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CHAPTER 4 TWO TREES
There are two important trees to look at in Genesis; the Tree of Life and the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil (the forbidden tree).
In the garden of Eden these trees existed. Of the tree of life they were freely given to eat. This tree is said to be the antidote against disease and bodily decay. Access to it was based upon a proper relationship with God. The real question which faced Adam and Eve and us today is : which path should be chosen? And what kind of relationship do we want with God?
The tree of life; it is the Word of God, spiritual truths. Jesus is a life giving force, so to eat of Him, His nature and character is Life.
How do we get to eat of this tree today, beings we’re in a fallen state? First of all you must be born anew – born afresh (again through Jesus Christ). It would take at least a chapter in itself to explain all, and how He met this requirement. This is not that book.
John 3:3-7, Jesus answered and said to him, `Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to Him. `How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mothers womb and be born, can he? Jesus answered, `Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born again.
Proverbs 11:30, The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls.
The tree of life comes in many forms but you must first yourself meet the requirement to eat thereof, else you will be trying to obtain it through your flesh.
John 6:63, It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
So to believe and eat His Words, letting it become a viable force within your soul and by allowing it’s power and work, you will gain life.
John 6:47-51, 53-58, Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes
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has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna
in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; and the bread also which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh. Jesus therefore said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate, and died, he who eats this bread shall live forever.
John 6:66, As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore.
You must walk with the lover of your soul! His flesh is meat (living food). Walk in His footsteps, eat of Him – His Words – the words He taught (in spirit) and you will see the steak and potatoes in it. And drink of His blood – the life giving force, – the Spirit – the trueness of His character and nature of which Spirit comes from above not the letter of the law which He only fulfilled.
Romans 1:20, For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse.
So what about a person who never really heard of Jesus? Can they be saved in their spirit? Yes they can! If they see God in nature and the Father has called them, they may indeed hear another way other than the written word and receive Jesus though they know NOT what He is called by, yet follow Him. Because that which is known about God is evident within them, for God made it evident to them. There is only so much of God that one can know from Gods creation but to know the essence of God as a triune deity, one needs His revelation by faith. The rejection of the knowledge one does have about God is what brings condemnation to him.
So, here you have people who to the best they can, receive and believe. This could even be by vision, dreams, etc. yet all around them people say His name is Mohamed, Budha, or_______ and through the Knowledge of Good and Evil they give their teachings and beliefs. Now ones head (mind) may believe them yet feel something just isn’t right, so ones heart may be right but their
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head doctrinally wrong. If one really seeks, I do feel that sometime, somewhere they will come to hear the truth of what all He did for them and how he is called, for they would already know His name (nature; character) to the degree He has through the Spirit revealed this to them. I know someone who once saw Jesus, they saw not an outward defined figure but the powerful essence of His nature and character. Must one first know what He is called by for Him to reveal His nature (who He really is) and receive and walk thereby?
So you can be saved in your Spirit without the head knowledge of what He is called by. Though for some their faith be a sort or measure where faith comes by hearing and hearing by the written Word of God. But this not always be the case!
Matthew 7:21-23, “Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will say to them, openly (publicly) `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly – disregarding My commands.” (Amp.)
Luke 13:26 &27, “Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets. But He will say, `I tell you, I do not know where [what household – certainly not Mine] you come from; depart from Me, all you wrongdoers!”
Here you see what looks like and talks like a Christian, yet Jesus says He knows them not. For these did a lot of what looked good yet did not do the will of God the Father in heaven.
John 5:39-40, You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these [the scriptures] that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life.
Through the knowledge of good and evil, man exercises his knowledge of good to be as if it were God, which is self-righteousness. This does not cut the cake with God. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil is the forbidden tree, it is of carnal souls essence and its life in and of the world, not brought forth and born of the Spirit no matter how good or Godly it looks or how much head knowledge, even Biblical, it is.
1 John 5:4, For WHATEVER is born of God overcomes the world; and this the victory that has overcome the world our faith.
This is not to say we are to negate the character of God – for He gave the ultimate, and in like manner we should follow in His
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footsteps. There are spiritual principles in which the soul can participate in and reap heavenly benefits. The most notable of these is giving. That which has already come from God in life’s manual takes precedence for it has already been pronounced His will.
James 1:17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.
Proverbs 19:17, He who is gracious to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
Heb.6:10 (Amp.), For God is not unrighteous to forget or overlook your labor and the love which you have shown for His names sake in ministering to the needs of the saints – His own consecrated people – as you still do.
Matthew 10:40-42, 25:40, He who receives and welcomes and accepts you, receives and welcomes and accepts Me; and he who receives and welcomes accepts Me, receives and welcomes and accepts Him who sent Me.. He who receives and welcomes and accepts a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophets reward, and he who receives and welcomes and accepts a righteous man because he is a righteous man shall receive a righteous mans reward. And whoever gives to one of these little ones [in rank or influence] even a cup of cold water because he is My disciple, surely, I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward.
And the King will reply to them, `Truly, I tell you, in as far as you did it to one of the least [in the estimation of men] of these My brethren, you did it to me. This giving is good for the soul.
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