[Trapped]

Just some thoughts on the "law" issue brought up earlier. (SC this is not intended to pull you back into the thread since it sounds like you wanted to focus on other things. This is just my response directed to no one in particular).

-this account is in the Old Testament, and the law is a prominent feature of the OT, so it playing a definite role in Genesis 2-3 is not out of character

-God says in Genesis 3:11 "...Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" This is indeed a matter of disobeying a commandment. Romans 5 also shows it was an issue of transgression, trespass, offense, etc. In reference to Adam it says "the judgement that followed one sin". Law and commandments are definitely in the mix.

-Christ didn't abolish the law but fulfilled it, so we shouldn't think the law is a non-factor or something to wave away

-Even the New Testament contains Jesus telling us to follow His commandments. This, in my opinion, was heavily lost in the local church. As if all we needed to do was sit in a room on gold chairs reading rainbow colored books, and missing that the NT commands us to do good, commands us to love our neighbor, to love one another, shows the apostles were eager to help the poor, etc...

-Christ came to fulfill God's righteous requirements because we could not ourselves. All these are a matter of law. It doesn't mean that it's ONLY a matter of law, but the Bible doesn't present it that way anyway. It's also a matter of God's great love and Christ's love and sacrifice.

Trapped