gengwall

Cheryl – “Another good note is that when God says that “but now lest he reach out his hand…” the term “lest” is God’s way to prevent a predictable event.

conj.: — 1. w. impf. (106 ×), prevention of a theoretically possible event:”

A predictable event is not an assured event. As the definition so clearly states, the event is only “theoretically possible”. You can not claim that the cherubims and flaming sword prevented an actual sin, but only a theoretically possible one. I continue to contend that the Tree of Life can not be used as a witness to Adam’s future actual sin.

Moreover, as you state above, the reason to prevent Adam from accessing the Tree of Life was simply to ensure Adam’s death. It was not a sin for Adam to live forever, nor would it have been a sin for Adam to partake of the Tree of Life in an effort to live forever. Nowhere in the text does it say that the Tree of Life was now forbidden. God never repealed his permission to eat from the tree of life. The text only states that it was inaccesible for the reason you point out – that eating from it would prevent Adam’s death. I fail to see how a desire to continue to live and “reaching out” for the means to perpetuate one’s life is a sin.