If we were forgiven why were we not returned to Eden, seems as if we're still being punished ?

Question

The punishment was given on earth, painful childbirth etc - then Christ got us forgiven - which was nice - but we still have painful childbirths - forgiven but still punished - we at least let criminals out of jail - we don't say "you're forgiven but we're gonna keep you locked up anyway" What's the deal ?

Answer 1

The Moshiach (Messiah) was supposed to bring the Olam Haba (World To Come).. Where is the 1,000 years of peace..???

Maybe Yeshua (Jesus) wasn't the True Moshiach...

Answer 2

For starters, forgiveness has been offered, but there are many that refuse the deal, and so cannot recieve it. Those who do not wish to submit themselves to the obedience that comes along with Life in Christ, cannot recieve that forgiveness and Life.

Secondly, forgiveness does not change the nature of the person. A return to Eden would indicate a total return to innocence for humanity, and that obviously hasn't happened. Forgiveness cancels the punishment (debt) created by the sinner, but does not turn the sinner into a righteous person, just like granting a gracious parole to a drug addict/dealer doesn't make him clean. That is a different action.

Pain in childbirth, hard/sweaty work, and weeds are all part of a curse laid on the earth because of the sins of our forefather and foremother. Their actions affected more than just the two of them: they affected the earth as well.

We do not hope to turn back time to when the Earth was new and innocent, nor do we expect to return to ignorance. Forgiveness does not bring about regression, it opens up the possibility of progression.

Ever see Star Wars? Remember how the Jedi used to caution against hate and anger: "Those only lead to the Dark Side"? Forgiveness is the action of Love, that opens up the way to the Light Side.

We don't hope to regress to the Old Earth and Eden. We look foreward, through forgivness and with hope, to a New Heaven and a New Earth.

Answer 3

It's because we already know too much. Just like some communities don't let murderers or sexual predators who have served their time live near schools, youth centers and other occasions for relapse, we can't be trusted in the garden again.

Adam and Eve ate the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. Humanity is no longer innocent and ignorant. So even though we're forgiven, there are lingering effects. We can't become children again. We'll always second-guess God with our own consciences. But we're used to the consequences. the system has consistent rules and we have learned to cope. Would you rather be a happy idiot or an older and wiser ex-con?

Answer 4

Being forgiven does not change the consequences of sin. If a person is convicted of murder, they may at some point become contrite, and a family member may indeed forgive them. But this does not negate the fact that they have to serve their time in prison, or whatever the sentence was. There is a difference between being forgiven and suffering consequences of actions. Consequences are unchangable once the ball in set in motion, so to speak. "The wages of sin is death". Christ died on the cross to suffer the ultimate consequence of our sin. It had to be paid.

Answer 5

Assuming one accepts the concept of the Divine, there are two possibilities:

1) God desires our condemnation to be renewed. Being forgiven does not mean you've been perfected. We still need to shed the *desire* to sin.

2) God desires that we, once forgiven, grow in capability and continue to be useful guides to others on their journeys towards moral perfection.

I lean towards...uhm...both.

In short, your suspicion is correct. We're still being punished until we learn to stop WANTING to misbehave.

Answer 6

Sounds pretty selfish too me. I believe that the Bible makes it
clear that we are to be ambassadors from God to those who are yet living in sin and need His grace.

Our purpose here is first to honor and glorify God, and then to
reach out to those who have never received salvation.

Salvation doesn't take away the effects of the fall. The sin in your life and mine makes us susceptible to disease and all the other things that are the common lot of mankind. Live with
it, start thinking of others and get your mind off yourself.

The word JOY is spelled as shown below:

Jesus comes first
Others are next
You are last. ---- Remember that we are called to be servants
just like Jesus was.


EDIT: THUMBS DOWN MEANS IGNORANCE COMES TO YOUR RESCUE BUT ALL TO NO AVAIL - GOD WILL NOT HONOR YOUR SELFISHNESS. By the way, the name atheist hidden in your name marks you as a TROLL! Get a life!

Answer 7

Because it was the consequenes of sin. The garden of Eden was a perfect state. Adam and Eve weren't perfect after eating the fruit, therefore had to be punished. Where as we aren't perfect and won't be here on this earth. Jesus was the only perfect person to walk this earth, therefore making Him the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Answer 8

I think the reason we don't get to go to Eden is because after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, God destroyed Eden because it had been tainted with sin. I heard that in Sunsay School a couple weeks ago.

Answer 9

Christ's death was to basicly counter the fall. When we accept Christ into our lives and are "born again" the fall is taken away, or in other words, there is victory over death. There are two kinds of deaths that happend at the fall, spiritual and physical. the spiritual death has been overcome and we are no longer separated from God by sin (Christ is our perfect lamb). and the physical death will be over come in the ressurection, when we will recieve new bodies (perfect bodies) and we will live in "paradise restored" so to speak.

Answer 10

This is what I THINK not know as a Christian...

God gave us a wonderful world, and created us. We were on our own from there. He we are now; making stupid choices and destroying the world. He can't take care of us forever, and people may not realize how much they sin in a day...you live your life, God just provided it. We can still pray for help, he can supports us with that, but a good life is one that was meant to be...