Cheryl Schatz

Mark,

Under Question #8, you again have failed to answer my questions. Why? Here is what I asked:

Please give the verse that says that “the man” had a “leadership position”. Please give the verse that says that God “dwelt” with Adam and Eve in the garden. Please do not ignore my questions. I would like Scriptural proof, not your opinion.

We are the temple of God, but the garden of Eden is never called a temple. Can you please give scriptural proof that the garden was the “temple” of God?

After not answering my questions, you responded this way:

8. You seem to be implying that sin done in ‘ignorance’ is not as bad as rebellious sin. And i know you use 1 Tim 1:13 as your proof text. However Paul identifies himself as the ‘worst’ of sinners in verse 15.

God looks at the heart and Paul himself said that sin done in ignorance is eligible for mercy. The fact that Paul said that he was the ‘worst’ of sinners does not mean that Paul contradicted himself. Rather being the ‘worst’ of sinner is because of the deed not the heart intent. Paul put Christians to death. This is a very bad sin. But Paul also said that he did it ignorantly and in unbelief. So the sin itself was very bad, but God judged Paul’s heart and because Paul did the sinful deed ignorantly and in unbelief, Paul found mercy from God.

God Himself always looks at the heart. He does not see the deed done without also seeing the intent and God judges in a righteous way by judging both the deed and the heart.

It is God Himself who judges that sin done in ignorance is not as bad as sin done willfully. In fact in the Hebrew willful rebellion against God is called sinning with a high hand. There is no sacrifice given for sinning with a high hand.

Therefore according to your definition of sin, and if you are going to be consistent then since Paul is the ‘worst’ and he was deceived, wouldn’t that make Eve’s sin worse than Adam’s since her’s was deception. So is sin done in deception worse or not?

You have confused the sin with the intent. Sin done in deception is not worse than willful rebellion. You err because you have not understood the Scriptures on God’s separation of sin and the heart.

Your argument falls to pieces here because Paul as a deceived sinner calls himself the worst. I think you have a wrong understanding of sin.

Not only have you not deal with 1 Timothy 1:13-14 but you completely contradict God’s Word on the seriousness of willful rebellion. I have put the passages together so that they do not contradict, but your view has to ignore Paul’s words on ignorance and in contradiction to the Scriptures you make all sin to be the same. My friend, I can only assume that it is you yourself who have a completely wrong understanding of sin.