Why Not Question: Was the 'fall' really all Eve's fault?

For centuries, religious leaders have blamed Eve for man's downfall. Their version is that she went to the tree alone, listened to the serpent and then took the fruit to her husband who ate it.

However, when one looks at Genesis 3:6 (KJV) a different story emerges.

'And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.'

Did you catch it?

The verse said 'gave also unto her husband with her'. Meaning, Adam was standing right there when the serpent tempted Eve - AND DID NOTHING TO STOP HER!

Adam knew the commandment of God as well, yet when his wife reached for the fruit, ate it, then gave it to her husband and he ate it, it shows that by inaction and failure to remind woman of what God has said, Adam, too shares the blame for mankind's fall.

Why Not Question : Adoption

Romans: 8:15, 8:23, 9:4. Galations 4: 5, Ephesians 1:5.

Paul talks of adoption many times when speaking our relationship to God.
What exactly does this mean? The Greek word used means 'Placing as a Son'.

According to 'Manners and Customs of the Bible' by James M. Freeman,
Greeks and Romans who did not have a son were allowed to adopt one including a child of one of the their servants. The son then took the family name.

With the Romans, it could be a private or public adoption. Private was an arrangement between the parties concerned; the public was, 'Hey, so and thus is now my son'. The child now had the right to address his adoptive parent as 'Father'. Something he had no right to do as a servant. He was also free.

There is one more aspect to this and I don't actually have the reference but it has been confirmed by those who have attended seminary. Adoption also meant under Roman law, that while a biological child could be disinherited - an adopted child could not because they'd been chosen.

Now, when you put all these together in our relationship to God, you begin to see the parallels. Before accepting Christ we were like the servant, unable to call God 'Father' and with none of the rights of a son. After accepting Christ, we become the Sons of God with full freedom to cry 'Daddy' and inherit all God has in store for us.

We also know God will never push us away because we are 'His'. With a fuller understanding of the word adoption, we can also understand that once we're saved, we always will be. We can't 'lose' our salvation.

What a wonderful example Paul used and he used it because in his time, believers understood what he meant. Now, we do as well.

Why Not Question : Worship Dance

There is a disagreement between the conservative and charismatic about dancing in church. The conservatives think dance is inappropriate no matter what and the charismatic thinks it's okay to praise the Lord in this manner.

What does the Bible say about it?

I think most are familiar with the story about King David dancing before God. We all know David was a man after God's own heart. Was he wrong to dance before his Creator? (2 Samuel 6:14)

In Psalms 150:3-5, it says to praise God with musical instruments and with dance.

Psalms 149: 3 It says to praise his name in the dance and with again, with musical instruments.

Ecclesastes 3:4 Says there's a time to dance.

Exodus 15: 20 Miriam and the women danced as they were freed from captivity in Egypt.

Remember the parable Jesus told of the son who left, spent all his money and came home again? At the party to celebrate the lost son coming home was music and dancing.

If our Lord Jesus Christ himself thought dancing was appropriate to celebrate, and there are countless examples of dance to worship God in the Old Testament, which, according to Paul is for our learning...who is any religion to condemn worship dance?

Orientalisms - Ten pieces of silver

Luke 15:8-9.

A woman has ten pieces of silver. She loses one. She searches the house diligently until she finds it. When she does, she calls her friends and neighbors together to celebrate.

Now, this parable is often not taught correctly in Western churches. Why? Because of a lack of understanding of what this means in the Eastern World.

The ten pieces of silver are given to the bride as a purchase price. She is given other gifts of jewelry, but these hold the most significance. As far as money value, they're worth very little. Their symbolic meaning is what makes them priceless.

The bride wears them in hair on little hooks and guards them with her life. If she loses one it is a sign God no longer favors the house. They lose their blessings. If she fails to find it, she will be thrown into the streets to die.

No wonder she calls together her friends and neighbors and says, 'Guess what, I lost one piece of silver, but I found it again. I won't have to live on the streets and die. Let's party!'

Understanding the significance behind the ten pieces of silver brings an entire new light to the verse and why finding one piece of silver was so important. I wasn't because they were poor as is popularly taught - it was because if she didn't - she received a death sentence!

Reference: 'Light through an Eastern Window' by Bishop K.C. Pillai