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The Tree of Knowledge – Poison or Protection?

The Tree of Knowledge – Poison or Protection?

I have been thinking a lot about how God is a God of love and not a cruel God. I have gotten to a point that i cant think past, What was the point of God putting the tree of the Knowledge of good and evil in the garden. I just don’t see the point in it. the only thing that could come out of that tree was death but still God put it there.

To put it into perspective its like a loving father creating the perfect environment for his new born child to live and grow, but then he puts chocolate bar in the middle of his house that he has injected poison into. Would not a loving father protect his children from death rather than putting it in the middle of their habitat?

sincerely,

A confused listener


Thanks for sharing how this message has been a blessing. The key to understanding the Tree of Knowledge is understanding God’s law. Do you see and understand God’s law as the design parameters upon which life is constructed, like the law of gravity, laws of thermodynamics, law of liberty, law of worship, law of love, the construction protocols for life, etc.? Or, do you consider God’s law to be arbitrary rules, like human laws, with no inherent consequence for breaking them except as arbitrarily determined, legislated, and enforced?

If we consider God’s law like human law, then we look at the Garden and wonder what is going on. We falsely conclude that God was setting them up, or God introduced something harmful in their path, just waiting for them to stumble over it.

But there was nothing poisonous about the fruit; it was not physically harmful in any way, so the analogy of the poison candy doesn’t really work. That comparison makes it appear that something dangerous and deadly was put in the garden. But this is not so. The tree was not dangerous or deadly. What was dangerous and deadly was to break trust with God, to believe lies and act on them, to deviate from His design for life, and to choose to change themselves from beings operating upon the protocols of perfect love to beings operating upon fear and selfishness.

God desired for His new creation, His new intelligent beings, to be eternally settled into the truth about Him so that nothing could ever shake them from it. He desired them to live in harmony with His law of love for all eternity. But this required them to think, evaluate, consider, and ultimately choose for themselves what they believed. They must form their own character. They were perfect, but they were inexperienced, naïve, and needed to develop their own “beliefs” based on the exercise of their own abilities. Therefore, the tree was NOT put in the garden to tempt them, but to protect and ennoble them.

Humanity was created in God’s image with the ability to love, develop, and advance based on free-will choices. The tree provided for this development, while simultaneously protecting them from constant harassment.

Satan could only approach them at the tree. If they chose to go anywhere else on planet earth, then they were free from constant assault and temptation. Only at the tree could Satan seek to deceive.

The tree also provided them with opportunity to exercise their individuality and freedom of choice and to consider the issues for themselves and come to their own conclusion and act upon it. Had they chosen to side with God and reject the lies, they would have matured, grown, developed, and advanced, just as God designed and intended. But instead they chose to believe the lies and rebel against God’s design, thus damaging themselves, infecting themselves with a terminal condition, and thereby conferring their terminal state to all humans born of their defective condition.

God in love educated them and warned them of the dangers of deviating from His design, but they believed Satan’s lies and did not believe that deviations from the way God built things to run would result in death. So they chose selfishness instead of love, and human history demonstrates the devastating consequence of this choice.

But, God did not abandon his terminal and dying human children. Instead, He sent His perfect Son, to take up our cause, to pick up humanity deformed by Adam’s sin, and cleanse, cure, overcome, and restore the species human back to God’s original design. Through Jesus Christ, we, though born defective, can partake of the Remedy, achieved singly by Christ; a Remedy that restores God’s law of love back into our hearts and minds and recreates us as beings who love God and others more than self, looking forward to the day when all creation is fully cleansed and restored to oneness with God.

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Testimony 67

I was introduced to Come And Reason by a friend of my mother-in-law, who gave me several CD’s of Dr. Jennings. The clarity of the message and recognition that God’s is a God of love was so clear, advancing beyond Dr. Maxwell’s message. However, grappled with Maxwell saying God used emergency measures for the fallen world. Now after several years of being a regular listener of the Come And Reasoning bible study class and attending Jennings’ meetings in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, things are becoming clearer for me. Design law versus imposed law has added so much to my personal understanding of theology. This message has really impacted my work in counseling so many people miserable because they are searching for and trusting human governments to create order and peace or believing in a God who says love Me or I will kill you. I am grateful that I have an alternative view to offer my clients that makes sense. I teach a bible study class on a semi-regular basis and I value the materials that Come And Reason so freely offers to aid me in presenting this vital message. Thank you for continuing to provide advancement in our very limited understanding of a Infinite God that is rational and believable.

Dr. Roger D, Arlington, TX, USA

 

Testimony 18

The Healing the Mind DVD set tarted me on a journey that has changed my relationship with our loving God more significantly than any other study, and brought me to your book and Bible study podcasts, which I now listen to daily, thanks to the availability of archived content on your site and on iTunes.

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Testimony 11

I would love to have a copy of “Healing the Mind” DVDs to have in my therapy office. I enjoy having clients check out materials to enhance their therapy experience. I have sat under Dr. Jennings’ teaching at an American Association of Christian Counselors convention and respect his work greatly.

K.B., LA, USA

 

Testimony 64

I’ve been reading the bible and walking with Jesus since I was around 16. I’m 42 now. I’ve mostly been alone in my walk although I went to several churches in different denominations. For the past 3 years God has been showing me His character of agape. It’s been a blessing and changed how I view God and my walk with Jesus. About a year ago I came across the power of love and the principles of design law. These teachings changed how I read scripture and have been such a beautiful blessing. I’m very excited and grateful for these truths. We share these truths of agape, design law and the reality of the principles of the two trees in the garden of Eden with people on Facebook and YouTube. People all over are learning to trust God and His agape design law which makes life possible. Thank you for everything you shared with me. May God continue to bless your ministry and lives.

Bradley M., Hinsdale, NY, USA

 

Testimony 56

I cannot thank you enough for opening my understanding to the beautiful truth of God’s Law of Love and how it applies to everything. I have been a Christian for over forty years, but I feel like I am only now seeing with my eyes open. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

Tammy Cinzio, Australia

 

Testimony 66

I am incredibly grateful for the transformative impact you’ve had on my life, and words cannot fully express my appreciation. Over the years, I have been an avid listener and follower of C&R and extend my heartfelt thanks for creating the C&R mobile app. It has allowed me to immerse myself in your lessons repeatedly, enabling me to grasp the profound significance about the Character of God, Design Law, the protocols for life, the reasons behind the current chaos, and Christ’s mission to restore everything. They have deeply touched me. Having studied with various churches, I came away with the perception that God is no different from the deities of ancient Greek or Roman mythology—demanding sacrifices and taking pleasure in bloodshed. Thanks to your transformative teachings, I have experienced a profound awakening to the true nature of God and the immense power of His love. It is truly a remarkable and liberating sensation to finally grasp the truth and embrace the empowering nature of God’s laws. My self-perception has become brighter and more infused with love. My journey of growth continues on a daily basis.

Chris P., Lake Mary, FL, USA

 

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I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 51

I Love This Ministry!!!!!!! I see first hand how this message is desperately needed, how erroneous beliefs about God and His Character negatively affect humanity at every level. I thank God for your ministry, as I was searching on my own and was discovering some of your same beliefs and was blown away when I found your ministry. I know you hear it all the time, but it is truly life changing. May God continue to reveal His Will to you and Bless you!

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Testimony 72

I am blown away by the truth that you present. God’s Design Law makes so much sense! You have validated my impression that, if God is love, He would not kill those who don’t want to know him. If God gives us choice, then how can He destroy us if our choice is not to follow him. Thank you for opening my eyes and heart to the pure love of God seen through Jesus. The love I now have for Jesus is deeper and free from condemnation. My heart has been opened to love others as Jesus loves me. May God continue to bless your God-given insight into His word and your ministry. The truth has set me free!

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Testimony 40

I was brought up in a different faith and have been petrified my whole life of God. I believed that I would burn in hell for eternity. When I was 12 I started pursuing the things of this world, but for the next 45 years the Spirit was always calling me, as I knew there was a God through nature. I could see the vast sea of stars in the universe and knew there was something bigger out there. Five years ago, through a Revelation seminar, I was blessed to learn about God’s character and government.

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Testimony 62

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Testimony 43

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This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

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