Have you ever thought "why would God put Adam and Eve in this perfect garden and perfect world, along with the ability to walk and talk with God, and then put a red button in front of them and say 'now, don't touch it'". Why put a tree in the garden that they are not allowed to eat of and warn them not to eat of it? What was the purpose behind that? It says in the Bible that God does not tempt us, but isn't putting a tree that they weren't able to eat of a sort of temptation? Again, why even put the tree there? What was it's purpose in the garden? Do we put a hot plate in front of a child and say "now, don't touch it." Perhaps it was there to teach obedience? To strengthen their character?

The other one that I can never get over is when God asked Abraham to sacrifice (kill) his son. Don't get me wrong...I understand the symbolism. But, what God was asking of Abraham was murder. God was asking Abraham to sin. Even though God was never going to let Abraham actually do it, he still asked him to murder. But, then told us through the 10 commandments that taking someone else's life is sin.

These kind of things bother me....but I guess not enough to doubt my faith...just bothers me.

As for the 1st part, I believe the reason that God gave us the choice to disobey him is because he does not want robots in heaven. He wants people who want to be there. The scripture says that if God wanted to, he could make the rocks praise him. But God is love & he wants to love people who love him. He already made the angels & they were made with powers & abilities that men do not possess; nevertheless some decided that they would not go along with God's plan. I feel that because God knows the future he knew that some men would not love him before he created them, but he knew some would. So he was up front with us since the beginning - "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15 God wants us to choose him. As far as tying this directly to the tree in the garden, remember Jesus said "If you love me, keep my commandments". Another aspect to it is - without darkness we wouldn't know that the light is good; without darkness we wouldn't know the light is beautiful & without evil we wouldn't or couldn't appreciate good.

As far as the 2nd part - "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." Heb 11:17-19 This passage tells me that because Abraham had a relationship with God he knew that in following that particular order he would not be in fact committing murder, as he had full faith & assurance that his son could not die before fulfilling God's promise to him, & if he was to die God would raise him from the dead. As far as what you said "told us through the 10 commandments that taking someone else's life is sin" 1st of all Abraham lived before Moses & the 10 commandments so he didn't have those particular words to draw on & 2nd of all 1 Sam 15 teaches me that in some instances to not take a life is sin.

Thank you Slade for your insight. It truly helped me understand my questions. I'm always questions..have since I was a little child. And I love it that you answered in detail with sound wisdom, as well as tracing it back to scripture. That is how I know your answers are in truth.

When my head pops up with another question, I will remember you.

kristina