Question for Christians about faith.?

Question

As a skeptic I want to ask this question. If in Eden, which was/is supposed to be paradise no less, and with God right there available as a guide, if given those conditions man could not follow God, what sense does it make that any majority of mankind would follow him now?

Answer 1

First of all, I want to begin by saying I'm a Christian who views the story of Adam and Eve as symbolic.

And that's exactly what the symbolism proves. Even though we have God as our guides, we can still be led astray and make mistakes. It all leads up to the necessity of salvation and Jesus's death on the cross. We're going to make mistakes -- some of them are small, and some of them devastating -- but those mistakes no longer have to mean separation from God.

Answer 2

A perennial question for the ages, to be sure. The way I see it, this hinges on the "fee-will" argument. But, God told both of them "not" to eat from the tree and they did, so goes the free will argument out the window. It was test of obedience pure and simple, and they chose wrong. The ability to choose from among actions was obviously present, even though God said "do not". It isn't like it took God by surprise, but judging from the rest of the OT, it is evident that God can be disappointed.and angered The problem for humans is they can't connect that fact with the idea of there being consequences for doing so. Hence, most people (obviously) pay no mind to Him, and end up going their own way. Given your question and the nature of my answer, it DOES make sense that mankind doesn't follow Him now. But, again; there's that "consequences" aspect to that decision. Isn't that what we teach our own children? Why is it so wrong, then, when God holds us to standards that we hold each other to? Do our decisions NOW not have eternal implications as well as consequences? Of course they do. After all, we were "made" into His image which itself is eternal.

Answer 3

It doesn't make any sense to think that a majority of mankind would follow God now...and I don't think I've ever heard anyone suggest that the majority would follow God. ...but there is a chance that some will be able to follow him and that's way better than none. Would a parent kill all his or her children because he or she knows half (or more) of them will contract a fatal disease or does he or she allow them to live with the hope that at least a few will not die?

Answer 4

Of his own power, man cannot follow God. The Bible repeats this time and again. God gifted man with a free will to choose to follow God or not and provided man with opportunities to fail Him. He did not do this because He was cruel and wanted to mock man, He did so because love requires a choice. If man could not choose to not follow God, how could God know man really loved Him?

The situation is much the same with certain home-schooled children. Some, having never been given the opportunity to revel with social miscreants, buckle to societal pressures and rebel once they are given a choice to do so. This is not so surprising, it is in our nature.

There is one difference today, however, that enables people to follow God. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit allows people from all walks of life to come into relationship with the Holy God, and allow them to walk with Him by faith. Without God's inhabitance in their lives, followers of Christ would be powerless to reject their fallen nature.

Answer 5

Excellent question.

Things were ideal, but man still sinned. You need to understand the nature of the sin in order to understand the answer.

Adam and Eve's sin was an act of faithlessness, and the result is being cut off from God, and being subject to the consequences of the act. This consequence is written in human misery over the millennia.

Now, men are, through Jesus Christ, being allowed to return to a life based in faith, having witnessed the ages of suffering that resulted from faithlessness.

Sometimes, we need to see what the results would be if we choose a particular course of action.

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Answer 6

It's good to be a skeptic and to question.

You are right about people not following. And the reason is the very many false gods causing the temptations of the world.

Answer 7

Well you couldn't say that man could not follow God. You could say Eve was tricked by Satan. We don't know what they conditions were at the time. Eve may have been in a bad mood or something or very curious you just don't know.

God is a loving God, he will not just say to hell with us and destroy humans period. He gives us a chance to choose he gave us a choice. Just like he gives angels(which he created) a choice. Satan and angels that went with him made their choice and they were banished. They are not destroyed yet but at the end of times when everyones choice is final then satan and his followers will be burned in hell.

Answer 8

Boy sorry to tell you that you do not know your spirit. That is why you are thinking about physical things, but Eden is just the same case today. You can reach God easier today than in those days. You just have to say "Oh, Lord Jesus", and you can get His life. It is not something physical.

Answer 9

Understanding the effects of sin in this world, I don't think man would EVER make the same mistake twice. Besides, I believe, JESUS will forever keep the scars on HIS hands and feet as a constant reminder of what sin has done!

GOD bless

Answer 10

God lets us make the decision of who we want to follow and he wont force us to follow him. i know what you mean that many people would have a hard time following him but the rewards are out of this world!!!