Eden Revisited #8: The Lesson of Blessing

What are we to learn from the Eden stories?  Is it “how depravity started”?  No.  Without the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, Adam and Eve’s sin becomes a blessing, our blessing to become the Image of God.

Unbiblical perfectionism distorts the gift of knowledge into an atrocity.  It describes the all-knowing God as clueless, intolerant, and vindictive.  His shortsighted ineptitude allowed the people access, allowed the serpent access, then He condemned the people for listening to a “voice of reason.”  He did nothing to prevent any of it from happening.  Nor did He have the power to reverse the effects.

In a natural interpretation, the stories tell us how God made humanity into His likeness, the process that continues today with each individual and each community.  When we “lost innocence,” we gained knowledge like His.  That means our potential to be virtuous overshadows our capability to do evil.

God set up the garden scenario.  He planted the two trees within reach knowing all along what would happen.  The people were bound to eat from one or the other without the assistance of the serpent.  The serpent hurried the process and decided to act with evil intent.  He became curse and his existence changed.  The people followed bad advice.  They acted in selfishness and were no longer innocent animals.  Their existence changed too but were not cursed.  God remained with them, since what happened did not change His plan.

God wants us.  He longs for each of us.  God particularly loves those who fumble at being good.  Jesus came to serve those people.  His “good news” message starts and ends with how much love God bestows onto humanity.  Grace covers our inadequacies as long as we humbly continue trying.

Our Creator enjoys it when we take responsibility for our thoughts and actions.  Yet, our Father wants us to let Him be responsible for our restoration.  He rejoices with forgiveness each time we repent.  God desires that we learn to live as His image.

[Lessons from Creation’s Parables: Genesis and Standard Science, Sung as One, by Jo Helen Cox.]

[Lessons from God Makes Us Holy, by Jo Helen Cox.]

Also in this series:

Eden Revisited #1: Powerful Love vs. Limited Perfection

Eden Revisited #2: A Safe Place to Grow

Eden Revisited #3: The Garden River

Eden Revisited #4: Humanity’s Origins

Eden Revisited #5: Creation of Death

Eden Revisited #6: Curse? What Curse?

Eden Revisited #7: Original Sin Theology

Also see series:

Genesis Revisited

Eden Revisited