'Good' in Genesis 1

[Ronald David Bruno]

I guess this is what I've heard more often, that I think of as "the traditional view. That God meant for us to sin and know death and evil so we would have a better idea of how good He is. That He wants us to suffer so we can know how much He loves us. That doesn't make sense to me.

Much love!

Really? I've heard teachings with the perspective that the FALL from grace was a tragic error. Sin entered into the world ... and shame on man for screwing things up ...
That is the traditional perspective, a tragic act that cost us all pain and sufferring.
Mine is it was God's purpose.
"Behold, the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil."

 

[marks]

Really? I've heard teachings with the perspective that the FALL from grace was a tragic error. Sin entered into the world ... and shame on man for screwing things up ...
That is the traditional perspective, a tragic act that cost us all pain and sufferring.
Mine is it was God's purpose.
"Behold, the man has become as one of us, to know good and evil."

I've heard both taught, and more besides.

I understand God's purpose to be that we would walk with Him in innocence and love. I think that in the ages to come, that's what we will do. And because we want to, not that we have to, or were just made that way.

And that "because we want to", is why God made Adam able to make the choice to live God's way, or to take it upon himself how he would live.

I don't see that man got the drop on God, Oh My Look at what just happened! Rather that this was the way to reach the destination. Available at the beginning, though man would not avail himself of it. And being made available at the end through redemption.

Much love!

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Darkness need not exist for there to be light.

Much love!

OF COURSE, JESUS IS THE LIGHT AND HE EXISTED BEFORE CREATION. HEAVEN IS WITHOUT DARKNESS. I think we will know where we came from and forever praise Him.

 

[marks]

OF COURSE, JESUS IS THE LIGHT AND HE EXISTED BEFORE CREATION. HEAVEN IS WITHOUT DARKNESS. I think we will know were we came from and forever praise Him.

Darkness does not need to exist for us to see light, to be warmed in the light, to receive it's blessings.

Much love!

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Darkness does not need to exist for us to see light, to be warmed in the light, to receive it's blessings.

Much love!

And you own this because you've been cold and without blessings at times. If You were warm and happy all the time nothing would change for the better.

 

[marks]

And you own this because you've been cold and without blessings at times. If You were warm and happy all the time nothing would change for the better.

You are just restating your assertion, that good somehow requires evil.

Much love!

 

[Brakelite]

I love that after the 6 days, God rested, or ceased from all His work, sat back and surveyed all He had accomplished, and decided, aaah. Very good...When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy. Job 38:7.
I guess the angels thought it was okay to.

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

You are just restating your assertion, that good somehow requires evil.

Much love!

My original post stated that and now I just use different vantage points to demonstrate the same concept. But you get it. Yes it is getting redundant. I just like to thoroughly hash things out with Christians who are smarter than me.

 

[Nancy]

'Thou art worthy, O Lord,
to receive glory and honour and power:
for Thou hast created all things,
and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.'
(Rev 4:11)

Hello @Ronald David Bruno,

Thank you for responding and expressing your thoughts as you have.

My mind is still focussed on the meaning of the word 'good' in Genesis one, as being the expression of pleasure at the beauty of each stage of the creation process. It gave God pleasure to create all things.

Praise His Name!

In Christ Jesus
Chris

Hi Chris,
I tend to believe that that "Good" and "very good" in Gen. is referring to perfect and complete in a practical and
ascetic way. Morals didn't come into it until Eve was deceived. And, then I'd say that everything became un-good (lol) - thorns, weeds, hard labor, childbirth, lost communication with God or, should we say "relationship"?

Of course, these are only the thoughts that come to mind. Interesting post sister, as usual! Some are kind of deep for me

Praise God and be blessed!

 

[marks]

My original post stated that and now I just use different vantage points to demonstrate the same concept. But you get it. Yes it is getting redundant. I just like to thoroughly hash things out with Christians who are smarter than me.

If good requires evil, by what right is it good? It inflicts evil. Isn't that so?

Much love!

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

If good requires evil, by what right is it good? It inflicts evil. Isn't that so?

Much love!

Who said good requires evil. Good existed before evil. Understanding good requires evil. Isn't that just how we learn life's lessons? We learn after doing something wrong, why it is wrong and the right thing to do. Remember God knew Good and Evil prior to the Garden.

 

[Ziggy]

'And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: (H2896)
and God divided the light from the darkness.'
(Gen 1:3-4)

Hello there,

I opened my Bible to the first chapter of Genesis and started to read, and was arrested by the word 'good', for I remembered a debate in which it was argued that if everything that God made was good how could evil come from it? or something to that effect.

In my Bible's marginal notes the word, 'good' equals 'beautiful', and reference is made to Ecclesiastes 3:11, and I'm sorry but I have to quote it within it's context (ie., vv. 10-15):-

'What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
.. He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: (H3303)
.... also He hath set the world (ie., the age) in their heart,
...... so that no man can find out the work that God maketh
........ from the beginning to the end.
I know that there is no good in them,
.. but for a man to rejoice,
.... and to do good in his life.
...... And also that every man should eat and drink,
........ and enjoy the good of all his labour,
.......... it is the gift of God.
I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever:
.. nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it:
.... and God doeth it, that men should fear before Him.
That which hath been is now;
.. and that which is to be hath already been;
.... and God requireth that which is past.'

* This is an amazing portion of Scripture, and deserves to be considered for it's own sake, doesn't it. (Feel free to do that if you would like)

* So, the word, 'good' in Genesis 1:3-4 has the meaning of 'beautiful' in this context: and not 'good' in a moral sense, yes? Each day's work is called 'good' except the second day, in which nothing was created only divided (vv. 6-8).

* The word 'world', when translated from ('Kosmos' G2889) means a decoration, or an adorning too.

Any thoughts?

In Christ Jesus
Chris

Ecc 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Vanity

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Life is to be experienced.
A time for this and a time for that.
These are not only choices but necessities.
A time to rend and a time to sew.
The dividing on day 2.
For what purpose?
To learn.
To choose the good and shun the evil.
Life is a journey.

Lots of thoughts..
that's an interesting Book.
Thank You
Hugs

 

[Ziggy]

'What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?

One could ask..
What profit does God receive for creating a world for mankind?
He worked and laboured 6 days created the 7th day to rest in it.
In what?
His creation.
US.
The Son of man has nowhere to lay his head....
When Adam and Eve fell from Grace,
what was the Lord profitted by that?
The profit was hope, faith, charity..
The fruits needed a place to take root and to grow.
If the ground was not laboured in, if it was not worked...
what would be the pleasure of having a garden in the first place?

When you work at something, like a garden, you work the land, plant the seed, and hope for a good harvest.
When God created everything.... He also created HOPE.. to rest in.
But there are weeds in the garden..
Ecc 3:2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

The verse that catches my eye:

Ecc 3:15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

That which was and is and is yet to come... is now.
Time is always moving.
And we are always in it.

I was thinking about a vinyl record (it's been awhile I know)
and every song had a line where it began and ended before and after that song.
When the record had ended, the needle would lift and restart at the beginning.
I think the world is like a record.
The lines are markers or generations, and each "age" is a song.
And at the end of ages, the record begins again.

Always creating and recreating.... like a garden goes through seasons.
There is a time and a season for everything under the sun.
And it was created for us.

just thinking..
thank you
Hugs

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Ecc 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Vanity

1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

Life is to be experienced.
A time for this and a time for that.
These are not only choices but necessities.
A time to rend and a time to sew.
The dividing on day 2.
For what purpose?
To learn.
To choose the good and shun the evil.
Life is a journey.

Lots of thoughts..
that's an interesting Book.
Thank You
Hugs

 

[marks]

Who said good requires evil. Good existed before evil. Understanding good requires evil. Isn't that just how we learn life's lessons? We learn after doing something wrong, why it is wrong and the right thing to do. Remember God knew Good and Evil prior to the Garden.

marks said: ↑

You are just restating your assertion, that good somehow requires evil.

Much love!

My original post stated that and now I just use different vantage points to demonstrate the same concept. But you get it. Yes it is getting redundant. I just like to thoroughly hash things out with Christians who are smarter than me.

Do you suppose we will retain in our memories all the evils in this life throughout eternity?

Much love!

 

[marks]

Good existed before evil. Understanding good requires evil. Isn't that just how we learn life's lessons? We learn after doing something wrong, why it is wrong and the right thing to do. Remember God knew Good and Evil prior to the Garden.

We learn that way NOW, yes. This is remedial.

Much love!

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Ecc 3:11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end

also makes me think of:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bible.com/bible/116/EPH.2.10.NLT
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. | New Living Translation (NLT) | Download The Bible App Now

 

[Ronald David Bruno]

Do you suppose we will retain in our memories all the evils in this life throughout eternity?

I have pondered this. It is a tough question. On one hand, if we didn't remember anything, including everything that Christ did, all the lessons we've learned, our history, why we love and appreciate God, where we came from, etc., It would be as if 6000 years of history was a waste of time. Blissful ignorant creatures without a sense of value ... don't even want to go there.
I like the other hand, we remember, just maybe not loved ones that did not make it? Jesus wipes away our tears when we arrive and so it begs the question- why would we cry in heaven? My guess is we find out many we know didn't make it?
But remember, all things pass away except His Word, that will never pass away. We have our history in His Word, not our personal history, but history of good and evil since the beginning. I think it is important to know where we came from, what we came out of, to generate eternal gratitude and praise. He is glorified by what He has accomplished, how can we forget that?
Besides, we have eaten from the Tree of Life and our state is fixed in our new bodies, our sinful flesh history. The knowledge of evil could not ever effect us.

 

[marks]

I have pondered this. It is a tough question. On one hand, if we didn't remember anything, including everything that Christ did, all the lessons we've learned, our history, why we love and appreciate God, where we came from, etc., It would be as if 6000 years of history was a waste of time.
I like the other hand, we remember, just maybe lived ones,that did not make it may be erased? Jesus wipes away our tears when we arrive and so it begs the question- why woupdbwe cry in heaven? My guess is we find out many we know didn't make it?
But remember, all things pass away except His Word, will never pass away. We have our history in His Word, not our personal history, but history of good and evil since the beginning. I think it is important to know where we came from, what we came out of, to generate eternal gratitude and praise. He is glorified by what He has accomplished, how can we forget that?
Besides, we have eaten from the Tree of Life and our state is fixed in our new bodies, our sinful flesh history. The knowledge of evil could not ever effect us.

Some passages that come to mind . . .

Matthew 5:18 KJV
For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Isaiah 65:17 KJV
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

Not wasted time . . . remediation for humanity. Culling from among all the people God made in Adam those who would be saved.

We will love Him for Who He Is. I don't feel any need to remember my pain and my shame.

I think God is bringing us back to His original intent, that we should live with Him in innocence and love, but now we've been made good ourselves by Christ in me, so I have that expectation of Glory.

Much love!

 

[farouk]

also makes me think of:
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. | New Living Translation (NLT) | Download The Bible App Now

Hi @VictoryinJesus Great verse there which comes after Ephesians 2.8-9: verses that are often quoted on their own...