Science can only be interpreted from the viewpoint of the Bible. Read GC chapter 32. he rules of Bible interpretation say to take the Bible as it reads. What is Genesis 3:14-18 saying to you, taking it as it reads?

It is written, "the eyes of both of them were opened ..." meaning that they came to view themselves in a new way. This is the same idiomatic expression the angel of the Revelation borrows in Rev. 3:18, "anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see."

It is obvious that the mere eating of a fruit does not give understanding or changes character, but eating of "the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil" does! Prov. 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit."

In another place it is also written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God". In other words, God is the Tree of Life, whose fruit is His word. And His word gives life to the obedient (John 6:54-64, "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day ....

... It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe").

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Genesis 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:

"... so HE drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

Man was CUT OFF from heaven.

"The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up." (Mat. 4:16)

We know not what we do and like the blind, wade our way through the waters of ignorance. The word of Life in glory which was to be our reward was replaced by the simple command to repent and be good, just so we might be resurrected and live forever, and continue where we left off before Adam turned aside in rebellion.

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Do you take any of Genesis literally?

Mat. 19:4, "And [Jesus] answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female ..."

Mat. 12:8, "For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day ...."

etc., etc.

But if the tree is not literal, or God's command to not eat of the tree is not literal, how do you know the rest is not literal? You say God was speaking metaphorically about the tree. Perhaps He was speaking metaphorically about the days of creation? Satan said God lied about dying. Are you saying God lied about the fruit? Are you saying that just thinking wrong will cause ALL CREATION on this planet to fall apart? God's design must not be very good.

I'm glad to hear you say that. Now it is time to put it to practice and stop trying to squeeze the spiritual matter of sin through your physical/genetic/epigenetic filter. Not everything can be explained by genetic mutations and transfer. Read Genesis 3.


It says:
That snake was more cursed than cows
That snake will eat dust until it dies
That snake will be bruised by the woman's seed, but will bruise his heel
Eve was going to be sorrowful when she gives birth
Adam will rule over her
The ground was cursed because of Adam's sin
Adam will be sorrowful as he eats of the ground
The ground will bear thorns and thistles
Adam will eat herbs

Thanks to that little exercise, I am convinced less than ever of the genetic theory of sin.

1. Literature takes many forms and uses the most appropriate devices to convey relevant messages. "Song of Solomon" is an allegory. "The rich man and Lazarus" is a parable. You must be aware of these things, aren't you?

2. No. The days of creation were literal 24-hour time periods. It is evident that God was not just creating "stuff" (otherwise He would have done everything in an hour), but creating time itself: how long a day should be, a week, a month, a year. He gave it to us: it is our heritage as life itself.

3. No, Satan did not say God lied about dying. In fact, Satan told them the truth (their eyes indeed opened, they indeed 'became like God', and they did not die). What he NEVER told them, and therein lay the deception, was that they were going to forfeit everlasting life. Satan offered them immediate satisfaction, as he has done to everyone since then (Mat. 4:8-9).

4. Titus 1:2

5. Yes. Heb. 3:12-13 cf. 1 Sam. 15:22 & 2 Sam. 12:1-14

6. YOUR understanding of God is not very good.

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Is the tree still a metaphor? And the rest of Genesis?