E403 Reading the Bible with Non-Believers

[@missmissi77]

I'm a nonbeliever and have a (hundred) questions. The part about god gave his only begotten son so none need suffer hell, but we still sin and go to hell for it so did everyone go to hell before Jesus also if he gave his son it must have been important so why is it still happening? ...1 more why would god punish Eve for something she couldn't possibly know, eating the fruit opened her eyes before that she didn't know right/wrong good/evil so if she didn't have the knowledge of bad/evil how can she be punished for doing bad? Obviously I know you can't answer for god just looking for your thoughts. Thank you.

[@Alwizcaliteach]

Good questions. I would suggest you listen to Frank Turek who goes to college campuses and answers Q's such as yours. Adam and Eve were created perfectly. They were God-like; "God is love." All sin is rooted in self-centeredness; don't kill, don't steal, don't lie, don't commit adultery etc. They were given one command only: Don't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The 'devil' said, "Go ahead and eat it, etc." Doing what the devil said was a form of treason and switching loyalties. They fell from perfection--love--and became corrupt, self-centered; as evidenced by Adam's answer to God ("Did you eat the tree?" "Well, the woman you gave me..." instead of a "God/man's" answer of 'Father forgive them, they know not what they do..."(Jesus on the cross, demonstrating love). EVE DID KNOW: It was the only rule God gave Adam and Eve--DON'T EAT THE TREE...the day you do you shall surely die. She just didn't know all the far-reaching ramifications: the day they ate they died spiritually, i.e. they were separated from God. God created man in perfection, therefore, like a builder with specifications, He can expect the product to be as he designed it--perfect. All religions demand that you appease the gods; Christianity is the only religion whose god says, "I can see you will never be able to appease me, i.e. BE PERFECT, therefore I will appease myself. I will pay the price demanded." In court, if you have a stack of speeding tickets someone can pay your fine, and the judge can let you go free. He can't let you go free just because you say you're sorry or you've helped a lot of little old ladies cross the street (good outweighs bad). The wages of sin is death: that means the penalty, the fine, is death--death is defined as separation from God. Everyone has at least two trees in their garden, and most choose the tree of knowledge: I believe I can determine for myself what is good and bad, rather than submitting to Jesus. God gives everyone free will to choose or reject him. It's why he gave Adam and Eve a choice. Not sure if this is clear because it is so condensed.