The KinderGarden of Eden

As I was listening to a talk radio station today, there was a guest who had written a political book called "The KinderGarden of Eden" The title of which struck me rather funny, and I immediately began to think of the Garden of Eden from Scripture of course, and then I thought that same title would make an interesting title for a post, so here we are.

Kindergarden brings to mind something of a very basic level of learning. It is the first step in our education process, learning the very fundamentals from which most every thing we will learn after that comes from. The idea that kindergarden, and Eden are put together in this title brings to mind the thought that it describes those Christians that have the most basic fundamental understanding of the beginnings of Genesis. And while we would consider it very strange to see an adult sitting in a kindergarden class room, we think nothing of those who have been Christians for many many years with the same kindergarden mentality about what the story of the Garden of Eden is really all about!

I am convinced that if we get it wrong with what Genesis, and the Garden of Eden is all about, then we will have an almost impossible time with getting any other part of our theology right until we go beyond such a kindergarten mentality.

If you are like me and most Christians, you would have been taught that God created Adam in a garden out of the dust of the ground, and then He took a rib from his side, and made Eve. Then the two of them romped about naked in the garden until Eve was tempted by a talking snake, to eat an apple from a tree that God told them not to eat, and then Eve gave it for Adam to eat as well. God found out, and was very mad, and kicked them out of the garden, and made them toil and sweat in the wilderness. And now we have to live a hard life and risk the possibility of  going to hell as punishment because of it; unless we believe in Jesus and then we can go to heaven when we die. Sound familiar?

 So then, lets get this straight. God puts a tree in the middle of the Garden, and tells Adam not to eat from that tree, or there are fatal consequences, in order to test Adam's love for God right? Supposedly God gave Adam a "free will" to choose to obey. But, since God is all knowing, then He must have know that Adam would disobey before He created him of course. Since that is true, then what kind of God is it who would do such a thing? He builds a perfect Garden Paradise, He puts man in it to enjoy, then He puts a deadly toxic tree right in the middle, and makes sure that it is desirous; like chocolate cake to a weight watchers client. Then He tells the man not to eat it, knowing full well that he is going to eat it anyway, all to "test" his love and then we blame Adam? How do you think you would fair with such a test?

Would you do such a thing to your children? Put them in a room filled with toys to play with, but then put the most tempting toy right in front of them; which you have poisioned; and then tell them not to play with that toy; and then walk out of the room to see if they would obey you out of love? Of course not! You would do everything you could to protect them with your life! Yet, we accuse God of such a heinous act! Not only that, but that He knew the end result before He began, and did it anyway! Is this making you feel all lovey and worshipful of God yet?

No wonder we have such a screwed up theology about God! I did not realize how screwed up it was until a number of years ago, I heard a sermon about the plan and purpose of God, that completely changed my whole Christian understanding and walk! And believe me when I tell you, that when your understanding is changed, your walk will change right along with it! It has to change since we act according to what we believe, not what we say.

There is so much truth to uncover in just the first few chapters of Genesis it is impossible to do any indepth study in a blog post, so I encourage you to question the things you were told with a kindergarten mentality about what really was going on between God and man in the Garden of Eden. Consider the possiblity that God really does have a plan, and that such a plan was not thwarted whatsoever in the Garden, but rather carried out perfectly in every detail!

I covered some of these points in earlier posts, but let me start the ball rolling with a couple of points here. I believe that when God said, "Let us make man in our image and after our likeness" that the man He was talking about was NOT Adam! He was talking about the New Creation Man! You see, the whole story in the Garden is not a patching up of mistakes, using  the death of Jesus as plan B. The fact is that Adam had to fall. God set him up to fall. and when it was done, there are a couple verses that show the plan is in motion. Gen 3:22 "And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil:"  Well, isn't that what God wanted for man to become made in His image and likeness? Well, this was only step one in the process. Don't worry, God knows what He is doing, and He has everything under control. As a matter of fact He goes on to promise this will all work out when he says "My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years." Gen.6:3 The strife will end, and creation shall be restored!

In fact, He does not lose even one of His creation as we find out more details in the New Testament! The death of Jesus ends the Adamic race, and begins a whole New Creation of beings! We are all Spiritual beings on this human journey! (say, what a neat title for a blog:-)) The fact is that each one of us is at a different point in this journey, with a specific detailed plan designed by our creator Himself, to bring us to a place where these momentary troubles will not be worthy to compare with the Glory that shall be revealed in us!

We are training for reigning, and there is much more to learn. Lets start with a better understanding of God's purpose, and not falsely accuse Him of failure. He did not fail, it is us who failed to grow up and graduate from The KinderGarden of Eden