disease of sin.

It appears to me that the tree of life was designed to cure Adam's physical ailments,
but not designed to address issues pertaining to the core of his being.

Human nature's problems are incurable and inoperable, i.e. the only hope for everyone
infected with the so-called fallen nature is to undergo regeneration by means of the Spirit
birth that Jesus spoke of per John 3:3-8 --sine qua non; no exceptions, it's a must.
_

 

[Jonathan_Gale]

Was there "decay" in the universe before Adam and Eve?

Depends on your definition of "decay". If you're thinking of the second law of thermodynamics, that everything NATURALLY deteriorates from order to disorder, then yes, there was, that's why they depended on God, they could NOT live forever on their own. The dusty matters were not meant to sustain forever, if they had immortality, the source of which would be God.