FOR FAIR USE AND EDUCATION AND DISCUSSION PURPOSES



When it comes to the Bible, things are not always what they seem to be. Jesus taught in parables. These parables are not meant for everyone to understand, but those for whom they are meant will "dig them out" of their hidden places.

Proverbs 25:2..."It is the glory of God to CONCEAL a thing; but the honour of kings is to SEARCH OUT a matter."

However, for too long now, the "church" has listened to those who claim to be EDUCATED in a professional manner (seminaries and colleges for theological studies) so that that these "professionals" can collect fees for their knowledge (these are called "tithes and offerings" which are un-scriptural in the NT church). This is what God HATES, and He calls them "Nicolaitans" (power over the laity)...see Revelation 2:6.

Today, for the most part, Christians don't have a clue that the whole Bible is written in parables which give a spiritual meaning to a natural subject. What Pastors don't preach, the "flock" refuses to comprehend.

So, in order to understand the PARABLE of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden...and how this pertains to ALL OF MANKIND, Christians must hear it from sources outside of the so-called "Christian churches"....

For those with little (or no) "spiritual understanding", this study is not for you. But for those who really want to understand the things of God, this may open up a whole new awareness....and this is what God wants for all of us.

A pdf article describing the spiritual nature of the PARABLE of the first of MANKIND, and what really happened:

[There may be one or two points of contention in its verbiage, but the essence of the article is "spot-on"]


http://webhome.idirect.com/~abraam/studies/Parable_Adam_Eve.pdf


Small piece of the link article:


So when the Lord wanted to describe the beautiful state of mind that man enjoys when he is in the true order of human life - loving the Lord and the neighbor - He described it by means of an earthly garden paradise.

This blessed, heavenly state of mind was enjoyed by the Most Ancient Church of all, the first Church on the earth. The people in that Church were of this heavenly or celestial character; they were represented collectively by Adam, whose name is really a symbol for all mankind at that time and means "what is of the ground," or "what is firm." The significance of that we will see in a moment.

Adam, then, was not an individual; he was not a real person at all. He represents collectively all the men and women of the Most Ancient Church. He is a representative figure.

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Another article from another source (second witness) giving some clarification in areas not touched by the former link:


http://www.biblemeanings.info/johnodhner/AdamandEve.html


Small piece of link article:


If we look more closely at the story, we see that "Adam" or Mankind is not meant to be understood as a literal person, but as a name for people in general. The story says that God created them male and female, and called their name Adam (that is, Mankind) in the day when they were created. (Genesis 5:2, 1:27)

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Within each of us (Mankind) is the "man" (intellect) vs "woman" (sensuality). It is NOT a "battle of the sexes"....it is the battle for which part of the mind controls the person it possesses. Those who are controlled by the "woman", are essentially going by their five "senses" and understand things only in terms of things they can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. Those who are controlled, for the most part, by the "man" has a better understanding of the things of God.

This is why it is better for the "woman" within each of us to be silent. We must learn to curb our own "selfish" wants and needs and let the "man" within us all lead to things of the spirit.

Unfortunately, those who are led by their "woman" (within themselves) turn this into a battle of male superiority rather than a lesson in Bible truths. This is not about who is, or is not, above another....it is about learning to be more of what God wants us to be from within ourselves.

Arlene