#1: Powerful Love vs. Limited Perfection
God is love. God is good, patient, and forgiving. So, why does the first biblical interaction between God and people end in his intolerance and rejection? Biblically, it doesn’t. By removing the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, the Eden stories reveal God’s true nature, which is loving and forgiving. What Happened? Long before Jesus was born, […]
#2: A Safe Place to Grow
The setting of Genesis 2 and 3 is a garden inside a region called Eden. Without the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, this garden relays more than just idealistic beauty. God filled this safe place with the best plants plus two unique trees. He made man and put him into the garden. The Creator made animals […]
#3: The Garden River
The Eden story includes a detailed report of a river complex, then it never mentions it again. Yet, this “out of context” passage hints at our natural origins. By removing the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, humanity’s lineage started outside the garden. The river passage separates two versions of man’s arrival in the garden. The river […]
#4: Humanity’s Origins
The Bible says God formed a living man from dust and Breath, which is not very detailed. For the last several centuries, believers have insisted on a scientific understanding of our origins that match the biblical version—plus a long list of added stipulations. Without the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, science aligns surprisingly well with the […]
#5: Creation of Death
Where does the Bible say that sin revoked immortality? Nowhere. By removing the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, death was part of God’s creation from the beginning, no redesign necessary. God’s Command Most believers will reply, “What about God’s first command in Genesis 2:17? If the fruit made the man die after eating, then that means […]
#6: Curse? What Curse?
Biblically, God never cursed Adam and Eve. The word “curse” appears in the section titles, not in the Hebrew’s story. By removing the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, God’s “anger” softens into expressions of love, mercy, and forgiveness. That makes a big difference in the story’s message. The Creator came to the frightened humans gently, just […]
#7: Original Sin Theology
At what point do Adam and Eve “fall from grace”? How does Original Sin fit with a natural interpretation of the Eden texts? Actually, these theologies are not biblical, so they do not. Without the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, God treats each individual uniquely. Grace abounds with love, mercy, and forgiveness. Sin is the choice […]
#8: The Lesson of Blessing
What are we to learn from the Eden stories? Is it “how depravity started?” or “how mad we make God?” No. By removing the unbiblical constraints of perfectionism, Adam and Eve’s sin becomes a blessing, our blessing to become the image of God. Unbiblical perfectionism distorted knowledge into an atrocity. It described the all-knowing God […]