3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle...

... than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, `You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?"

I suppose this one is really simple. I guess, since the serpent lured our Eden dwellers into eating from
the forbidden tree, God punished him with the split tongue so that none of his ancestors could ever
speak human language again. That makes sense. But why can we still speak? It's not like we have
God's powers. We merely know good from evil, apparently.

Originally posted by Jigtie
... than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, `You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?"

I suppose this one is really simple. I guess, since the serpent lured our Eden dwellers into eating from
the forbidden tree, God punished him with the split tongue so that none of his ancestors could ever
spea ...[text shortened]... ill speak? It's not like we have
God's powers. We merely know good from evil, apparently.

This question may be similar to your other one about who created the planets if God created the heavens and the earth.

In my reply I advized you to consider the other passages on the subject of creation and get a well rounding whole view. Genesis 1 is not the only portion of the bible on creation.

In a similar way, I would advize you to continue your reading of the Bible. For we are told that this serpent in the garden is related to or perhaps even is Satan and the Devil. And this is a matter of a spiritual being and not a physical animal.

Right here more details are provided on this serpent in Genesis:

" ... the ancient serpent, he who is called the Devil and Satan, he who deceives the whole inhabited earth ..." (Rev. 12:9)

Before this we are told by Jesus that Satan was the murderer an liar from the beginning:

" You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks it out of his own [possessions]; for he is a liar and the father of it." (John 8:44)


A spiritual being of great intelligence and power who is the father of lies is a very profound matter for humans to understand. So God caused things to happen in a way in which it could be better understood by people.

Just by reading Genesis 3 it is difficult to arrive at a full picture of this spiritual evil personality. Here again I suggest that other portions of the word of God are needed for a more complete revelation.

We are dealing not primarily with a physical serpent. We are dealing with a angelic and supernatural being who is the father of lies. And his poisoness nature has somehow been injected into mankind. That is why Jesus said to those opposers that they were of their father the devil.

And Paul also says that this evil spirit is operating in fallen mankind -

" ... you once walked according to the age of this wirld, according to the ruler of the authority of the aur, of the spirit which is now operating in the sons of disobedience;

Among whom we also all conducted ourselves once in the lists of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as the rest." (Eph. 2:2,3)

You see ? We are dealing with a spiritual "ruler" with evil "authority". And he is operating in these children of disobedience making them children of wrath under God's judgment.

It is a little more profound then a physical serpent when all things are considered.

Originally posted by jaywill
This question may be similar to your other one about who created the planets if God created the heavens and the earth.

In my reply I advized you to consider the other passages on the subject of creation and get a well rounding whole view. Genesis 1 is not the only portion of the bible on creation.

In a similar way, I would advize you to continue your ...[text shortened]... It is a little more profound then a physical serpent when all things are considered.

Was Jesus afraid of the serpent?

I'm not. Physical or not.
Should we be? (afraid) If so, why? For the 'serpent' feeds on ignorance and fear and we only need to stand up to it , fear not our own mortality, and the serpent has no hold on us, or so my understanding leads me to believe.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Was Jesus afraid of the serpent?

I'm not. Physical or not.
Should we be? (afraid) If so, why? For the 'serpent' feeds on ignorance and fear and we only need to stand up to it , fear not our own mortality, and the serpent has no hold on us, or so my understanding leads me to believe.

=====================================
Was Jesus afraid of the serpent?

I'm not. Physical or not.
Should we be? (afraid) If so, why? For the 'serpent' feeds on ignorance and fear and we only need to stand up to it , fear not our own mortality, and the serpent has no hold on us, or so my understanding leads me to believe.
================================

I don't think Jesus was afraid of either physical or spiritual serpeent.

And I kind of like snakes. I had a pet king snake as a kid and often went snake hunting.

When I went to the zoo I always spent the most time at the reptile house.

Originally posted by Jigtie
... than any other wild creature that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, `You shall not eat of any tree of the garden'?"

I suppose this one is really simple. I guess, since the serpent lured our Eden dwellers into eating from
the forbidden tree, God punished him with the split tongue so that none of his ancestors could ever
spea ...[text shortened]... ill speak? It's not like we have
God's powers. We merely know good from evil, apparently.

An more interesting question is how asking obviously pointed questions is in anyway "subtle". I can think of a lot subtler ways of causing someone to ingest something. Grind it up and put in her food. Even though it's a cliché, it is a lot subtler than waiting for God to leave and trying to talk someone into eating something.

Originally posted by jaywill
[b]=====================================
Was Jesus afraid of the serpent?

I'm not. Physical or not.
Should we be? (afraid) If so, why? For the 'serpent' feeds on ignorance and fear and we only need to stand up to it , fear not our own mortality, and the serpent has no hold on us, or so my understanding leads me to believe.
================= snake hunting.

When I went to the zoo I always spent the most time at the reptile house.

So should we be afraid?

Originally posted by karoly aczel
So should we be afraid?

Are you speaking now of today's physical "serpents" or of " ... the ancient serpent, he who is called the Devil and Satan, he who deceives the whole inhabited earth ..." (Rev. 12:9) ?

Originally posted by jaywill
Are you speaking now of today's physical "serpents" or of [b]" ... the ancient serpent, he who is called the Devil and Satan, he who deceives the whole inhabited earth ..." (Rev. 12:9) ?[/b]

the latter,I believe.
yes, I would be interested in your answer,dear jaywill

Originally posted by karoly aczel
the latter,I believe.
yes, I would be interested in your answer,dear jaywill

Our ability to resist and defeat Satan is wholly in Christ. It is not in our merit. It is not based on our ability. We cannot withstand Satan in ourselves.

Our confidence that we can have no fear of him is solely, wholly, exclusively, totally dependent upon our union and oneness with Jesus Christ.

Christ has defeated Satan. And only by being one with Christ can we share in that victory. In Christ we need not fear.

I must run now. I will come back and emphasize this more latter. This is a crucial and key point and the secret to spiritual warfare. Even more it is the secret to the release of the whole creation from Satan's enfluence.

We are going to put this little snake in the eternal fire where he belongs - the church and Christ as one.

Originally posted by jaywill
Our ability to resist and defeat Satan is wholly in Christ. It is not in our merit. It is not based on our ability. We cannot withstand Satan in ourselves.

Our confidence that we can have no fear of him is solely, wholly, exclusively, totally dependent upon our union and oneness with Jesus Christ.

Christ [b]has defeated Satan. And only by being ...[text shortened]... g to put this little snake in the eternal fire where he belongs - the church and Christ as one.[/b]

Your answer didn't surprise me. In fact I could've written it for you.
Its such a shame that so many christians repeatedly announce that we cannot 'defeat satan' and that only christ can win,etc.
You're not even in the right ballpark. you contstantly separate yourself from God.
Not to say there is no merit in your arguement, but I think God wants us to reunite with Her, and all actions start with our thoughts. And if in thought you are already defeated then you may as well just keep going to work, try not to think too much and die.(Or just do what it is you do knowing that whatever you do isn't really going to make a lick of difference). What else is life for if Jesus has already done everything? Does he require cheerleaders or something? Sheeesh
Bhuddism is so much more logical to me.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Your answer didn't surprise me. In fact I could've written it for you.
Its such a shame that so many christians repeatedly announce that we cannot 'defeat satan' and that only christ can win,etc.
You're not even in the right ballpark. you contstantly separate yourself from God.
Not to say there is no merit in your arguement, but I think God wants us ...[text shortened]... oes he require cheerleaders or something? Sheeesh
Bhuddism is so much more logical to me.

There is plenty of merit in my argument for it is the argument of the Bible. But I cannot discuss it now. I'll have to comment latter.

Originally posted by jaywill
There is plenty of merit in my argument for it is the argument of the Bible. But I cannot discuss it now. I'll have to comment latter.

Take your time and please do. I would like to attempt to demonstrate that taking responsibilty for ourselves is better than leaving it to
Jesus.
Having said that, not everyone is the same and if its going to stop someone from doing something heinous then, by all means, take refuge in Jesus. Whatever works.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
Take your time and please do. I would like to attempt to demonstrate that taking responsibilty for ourselves is better than leaving it to
Jesus.
Having said that, not everyone is the same and if its going to stop someone from doing something heinous then, by all means, take refuge in Jesus. Whatever works.

=========================================
Take your time and please do. I would like to attempt to demonstrate that taking responsibilty for ourselves is better than leaving it to
Jesus.
=======================================

"Leaving it to Jesus" as you say, certainly does not mean not taking responsibility.

Think of a car with power steering. The technology of hydrolics adds power to the activity of the driver's arms. There is still the responsibility of the driver to turn the wheel in the proper direction.

This is a limited but useful analogy of "walk by the Spirit" or of "Abide in Me and I in you" or of "set the mind on the spirit" or of "those who are led by the Spirit".

The New Testament speaks many times of the Christian being empowered in the grace which is in Christ Jesus.

The analogy stops at the point of thinking that the indwelling Holy Spirit of Jesus will empower one to do the wrong thing. But the analogy holds in that the Holy Spirit will "empower" the Christian as she turns her will in the direction that God within her is moving.

This does require responsibility and that is why there is a "judgment seat of Christ" reserved for those who are saved eternally through Christ, yet still need to be judged according to how they lived by Christ.

Paul from experience taught the Christian to utilize the indwelling Holy Spirit to "put to death" the lustful practices of the body. Paul spoke of crucifying the fallen flesh with its passions and its lusts. There is no way you can read Galatians, Romans, Colossians, Philippians or any New Testament book and ascertain that it is abandoning human responsibility.

I am responsible to merge my being with Christ. Your concept of an irresponsible "leaving it to Jesus" is a warped one at best. Leaving it to the Triune God mingled with man is more the reality.


=================================
Having said that, not everyone is the same and if its going to stop someone from doing something heinous then, by all means, take refuge in Jesus. Whatever works.
=================================

Here is what you should consider about your relationship to God. Suppose from this moment on, from now on, you were to live a perfect life ... what about the record of your life UP UNTO this moment ?

God has a record of your deeds, your words. It is infallible. It is undisputable. It is without any fictitious additions. It is irrefutable.

Look at the clock. Every minute is bringing you closer to the moment when before God you will stand. And God will say, "This is what you did. This is what you said".

Even if you were to live totally righteously from this day forward you still have the sins of before to answer for. Now you may consider "leave it to Jesus" to have been the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Because God knows the result of your responsibility before His holiness, His eternal perfection, is too heavy for you, He has provided Christ too obliterate your record in His act on the cross. He knows that you will never make it before His glorious holiness and His eternally perfect righteousness.

Now the cleansing of my sins, known and unknown, past and future, intentional and unintentional, excusable and not excusable, public and private, heinious and light, any and all my sins ... that I leave to Jesus to carry up in His body onto the cross.

No amunt of living perfect from today on (which is unlikely that you can) will cleanse away your sins of yesterday.

For my sins, justice has already been imputed on my behalf. Justice for my sinful life has been carried out in Christ on Calvary. That I leave to Jesus entirely. And I will tell God that I stand before Him clothed in the blood of Jesus - my ONLY merit, my ONLY standing, my ONLY covering before Him.

Originally posted by jaywill
Our ability to resist and defeat Satan is wholly in Christ. It is not in our merit. It is not based on our ability. We cannot withstand Satan in ourselves.

Our confidence that we can have no fear of him is solely, wholly, exclusively, totally dependent upon our union and oneness with Jesus Christ.

Christ [b]has defeated Satan. And only by being ...[text shortened]... g to put this little snake in the eternal fire where he belongs - the church and Christ as one.[/b]

[non-Bible citation needed]

Originally posted by UzumakiAi
[non-Bible citation needed]

That's a cute way of rejecting the word of God.